United Nations Development Programme

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The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the largest multilateral source of grant technical assistance in the world, and the largest agency within the United Nations. Headquartered in New York City, this donor-funded organization provides expert advice, training, and limited equipment to developing countries, with increasing emphasis on assistance to the least developed countries.

Contents

History

UNDP was formed in 1965 to combine the Expanded Programme of Technical Assistance and the United Nations Special Fund. The foundation of UNDP was widely seen as an expansion of the UN's activities far beyond its original peace and security remit.

Budget

In 2004 UNDP's total operating budget for both projects and operations was $4 billion.

Donors

The largest single donor was the United States, contributing $243 million in regular and other resources, followed closely by the United Kingdom, which contributed $233 million to UNDP. Japan, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden each contributed more than $100 million. Taken as a whole, however, the European Union was the largest donor by far, providing $921 million directly from EU member states and another $226 million through the European Commission.

Functions

UNDP’s offices and staff are on the ground in 166 countries, working with governments and local communities to help them find solutions to global and national development challenges.

UNDP links and coordinates global and national efforts to achieve the goals and national development priorities laid out by host countries. The major focus is on helping countries build and share solutions to the challenges of:

Democratic Governance
Poverty Reduction
Crisis Prevention and Recovery
Energy and Environment
HIV/AIDS

Human Development Report

Since 1990, the UNDP has annually published the Human Development Report, based on the Human Development Index.

UN Co-ordination Role

UNDP plays a significant co-ordination role for the UN’s activities in the field of development. This is mainly executed through its leadership of the UN Development Group and through the Resident Co-ordinator System.

Disarmament and Controversy

In mid-2006, as first reported by [Inner City Press] and then by [The New Vision], UNDP halted its disarmament programs in the Karamoja regoin of Uganda in response to human rights abuses in the parallel forcible disarmament programs carried out by the Uganda People's Defense Force.

United Nations Development Group

The United Nations Development Group (UNDG) was created by the Secretary General in 1997, to improve the effectiveness of UN development at the country level. The UNDG brings together the operational agencies working on development. The Group is chaired by the Administrator of UNDP. UNDP also provides the Secretariat to the Group.

The UNDG develops policies and procedures that allow member agencies to work together and analyse country issues, plan support strategies, implement support programmes, monitor results and advocate for change. These initiatives increase UN impact in helping countries achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), including poverty reduction.

Over 25 UN agencies are members of the UNDG. The Executive Committee consists of the four "founding members": UNICEF, UNFPA, WFP and UNDP. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights is an ex-officio member of the Executive Committee.

Resident Co-ordinator System

The Resident Coordinator system co-ordinates all organizations of the United Nations system dealing with operational activities for development in the field. The RC system aims to bring together the different UN agencies to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of operational activities at the country level. Resident Coordinators, who are funded, appointed and managed by UNDP, lead UN country teams in more than 130 countries and are the designated representatives of the Secretary-General for development operations. Working closely with national governments, Resident Coordinators and country teams advocate the interests and mandates of the UN drawing on the support and guidance of the entire UN family.

Administrator

The UNDP Administrator has the diplomatic rank of an Under-Secretary-General. While the Administrator is often referred to as the third highest-ranking official in the UN (after the UN Secretary General and the UN Deputy Secretary General), this has never been formally codified.

In addition to his responsibilities as head of UNDP, the Administrator is also the Chair of the UN Development Group.

Current Administrator

On May 5, 2005, the United Nations General Assembly, representing 191 countries, unanimously confirmed Kemal Derviş, a former finance minister of Turkey and senior World Bank official, as UNDP Administrator. Derviş started his four-year term on August 15, 2005.

Associate Administrator

The current Associate Administrator of UNDP is Ad Melkert, a Dutch national appointed on the 1st March 2006. During meetings of the UN Development Group, which are chaired by the Administrator, UNDP is represented by the Associate Administrator.

Previous Administrators

UNDP's former Administrator, Mark Malloch Brown was appointed Chief of Staff to the UN Secretary General half-way through his second term in office. Subsequently, he has been appointed UN Deputy Secretary General.

Goodwill Ambassadors

UNDP, along with other UN agencies, has long enlisted the voluntary services and support of prominent individuals as Goodwill Ambassadors or Youth Emissaries to highlight and promote key policies. According to UNDP’s website: “Their fame helps amplify the urgent and universal message of human development and international cooperation, helping to accelerate achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.”

Global Ambassadors

Regional Goodwill Ambassador

Hussein Fahmy

Honorary Human Development Ambassador

Princess Basma Bint Talal of Jordan

Honorary Advisor on Sports and Development

Syndiely Wade

Youth Emissaries

External links

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