United Nations

Office of the UN Resident Coordinator – MALAWI
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PRESS RELEASE

UN Malawi’s activities focused on achievement of MDGs

LILONGWE, 24 October 2006 – Today marks 61 years since the United Nations Charter came into force on 24 October 1945. In marking this day, the United Nations in Malawi has expressed its firm commitment in supporting the Government of Malawi and its partners step up efforts to improve the quality of life for Malawians.

Michael Keating, Resident Coordinator, United Nations Malawi

Michael Keating, UN Resident Coordinator explains, “The United Nations supports its member states like Malawi to protect and promote human rights and to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. We are helping to ensure that the country implements its development strategy and that real results are achieved, which translate into better quality of life for every Malawian, in terms of access to social services including heath and education, protection and promotion of human rights and participation in economy.”

Michael Keating, Resident Coordinator, United Nations Malawi United Nations’ efforts are aligned with the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy, which is the country’s plan for generating economic growth and reducing poverty in the medium term, with specific objectives aimed at achieving the MDGs.

UN activities in Malawi, are undertaken through a number of agencies; FAO, UNAIDS, UNDP, UNHCR, UNFPA, UNICEF, WFP and WHO and embrace a wide range of issues including food and nutrition security, health, education, disaster mitigation and response, financial

management and democratic governance. Other non-resident agencies with development activities in Malawi are ILO, UN Habitat, UNESCO and UNIDO.

Malawi became a member of the UN on 1 December 1964. The UN has since then been a full partner in the country’s progress, including, the development of the Constitution, the legal system, the decentralization process, the establishment of key institutions including the Parliament, the Electoral Commission, the Anti-Corruption Bureau, the Law Commission, Chamber of Commerce and the National AIDS Commission.

“We are not just a donor. Our strength lies not in our money but in our global experience, policy expertise, coordination skills, and ability to provide tailor made technical and implementation support. While much of our work here is of a developmental or humanitarian nature, our role is also to support Malawi live up to the agreements and standards that it has adopted. This includes with regard to good governance and accountability, gender equality and discrimination against women, the wellbeing of children, the right to food, access to information and to justice,” says Mr. Keating.

The UN’s operations are in the area of capacity development and resources, which are critical for national development, but also in knowledge building to ensure but there is greater understanding on what it will take to meet goals and agreements and therefore define individual and institutional roles.

UN in Malawi is currently producing its next five-year United Nations Development Assistance Framework. The UNDAF is part of United Nations reform agenda and forges greater coherence within the United Nations agencies, to maximise the impact of resources and skills by implementing one measurable national development programme.

The programme plan which will run from 2008, is focused on five priority areas namely; economic growth, protection of vulnerable people, provision of basic social services, HIV/AIDS and good governance.

For more information contact:
UN Communication Officer, Susan Muguro +265 9 967 991, susan.muguro@undp.org