ATLANTA, GA...Edmund J. Cain, a career officer for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has been appointed as director for the Carter Center's Global Development Initiative (GDI).

GDI staff work with countries to shape comprehensive development strategies with input from a broad cross section of society, a pioneering participatory economic planning process currently being used in Guyana.

"Mr. Cain brings to GDI nearly 30 years of experience working with developing countries struggling to provide economic growth and a better standard of living for their citizens," said Dr. John Hardman, Carter Center executive director. "With the success of GDI in Guyana, Mr. Cain will direct the current expansion of the initiative to other developing countries, including Albania, Mali, and Mozambique."

Mr. Cain began his career with UNDP in 1972, with career assignments covering Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Myanmar, Afghanistan, Turkey, and Egypt. At UNDP headquarters in New York City, he held positions as director of the Emergency Response Division, U.N. deputy security coordinator, chief of staff to the undersecretary-general for political and general assembly affairs, officer-in-charge for the Office of the Administrator, and chief of operations for the U.N. Financing System for Science and Technology Development.

"Nongovernmental organizations have been contributing to economic development at the grassroots level for many years, but the Carter Center's recent role in nationwide economic planning is unique," said Mr. Cain. "The Center's participatory development planning process - one which draws on input from all concerned groups, not just business and government, but environmentalists, indigenous peoples, women, and others - offers a way to create broad-based support for long-term sustainable national economic and social development."

Founded in 1982 by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, The Carter Center advances peace and health worldwide. GDI is one of several programs at the Center focused on the resolution and prevention of conflict, under the direction of Amb. Gordon Streeb, Carter Center associate executive director.