DUSHANBE, June 4, Asia-Plus – President Emomali Rahmon met with Ms. Kori Udovicki, the Assistant Secretary-General, Assistant Administrator of UNDP and Director of the Regional Bureau for Europe and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), in Dushanbe on June 4 to discuss state and prospects of further expansion of cooperation between Tajikistan and the United Nations.
According to presidential press service, in the course of the talks the two expressed satisfaction with a steady socioeconomic growth in Tajikistan and called the implementation of the national poverty reduction strategy for 2007-2009 an important means of development of the country.
Rahmon and Udovicki also highly appraised results of the Tajikistan Development Forum that was held in Dushanbe on June 2.
Emomali Rahmon appreciated the UN’s support for policy of Tajik state in different spheres of life, presidential press service said.
For her part, Ms. Udovicki stated that that initiatives of the Tajik government to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) deserve support, according to presidential press service.
During the meeting, the sides also discussed issues related to development of regional cooperation and security in Central Asia.
Ms. Kori Udovicki assumes her responsibilities as an Assistant Secretary-General, Assistant Administrator of UNDP and Director of the Regional Bureau for Europe and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Udovicki has held several senior management positions in the Government of the Republic of Serbia. From July 2003 to March 2004 she served as Governor of the National Bank of Serbia. Before that, from June 2002 to July 2003, she was the country’s Minister of Energy and Mines. Prior to those appointments, from 2001, Udovicki worked as a Special Adviser to the Minister of Finance and Economy. Most recently, Udovicki has been serving as President of the Center for Advanced Economic Studies, a Belgrade-based non-governmental organization working to advance economic knowledge in Southeast Europe.
Udovicki holds a Ph.D. and a M.Phil. in Economics, both from Yale University. In her new position, she succeeds Kalman Mizsei, who served as the Regional Director of the Regional Bureau for Europe and CIS between 2001 and 2006.
