Islamabad, Mohamed Yahya, the new United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator in Pakistan, shared his remarkable journey from being a refugee to assuming a leadership role within the UN on the latest episode of ‘Awake at Night.’ Mohamed Yahya, originally from Somalia, assumed his role earlier this year, bringing with him over two decades of experience in development and peacebuilding. He also serves as the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in the country.
According to United Nations Pakistan, Mohamed Yahya recounted his experiences and challenges on ‘Awake at Night’ with Melissa Fleming, the UN’s Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications. Reflecting on his past, he expressed empathy for displaced individuals, having faced displacement himself at a young age. He described witnessing the joy of communities returning home after fleeing conflict in Nigeria, where he previously served as the UN Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative.
“I have been displaced from my own home at the age of three or four, when we left home in Somalia. A little bit of me was, I must say, envious of them, that they’re able to go back home. I always imagine how I’ll feel when I go back home without fear. As a refugee, there’s always a sense of something missing. Because you’re deprived of going back to where you were born,” Mohamed Yahya shared.
In his new role, Mohamed Yahya expressed excitement about contributing to Pakistan’s development goals and addressing climate-induced crises such as flooding. He emphasized the UN’s commitment to fostering hope and creating a better world for all, including future generations.
“I’m really excited about this new job in Pakistan. I am tasked to work across the entire UN presence and be the Humanitarian Coordinator to support Pakistan’s development ambition, its acceleration to meet the SDGs, but also its ability to deal with climate induced crises such as flooding and other forms of climate-related impacts. So exciting times, I’m looking forward to that. And the UN has a huge presence in Pakistan,” Mohamed Yahya stated.