Draft:Matthias Naab

Matthias Zana Naab is a Ghanaian-American diplomat and development specialist with extensive experience in international development, currently serving as the Director of the Regional Service Centre for Africa, within the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). He holds dual nationality of Ghana and the USA and has been influential in various senior roles across the United Nations system, particularly in Africa.

Early life and education
Naab earned a Master of Public and International Affairs with a concentration in Economic and Social Development in May 1999, followed by a Ph.D. in International Affairs and Public Policy in May 2005, both from the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh in the US.

Career
Before joining the United Nations, Naab was the Resident Country Director in Liberia and Nigeria for the International Republican Institute, managing governance programs in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Naab's worked with the UNDP on projects for governance, peacebuilding, and sustainable development in Ethiopia, Cameroon, Comoros,  Mozambique, and Rwanda, as a governance specialist and as a country director.

As the Director of the UNDP Regional Service Centre for Africa since 2023, Naab oversees the implementation of development programs that seek to mitigate poverty and promote sustainable economic growth across the continent. His work involves strategic collaboration with governments, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector to enhance the effectiveness of development initiatives.