The UN Resident Coordinator Office in Ukraine

The purpose of the UN Resident Coordinator's Office (RCO) is to coordinate the efforts of the UN Country Team operating in Ukraine to ensure provision of efficient and effective assistance to accelerate the country’s steady progress towards social and economic development, observance of the world’s democratic standards and facilitation of Ukraine’s-world integration process. The UN RC in Ukraine is the designated representative of the Secretary-General and aims to bring together different resident and non-resident UN agencies, funds and programmes to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of operational activities at a country level. Working closely with the national government in Ukraine, the RCO advocates for the interests and mandates of the UN while drawing on the support and guidance of the entire UN family. The important role of the RC in responding to national needs and priorities includes supporting the Government’s efforts for a coordinated, multidisciplinary response aimed at implementation and monitoring of assistance strategies and programmes.

The UN Resident & Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine 

Ms. Denise Brown brings more than 25 years of experience in humanitarian affairs and recovery programmes, with a particular concentration on complex emergencies and a thematic focus on operations, programme development, coordination and interagency relations.



Since 2019, Ms. Brown served as Deputy Special Representative for the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), and as United Nations Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator.



Prior to this, she worked at the World Food Programme (WFP) headquarters in Rome, first as Director of the Emergency Preparedness and Supportive Response Division and then as Director of Policy and Programmes.



From 2013 to 2016, Ms. Brown was WFP's Director for West and Central Africa, based in Dakar, Senegal, serving 20 countries. She spent most of her career in the field with WFP, covering a range of situations in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kenya, Niger, and Somalia. She has also worked with non-governmental organizations in Haiti and Cambodia. Ms. Brown has also served in New York.



Ms. Denise Brown holds a master’s degree in Children’s Development from Purdue University in the United States.



She is fluent in English and French.

Meet the UN Resident Coordinator's Team

  • Ms. Ana Lukatela, Head of Office
  • Ms. Mariia Lemberg, Partnerships Associate
  • Mr.  Aliaksei Vavokhin, Economist
  • Ms. Anna Koba, Administrative Associate
  • Ms. Oksana Anikeienko, Executive Associate
  • Ms. Yaroslava Babych, Partnerships Advisor
  • Ms. Sophie Pereira, Special Assistant to the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator
  • Ms. Oleksandra Zomarieva, Administrative Associate

Advisors to UN Resident & Humanitarian Coordinator:

  • Ms. Tamar Tavartkiladze, Peace and Development Advisor
  • Ms. Analee Pepper, Senior Gender Advisor
  • Ms. Sofia Canovas Pereda, Senior Inter-agency PSEA (Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse) Coordinator
  • Mr. Ben Mbaura, Durable Solutions Advisor
Denise Brown

Denise Brown

Resident & Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine