U.S. Representative for UN Management and Reform Joseph M. Torsella today said the United States remains a strong supporter of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) mission.
At the UNDP Executive Board Meeting, Mr. Torsellas said as the UN’s flagship development agency with voluntary programs and universal reach, UNDP is well-positioned to help countries build the political and economic foundations for long-term growth.
According to Mr. Torsella, the United States would expect UNDP to undertake more focused programs to promote good governance in areas such as rule of law and anti-corruption, which are at the core of the governance-poverty nexus.
“An integrated approach is essential to help remove the political, legal, and social obstacles that hinder the creation of economic, business, and employment opportunities by the poor and for the poor.”-Mr. Torsella
Mr. Torsella said crisis prevention and post-crisis reconstruction is another aspect of the governance-poverty nexus. He said conflicts are often the symptoms of a lack of political institutions to mediate among competing segments of society.
“In addition to addressing the needs of citizens in immediate post-crisis reconstruction, UNDP’s longer-term crisis prevention and recovery work should link to efforts to build national political institutions and to promote democratic governance.”-Mr. Torsella
Mr. Torsella also welcomed UNDP’s efforts for working with other members of the UN family and to help transition following the transformative events in the Middle East and North Africa regions.
“UNDP can play a valuable role to help those countries realize the aspirations of their peoples.”-Mr. Torsella
Mr. Torsella said he looked forward to working closely with The UNDP’s Board members during the meetings to achieve their shared objective of making UNDP a more effective and responsive organization.