Egypt

Leadership

Alessandro Fracassetti, UNDP Egypt Resident Representative

Alessandro Fracassetti brings over 25 years of leadership experience in international organizations. Since November 4, 2021, he has served as the UNDP Resident Representative to Egypt. Before this, he was the UNDP Resident Representative to Azerbaijan from 2018 to 2021.

Mr. Fracassetti has dedicated the past 15 years to various senior management positions within UNDP. His roles have included Deputy Resident Representative in Azerbaijan (2016-2018), North Macedonia (2011-2016), and Croatia (2006-2011), as well as Assistant Resident Representative in Belarus (2004-2006).

Earlier in his career, Mr. Fracassetti worked with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), where he was seconded from the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He served as a Senior Election Officer and Senior Political Advisor in Bosnia and Herzegovina (1996-2000) and as OSCE Spokesman and Head of Public Affairs in Croatia (2000-2004).

Mr. Fracassetti holds a Master’s degree in Politics and Administration of the European Union from the College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium, a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Sussex, and a Certificate of Political Studies from Sciences Po in Strasbourg, France. He specializes in EU Politics, History, and Law, with extensive experience in Eastern Europe and the former Yugoslavia.

Fluent in Italian, English, French, and Serbian/Croatian/Bosnian, Mr. Fracassetti also has a working knowledge of Russian and Spanish. He is married and has two children.

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Sylvain Merlen, UNDP Egypt Deputy Resident Representative

Mr. Sylvain Merlen is the Deputy Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the Arab Republic of Egypt.

Mr. Merlen has over 20 years of management and experience in international development, in academia and in the private sector in energy and banking. He has a track record of setting up and growing high-performing operations in post-crisis countries and emerging markets.

His prior United Nations appointments include Head of UNDP office in Aden from 2013 to 2018, Field Coordination Officer with the United Nations Resident Coordinator Office in Nepal from 2011 to 2012, Recovery Advisor with UNDP in Haiti in 2010, Strategic Planning Specialist with UNDP in Iraq from 2006 to 2009 and Policy Analyst with the Office of Development Studies in UNDP New York headquarters from 2003 to 2005.

Mr. Merlen also worked in academia and in the private sector, including as advisor on NeOn global renewable energy investments and as Financial Analyst at Commerzbank.

Mr. Merlen holds a Master Degree in Economics from Princeton University, a Master Degree in Engineering and Applied Mathematics from Ecole Polytechnique in Paris and a Certificate in Language Studies from the American University in Cairo.