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The United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP) Administrator and United Nations
Development Group (UNDG) Chair Helen Clark arrives in Bahrain to
take part in the annual regional meeting of the UNDP Resident
Representatives in Arab countries which is being hosted by Bahrain
under the theme ‘Delivering Results that Count’. The UNDP official
was received at the airport by the Prime Minister’s Advisor for
Economic Affairs Abdullah bin Hassan Saif, Undersecretary for
International Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Karim
Ibrahim Al Shaker, and UN officials from the Kingdom.
The five-day meeting includes the participation of 17 UNDP Resident
Representatives in the Arab region who will discuss UNDP and UN
development programming plans for the coming year. Also present are
member of the United Nations Development Group from the region, the
Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, other senior UNDP
leaders from the region including UNIFEM, UNICEF, ILO, UNAIDS, WHO,
OCHA, ECA, UNEP, UNIDO, FAO, WFP and the Programme for Assistance to
the Palestinian People. Issues of UN reform, co-ordination of UN
development assistance, acceleration of progress on the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs) in Arab countries and climate change will
be on the agenda. Emphasis will be placed on achieving the maximum
development impact.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the regional meeting, H.E.
Khalid bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Minister of Housing said that
Bahrain’s success was due to following Economic Vision 2030 that
also reflects the Millennium Development Goals.
UNDP Administrator Helen Clark was very appreciative of Bahrain’s
warm hospitality and acknowledged the remarkable human development
progress of the country. In her statement at the opening of the
meeting, the UNDP Administrator remarked that “Development will
thrive where there is wise leadership investing in people,
institutions and infrastructure. It will thrive most where domestic
resources are allocated effectively and where governments are
responsive to their citizens. Our interventions in this region
include increasing access to justice; strengthening national
electoral institutions; and supporting stronger sub-national
governance.”
UNDP Regional Bureau for Arab States (RBAS) Assistant Administrator
and Regional Director Amat Al Alim Alsoswa praised Bahrain as a
leading example in the region in meeting the MDGs and edging towards
joining the ranks of countries with very high human development.
The meeting, which concludes on Thursday, will establish a work plan
for next year and serve to direct UNDP efforts in the region for the
next five years. |
