The United Nations Resident Co-ordinator for Bermuda is set to make his first official visit to the island next week.

Dennis Zulu, who also serves as the co-ordinator for Jamaica, the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands, is scheduled to arrive in Bermuda on Sunday for a series of meetings.

A UN spokesman said the visit marks a significant diplomatic engagement as the representative of António Guterres, the UN Secretary-General.

“During his visit Mr Zulu will formally present his credentials to David Burt, the Premier, and will engage with high-level government officials, development partners and academic and humanitarian leaders.

“His visit aims to reaffirm and expand the UN’s development partnership with Bermuda.”

During his visit Mr Zulu is also expected to recognise Bermuda’s leadership in the UN’s Multi-Country Sustainable Development Co-operation Framework, and acknowledge Bermuda’s role in the recent “Building Back Equal through Innovative Financing for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment” programme.

Mr Zulu will also present the UN’s regional emergency response capacity as hurricane season starts, and take part in strategic meetings with government ministers, the Bermuda Red Cross and Bermuda College to explore opportunities for further co-operation.

“The visit will serve as an initial step towards consultations for the UN’s Common Country Assessment Update of Bermuda and the development of the next five-year co-operation Framework for the English and Dutch-speaking Caribbean,” the spokesman added.