WASHINGTON: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) signed a five-year memorandum of understanding (MOU) to accelerate progress towards sustainable development in Asia and the Pacific.
The MOU was signed by ADB President Takehiko Nakao and UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner in Washington, DC. The agreement builds on an ongoing partnership between ADB and UNDP and sets the stage for greater collaboration at the country and regional levels, and stronger cooperation in accelerating progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Asia and the Pacific.
“ADB and UNDP have had a long-standing and productive partnership to support development progress in Asia and the Pacific,” said Nakao. “UNDP’s support to countries on policy dialogue and technical capacity building can complement ADB’s project implementation. Through the MOU, we will work together to realize a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific.”
Under the MOU, priority areas for collaboration will be based on the needs and priorities of countries in the region and focus on supporting progress towards the SDGs. Forms of collaboration will include joint knowledge creation, exchange and dialogue, direct technical assistance, and project implementation in such areas as SDG implementation, innovative financing for the SDGs, disaster risk reduction, access to clean and affordable energy for all, and the promotion of regional cooperation and integration.
“We are pleased to renew UNDP’s partnership with the Asian Development Bank. It signals our commitment to expand our collaboration on the ground in numerous countries in Asia and the Pacific, Central Asia, and the South Caucasus,” said Steiner. “This partnership will reinforce our joint engagement with countries to accelerate progress on the Sustainable Development Goals in these regions.”
The MOU will supersede a 2007 agreement between ADB and UNDP, which was extended in 2014 and expires in 2019. Under that agreement, ADB and UNDP have been collaborating extensively at the country level throughout the region.
