Minerva Novero-Belec is a Policy Specialist in UNDP’s Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) in New York. Minerva Novero-Belec is a Policy Specialist UNDP’s Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) in New York. Her thematic focus is on the nexus of governance, cities, and digital transformation. She serves as part of UNDP’s cross-practice focal point team for urbanization and cities, with a focus on inclusive governance in local and urban settings, innovative approaches to sustainable urbanization, and SDG-anchored smart cities. Prior to this post, she served as Policy Specialist for ICT for Development, e-Governance and Access to Information, managing UNDP engagement in the Broadband Commission; UNDP’s role as permanent vice-chair of the UN Group on Information Society (UNGIS, which organizes the annual WSIS Forum); UNDP engagement in multilateral efforts such as the Open Government Partnership (OGP); and, coordination of ICTD and e-governance policy advisory support to UNDP country programmes. She managed the Secretariat of the Programmatic Response Coordination Group, UNDP’s internal mechanism for Covid-19 response at the height of the pandemic. Ms. Novero-Belec’s career straddles policy, communications and journalism. She holds a Degree in Mass Communications (major in Journalism) from the University of the Philippines and a Master’s Degree in International Affairs with a concentration on economic and political development from Columbia University in New York.