UN Secretary-General António Guterres, with the consent of the Government of Turkmenistan, has appointed the Chinese representative Xiaojun Grace Wang as the new UN Resident Coordinator in Turkmenistan. This was reported by the news agency Orient.

She took up her post on 1 July 2026, succeeding Dmitry Shlapachenko, who had led the mission since 2021 and has now been appointed UN Resident Coordinator in Azerbaijan.

Xiaojun Grace Wang has 28 years’ experience in the field of international development. Prior to her appointment in Ashgabat, she managed a Trust Fund at the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC), and previously held senior positions at UNDP, overseeing programmes on poverty reduction, gender equality and sustainable development.

The new coordinator has experience of working with landlocked developing countries and has also previously worked in international media, academia and foundations. She holds a PhD from the University of London in education and international development.