Establishing UNDP in 1966.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is celebrating 50 years at the heart of international development. Since 1966, the organization has played a transformational role in reducing poverty, empowering women, creating jobs, protecting the environment, and more in the nearly 170 countries where it works.
To mark the occasion, Ministers from across the world - together with high-level stakeholders and global leaders – met at the United Nations in New York on 24 February to celebrate UNDP’s past, and chart a course for the future of global development. One of the objectives was to look ahead to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and discuss how UNDP, over the coming decades, can best contribute to countries’ efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Congratulating UNDP on its 50th anniversary, GEF CEO and Chairperson, Naoko Ishii, stressed the GEF’s long history with UNDP. “UNDP is one of three founding agencies of the GEF, and for 25 years we have been working together,” she said. “Now we must build on our partnership and take the steps that will help deliver the SDGs, and put humanity on a safe course for the next 50 years.”
“Across the globe, UNDP has protected nature, empowered lives and put building resilience at the heart of its development work,” Ishii said. “Going forward, we look forward to continuing to work together in our joint efforts to assist countries address the complex challenges before us.”
For 25 years, UNDP and the GEF have been working together to show how protecting the planet and sustainable development go hand in hand.
Since 1991, UNDP has delivered approximately $US 4 billion in GEF finance to 152 countries to address global environmental challenges and achieve sustainable development. Through the GEF Small Grants Programme (GEF-SGP) implemented by UNDP, the GEF has provided more than $US 500 million directly to civil society and community-based organizations for almost 20,000 projects in 128 countries.
UNDP assists countries in promoting, designing and implementing activities consistent with both the GEF mandate and national sustainable development plans. It does this thanks to its network of country offices, its experience in integrated policy development, human resources development, institutional strengthening, and non-governmental and community participation, and extensive inter-country programming experience.
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UNDP at 50: World must step up to beat poverty by 2030People, planet and prosperity: UNDP at 50