The newly appointed Resident Coordinator (RC) of the United Nations in Nepal and the Resident Representative (RR) of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Ms. Valerie Julliand, called on Kamal Thapa, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, to present the Letter of Credentials from the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

Prior to coming to Nepal Ms. Valerie Julliand was UN RC and UNDP RR for Guatemala and RC/RR from 2009-2013 for the Dominican Republic. From 1994 to 2008 Valerie was with the Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) where she served as Head of IRIN News, Regional Office for West Africa (2006-2008) and Head of the Regional Office for East Africa and the Great Lakes (1999-2006). She worked in Angola for four years on various assignments as Senior Humanitarian Affairs Officer, Demobilization and Reintegration Program Manager and Vulnerable Groups Program Officer.

According to a press release issued by UNIC, before joining OCHA, Valerie undertook voluntary work in Bukavu in Eastern DRC (1995) and she was Program Director for Handicap International in Serbia and Bosnia (1993-1994). From 1984-1992 she worked in various positions in publishing companies in Paris, most notably as General Director of BIBA (a French women's magazine) and Publisher of various magazines in the "Groupe Express" in France.

Upon assuming office in Nepal, Ms. Julliand said, “I am honoured by this opportunity to join the United Nations family in Nepal. I look forward to working closely with the Government of Nepal, national stakeholders and development partners towards our common goal of sustainable development for Nepal, leaving no one behind.”

Ms. Julliand, a French national, holds a Masters in Political Science from the Institute d'Etudes Politiques, France and an MPhil in Human Resources Management from the Institute de Gestion Sociale, France.  She speaks French, Spanish and English.