Speakers

Ulrika Modéer serves as Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations, Assistant Administrator, and Director of the Bureau of External Relations and Advocacy (BERA) at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). She assumed the position of Assistant Secretary General on August 20, 2018, and since then, has been leading the organization in nurturing and growing key relationships with Member States and new and emerging partners. Throughout her career, Ms. Modéer has played the role of a global changemaker and has led numerous initiatives contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals on international levels. Ms. Modéer previously served as Sweden’s State Secretary for International Development Cooperation and Climate and has been instrumental in reshaping the country’s international development cooperation to support the achievement of the 2030 Agenda. During her tenure as State Secretary, Ms. Modéer contributed to global policy on issues, including gender equality, United Nations reform, financing of the multilateral system, climate and environment, conflict prevention, and humanitarian development, among other key issues of relevance to UNDP. Ms. Modéer combines a strong policy background with experience from parliamentary work as well as from civil society and has had several assignments in Latin America (Bolivia, Guatemala) and Africa (Mozambique, Southern Africa). Ms. Modéer holds a BA in International Relations from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, and received an Honorary Doctorate from the Faculty of Social Sciences in 2019.