Agenda

Francine Pickup is UNDP’s Deputy Director in the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) beginning 1st June 
2022. Prior to her appointment, Francine was Resident Representative in Serbia, Resident Representative a.i. / country Director in India and Deputy Country Director in Indonesia.

Before that, she worked as the Strategic Planning Advisor in RBAP and led the UN’s Inter-Agency Information and Analysis 
Unit under the Deputy Special Representative to the Secretary General in Iraq. Francine joined the UN in 2002, working with OCHA in Lebanon, Palestine and New York, as well as the Office of the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process (UNSCO) and FAO in Palestine, and ILO in Central Asia. Aside from the UN, she has worked with several development organisations, including Amnesty International, Oxfam, and the World Bank. Francine received her undergraduate degree in Social Anthropology from Cambridge University, her Masters in Development Studies and PhD on local level responses to new market forces in Russia, both from the London School of Economics and Political Science. She has publications on topics including innovative and Islamic financing, aid effectiveness, humanitarian aid policy, economies in transition, livelihoods, the informal economy and gender and development. She is married with three children and loves tennis, running and the outdoors.

Ms. Karla Robin Hershey is the United Nations Resident Coordinator for the Samoa Multi-Country Office, covering Samoa, Cook Islands, Niue, and Tokelau. With over 31 years of experience in the UN system, she has served in senior leadership roles across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, focusing on development cooperation, humanitarian response, and political transitions.

Prior to her current assignment, she was the UN Resident Coordinator in Bhutan, where she led the implementation of a $200 million Cooperation Framework and championed disability inclusion, climate resilience, and joint resource mobilization. She also supported in the Royal Government of Bhutan to become an accelerator country for Jobs and Social Protection during her tenure. She also served at Resident Coordinator and Resident Representative for UNDP in Lesotho and Serbia. Her earlier roles include WFP Representative and Country Director in Liberia and Eswatini, where she secured significant COVID-19 funding (IMF/WFP/Government of Liberia joint agreement) and from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (US$ 67 million to increase farmer profit margins through improved value chains). She has been a member of the Resident & Humanitarian Coordinator Pools since 2010 and Designated Official in four countries. She was also reconfirmed in the SRSG/DSRSG Pool in January 2025. Her UN career began with the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in 1997, following roles with Rotary International 1994, and the United States Peace Corps in Rwanda in 1989.

Ms. Hershey brings strong political acumen, strategic leadership, and a deep commitment to the values of the United Nations. She holds an MBA in Management from the American InterContinental University, a BA in Economics and Political Science from Southern Methodist University and has completed postgraduate studies at the London School of Economics. 

Throughout her distinguished career, Ms. Hershey has consistently aligned her work with national,  regional, and global priorities, championing innovation, sustainability, and inclusivity. Her leadership continues to leave a profound impact on the communities and organizations she serves.

Abdulaziz Mohammed AlNaimi is a cybersecurity professional at Qatar’s National Cyber Security Agency (NCSA), working within the Cyber Security Policies and Strategies Department and the National Cyber Security Academy. Specializing in digital safety and cyber awareness, he works on nationwide initiatives that empower individuals to adopt safe and ethical digital behaviors. Holding a Bachelor’s degree in Cybersecurity and Networking, Abdulaziz delivers workshops and interactive programs across schools, universities, and government entities—spanning initiatives such as the Cybersecurity Educational Curriculum, Cyber Eco School Visits, the Digital Safety Initiative, and the National Cybersecurity Training Program. His work supports Qatar’s National Cyber Security Strategy and Qatar National Vision 2030 by fostering a digitally aware society and strengthening national cyber resilience through education, inclusion, and community engagement.