The Regional Collaborative Platform (RCP) unites all UN entities working on sustainable development to ensure full collaboration and coordination of UN assets in addressing key challenges that transcend country borders. The RCP provides policy support and access to expertise at the service of the specific needs and priorities of each region and in support of the work of Resident Coordinators and UN country teams at the country level.
The RCP is chaired by the Deputy Secretary-General and co-chaired by two Vice-Chairs, the Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the Regional Director of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
CHAIR
Ms. Amina J. Mohammed is the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations and Chair of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group.
Prior to her appointment, Ms. Mohammed served as Minister of Environment of the Federal Republic of Nigeria where she steered the country’s efforts on climate action and efforts to protect the natural environment.
Ms. Mohammed first joined the United Nations in 2012 as Special Adviser to former Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon with the responsibility for post-2015 development planning. She led the process that resulted in global agreement around the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the creation of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Ms. Mohammed began her career working on the design of schools and hospitals in Nigeria. She served as an advocate focused on increasing access to education and other social services, before moving into the public sector, where she rose to the position of adviser to four successive Presidents on poverty, public sector reform, and sustainable development.
Ms. Mohammed has been conferred several honorary doctorates and has served as an adjunct professor, lecturing on international development. The recipient of various global awards, Ms. Mohammed has served on numerous international advisory boards and panels. She is the mother of six children and has four grandchildren.
VICE-CHAIR
Mr. José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs was appointed Executive Secretary of ECLAC by the United Nations’ Secretary-General on September 1, 2022. He took office as from October 3, 2022. Previously he served as Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean of the International Labour Organization (ILO) from 2015-2018. He joined the ILO in 2005 as Executive Director of its Employment Sector and served as Assistant Director General for Policy from 2013 to 2015.
Prior to joining the ILO, he served from 1998 to 2005 as Director of the Trade Unit of the Organization of American States. Mr. Salazar was Minister of Foreign Trade of Costa Rica from 1997 to 1998, Executive President of the Costa Rican Development Corporation from 1988-1990 and Chief Economist and then Executive Director of a Central American private sector think tank (FEDEPRICAP) from 1990-1996. In the academic sphere, he is also the author of numerous journal articles on development, trade, productive transformation, competitiveness and employment policies, and has written and edited several books. He has taught at the University of Costa Rica, the National University of Heredia, Cambridge University and Georgetown University.
He holds a master’s degree in Development Economics and a doctorate in Economics from Cambridge University and a bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Costa Rica.
VICE-CHAIR
Michelle Muschett
UNDP Assistant Secretary-General and Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean
Ms. Michelle Muschett was appointed Assistant Secretary-General, Assistant Administrator, and Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in November 2022.
Ms. Muschett is a social policy and global development specialist with multisectoral experience in leadership positions. Before joining UNDP, she served as Senior Public Policy Adviser and Executive Education Director for Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative, advising governments and policymakers from Africa, Asia, and Latin America in their efforts to address multidimensional poverty. She was also Senior Policy and Strategy Adviser for the Fourth Sector Group, providing guidance in mobilizing collective leadership and action for scaling business models and in leveraging development finance to accelerate the transition towards more inclusive, sustainable and resilient economic systems globally.
In the public sector, Ms. Muschett held the position of Deputy Minister and Minister of Social Development of Panama. During her tenure, she led the process of developing the first national Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI); the creation of the first Childhood MPI in the Latin American region; and the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals at the national level through civic participation and strategic partnerships. She also chaired the National Concertation Council for Development, a legally established dialogue space aimed at building consensus among multiple sectors of society around national development priorities.
Ms. Muschett holds master’s degrees in Public Administration from Cornell University, United States; Commercial Law from Externado University of Colombia, Colombia; and Management of Heritage and Cultural Projects from the Institute for Art and Restoration Palazzo Spinelli, Italy. She speaks Spanish, English, and Italian.
Joint Secretariat of the RCP LAC
The RCP LAC is serviced by a joint secretariat that is provided by DCO, ECLAC and UNDP, under the overall direction of the RCP Chair and two Vice-Chairs of the platform. The main functions of the Joint Secretariat of the RCP LAC include:
- Provide support to the RCP Chair and Vice-Chairs and its members.
- Support the development, implementation and monitoring of the annual RCP workplan.
- Support the organization of RCP meetings and maintain records of RCP proceedings.
- Facilitate discussion and information sharing among RCP members, and prepare progress reports and ad-hoc reports as requested by the Chair and Vice-Chairs.
