Zambia
Our Team
Senior Management
The UNDP Resident Representative is the UNDP Administrator's representative at the country level, and head of the country office being ultimately accountable for UNDP’s programme and operations, including for the quality and sustainability of UNDP interventions on the ground.
James Wakiaga
UNDP Resident Representative in Zambia
James Wakiaga is currently serving as the UNDP Resident Representative in Zambia. He previously served as the UNDP Resident Representative in Eritrea from 2019 – 2023 and as a Senior Economist at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ethiopia and Zimbabwe, respectively. Prior to these roles, he worked as Chief Economist/Director in Kenya’s Foreign Service and served as Economic Counsellor at the Kenya Embassy in Washington DC. He has contributed to several knowledge products on Poverty, MDGs, SDGs, Human Development and Economic Growth with a focus on Africa.
He is also a Member of External Reviewers Group (ERG) and Strategic Studies Group (SSG) for the African Capacity Indicators Report (ACIR). He holds a graduate of Economics Honours degree cum laude from University of Nairobi and a Master’s degree in Economics from Renmin University of China (RUC). He is currently pursuing his Doctorate studies with a focus on Social Transformation.
His most recent publications include: (1) An examination of the structural linkages between households and community health services in realization of accelerated primary healthcare delivery in Kisumu County, Kenya by F1000 Research (2021); (2) A systematic review the authorship of Chapter One on “The post-2015 development agenda: building global convergence on policy options” - in the book entitled - Development in Africa: Refocusing the lens after the Millennium Development Goals, published by Policy Press. He takes a keen interest in African development policy discourse and writings.
He is married to Dr. Lucy Wakiaga and they are blessed with two children.
Laurent Rudasingwa
UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Zambia
Laurent Rudasingwa just arrived in Zambia, on the 21st of July 2024, as the new Deputy Resident Representative. Prior to this, he held the same positions in the Central African Republic for almost 3 years, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for 3.5 years and in Chad for 18 months. With over 22 years of experience, Rudasingwa has held various leadership roles, including programme management, senior advisory positions, and technical functions within NGOs and the United Nations system.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rudasingwa played a significant role in organizing the 2018 elections and contributed to the transition of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) in areas related to the rule of law, stabilization, and disarmament, demobilization, and community reintegration. He was instrumental in establishing eight field offices across the provinces of the DRC, including those previously occupied by MONUSCO.
Previously, he served as a Senior Advisor in New York, working with the Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery (BCPR) and the Regional Service Center in Johannesburg for three years. In the Central African Republic, he held the position of Deputy Country Director/Programme, where he played a crucial role in organizing the 2016 elections, the 2015 national reconciliation forum, and the redeployment of local administration in areas formerly controlled by rebel groups.
He has extensive experience in transitional governance and local governance. He collaborated with NGOs and civil society organizations in complex humanitarian and relief environments, focusing on the socio-economic reintegration of returnees and internally displaced persons. His expertise spans multisectoral sustainable development programs, including energy, environment, decentralization, and peace consolidation.
Laurent Rudasingwa holds a Master's degree in Agricultural Sciences, specializing in Rural Development and Economics.