Locations
UNDP Europe and Central Asia
Our Partners
Partnerships for sustainable development
Partnerships are at the heart of UNDP's work across Europe and Central Asia. We work with governments, the United Nations system, international financial institutions, businesses, foundations and civil society to advance national priorities and sustainable development.
Together, we bring expertise, financing and innovation to complex challenges, from creating opportunities and strengthening institutions to climate action, digital transformation and crisis recovery. By connecting partners across sectors and borders, we help turn shared ambitions into solutions that deliver lasting change.
How we work with partners
Development challenges rarely fit neatly into one sector. UNDP brings together different partners, expertise and sources of finance to help countries address interconnected challenges and deliver change at scale.
We bring together governments, the United Nations system, international financial institutions, businesses, foundations and civil society around shared development priorities.
We connect public and private finance, expertise and innovation to help countries invest in sustainable development and scale promising solutions.
With a presence across the region, longstanding relationships with national and local partners and access to UNDP's global network, we help turn policies, investments and commitments into results on the ground.
We help partners test new approaches, use digital technologies and data responsibly and share solutions and experience across countries and regions.
Our partnership ecosystem
Across Europe and Central Asia, UNDP works with more than 80 contributors, including governments, multilateral institutions, development funds and private-sector partners. These partnerships combine financial support with expertise, innovation and local knowledge.
Governments
Governments are among UNDP's most important partners across Europe and Central Asia. We work with national, regional and local authorities in both programme and contributing countries, building long-term relationships grounded in national priorities.
Many governments also invest their own resources directly in programmes delivered with UNDP. Through Government Development Financing, national leadership and financing are combined with UNDP's policy expertise, global network and implementation capacity. In 2025, this financing reached US$127 million, representing 20.6 percent of RBEC's total resources. Serbia, Turkmenistan, Montenegro and Türkiye were the leading contributors among programme countries. These partnerships support priorities including healthcare, energy efficiency, digital transformation, environmental management and social protection.
The European Union is UNDP's largest contributor in the region, supporting priorities ranging from governance and inclusive economic development to climate action and crisis recovery. Norway, Sweden and Japan are also among UNDP's leading development partners, providing substantial support to Ukraine's recovery and resilience alongside other priorities across Europe and Central Asia. In 2025, these three partners contributed US$120 million, US$48.4 million and US$41 million, respectively.
Other long-standing partners, including Denmark, Switzerland, Italy, the Netherlands and the Republic of Korea, support a broad range of priorities, from energy transition and mine action to institutional development, employment and community resilience.
Governments in programme countries are also significant contributors. Turkmenistan, Serbia, Türkiye, Kazakhstan and Montenegro invest in national development priorities, including healthcare, energy efficiency, digital transformation, environmental management and social protection.
Beyond financing, government partnerships facilitate knowledge-sharing and cooperation across borders. Türkiye hosts UNDP's Istanbul Regional Hub and the Istanbul International Center for Private Sector in Development. UNDP also works with countries including Slovakia, Czechia and Poland to exchange development expertise and support innovation.
United Nations system
UNDP works across the United Nations system to bring together diverse areas of expertise to address countries' development priorities. Through UN country teams and under the leadership of Resident Coordinators, we contribute to coordinated responses to complex development challenges.
We also work with UN partners through joint programmes and pooled financing, helping connect development, humanitarian and peacebuilding efforts, particularly in crisis and fragile settings.
The UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office, hosted by UNDP, supports pooled financing arrangements that bring together contributions from different partners to advance shared priorities.
By working together, UN entities can combine their strengths and provide countries with more coherent support.
International financial institutions
International financial institutions are important partners in turning development priorities into investment at scale. UNDP works with international and regional financial institutions to connect financing with policy advice, technical expertise and implementation support.
Together, we help governments prepare and implement investments, strengthen the institutions and systems needed to manage them, and ensure that financing contributes to sustainable development.
Across Europe and Central Asia, UNDP works with institutions including the World Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the European Investment Bank and other international and regional financial institutions.
In 2025, this included US$15 million in loan implementation with the International Fund for Agricultural Development and US$6.6 million with the Islamic Development Bank, illustrating how UNDP can help turn development financing into results on the ground.
UNDP also helps countries access global financing for climate action, biodiversity and health.
Global environmental funds, including the Green Climate Fund, Global Environment Facility and Adaptation Fund, have channelled close to US$510 million to the region since 2018.
The Global Fund is another major financing partner, working with UNDP to strengthen health systems and expand access to essential services.
UNDP connects these financing mechanisms with national priorities, technical expertise and implementation capacity.
Private sector and foundations
Businesses and foundations bring investment, innovation, technology, expertise and networks that can help accelerate sustainable development. UNDP works with private and philanthropic partners to connect these strengths with national priorities and develop solutions that can grow beyond individual projects.
UNDP is expanding its engagement with the private sector across Europe and Central Asia, building on established partnerships in Türkiye and emerging models in Uzbekistan to connect business expertise and innovation with development priorities.
Our partnerships support innovation and entrepreneurship, responsible business practices and new approaches to sustainable and blended finance. We also work with foundations and philanthropic partners to co-design solutions, mobilize resources and expand initiatives that respond to national development priorities.
By connecting private-sector capabilities with governments, communities and development partners, UNDP helps test new ideas, mobilize investment and scale successful solutions.
Civil society organizations
Civil society organizations bring local knowledge, diverse perspectives and strong connections with communities. Across Europe and Central Asia, UNDP works with civil society and grassroots organizations to design and deliver solutions that reflect local realities and respond to people’s needs.
Beyond local delivery, these partnerships are vital for strengthening institutional accountability, building civic trust, and advancing human rights.
In countries pursuing European Union accession, we work with civil society to support inclusive and transparent reforms, strengthen public participation and help protect the rights of marginalized groups.
Partnership priorities
Our partnerships support UNDP's four strategic objectives for 2026–2029, bringing together different strengths and sources of finance around shared development goals.
Partnerships help create more inclusive and resilient economies by expanding green jobs, strengthening small businesses and value chains, and creating sustainable livelihoods, particularly for women, young people and displaced populations. UNDP works with governments, financial institutions, businesses and development partners to connect policy, investment and innovation, helping local economies grow and communities become more resilient.
Effective, accountable and inclusive institutions are essential for sustainable development. UNDP brings together governments, civil society, the United Nations system and development partners to strengthen public institutions and services, advance the rule of law and human rights, and use digital technologies and AI responsibly. These partnerships help institutions respond better to people's needs, while strengthening participation, trust and accountability.
Partnerships help countries and communities prepare for crises, respond when they happen and recover in ways that reduce future risks. UNDP works with governments, communities, development partners and financial institutions to support recovery and reconstruction, support mine action and restore essential services and livelihoods. By connecting humanitarian, development and peacebuilding efforts, we help protect development gains and build greater resilience to future shocks.
Climate change and biodiversity loss require finance, expertise and action from many different partners. UNDP brings together governments, global climate and environmental funds such as the Green Climate Fund and Global Environment Facility, financial institutions, private investors and communities to turn international commitments into local investments. Together, we help scale circular economy solutions, protect nature and mobilize sustainable finance for a just and green transition.
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Work with UNDP
Partnering with UNDP offers access to local knowledge, global expertise and long-standing relationships with governments across Europe and Central Asia. We help partners develop and deliver programmes, connect with other organizations and expand approaches that work. Our fiduciary standards support the effective and transparent use of resources.
Whether you represent a government, financial institution, development organization, business or foundation, we welcome opportunities to explore how we can work together to advance sustainable development across Europe and Central Asia.
Partnership contacts
Oana Maria Rebedea
Regional Partnership Specialist
Berna Bayazit
Programme Specialist
Lejla Sadiku
Strategy and Partnership Specialist