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Assistant Secretary-General Robert Piper

Special Adviser on Solutions to Internal Displacement

Biography

Mr. Piper brings to the position more than 30 years of experience in international development, humanitarian response, and peacebuilding at the United Nations. He most recently served as UN Assistant Secretary-General and head of the The United Nations Development Coordination Office (DCO). This position has given him a unique understanding of the development system – including assets across all entities – and provided robust experience in strengthening linkages among different pillars of the UN. While in DCO, he has also helped implement the most ambitious reforms in the history of UN development coordination. Prior to this position, he was Officer-in-Charge of the Bureau of External Relations at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Mr. Piper joined the United Nations in 1990 at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Bangkok. Since then, he has served the Organization in various capacities, including as Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, and United Nations Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, from 2015 to 2018; United Nations Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Sahel, from 2013 to 2015; United Nations Resident Coordinator, Humanitarian Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative for Nepal, from 2008 to 2013; and for Kosovo between 2002 and 2004. He has held a number of other key positions with UNDP at Headquarters and in the field, including as inaugural Director for the Millennium Development Goals Achievement Fund and as Deputy Director for Emergency Response.