Port-au-Prince, 06 November 2018 --- The new Representative of the United Nations Population Fund in Haiti (UNFPA), Yves Sassenrath, presented on Tuesday, November 6, 2018 his credentials to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bocchit Edmond. He succeeds Sweden's Marielle Sander, who has held this position for the past three years.

Sassenrath has over 20 years of experience in development cooperation and international management, both with international NGOs and various multilateral organizations. In 1999, Mr Sassenrath entered the United Nations and particularly the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) in Senegal. In 2001, he joined the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) where he focused on resource mobilization and the development of the Millennium Development Goals. In 2004, he moved to the Human Development Report team and was appointed Head of the UNDP Management Unit of External Relations Office in 2005, where he worked specifically on UN reform. In 2009, he was appointed Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP in Venezuela and in 2012, he headed the Operations Department of the United Nations Development Group (UNDG). In 2015, he entered UNFPA as Deputy Representative in Brazil before his appointment in Haiti. During his career, he has settled in countries as diverse as Romania, India, Colombia, Senegal, Mali, the United States of America, Venezuela and more recently Brazil.

Sassenrath said he was pleased with his assignment in Haiti and determined to work with national authorities, civil society - including the private business sector, the university, religious leaders and human rights organizations - to translate into reality one of the principles at the heart of UNFPA's strategy: "Leave no one behind". While emphasizing support in the area of the population, particularly with regard to inter-generational dynamics, Mr. Sassenrath intends to invest tirelessly in achieving the three transformative goals of UNFPA: (1) end unmet need for family planning; (2) end preventable maternal mortality; and (3) put an end to gender-based violence.

Married, with three children, Mr. Sassenrath is fluent in English, Spanish, French, German and Portuguese, as well as Luxembourgish, his mother tongue. He holds a Master's degree in Political Science and Philosophy from the University of Glasgow, UK.

UNFPA has been operating in Haiti since the 1970s. In addition to population issues, it intervenes in social aspects and helps to ensure that every pregnancy is desired, every birth is safe and the potential of each young person is fulfilled.