Our Team in Azerbaijan

Vladanka Andreeva

Vladanka Andreeva

RCO
UN Resident Coordinator
 
Ms Andreeva was appointed as UN Resident Coordinator in Azerbaijan in July 2021. She brings 21 years of experience in international development, humanitarian coordination, advocacy, and partnership building, which she has acquired within the United Nations and externally through multiple assignments across Europe and Asia. She previously served as the Country Director for UNAIDS in Cambodia, Strategic Intervention Adviser for the UNAIDS Regional Office for Asia-Pacific, Monitoring and Evaluation Team Lead for UNAIDS Viet Nam, UNDP Policy Advisor for Europe and CIS, Advisor to the UN Resident Coordinator in North Macedonia, as well as worked at WHO and OCHA in North Macedonia.
Alessandra Roccasalvo

Alessandra Roccasalvo

UNDP
UNDP Resident Representative a.i in Azerbaijan
 
 
 
Ms. Alessandra Roccasalvo assumed her duties as UNDP Resident Representative a.i. in Azerbaijan in October 2023.

Prior to this, Ms. Roccasalvo was Head of Management of the Spotlight Initiative Fund, on behalf of the Executive Office of the UN Secretary General.

From 2014-2019 she managed the UNDP Office in Kosovo. Previously, she was part of UNDP’s internal management consulting team, facilitating change processes globally. Ms. Roccasalvo joined UNDP in 2005 as a Programme Officer at UNDP Indonesia, focusing on the post-tsunami recovery portfolio. In addition, she served several times as Surge Adviser in Afghanistan and Sudan. Ms. Roccasalvo started her career at McKinsey &Company in Germany and India.

She holds an MSc in Development Studies from the London School of Economics, as well as an MA in Economics and History from the University of Tübingen and the University of St. Andrews.
Bik Lum

Bik Lum

UNHCR
Representative
 
 
 
Ms. Bik Lum has been working as the UNHCR Country Representative in Azerbaijan since February 2023. Prior to this assignment, she had been holding senior and leading UNHCR positions such as Head of Sub-Office, Senior Policy Advisor, Senior Protection Coordinator, Senior Project Management Officer in Africa, as well as in Headquarters and in Asia. Ms. Lum has obtained a master’s degree in International Human Rights Law from the University of Nottingham (UK), and in Philosophy from the University of Hong Kong (China). She got her bachelor’s studies at the University of Illinois (USA) and at the Hong Kong University. Ms. Bik Lum speaks Cantonese (mother tongue), Chinese, English, and French.
Dr. Saja Farooq Abdullah

Dr. Saja Farooq Abdullah

UNICEF
Representative
 
 
 
Dr. Saja Farooq Abdullah has officially assumed her role as the UNICEF Representative in Azerbaijan in January 202.
Dr. Abdullah brings over 26 years of international experience in Management and Humanitarian Coordination, Health and Nutrition, and Early Childhood Development with international NGOs, UN agencies and governments.
Dr. Abdullah worked in UNICEF Türkiye, UNICEF Maldives, the UNICEF Regional Office for the Middle East and North Africa in Amman, Jordan, UNICEF Sudan and UNICEF Yemen, where she led various programmes for children. She also served in UNICEF Bangladesh as Chief of Field Services and coordinated the work of six field offices, from where she joined UNICEF Azerbaijan.
Dr. Abdullah is a national of Iraq. She holds a bachelor's degree in General Medicine and Surgery from the University of Baghdad, a master's degree in Community Health Science from the National University of Malaysia and a postgraduate diploma in Public Health from the University of Basrah.
Farid Babayev

Farid Babayev

UNFPA
Head of Office
 
 
 
Dr. Farid Babayev serves as Assistant Representative of UNFPA’s Country Office in Azerbaijan since May 2006. On this position, he is responsible for overall coordination and management of the portfolio of UNFPA-funded programmes under supervision of UN Resident Coordinator and UNFPA Representative. Graduated from Azerbaijan Medical University, Dr. Babayev holds Master Degree in Business Administration from Lucy Cavendish College, Cambridge University and PhD from Azerbaijan Postgraduate Institute. He is fluent in Azerbaijani, Russian, English and French. Married, father of two children.
Hande Harmanci

Hande Harmanci

WHO
Representative
 
 
 
Dr Hande Harmanci took office as WHO Representative and Head of Country Office in Azerbaijan in August 2018. Prior to her appointment, Dr Harmanci worked in various positions in WHO Headquarters in the areas of human resources for health, pandemic preparedness, influenza and viral hepatitis. Previously, she was a professor of public health and community medicine in Marmara University, Istanbul. Dr. Harmanci graduated from Hacettepe University Medical School and holds Doctor of Public Health Degree. She is an amateur ceramicist.
Nasar Hayat

Nasar Hayat

FAO
Representative
 
 
 
Mr. Nasar Hayat took office as representative of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and Head of FAO Partnership and Liaison Office in Azerbaijan in July 2023.

Mr. Nasar Hayat has more than 25 years of leadership and management experience. He previously served as the FAO Country Representative in the Lao People's Democratic Republic. Active in various fields, Mr. Hayat has held many positions in the public sector, including diplomatic posts as Deputy FAO Representative in Pakistan, Deputy High Commissioner of Pakistan and Chargé d'affaires in the Maldives.

He has also worked on UN project management, agricultural development, land rights, human rights and gender issues for donors and international organizations. During his tenure, Mr. Hayat worked in important areas such as climate change adaptation, efficient water resources management, and animal disease control.
Nasar Hayat holds a Masters in Law and Development from the University of Melbourne, Australia.
Olga Koulaeva

Olga V. Koulaeva

ILO
Director of the ILO Decent Work Team and Country Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia
 
 
 
Olga V. Koulaeva was appointed Director of the ILO Decent Work Team and Country Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia on 1 November 2016. Since February 2010, she had served as a Senior Employment Specialist at the ILO DWT/CO for Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Ms Koulaeva graduated from the Moscow State University Department of Economics and holds a Ph. D. in Economics. She is fluent in English and Swedish. In 2002-2005, she was Financial Manager and Project Director with the Swedish National Labour Market Board and the Swedish Public Employment Service.
Shkolnikov

Vladimir Shkolnikov

OHCHR
Regional Coordinator
 
 
 
Dr. Shkolnikov is the Senior Human Rights Adviser for the South Caucasus, OHCHR, since July 2011. Prior to this, he held positions with various European civil society organizations. He served as the Head of Democratization Department and the Adviser on Migration and Freedom of Movement at OSCE/ODIHR in Warsaw. Dr Shkolnikov also held the position of Resident Research Consultant at the RAND Corporation in Santa Monica, California. He earned his Ph. D. and Master’s Degree in Public Policy Analysis at the RAND Graduate School of Policy Studies in Santa Monica.