Courtenay Rattray

Under Secretary General, High Representative of UN-OHRLLS

Mr. Courtenay Rattray is the UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States. He brings to the position broad-based managerial and leadership experience of working within and across multicultural settings, with a focus on addressing the developmental challenges faced by countries in special situations, particularly in the area of development finance.

Prior to joining the UN, Mr. Rattray was Jamaica’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York and served as Co-chair of the Group of Friends of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Financing; Children and the SDGs; as well as the Group of Friends of Decent Work.

He also chaired several key initiatives, including the fifty-second session of the Commission on Population and Development in 2019, Co-facilitator for the Conclusions and Recommendations of the 2018 Financing for Development Forum, Chair of the United Nations Permanent Memorial Committee to honour the victims of slavery and Chair of the Intergovernmental Negotiations on United Nations Security Council Reform, Chair of the Committee on Disarmament and International Security (First Committee), Facilitator of the negotiations for the Ministerial Declaration of the High-level Political Forum of the Economic and Social Council, and Chair of the sixth Biennial Meeting of States on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons.

Before taking up his position as Permanent Representative to the United Nations to the United Nations, Mr. Rattray was Jamaica’s Ambassador to China (2008-2013); Director of the Bilateral Relations Department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade in Kingston (2005 -2008); Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Jamaica in Washington, D.C., (2001-2005); Special Adviser to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade (2000-2001); and Special Adviser to the Minister for Industry and Investment (1999-2000). Before he joined the foreign service, he served as Executive Director of the Jamaica Marketing Company in London (1990-1997) and Director of Marketing and Promotions at the Jamaica National Export Corporation in Kingston (1987-1988).

Mr. Rattray holds a Master of Arts degree from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University in the United States, a Master of Arts in International Business from the London South Bank University, and a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from West Virginia Wesleyan College in the United States. He was awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters (Honoris Causa) by West Virginia Wesleyan College.