Press release

New UNFPA Representative for Nepal Presents her Letter of Credentials

KATHMANDU, 1 April 2013 - Mr. Madhav Prasad Ghimire, Hon'ble Minister for Foreign Affairs, Government of Nepal received the Letter of Credentials presented by Ms. Giulia Vallese, UNFPA Representative for Nepal at his office today.

Ms. Vallese arrived in Nepal on 27 February 2013 to take up her new assignment as UNFPA Representative for Nepal. She has been serving with the UNFPA at Headquarters and at the field level since 1995 in different capacities. Prior to her deputation to Nepal, she served as Resource Mobilization Advisor in New York at UNFPA Headquarter and Officer-In-Charge of the new office of UNFPA in South Sudan. Ms. Vallese has also previously served as Deputy Representative at the UNFPA multi country office based in Fiji.

UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, is an international development agency that extends assistance to countries at their request to help them in using population data for policies and programmes to reduce poverty and to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled.

UNFPA's support to Nepal began in 1971. The new Seventh Country Programme commenced in 2013 and will end in 2017. Through this programme and in partnership with the Government of Nepal UNFPA will provide a total of US$ 30.5 million, of which US$ 23 million is from UNFPA's regular resources and US$ 7.5 million from multilateral and bilateral government sources. UNFPA works closely with the Government line ministries and UN agencies to contribute to peace-building and national development goals.

UNFPA inquiries: Please contact UNFPA Communications Focal Point, Aradhana Gurung at 5523880