Locations
Celebrating 50; A walk through History
The United Nations Development Programme commemorated 60 years of service to the world in 2025, while its Multi Country Office in Jamaica will celebrate 50 in 2026.
The global 60-year story of UNDP started a few months shy of its official beginning on 22 November 1965. UNDP came into existence by merging the Expanded Programme of Technical Assistance (EPTA) and the Special Fund which had a presence in developing countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America. Two months later – in January 1966 to be exact – the UNDP officially began operations with a global mission to Provide developing countries with technical assistance and pre-investment support to promote economic and social development.” Key Focus Areas in 1966 were Technical Assistance; Pre-Investment Activities; Coordination of UN Aid; support for National Development Plans. As of 1966 UNDP was present in approximately 60 countries, reflecting rapid expansion into the field. UNDP’s presence grew quickly in response to the wave of newly independent nations and global development needs, laying the groundwork for its current reach in over 170 countries and territories.
1976, a watershed moment
Exactly one decade after UNDP was established globally, the Standard Basic Assistance Agreement (SBAA) legalizing UNDP operations in Jamaica entered into force – on January 26, 1976 – preceded on 12 July 1974, by UNDP’s SBAA with the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.
A MOMENT IN HISTORY: JAMAICA SIGNS UNDP STANDARD BASIC AGREEMENT on 26 January 1976: The Chief Technical Director of the National Planning Agency, which predated the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), Dr. G. G. Bonnick, (right) and the then UNDP Resident Representative in Jamaica, Mr. R. J. Crooks, signing the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Standard Basic Agreement which consolidated all UNDP Programmes. The signing took place yesterday (26 January 1976) morning at the offices of the National Planning Agency in New Kingston.
An Official beginning, 26 January 1976
The 1976 signing heralded a new era of scaled up development support to the sub region, operating from UNDPs Multi-Country Office in Jamaica, and represents more than 50 years of UNDP cooperation in the Western Caribbean, including support to newly independent states like Jamaica and The Bahamas which were forging a new path of development in the important post-colonial era of the 1970s. Since those moments when the SBAAs were signed, UNDP has supported the respective governments and now including Bermuda, Cayman Islands and Turks and Caicos Islands, in advancing their national development aspirations in climate resilience, disaster recovery, governance, social equity and poverty reduction.
SBAA Timeline
- Agreement signed and entered into force in The Bahamas, 12 July 1974
- Agreement signed and entered into force in Jamaica, 26 January 1976
Jamaica signed UNDP's Standard Basic Agreement on 26 January 1976; The Bahamas signed on 12 July 1974