Since 1982, Mrs. Sori Coulibaly has been committed to economic and social development. She has been occupying many national and international positions and as such worked in many countries having direct contacts with governments, the private sector and the civil society.
Over the past 20 years, her long experience has been put in the service of the United Nations and particularly the United Nations Program for Development for which she served as the UN Secretary-General’s Deputy Special Representative, Resident Coordinator, UN Humanitarian Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative. She has served in many countries such as Benin (2014 – 2015), Burundi (2011 – 2014), Togo (2006 – 2011), UNDP Special Deputy Resident Representative in Mauritania (2002 – 2006), consultant and UNDP Chief Economist for Burundi and Benin (1995 – 2002).
In her role as Resident Coordinator, Mrs. Sori Coulibaly coordinated the UN agencies of operational activities, served as head of the technical and financial partners, maintaining a high-level dialogue with the highest authorities of the country, ensuring the safety of United Nations personnel in collaboration with national security arrangements.
In 2014 and 2015 in Benin, several development programs were developed and implemented under the leadership of Mrs. Sori Coulibaly in the areas of promoting inclusive growth, grassroots development, youth employment, the environment, climate change, access to justice for poor and citizen control. She introduced reforms which on one hand increased the effectiveness of United Nations Operations (Delivering as One) and on the other hand greater accountability of the government in coordinating and monitoring project performance and programs. During her tenure, UNDP Benin rose in a year from the 17th to the 5th position of ranking offices in Sub Saharan Africa and the first in French-speaking Sub Saharan Africa on the United Nations streamlining operations.
In Burundi, in addition to her responsibilities as Coordinator of the United Nations System, UNDP Security Coordinator and Resident Representative, she was also Special Deputy Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations. As such, she contributed in enhancing dialogue between the opposition and the governing majority politicians and interacted with the group of technical and financial partners for which she managed the coordination of interventions and also facilitated dialogue with government. She enhanced the strategic framework for growth and fight against poverty in her country. She also successfully organised the conference of Burundi’s partners to mobilise resources for the implementation of national priorities. When the country was hit by deadly floods in 2014, Mrs. Sori Coulibaly coordinated emergency interventions of UN agencies (WHO, UNICEF, UNDP, OCHA, UNFPA, WFP, FAO, IFAD …) and humanitarian NGOs. She also supported the country in preparing a contingency plan to prevent, manage and respond effectively to natural disasters. She did the same conducting the rehabilitation operations of people affected by war.
Just as in Mauritania, Mrs. Sori-Coulibaly worked in Togo in some thematic areas like the fight against poverty and the achievement of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). She has also been involved in areas like economic and democratic governance, youth employment, microfinance, management of natural resources, climate change, institutional and organisational capacity building of national administrations, including the ministries of economy, public service and territorial administration. She also provided assistance to the Office of the Prime Minister for the redefinition of ministerial specifications.
To this effect, she supported the Togolese national political dialogue which led to the 2007 parliamentarian elections and the 2010 presidential elections with the technical assistance of the UNDP. In 2008, she organised in Brussels – with the support of the government- the conference of Togolese partners which marked the return of donors and the international community after 16 years of absence in the country. In collaboration with other institutions including the World Bank and the ADB, she initiated an organisational audit in support of the Government, for the Presidency and 4 departments in order to provide them with an organisational system with indicators, and result oriented culture. Under her leadership, the UNDP Togo office was ranked best office in 2008 in Sub Saharan Africa.
During her seven years in office as Main Economist at the UNDP, Mrs. Sori Coulibaly worked to make macroeconomic framework analysis, identifying strategic areas of development, formulation and evaluation of projects and programs, preparation of reports and technical notes on the economic and social situation of the country.
Nationally, Mrs. Sori Coulibaly has for 13 years been consecutively the main economist to the Ministry of Planning and Economic Affairs, member of the Economic and Social Council, temporary lecturer at the National School of Administration and Magistracy, national project Coordinator for the International Labour Organization (ILO) / Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) supervision of micro entrepreneurs and women in charge of training and advisory support to SMEs for DID / CIDA (Canada).
MShe was also active in the voluntary sector as Secretary General of the Union of Women of Burkina (UFB) in the Kadiogo region, President of the association of Autonomous Women Union (UAF), Publishing Manager of solidarity Women magazine. She also campaigned in defense of Human Rights Organisations.
Mrs. Sori Coulibaly holds a postgraduate degree in Economics Development (DESS) and in Planning (DEA) She is married and has 2 children.