UNDP and the UN

UNDP and the UN

Three UN Resident Coordinators appointed by the UN Secretary General to represent him in the Pacific are located in Fiji, Samoa and Papua New Guinea.

The UN Resident Coordinator based in Apia (Samoa) covers the Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa and Tokelau and works closely with the UN Multi-Country Team consisting of 15 UN funds, agencies and organizations resident in the Pacific as well as non-resident UN agencies to support the achievement of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and national development goals through the Pacific United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) 2013-2017.

UNDP, as the United Nation's global development network, advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources to make a difference in peoples’ lives. UNDP is on the ground in 166 countries, working with them on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. In the Pacific, UNDP has offices in Fiji, Samoa and Papua New Guinea.

The Apia-based UNDP Multi-Country Office works in Samoa, Niue, the Cook Islands and Tokelau through a Multi Country Programme Document (MCPD) 2008-2012 which has been endorsed by the four countries following wide stakeholder consultations with governments, civil society, private sector, regional organizations and development partners. The MCPD is aligned with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), country priorities as reflected in national development plans, the Pacific UNDAF and the Pacific Plan for regional integration and cooperation.

The MCPD seeks to assist countries in achieving the MDGs through building resilient, inclusive and empowered societies and communities based on four key outcome areas: Equitable Economic Growth and Poverty Reduction; Good Governance and Human Rights; Crisis Prevention and Recovery; and Sustainable Environmental Management across the four countries. In close partnership with the four Governments, UNDP works in collaboration with development partners, private sector, civil society organizations and local communities in pursuit of national development priorities and the MDGs. UNDP also works closely with regional Pacific organizations such as the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), the South Pacific Geosciences Commission (SOPAC), Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA), the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) to achieve the MDGs in the Pacific.

The UNDP Pacific Centre based in Suva (Fiji) provides technical and policy support to the UNDP Offices based in Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Samoa, and through them serves the 15 UNDP programme countries in the Pacific.

One UN


The MCO coordinated the UN Operations Management Team and substantively contributed to the 4 UNDAF Outcome Groups on Economic Growth, Governance, Equitable Social Services and Environmental Management. The MCO took a lead role as chair of the UNDAF Outcome Group on Sustainable Environmental Management with staff from the UNDP Environment and Energy Unit providing Secretariat support for the Outcome Group. The MCO also chairs the Crisis Prevention and Recovery sub-group under the UNDAF Good Governance and Human Rights Outcome Group.
The MCO was instrumental in organizing and providing substantive input and assistance with logistics and administrative support to the joint UN/Samoa Government UNDAF Implementation Review. For the first time, UNDP together with all the UN agencies with programmes in Samoa conducted a joint UN/Government review of the UNDAF Implementation Plan for Samoa.

UNDAF

The UNDP Multi-country Programme Document (MCPD) 2008-2012 for the Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa and Tokelau is based on national and regional plans, strategies and policies and on consultations with Pacific leaders, Governments, civil society, the private sector, regional agencies and development partners. In Samoa, the United Nations and UNDP consulted with the prime minister and cabinet. In the Cook Islands, Niue and Tokelau, they conducted joint United Nations country visits and discussions with the premiers, cabinets, speakers, members of parliament and civil society leaders. The MCPD reflects the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) 2008-2012, which covers 14 Pacific island countries and coordinates the activities of 15 United Nations organizations, 2 United Nations multi-country teams and 2 resident coordinators based in Apia, Samoa, and Suva, Fiji, respectively. The UNDAF is inspired by the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), other international development targets and the Pacific Plan. The Pacific Plan, endorsed by   leaders at the Pacific Islands Forum in October 2005, seeks to “enhance and stimulate economic growth, sustainable development, good governance and security for Pacific countries through regionalism.” The UNDAF and the MCPD embody the aspirations of Pacific peoples and the spirit of the Paris Declaration. The four priorities of the MCPD are: equitable economic growth and poverty reduction, good governance and human rights, crisis prevention and recovery, and sustainable environmental management. The overarching theme of the MCPD is “to make a difference in Pacific people’s lives.”

Resident UN agencies in the country

These are UN agencies who are located in Samoa including those with national officers.

  • FAO
  • UNAIDS
  • UNDP
  • UNESCO
  • UNEP
  • UNV
  • WHO
  • WMO
  • UNFPA
  • UNICEF
  • UNWOMEN

Non Resident UN agencies in the country

Agencies which reside in Suva, Fiji but are part of the Samoa UN Country team include;

  • UNESCAP
  • ILO
  • OHCHR
  • UN Habitat
  • UNISDR
  • UNOCHA