{{Short description|Guyanese educator and diplomat (born 1953)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2025}} {{Infobox officeholder | image = Merlin Udho (cropped).jpg | office = Ambassador of Guyana to Brazil with accreditation as non-resident ambassador to Argentina, Chile, and Paraguay | birth_date = 1953 | predecessor = Kellawan Lall | alma_mater = Peoples' Friendship University (Masters)<br>University of Guyana (PhD) | caption = Udho in 2013 | predecessor2 = Karshanjee Arjun | awards = Honorary Order of the Palm | office2 = Ambassador of Guyana to the Republic of Suriname | term_end2 = February 2012 | term_start2 = November 2009 | prime_minister = Sam Hinds | prime_minister2 = Sam Hinds | term_start = September 2012 | term_end = 2015 | successor = George Talbot }}
'''Merlin Udho''' (born 1953) is a Guyanese educator and diplomat. She has served as Ambassador of Guyana to Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Paraguay and the Republic of Suriname. She has also worked for the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) in Ukraine (Crimea), Bangladesh and Uganda.
== Early life == Udho was born in 1953.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Ассоциация выпускников и друзей :: Мерлин Удхо |url=https://alumni.rudn.ru/graduate/241 |access-date=2025-07-17 |website=Peoples' Friendship University of Russia |language=Ru |archive-date=22 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210922172050/http://alumni.rudn.ru/graduate/241 |url-status=live }}</ref> Udho graduated with a Master's degree in International Law from the Peoples' Friendship University in Moscow<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2012-09-29 |title=Merlin Udho new Ambassador to Brazil |url=https://guyanachronicle.com/2012/09/29/merlin-udho-new-ambassador-to-brazil/ |access-date=2025-07-17 |website=Guyana Chronicle |language=en-US |archive-date=19 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240919171007/https://guyanachronicle.com/2012/09/29/merlin-udho-new-ambassador-to-brazil/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=":0" /> and completed a postgraduate degree in Development Studies at the University of Guyana.
== Career == From 1983 to 1986, Udho worked as a lecturer in International Administrative Law at the Anton de Kom University of Suriname.{{Citation needed|date=July 2025}} She also worked on the Government's competitiveness strategy.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=2009-12-17 |title=Merlin Udho new ambassador to Suriname |url=https://www.stabroeknews.com/2009/12/17/news/guyana/merlin-udho-new-ambassador-to-suriname/ |access-date=2025-07-17 |website=Stabroek News |language=en-US |archive-date=28 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211228210709/https://www.stabroeknews.com/2009/12/17/news/guyana/merlin-udho-new-ambassador-to-suriname/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
Udho presented at the World Conference on Women, 1995 in Beijing, China.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Thunder/88AOAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=Merlin+Udho&dq=Merlin+Udho&printsec=frontcover |title=Thunder |date=1995 |publisher=People's Progressive Party |volume=27-33 |language=en}}</ref> From 1998 to 2005, she worked as Chief Technical Advisor for the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) in Ukraine (Crimea), Bangladesh and Uganda.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Choices/akE4KriKXN8C?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=Merlin+Udho&dq=Merlin+Udho&printsec=frontcover |title=Choices: The Human Development Magazine |date=1996 |publisher=Division of Public Affairs, United Nations Development Programme |pages=20 |language=en}}</ref>
In 2009, Udho worked as Coordinator of the Guyana Women in Development<ref>{{Cite web |date=27 April 2009 |title=Women on entrepreneurial path |url=https://www.stabroeknews.com/2009/04/27/news/guyana/women-on-entrepreneurial-path/ |access-date=20 August 2025 |website=Stabroek News |language=en-US}}</ref> then as International Secretary and Programme Coordinator for the Women’s Progressive Organisation (WPO).<ref>{{Cite web |date=28 May 2009 |title=Women continue to contribute to Guyana's progress |url=https://guyanachronicle.com/2009/05/28/women-continue-to-contribute-to-guyanas-progress/ |access-date=20 August 2025 |website=Guyana Chronicle |language=en-US}}</ref> She served as Chair of the Board of the Forest Products Development and Marketing Council of Guyana Inc. (FPDMC) from 2008 to 2009.<ref>{{Cite web |date=16 October 2008 |title=New forest council geared for better management, equal decision-making |url=https://www.stabroeknews.com/2008/10/16/news/guyana/new-forest-council-geared-for-better-management-equal-decision-making/ |access-date=20 August 2025 |website=Stabroek News |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=25 May 2009 |title=Forest products council repositioning |url=https://www.stabroeknews.com/2009/05/25/news/guyana/forest-products-council-repositioning/ |access-date=20 August 2025 |website=Stabroek News |language=en-US}}</ref>
Udho served as Ambassador of Guyana to the Republic of Suriname from November 2009 to February 2012,<ref name=":1" /> succeeding Karshanjee Arjun.<ref name=":2" /> Upon her departure in February 2012, she was awarded the highest civilian order of Suriname, the Grand Cordon of the Honorary Order of the Palm, being credited with helping facilitate the visits of both Presidents to each others countries and supporting the establishment of a regional sports academy in Suriname.<ref>{{Cite web |date=20 February 2012 |title=Ambassadeurs Guyana en Brazilië krijgen hoge onderscheiding |url=https://www.starnieuws.com/index.php/welcome/index/nieuwsitem/9419 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231013234201/https://www.starnieuws.com/index.php/welcome/index/nieuwsitem/9419 |archive-date=13 October 2023 |access-date=17 July 2025 |website=Starnieuws |language=nl}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=21 February 2012 |title=Scheidende ambassadeurs krijgen de hoogste onderscheiding |url=https://www.dbsuriname.com/2012/02/21/scheidende-ambassadeurs-krijgen-de-hoogste-onderscheiding/ |access-date=20 August 2025 |website=Dagblad Suriname |language=nl-NL}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=21 February 2012 |title=Highest Suriname decoration for Guyana Ambassador |url=https://www.stabroeknews.com/2012/02/21/news/guyana/highest-suriname-decoration-for-guyana-ambassador/ |access-date=20 August 2025 |website=Stabroek News |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=22 February 2012 |title=Suriname decorates outgoing Guyanese Ambassador |url=http://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com:80/2012/02/22/suriname-decorates-outgoing-guyanese-ambassador/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141220151635/http://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com:80/2012/02/22/suriname-decorates-outgoing-guyanese-ambassador/ |archive-date=20 December 2014 |access-date=20 August 2025 |work=Kaieteur News}}</ref>
Udho served as Ambassador of Guyana to Brazil with accreditation as non-resident ambassador to Argentina, Chile, and Paraguay from September 2012 to 2015,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-09-29 |title=Guyana Names New Brazil Ambassador, Forms Ties with Tuvalu, Western Sahara |url=https://www.caribjournal.com/2012/09/29/guyana-names-new-brazil-ambassador-forms-ties-with-tuvalu-western-sahara/ |access-date=2025-07-17 |website=Caribbean Journal |language=en-us}}</ref> succeeding Kellawan Lall.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2012-09-29 |title=Udho to replace Kellawan Lall as Ambassador to Brazil |url=http://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2012/09/29/udho-to-replace-kellawan-lall-as-brazils-ambassador/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160822210031/http://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2012/09/29/udho-to-replace-kellawan-lall-as-brazils-ambassador/ |archive-date=22 August 2016 |access-date=2025-07-17 |work=Kaieteur News |language=en-US |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2016, he was dismissed from office under the Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) administration<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-05-23 |title=Jagdeo challenges Granger to review dismissal of employees under his Govt |url=https://guyanatimesgy.com/jagdeo-challenges-granger-to-review-dismissal-of-employees-under-his-govt/ |access-date=2025-11-10 |website=Guyana Times |language=en-US}}</ref> and was succeeded by George Talbot.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-06-30 |title=Guyana's new envoy to Brazil calls on President |url=https://dpi.gov.gy/guyanas-new-envoy-to-brazil-calls-on-president/ |access-date=2025-07-17 |website=DPI Guyana |language=en-GB |archive-date=14 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250414042120/https://dpi.gov.gy/guyanas-new-envoy-to-brazil-calls-on-president/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2016, Udho also attended an event about Cheddie Jagan's New Global Human Order (NGHO) at the National Library of Guyana in Georgetown.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-09-05 |title=New Global Human Order (NGHO) |url=https://guyanatimesgy.com/new-global-human-order-ngho/ |access-date=2025-07-17 |website=Guyana Times |language=en-US}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Udho, Merlin}} Category:1953 births Category:Living people Category:Peoples' Friendship University of Russia alumni Category:University of Guyana alumni Category:Academic staff of Anton de Kom University of Suriname Category:Guyanese educators Category:Ambassadors of Guyana Category:Women ambassadors of Guyana Category:Guyanese officials of the United Nations Category:Place of birth missing (living people)