UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting poverty, inequality, and climate change. With our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries and territories, we help people, communities, and governments build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet.

The United States has been a vital partner since UNDP’s creation in 1966. UNDP's work advances US foreign policy, national security, and economic interests—helping to build more peaceful, stable societies that become markets for US exports. US membership on our Executive Board ensures that no UNDP program goes forward without US approval. Other governments share this commitment: For every US$1 the United States invests in UNDP projects and programs, others contribute US$14. 

Through our work to help governments become transparent trade partners and viable export markets, UNDP contributes directly to the US economy: UNDP procured more than US$1.4 billion in goods and services from vendors in all 50 US states from 2012-2022, supporting US jobs and businesses across the country. UNDP also maintains partnerships with the private sector globally, which benefits from UNDP's convening power, understanding of development issues and local contexts, and expertise across a wide range of sectors.

The US Government has contributed roughly US$80 million a year since 2012 to UNDP’s core operating budget. This voluntary contribution, in addition to US funding for programs of unique and specific importance to the United States, underpins our ability to deliver projects and programs globally: These include fighting corruption, preventing and countering violent extremism, responding to complex crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, conflicts, and natural disasters around the world, removing landmines, providing safe water and sanitation, conserving wildlife and halting the traffic in endangered species, supporting democracy, elections, and rule of law, addressing the climate crisis, and helping create jobs and livelihoods that allow people to pull themselves out of poverty. While core funding accounts for only a small part of UNDP’s total budget, it supports vital research and strategic planning and provides flexibility to address emergencies. It helps attract private sector investment, jump-starts activities with seed money, addresses long-running crises, and finances conflict and crisis prevention. Core funding fills gaps when emergency appeals fall short and helps UNDP operate with maximum transparency, oversight, and accountability.

In 2016, a US Senate Appropriation subcommittee singled out UNDP among 29 international organizations for its unique contribution and impact in areas of vital US interest such as Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2017, the subcommittee cited “the important contribution of UNDP to stability and development in areas liberated from ISIS and other extremists in Iraq, and in facilitating the return of millions of IDPs to such areas." US officials have also praised UNDP’s efficiency and top global rating for transparency.

At the vanguard of UN reform, UNDP launched a major restructuring in 2014 that cut costs and moved 20% of headquarters jobs to the field. Since then, UNDP has been independently ranked by the international NGO "Publish What You Fund" as one of the world’s most transparent aid agencies. UNDP is also consistently ranked among top organizations globally in value for money, including in areas such as justice, security, democratic governance, and anti-corruption, according to the independent nonprofit AidData. The UN Board of Auditors has awarded UNDP an unqualified/clean audit for 14 consecutive years.

US contributions allow UNDP to maintain a coherent in-country presence before, during, and after crises, coordinating UN development and humanitarian work on the ground--and responding quickly to emergencies. In recent years, UNDP has helped provide clean water and sanitation, basic services, and jobs to Syrian, Afghan, and Iraqi refugees, for example, and to the often impoverished, overcrowded communities that host them.

In addition to its concrete, cutting-edge work to address the COVID-19 pandemic and conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, and elsewhere, UNDP has played a critical role in responding to conflicts and complex crises in Afghanistan, Haiti, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, and elsewhere. UNDP brings state-of-the-art, cost-effective solutions to tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges. These include leveraging digital technology to ensure free and fair elections, installing solar panels to keep life-saving health services running when electrical grids are destroyed, and using drones, data, and satellite imagery to monitor and mitigate droughts, storms, and humanitarian emergencies.

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Recent Washington events:

“Reimagining Crisis Response: How to Save Lives and Livelihoods:” Fireside chat between UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner and US Institute of Peace (USIP) President & CEO Lise Grande, at USIP

“UNDP Administrator Joins World Bank-UK High-Level Panel on Pakistan Flooding”: Roundtable at October 2022 Annual Meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund

“The Challenges of Post-Pandemic Recovery: Exploring New Findings From the 2022 UNDP Arab Human Development Report”: Middle East Institute (MEI) panel with UN Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Regional Director Khalida Bouzar

“Mind the Gap: Bridging the Digital Divide”: Meridien International Center Global Summit with UNDP Head of Digital Policy & Global Partnerships Yolanda Jinxin Ma

Administrator’s lecture on “breaking the cycle of debt crisis,” at Sciences Po, 23 February 2023

UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner’s fireside chat with Johns Hopkins-SAIS Dean James Steinberg, previewing World Bank and International Monetary Fund Spring Meetings, 6 April 2023

Administrator’s World Bank Digital Media Zone interview, 12 April 2023

Brookings Institution launch of UNDP report on African credit ratings, with UN Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Regional Director Ahunna Eziakonwa, 14 April 2023

Washington Post Live, "Bridging the Digital Divide in Education, Finance, and Health Care," with UNDP Accelerator Labs, 28 April 2023

UNDP and Administrator Achim Steiner at the second Nobel Prize Summit, 24-26 May 2023

"How to Reverse Latin America's Governance Crisis," US Institute of Peace video interview with UN Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Regional Director Michelle Muschett, 27 July 2023

"Recalibrating Growth for Development Across Asia," Woodrow Wilson Center Panel with UN Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Regional Director Kanni Wignaraja, 4 December 2023

"2024 at UNDP: Goals, Challenges, and Priorities," Women's Foreign Policy Group virtual fireside chat with UNDP Bureau for Policy & Programme Support Deputy Director Francine Pickup, 24 January 2024

Recent media:

• "Protracted conflict could wipe out ‘18 years of socio-economic achievements’ in Ukraine, UN warns": The Washington Post
• "UNDP says Ukraine war led to sharp rise in global poverty": The Washington Post
• "Life in Afghanistan deteriorates sharply despite humanitarian aid": The Washington Post 
• "Fuel, food, finance: Brace for impact from Russia's Ukraine war": The Washington Post 
• "The West has a hand in Afghanistan's bleak state": The Washington Post
• "Global economic recovery is leaving poor countries behind": The Washington Post
• “Despite humanitarian aid, life in Afghanistan is reaching a new low”: The Washington Post, interview with UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner and Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Assistant Administrator/Director of UNDP’s Regional Bureau for Asia & the Pacific Kanni Wignaraja
• “Serious debt crisis unfolding across developing countries”: Reuters
• “54 Countries at Debt Breaking Point”: Politico, interview with UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner
• "Human Development in an Age of Uncertainty:" Brookings Global, blog by UNDP HDR Office Director Pedro Conceição
• "Casualties from war in Ukraine include millions of the world’s poor," The Washington Post, interview with UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner
• "What's Causing Africa's Debt Crisis?" Foreign Policy
• "Fuel, food, finance: Brace for impact from Russia’s Ukraine war": The Washington Post, interview with UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner
• "GDP is getting a makeover—what it means for economies, health, and the planet": Nature, interview with UNDP HDR Office Director Pedro Conceição
• “Interview: Ahunna Eziakonwa”: Politico, interview with Assistant UN Secretary-General/UNDP Assistant Administrator and Director of UNDP’s Regional Bureau for Africa
• "UNDP wants to coordinate with USAID on Global Fragility Act": Devex, interview with Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Assistant Administrator/Director of UNDP’s Crisis Bureau Asako Okai
• "Senior UN official urges Japan to take 'maximum leadership' stance in 2023": Jiji Press, Japan Times, inter alia, interview with UNDP Assistant Administrator/Director of UNDP’s Crisis Bureau Asako Okai
• "A possible watershed moment for valuing nature": The Hill, op-ed by UNDP Head of Ecosystems & Biodiversity Midori Paxton
• "The future of climate technology: Data-informed policies are indispensable in mitigating climate risks": Guest blog by Robert Opp, Iliya Nickelt, and Reina Otsuka, for the Middle East Institute
• “Can Arab States Bounce Back from COVID and Climate Crises? A new UNDP report says COVID and climate change have set the Arab world back and provides recommendations for how the region can recover,” by Mona Yacoubian, USIP
• “Iraq’s Immense Climate Challenges”: Blog and video by UNDP Resident Representative in Iraq Zena Ali Ahmed, for USIP
• “Global Shocks Are Setting Development Back—What Can Be Done?": Blog and video by Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Assistant Administrator/Director of the Regional Bureau for Asia & the Pacific Kanni Wignaraja, for USIP
• "The Latest @ USIP: A New Framework for Global Development and Security": Video and interview with UNDP Assistant Administrator/Director of UNDP’s Crisis Bureau Asako Okai for USIP
• "UNDP Says Time To Rebuild Ukraine is Now": The Washington Post, interview with UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner
• "Earthquake Disaster": Sveriges Radio (Radio Sweden), interview with Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP BERA Bureau Director Ulrika Modeer
• "Key Developments in the Aftermath of the Turkey, Syria Quake": The Washington Post
• “Turkey earthquake damage set to exceed $100 bln: UN agency,” Reuters
• "Development Issues Driving Violent Extremism": The Lancet
• "During wartime, Europe’s strongest leaders are women": National Journal
• "Turkey earthquakes generated 10 times more rubble than 2010 Haiti disaster": The Washington Post
• “At last, some good news from Yemen,” The Washington Post 
• “Why Digital Public Infrastructure Matters More than You Think,” Devex
• “Wealthy West has little excuse after finally waking up to global debt crisis,” The Guardian 
• “UN reports that restrictions on women will hurt the Afghan economy,” CNN
• "The world sees invasive seaweed. This gardener sees housing bricks." Christian Science Monitor
• “34 million Afghans in poverty under Taliban rule,” MSN
• “Dutch salvage team set to pump oil off rusting Yemen tanker,” Associated Press, Fox News, The Hill, US News & World Report, inter alia
• “Climate change, farmers draining ancient Balkan lake,” AFP 
• “UN begins high-risk operation to prevent catastrophic oil spill from Yemen tanker,” CNN
• “World adds 165 million more poor as debt consumes governments’ funds," The Washington Post
• “UN begins salvage operation to stop catastrophic oil spill off Yemen," BBC
• “Gender biases not improved over past decade, UN says,” Reuters
• “Nine out of 10 people are biased against women, UN report finds,” CBS News
• “UN agency says no breakthrough on debt talks at G20 a 'grave concern,’” Reuters
• “The world needs a debt-poverty pause to mitigate poverty: UNDP,” CNBC
• “UN agency calls for debt-poverty pause,” Reuters 
• "UN starts removing oil from decaying tanker near Yemen in Red Sea," Reuters
• "UN says operation to siphon oil out of rusting tanker moored off Yemen begins to 'avoid catastrophe,'" The Washington Post
• "The Race to Avert an Oil Spill That Could Cost $20 Billion to Fix," The Wall Street Journal 
• "UN says operation to siphon oil out of rusting tanker moored off Yemen begins to 'avoid catastrophe,'" Associated Press (AP), Stars & Stripes, inter alia 
• "UN Begins Operation to Unload Oil From Yemen Tanker," Voice of America (VOA)
• "Oil from "FSO Safer" supertanker decaying off Yemen's coast finally being pumped onto another ship," CBS News
• "UN-led mission to start draining stricken oil tanker off Yemen," Financial Times
• “Leaders, experts offer AI advice for real people,” Axios
• “Cashmere," Freakonomics
• "Decaying Tanker in Mideast Is Emptied of Oil, Averting Catastrophic Spill," The New York Times
• “UN-Led Team Completes Risky Operation to Transfer Oil From Decaying Yemen Tanker,” The Wall Street Journal
• “More than 1 million barrels of oil removed from deteriorating tanker moored off Yemen, UN says,” The Washington Post
• "United Nations says oil from rusting tanker off Yemen has been completely transferred, avoiding environmental disaster,” AP, ABC News, NBC News
• “UN completes removal of oil from decaying tanker off Yemen,” Reuters
• "In Ukraine, Russia’s winter attacks on infrastructure have started," Stars and Stripes 
• "Ukraine’s poverty rate has skyrocketed due to war," National Journal
• “Wasted GDP in the USA,” Nature
• “UNDP trials innovative technologies that could rid Ukraine of landmines in 10 years,” Yahoo News, MSN
• “UN-led FSO Safer operation safely concludes oil transfer, averts catastrophe,” Reinsurance News
• “China or US: Who's delaying debt relief to Africa?” DW News
• "Rich nations, the IMF and World Bank are worried about the Israel-Hamas war, but not nearly enough," The Guardian 
• "Back In Ukrainian Hands, A Southern Region Struggles To Rebuild As Winter Approaches," Radio Free Europe (RFERL)
• "A glacier baby is born: Mating glaciers to replace water lost to climate change," National Public Radio
• “Gold’s Deadly Truth: Much Is Mined with Mercury,” The New York Times
• “In Ukraine, Russia’s winter attacks on infrastructure have started,” The Washington Post 
• “UN Reports 'Staggering' $14 Billion Cost of Ukraine Dam Breach,” AFP, Radio Free Europe, Voice of America
• "Remember Afghanistan and Iraq? UNDP is trying to make sure you do," Devex
• "New UN report paints a picture of the devastation of the collapsing Palestinian economy," Associated Press 
• "War has already set Gaza and West Bank economy back more than a decade, UN report warns," CNN
• "War has destroyed Gaza economy, reversed years of progress, UN says," The Wall Street Journal
• "Ukraine prepares for winter again as Russia targets its power grid," The Economist
• "Partner Voices: UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner," World Bank guest blog and video
• "Bridging The Digital Divide In The AI Era - The UNDP Way," Forbes 
• "Gaza destruction is unprecedented, says UN agency as it seeks fresh funds," Politico
• "Israel-Hamas war could set Palestinian economies back decades in Gaza, West Bank," National Public Radio
• "Gaza’s economy, crumbling for years, is being pounded to dust," The Washington Post
• "'There Are A Few Missing Points In The Draft Deal,' Says UNDP At COP28," AFP
• "From Ruins to Resilience: The Path Toward Recovery in Ukraine. Ukraine has shown remarkable resilience amid destruction. The international community can help it rebuild even better." Guest blog for US Institute of Peace by UNDP Resident Representative Jaco Cilliers, 10 October 2023.
• "Q-A with Jaco Cilliers, UNDP Resident Representative in Ukraine," George Mason University, The Carter School
• "Q+A with Kanni Wignaraja: The director of the Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific at the UN Development Programme discusses humanitarian challenges in Myanmar and Afghanistan," National Journal
• "The Latest @ USIP: UN Engagement in Afghanistan," US Institute of Peace video
• "More than 70 million people face increased threats from sea level rise worldwide," CBS News
• "Over 3 million lack housing after devastating Turkey quake," DPA
• "Deadly Dzud threatens Mongolian livelihoods," BBC Business Report
• "Two years after the Russian invasion, land mines plague one-third of Ukraine," NBC News
• "G20's legitimacy depends on treatment of world's poorest, UNDP chief says," Reuters
• UNDP Goodwill Ambassador Michelle Yeoh on Washington Post Live, 24 January 2024
• "UN Presses Taliban Again to End ‘Heartbreaking’ Curbs on Afghan Women," Voice of America (VOA)
• "Pandemic left much of the world on lower human development trajectory: UN agency warns of human costs of ‘mismanaged’ globalization," The Washington Post
• "Many countries are bouncing back from the pandemic but the poorest are not, UN says," Associated Press (AP)
• "Which countries have the best, and worst, living standards?" The Economist 
• "Global development rebounds post-Covid, leaving poor countries behind, says UN," AFP
• "The pandemic's stark legacy: widening inequality between countries," The Financial Times
• "Nearly 5 million animals dead in Mongolia’s harshest winter in half a century, aid agencies say," CNN
• "Ukrainian women's startups drive tech sector resilience, offer economic recovery hope," Reuters 
• "Children take over weather forecasts to call for climate action," The Independent 
• "UNDP launches new 'Weather Kids' program," Fox Weather
• "How my Nigerian grandfather made my Hollywood career possible," by Uzo Aduba, CNN
• “Three proposals to advance human development: Charting our interdependent future,” Brookings Global blog by UNDP Human Development Report Office Director Pedro Conceicao
• "Millions in Myanmar face economic ‘free fall’ due to war, UN," The Washington Post 
• "Middle class wiped out: Half of Myanmar’s people forced into poverty by civil war, UN report finds," CNN
• "Sudan faces catastrophic crisis as world looks away, aid agencies say," Voice of America (VOA) 
• "Afghan women turn to entrepreneurship but struggle to access capital," Reuters
• "Widening development gap risks triggering destabilization, UN official says," Reuters
• "The Human Development Index (HDI) in uncharted territory: a world falling short on building back better," World Bank blog
• "How can we bridge the gap between economic fact and economic sentiment? A new report sheds light," World Economic Forum blog

• "Growth of gulf between rich and poor countries ‘recipe for much darker future’, says UN. Human development report finds the pandemic, conflict, globalisation, and populism have combined to disproportionately affect lower-income countries," The Guardian 

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