31 December 2018: UN Secretary-General António Guterres announced the appointment of Robert Piper of Australia to lead the “transformed” UN Development Coordination Office (DOCO). DOCO, which previously functioned under the leadership of the UN Development Group (UNDG) Chair and guidance of the UNDG, transitioned to the UN Secretariat in the context of the UN development system reform.

According to the UN website on reforms, DOCO will ensure a “more coordinated and collaborative contribution” of the UN development system to the achievement of the SDGs. It is tasked with backstopping, managerial and oversight responsibilities for a global network of UN Resident Coordinators (RCs) and UN Country Teams working in some 170 countries and territories. It also serves as secretariat to the UN Sustainable Development Group that sets strategic direction for the UN development system.

Prior to this appointment, which is at the Assistant Secretary-General level, Piper led the UN Development System Transition Team, which was established to provide strategic leadership and oversight to all aspects of the repositioning of the UN development system. He also served as Officer-in-Charge of the Bureau of External Relations at the UN Development Programme (UNDP). [SDG Knowledge Hub Coverage of UN Reforms] [Biographical Note]