UN Secretary-General Names Former Belgian PM De Croo as UNDP Head Pending Approval

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Belgium's former Prime Minister Alexander De Croo to lead the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), pending approval from the UN General Assembly. De Croo's four-year term will position him as the UNDP Administrator and Vice Secretary-General of the UN, making it the third-highest rank within the United Nations hierarchy. His appointment follows the resignation of Germany's Achim Steiner amid a funding crisis, with China's Haoliang Xu currently serving as interim head. The UNDP operates in 170 countries focusing on poverty eradication, inequality reduction, and sustainable development, making the post highly prestigious and competitive. De Croo will resign from his Belgian parliamentary seat and mayoral duties to assume this role, reflecting broad national pride and recognition of his leadership. This appointment underscores the importance of the UNDP within the UN system and highlights international competition for such high-level positions.