The UN Resident Coordinator Office

The UN Resident Coordinator Office (RCO) is managed and strategically guided by the UN Resident Coordinator in the country. RCO fulfills five key functions in support of the responsibilities of the RC and the UN Country Team (UNCT): (1) strategic planning; (2) development economics; (3) partnerships and development finance; (4) data and results management and reporting; and (5) communications and advocacy.

The UN Resident Coordinator in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Arnhild Spence brings over 30 years of professional experience across government, intergovernmental organizations, the United Nations, and civil society, with a career that spans international relations, security, diplomacy, development, and humanitarian affairs. She most recently served as UN Development Coordinator in Kosovo since 2022. Prior to this, Ms. Spence held several leadership roles at the World Food Programme (WFP), both as Director of Partnership in HQ and in country programmes in Africa and Asia. She also held positions with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the United Nations Office in Geneva (UNOG).

Prior to joining the United Nations, Ms. Spence worked with the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). She began her career in foreign and security policy, holding positions with the Norwegian ministries of foreign affairs and defense, European Union institutions, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Headquarters in Brussels. At NATO, she established a strategic partnership with the UN Secretariat and negotiated a joint NATO-Russia concept for peace-support operations.

She holds a master’s degree in international relations from the University of Oslo.