UNDP Georgia New Year message

The 60-second challenge by UNDP Head Louisa Vinton

December 27, 2019

As the clock is ticking down on 2019, UNDP is taking the 60-second challenge.

It’s almost impossible to summarize the achievements of one very big year in one very small minute but here it goes …

We launched a 74-million-dollar programme to prevent floods and other climate-driven disasters all across Georgia.

I got to meet Beglar the hippopotamus – who is our mascot in that effort.

We worked with the Public Service Hall and other public facilities to ensure full access for persons with disabilities.

We worked with the Parliament to ensure that it has the proper rules of order to exercise its new oversight functions.

We supported reforms to ensure that Georgia has an impartial and professional civil service.

We worked with civil society organizations to improve the welfare of thousands of people living in conflict-affected areas.

We published a landmark human rights report that summarizes Georgia’s achievements but also its challenges to date.

We stood up for human rights and defended the rights of the LGBTIQ community.

We proved that Georgian women are already standout leaders in science, technology and engineering.

We trained 1400 people in new vocation so that they have opportunities outside agriculture.

We helped the Government define its new seven-year strategy for agriculture and rural development.

We improved the financing for twelve national parks and other protected areas.

We helped the Government develop a new mountain strategy that will assist 300,000 high mountain dwellers.

And we went to those mountains in Ambrolauri where we organized an enormous Sustainable Development Goals festival to show how determined we are that no one is left behind in Georgia’s development.

And there’s so much more…

Let’s sum it all up by thanking our partners, donors and supporters for their cooperation with UNDP in 2019 and by expressing our determination to do our best in 2020 to contribute to democratic, peaceful and prosperous Georgia.

Happy New Year!