June 27, 2019 Berlin -  UNDP Administrator, Achim Steiner, and the State Secretary for the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Martin Jaeger, unveiled a new global network of Accelerator Labs, embedded within 60 UNDP country offices, at an event in Berlin on June 26. In collaboration with the launch partners - the Federal Republic of Germany and the State of Qatar, represented at the launch by the Ambassador of the State of Qatar in Germany - the Labs will play a pivotal role in sustainable development for the 21st century.

Because today’s challenges require a radical shift in how we think, deliver and manage development solutions, UNDP is setting up 60 Accelerator Labs serving 78 countries. These Labs will provide new ways to work with our partners to explore, experiment, and grow solutions to tackle complex development challenges.

“Looking at many innovation initiatives worldwide, we realized that UNDP needs to draw on lessons learnt in the fields of innovation and entrepreneurship to deliver a more dynamic approach to accelerating the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals,” said Achim Steiner, UNDP Administrator in his opening remarks. “These Labs, will enhance our capacity to provide more agile and solutions-focused support to countries as they build on local expertise and global best practices."

“Because challenges are faster-moving and more global in nature, in order to reach our development objectives, we must help spread relevant innovation and new methods. The Labs will tap into a wider range of solutions for global challenges such as migration, climate change and increasing inequalities,” said Martin Jaeger, State Secretary for the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development during the event.

UNDP will use solutions mapping to unleash the power of local innovations, tapping into on-the-ground entrepreneurship. The Labs will work with partners across public and private sector as well as academia and civil society to scale up these ways of addressing environmental, social and economic issues, which range from unemployment to waste management or gender empowerment.

The Labs are embedded in UNDP country teams and will become integral to UNDP‘s services to better assist countries in their national development plans and priorities.  

Stay in touch with UNDP Accelerator Labs at: https://twitter.com/UNDPAccLabs and https://www.instagram.com/acceleratorlabs/

For more information:

UNDP:  Maria Blanco, Communications Specialist. Email: maria.blanco@undp.org

German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development: presse@bmz.bund.de