The Government of Sindh, represented by Planning and Development Department Additional Chief Secretary Arif Ahmed Khan, together with representatives of the United Nations (UN) system in the country, kicked off on Monday the One UN Programme in Sindh for the next five years.
“I am confident that with the help of the UN system and effective coordination from our side, we will be better positioned to deliver on the promises made by the Sindh government to provide social services, strengthen governance and enable social cohesion,” said Khan.
“We look forward to working with the UN agencies delivering concrete results and monitoring impact through the Joint Steering Committee which has been established to oversee the collaboration,” he added.
The One UN Programme II would focus on addressing inclusive and equitable development that was urgently required by the most vulnerable and disadvantaged sections of society. It would cover six strategic priority areas where the UN system had an advantage to provide vital assistance.
The key activities and outcomes over the next five years would range from ensuring access to and use of basic social services, sustainable livelihoods, disaster risk reduction, strengthening governance and social cohesion, working towards gender equality and social justice, food and nutrition security for vulnerable groups, and all other areas that have been identified by the Government of Sindh and stakeholders as priorities for accelerating MDG achievement realising the development plans of the province.
UNICEF representative Dan Rohrmann, speaking on behalf of the UN system in Pakistan, said, “This is a unique opportunity where the Government of Sindh and the UN agencies have come together for the first time to jointly implement an ambitious and dynamic five year programme that addresses key priorities defined together with a broad range of stakeholders in Sindh that, when implemented, forever will change the lives of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged sections of society.”
He said the UN system was proud to build on its long history of collaboration in the country and in Sindh province to deliver development and humanitarian assistance in partnership that underscored the synergy and coherence of multiple agency interventions in the areas requiring immediate attention.
