Keeping our Commitment to Development

Helen Clark, UNDP Administrator

UNDP takes a long-term approach to human development, investing in the abilities and potential of institutions and people to bring about sustainable change. Its mission, its accomplishments and the values that underlie them, speak directly to my own past experiences and my belief in promoting fairness, opportunity and equality for every person on this planet – core values I shared with the people of New Zealand when I had the privilege of serving as their Prime Minister.

Now, in the face of a severe global economic recession, UNDP’s mission is taking on a sense of renewed urgency. There is a real risk that hard-fought development gains could be reversed. Together with the effects of food price increases and climate change, the challenges are significant if we are to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015.

UNDP is well placed to respond to the crisis. It has a near universal presence, on the frontlines of development, working at the country, regional and global levels. Its mandate covers the critical areas of fighting poverty and also helping to tackle climate change and to promote sustainable development, supporting crisis prevention and recovery and advancing democratic governance, all while trying to achieve gender equality.

In addition, UNDP plays a vital role coordinating the United Nations’ development work on the ground. During these challenging times, the imperative to advance further UN reform efforts to date is stronger than ever. We must continue to collaborate ever more closely with all our partners to deliver coherently and efficiently as one system.

Throughout, it is important that public funds are accounted for and spent transparently, and in a way that brings about concrete, measurable results in the countries we serve.

At the same time, the international community must live up to its commitments to the poorest. Now is not the time for development assistance to be reduced, particularly when those bearing the brunt of the crisis bear no responsibility for its making.

UNDP has a distinguished history of advancing and delivering on development goals. I am honoured to have been tasked with charting UNDP’s way forward in the years ahead and in making sure we build on and reinforce the organization’s proud legacy.