Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Residency
Languages
Competenciesandskills
Personal Information
Timeline
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Gabriella S Buescher

Copenhagen

Summary

With over 30 years at the UN, including impactful roles like Senior International Consultant for UNDP, I've honed skills in Humanitarian Coordination and Global Leadership. My work, notably in Ethiopia, showcases my ability to lead complex emergency responses and foster inter-agency collaboration, driving significant humanitarian advancements.

Overview

21
21
years of professional experience

Work History

SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CONSULTANT

UNDP
02.2021 - Current
  • After over 30 years of continuous staff assignments with UN, UN Agencies and UN Peace Missions, and many years spent in regional and country level posts, I decided to be based in Europe and work on senior international consultancies and surge assignments
  • Most assignments with UN/UNDP remote; and I spent 2021 on mission in Ethiopia with UNDP

Humanitarian Development Peace Nexus Advisor

UNDP Ethiopia CO
Addis
02.2021 - 12.2021
  • Part of UNDP Tigray Recovery Team for UNDP Country Office
  • Led discussions with UNDP, the WORLD BANK, EU/ECHO, OCHA, UNICEF, African Union (Commission) on recovery
  • Led UNDP response and early recovery in Tigray, working closely with humanitarian and local partners
  • Conducted interagency UNDP/UNAs/WB Recovery Assessment in Tigray 21-27 March 2021—feeding into UNDP Tigray Recovery Plan
  • Established first UNDP Sub-Office in Mekele, Tigray
  • Led mission of humanitarian agencies and led Assessment and start up of cluster work in Tigray
  • Co-wrote the Recovery Plan for UNDP in Tigray

HEAD OF COUNTRY OFFICE, Sudan & Chief of Section, Ordnance Disposal Office (ODO)

UNOPS/UNMAS
Khartoum
12.2018 - 02.2021
  • Accountabilities: I had three accountabilities: To UNMAS NYHQ for the Country Programme; technical mine action programmes and supervision of over 50 staff, including a technical mine action team of 12
  • To UNOPS New York Office for programme management, budget, staffing, logistics, staff safety& security;
  • To UNAMID for advisory technical services and strategic advice to the UN Special Representative of the SG (UNSJR)
  • In charge of UNOPS/UNMAS​ Sudan Country Programme, with main offices in Khartoum, El Fasher, Zalingei
  • Responsible for the management of entire Ordnance Disposal office, with focus on Operations in support of the PKO Mission, protection of civilians, risk education, humanitarian programmes
  • Hand over of PKO Team Sites to GoS prior to UNAMID Exit in 2021;
  • Responsible for Liquidation of ODO Office in Darfur and transition to UNCT in Khartoum and Government of Sudan
  • Reported to Director, UNOPS PSC NY and Director, UNMAS NY and liaised with JSR & DJSR at UNAMID on ODO mission support
  • Successfully ran a country programme during the critical last 3 years of the UNAMID Mission; part of negotiations with mission and NYHQ for transfer to new UN Political Mission for Sudan in Khartoum
  • Successfully oversaw transition of programs, logistics, liquidation, budgets, staffing, security, end of mission
  • Led successful Hand over of PKO Team Sites to GoS prior to UNAMID Exit in 2021; and Liquidation of ODO Office in Darfur and transition to UNCT in Khartoum and Government of Sudan

Head of Political Office, CNMC/UNOWAS

UNOWAS
Dakar
02.2015 - 12.2018
  • Led negotiations with Cameroon and Nigeria on border issues; established projects for border communities with UN Country Teams from Cameroon and Nigeria; developed closed links with African Union Commission and the AU-GIZ Border programme; developed best practices studies with AU and ECOWAS
  • Advised the UN SRSG on political issues in West Africa and the Sahel

Senior Evaluator

UNDP EVALUATION OFFICE NYHQ
06.2011 - 01.2015
  • UNDP conducted a major global thematic evaluation of UNDP assistance to conflict-affected countries -- Global Post-Conflict Analysis and Transition from UN Peace Operations, UNDP Evaluation Office 'Evaluation of UNDP Support to Conflict-affected Countries in the Context of UN Peace Operations'
  • I was a Senior Evaluator in a 3-member core team and one of the two writers with the responsibility for parts of the Final Report and the case studies (Cote d’Ivoire, Haiti, Liberia, DRC, South Sudan, Timor Leste, Burundi, Somalia, Palestine and Lebanon)
  • Analysis included cluster issues, especially in relation to the Early Recovery Cluster that UNDP is CLA for
  • The Evaluation influenced the restructuring of the UNDP Bureau of Crisis Prevention and Recovery in 2012, and was taken to the UNDP Executive Board in January 2013

SENIOR EMERGENCY ADVISOR, HUMANITARIAN TRANSITION SUPPORT (HATIS) PROGRAMME DIVISION

UNICEF NYHQ
New York
01.2009 - 06.2011
  • I worked as the Senior Emergency Advisor in the Humanitarian Transition Support Unit at UNICEF NYHQ (2009-11) focusing on complex emergencies and disaster management globally in the Programmes Division
  • In charge of work on Clusters and Inter-Cluster with UN Agencies and IASC
  • Co-led the Inter-Cluster inter-Agency Mission to Colombia (2010) representing the Humanitarian Clusters UNICEF is CLA for; also represented UNFPA NYHQ Office
  • Focus on Clusters, Humanitarian Architecture
  • Following the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, I managed the UNICEF Programme Division’s response in Haiti—with RO and CO—focusing on PDNA (Post Disaster Needs Assessment), DRR, Recovery and clusters
  • Supported the CO in 2011 with the Cholera emergency response

Senior Policy Adviser

UN ISDR
Geneva
03.2007 - 01.2009
  • Disaster Risk Reduction/Recovery and Risk Assessments: UN ISDR: 'Disaster Risk Reduction: 2007 Global Review'
  • I was one of two main writers for UNISDR for this publication for the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, held in Geneva on June 5-7, 2007
  • Information was partly based on the reports from regions and countries attending the conference and on the National DRR Reviews
  • The Report made recommendations for improving the process of systematic monitoring of progress in the implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015: Building the resilience of nations and communities to disasters (HFA)
  • UN ISDR /International Strategy for Disaster Reduction in Geneva—supporting and advising National DRR offices globally on DM, Policy Advisor, 2007-2009

Chief of the UN Mission ONUCI’s Division of Human Rights

ONUCI
Abidjan
05.2005 - 04.2007
  • Chief of the UN Mission ONUCI’s Division of Human Rights (Started as the Deputy Chief, P5) heading main office in Abidjan and 9 regional Offices with over 70 staff
  • Also represented OHCHR in country and on the UNCT
  • Developed and implemented a joint programme with the ONUCI Sections of Justice and Rule of Law as well as the UNPOL
  • In charge of Human rights investigations, reporting (weekly HR reports for OHCHR Geneva and DPKO NYHQ; and bi-yearly Human Rights Reports for ONUCI) and training

HEAD OF COUNTRY OFFICE, HAITI and Chief Humanitarian at MINUSTAH

OCHA
P-a-P
01.2004 - 05.2005
  • Head of Office for OCHA in Haiti at the start of the UN Peace Mission MINUSTAH
  • Led Humanitarian programmes for the mission, reporting to the SRSG/RC/HC; performed functions as the deputy to the Humanitarian Coordinator (OIC) and supervised other units in the Humanitarian pillar
  • Led UN Security Council visits to Haiti in 2005

Education

Diploma - Monitoring and Evaluation for Humanitarian Programs

Harvard Humanitarian Initiative
01.2017

Master of Arts - Intensive study/2 semesters in Public Health

Columbia School of Public Health
05-2000

MIA - Master of International and Public Affairs, Focus on International Human Rights, Refugee Law & International Law

Columbia University
01.2000

Diploma - International Peace, Focus on Peace building, Conflict Resolution, Displacement, Protection, Human Rights

The University of Oslo
Norway
01.1998

MA - Master of Political Science, Political Development, Political Philosophy

Queen’s University
Canada
01.1984

BA - Bachelor of Journalism

University of Texas at Austin
USA
01.1981

Skills

  • Humanitarian Coordination
  • Programme Management
  • Emergency Response
  • Health Emergencies
  • Global Leadership
  • Project Management
  • Coordination Skills
  • Leadership Skills
  • Humanitarian Cluster Coordination
  • Inter-Cluster Coordination
  • Humanitarian Policy Issues
  • Operational Experience
  • Team Leadership
  • Security Management
  • Budget Management
  • Human Rights Advocacy
  • Protection of Civilians
  • Support of Refugee Communities
  • Integrated UN Peacekeeping Missions
  • Political Missions
  • Humanitarian Roles

Residency

Danish resident

Languages

  • English, Native
  • French, Fluent
  • Spanish, Fluent
  • Portuguese, Working level
  • Italian, Native
  • German, Fluent
  • Danish/Norwegian, Basic
  • Swahili, Basic

Competenciesandskills

  • Humanitarian Coordination and Programme Management
  • Humanitarian Cluster and Inter-Cluster Coordination
  • Protection of Civilians, Human Rights, Support of Refugee and IDP communities
  • Leadership and Operational, Political, Protection and Humanitarian Roles in UN Peace Missions
  • Team Leader in Global and Country Evaluations and Report Writing/Analysis
  • High-level Advocacy, Partnerships and Resource Mobilization
  • Staff Management and Team Building

Personal Information

Citizenship: Italian

Timeline

SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CONSULTANT

UNDP
02.2021 - Current

Humanitarian Development Peace Nexus Advisor

UNDP Ethiopia CO
02.2021 - 12.2021

HEAD OF COUNTRY OFFICE, Sudan & Chief of Section, Ordnance Disposal Office (ODO)

UNOPS/UNMAS
12.2018 - 02.2021

Head of Political Office, CNMC/UNOWAS

UNOWAS
02.2015 - 12.2018

Senior Evaluator

UNDP EVALUATION OFFICE NYHQ
06.2011 - 01.2015

SENIOR EMERGENCY ADVISOR, HUMANITARIAN TRANSITION SUPPORT (HATIS) PROGRAMME DIVISION

UNICEF NYHQ
01.2009 - 06.2011

Senior Policy Adviser

UN ISDR
03.2007 - 01.2009

Chief of the UN Mission ONUCI’s Division of Human Rights

ONUCI
05.2005 - 04.2007

HEAD OF COUNTRY OFFICE, HAITI and Chief Humanitarian at MINUSTAH

OCHA
01.2004 - 05.2005

Diploma - Monitoring and Evaluation for Humanitarian Programs

Harvard Humanitarian Initiative

Master of Arts - Intensive study/2 semesters in Public Health

Columbia School of Public Health

MIA - Master of International and Public Affairs, Focus on International Human Rights, Refugee Law & International Law

Columbia University

Diploma - International Peace, Focus on Peace building, Conflict Resolution, Displacement, Protection, Human Rights

The University of Oslo

MA - Master of Political Science, Political Development, Political Philosophy

Queen’s University

BA - Bachelor of Journalism

University of Texas at Austin

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