United Nations Development Programme

From Free net encyclopedia

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

In 2004 UNDP's total income reached $4 billion. 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.

UNDP's former Administrator, Mark Malloch Brown is now Chief of Staff to the Secretary General. 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 the next Administrator. Derviş started his four-year term on August 15, 2005. The UNDP Administrator is the third-highest ranking official in the U.N., after the Secretary-General and the Deputy Secretary-General.

It was formed in 1965 to combine the Expanded Programme of Technical Assistance and the United Nations Special Fund. Since 1990, the UNDP has annually published the Human Development Report, based on the Human Development Index. UNDP is also one of several Implementing Agencies for the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

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Functions of UNDP

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

UNDP helps developing countries attract and use aid effectively.

The UNDP Resident Representative normally also serves as the Resident Coordinator for the United Nations system as a whole in the host country. Through such coordination, UNDP seeks to ensure the most effective use of UN and international aid resources.

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