Switzerland and UN Launch Handbook on Country-Level UN Operations

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania –The Embassy of Switzerland, in partnership with the United Nations Resident Coordinator’s Office, launched the newly published handbook The UN at Country Level: A Practical Guide to the United Nations Operational System, today at the Swiss Residence in Dar es Salaam. 

The event brought together senior diplomats, government officials, and development partners for a panel discussion with the Swiss Ambassador to Tanzania Nicole Providoli, the UN Resident Coordinator Susan Ngongi Namondo, Canada’s Head of Cooperation Carol Mundle, World Bank Executive Director Nathan Belete, and Assistant Director of the Africa Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Ellen Maduhu. The discussion, moderated by Shabnam Mallick, Head of the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office, focused on the handbook’s role in advancing more coordinated, efficient, and impactful UN operations at the country level.  

Designed as a practical reference, the handbook outlines how UN entities collaborate, allocate resources, and deliver on shared mandates in support of national priorities. It aims to strengthen operational effectiveness, improve transparency, and help partners better understand the UN’s role.  

Ambassador Providoli reaffirmed Switzerland’s longstanding commitment to a strong and effective United Nations system. “In these challenging and uncertain times, Switzerland stands firmly behind a more efficient, coherent, and impactful UN presence in the field,” she said. “Investing in the operational capacity at country level is an investment in development outcomes. This Handbook represents a concrete step toward ensuring the UN system works better - together - for the people it serves.” 

UN Resident Coordinator Susan Ngongi Namondo highlighted the significance of the handbook in the context of the UN’s 80th anniversary. “This handbook comes at a particularly important time, as the UN marks eighty years since its founding in 1945. The UN80 Initiative is more than a commemoration—it is a moment for reflection, reform and recommitment. By offering a plain-spoken overview of how the UN operates in the field, this handbook supports the goals of UN80 by making the UN easier to navigate for our partners and ensuring that reforms are grounded in the realities of communities and programme implementation,” she said. 

Switzerland’s contribution to the development and launch of the Handbook reflects its deep-rooted support for multilateral institutions and its belief in the UN as a cornerstone of the international system. By championing tools like this Handbook, Switzerland reinforces the UN’s and Donor’s ability to adapt and respond to the evolving needs of countries like Tanzania. 

Representing the Government of Tanzania, Ms. Maduhu welcomed the initiative as timely and aligned with the country’s development goals. “This Handbook is more than a technical tool - it reflects a shared commitment to effective development cooperation, said the Ministry’s representative. “Tanzania stands ready to work with all partners to implement principles that align with its core values and the Tanzania Development Vision (Dira) 2050” 

The event concluded with a call to action for all stakeholders - UN agencies, development partners, and national counterparts - to make use of the Handbook and continue collaborating in the spirit of transparency, alignment, and shared responsibility.

As global challenges grow increasingly interconnected, the message is clear: a more effective UN starts with strong partnerships on the ground - and practical tools to make them work.