Transcript The UN`s mandate - UNDP in Namibia

The United Nations contribution:
Poverty Eradication and Foreign Policy
Foreign Policy Review Conference
Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation
25-29th July, 2016
Windhoek, Namibia
By
Anita Kiki Gbeho UN Resident Coordinator
Presentation Outline

UN’s global mandate

UN and global development and poverty

Namibia and poverty reduction

UN influencing global foreign policy

Conclusion
The UN’s mandate

Maintain international
peace and security

Promote respect for
human rights and
fundamental freedoms

Develop friendly relations
among nations

Foster international cooperation in solving
economic, social,
cultural, or humanitarian
problems
UN & global poverty reduction

Redefinition of poverty from monetary to
multidimensional characterization

Setting Global Agendas (Human Development Report;
MDGs & SDGs)

Crafting Int. Agreements (Paris Agreement on Climate
Change, Addis Ababa Agenda for Action, CEDAW,
CPD)

Drafting Key Resolutions (Resolution 1325 on women
peace and security;)

Set Policy and Craft Int. Law (Refugee and Humanitarian
Law, Gender, Reproductive Health, Rights of the Child)
Global poverty reduction - Results

Over 1bn people lifted out of
extreme poverty (from 1990 to
2015)

Halved number of out of school
primary age children (from 100
million in 2000 to 57 million in 2015)

New HIV infections fell by 40 per
cent (from approx. 3.5 million in
2000 to 2.1million in 2013)

Halved number of undernourished
people in developing regions
(from 23.3%-1990 to 12.9%-2014)

Over 80m people in 37 countries
reached with Humanitarian
Assistance in 2015
Poverty reduction in Namibia

Fastest reduction in poverty on
the continent(41% over two
decades)

99% enrollment at primary
education level

First in Africa in terms of press
freedom

Number 5 in Africa in terms of
gender parity in parliament

4th most transparent country on
the continent

84% of HIV positive people have
access to ARVs
UN Support to Namibia poverty
reduction
Through Standard Basic Agreement and Development Assistance
Frameworks supported Health, Education, Institutional Environment and
Poverty e.g.:

WFP support to national School Feeding Programme (330 000 children
annually)

UNICEF provided the research making the case for free Universal
Primary Education

UNFPA supported the production of census data and its use in
evidence-based decision-making and policy formulation

UNICEF/WHO/CDC demonstrated the potential of Health Extension
Workers to bridge the gap between communities and health facilities

UNDP helped channel over USD 70 million since the mid-90s to
improve national capacity to protect and conserve natural resources
Global challenges that (could?)
impact Namibia

Conflict (10 conflicts ongoing in Africa)

Over 60 million people displaced globally
(natural & manmade causes)

Poverty-inequality. Approx. 800 million
classified as poor globally

Violent extremism

Transnational organized crime

830 women die every day from causes
related to pregnancy or childbirth. About
one woman every 2 mins

HIV remains one of the foremost health and
development challenges of our time. SubSaharan Africa still accounts for over 70 per
cent of new infections.
Namibia challenges

Water, Energy, Environment

Poverty-inequality 27% of pop Namibia classified

50% drop out grade 10 Namibia

42% Namibians undernourished

39% youth unemployment in Namibia.

Implementation and coordination development
programmes
UN role in influencing global
foreign policy
Examples of the normative role the UN has
played in developing ground-breaking
agreements include:




Advocating and ushering in
Independence: Namibia, Cambodia,
East Timor
Framework for financing for
development (Addis Ababa Agenda
for Action)
Agenda 2030 for Sustainable
Development
Paris Agreement on Climate Change,
which along with the Sendai
Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction
signal commitment to unified action
Namibia Role in Global and Regional
Foreign policy
Namibias lead role in shaping global
agenda:

The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action

The AU High Level Committee of the Post 2015
Development Agenda led to Common African
Position on Africa’s input into the SDGs

Hosted the 31st session Joint Parliamentary
Assembly (JPA) ACP-EU June 2016, in Windhoek

Member of the African Union Committee of Ten
Heads of State that has reaffirmed Africa’s
common position on the UNSC reform
Conclusion:
How can UN continue to support
the use of FP to achieve domestic
objectives?
Opportunities: SDGs + leverage MIC
status?

Continue & accelerate dual
track approach: economic
growth that is sustainable &
creates jobs + social progress

And through FP:
-Expand Economic relations
-Strengthen bilateral
agreements
The UN wishes to remain
Namibia's partner of choice!
-Intensify south/south &
triangular cooperation