United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator
Mr. Mark Bowden
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On April 17th 2008, Mark Bowden’s nomination as the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator was accepted by the Somali authorities via the Prime Minister of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia. Mr. Bowden is also the Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme as well as the Designate Official for Security of the UN system in Somalia.

Prior to his appointment, Mr. Bowden was the Director, Civil Affairs Division with the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS).

Mr. Bowden’s long career began with the Ministry of Oversees Development, London, United Kingdom where he worked as an Economic Assistant from September 1973 to June 1976. In August 1979 to September 1981 he worked as a Field Director with Save the Children, Bangladesh. He was then posted to head Save the Children’s first Regional Office in June 1981. In July 1983 he was seconded to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as a Conflict Manager Adviser in London, United Kingdom. He served in this capacity until July 2001 when he was appointed as Chief of the Policy Development and Studies Branch in UNOCHA, a position he held for five years.

Mr. Bowden is an English national who studied Economics in Brunel University, London.