New Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµDP Special Representative arrives at the occupied Palestinian territory

Jerusalem, 27 May 2015 – Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµDP Administrator, Helen Clark, appointed Mr Roberto Valent as her Special Representative to Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµDP’s Programme of Assistance to the Palestinian People (PAPP), to replace Mr Frode Mauring, who served as Special Representative from February 2011 to May 2015.

“I feel privileged by the opportunity of serving again in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Gaza Strip in my new capacity as Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµDP Special Representative,” said Mr Valent. “Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµDP will continue supporting the Palestinian people in fulfilling their own aspirations and improving their lives”.

Mr Valent assumed his responsibilities on Wednesday 27 May 2015. Prior to this appointment, Mr Valent was the Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ Resident Coordinator and Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµDP Resident Representative in El Salvador and Belize.

From 2007-2010, Mr Valent was Deputy Special Representative at PAPP. From 2005 – 2007 he was Deputy Country Director in the Democratic Republic of Congo and before that he was assigned as Deputy Resident Representative in Sudan from 2002-2005. He was also Deputy Resident Representative in Comoros from 2001 – 2002 and Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ Municipal Administrator at Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµMIK/DPKO in Kosovo between 1999 and 2001. Mr Valent began his career with Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµDP in 1995 as a Junior Professional Officer in Albania.

An Italian national, Mr Valent holds a BA and a Master’s Degree in Political Sciences from Bologna University, Italy, followed by another Master´s Degree in International Relations from Sussex University, U.K.

Contact Information

Dania Darwish, Communications Specialist, Tel. +972-2-6268229 – e-mail: dania.darwish@undp.org. For more information on Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµDP/PAPP see .