The Hague - UN Development Programme Administrator Achim Steiner wrapped up a two-day visit to The Netherlands where he met with senior Dutch officials to discuss their leadership on priority issues such as climate change mitigation and adaptation.

“The Netherlands has been a longstanding partner of UNDP, and a champion and leader on sustainable development and climate change,” said Steiner.  “We thank them for their increase in funding to UNDP, and we look forward to continuing our productive partnership for many years to come.”

The Netherlands increased their funding for 2018 to 30 million Euros.

While in The Netherlands, Steiner met with senior Dutch officials, including Minister for Development Cooperation and International Trade, Sigrid Kaag, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Secretary General, Yoka Brandt and the State Secretary for Infrastructure and Water Management, Stientje van Veldhoven.  He also met with the Development Committee of the Parliament and with leaders in the private sector and financial community.

As one of UNDP’s largest government contributors, The Netherlands is a vital partner in UNDP’s mission to end extreme poverty, reduce inequality, and achieve the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.   

UNDP’s work and the priorities of the Dutch Government converge in many areas, especially in its shared ambition to help countries reach the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through strengthening democratic governance and the rule of law, building resilience and preparedness in response to crisis and natural disasters, and supporting climate change mitigation and adaptation. 

Dutch support, through UNDP, is making a difference to people’s lives by helping to stabilize societies and rebuild institutions in some of the most challenging development contexts in the world.

The top ten recipients of Dutch funding through UNDP from 2014 to 2017 were Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, Bosnia and Herzegovina, South Sudan, Mali, Kenya, Programme for the Palestinian People, Libya and Ukraine.

IMPACT OF DUTCH SUPPORT:

IRAQ:
Nearly 3 million Iraqis returned home
1,544 projects completed or underway to stabilize newly liberated areas
Critical infrastructure restored, such as water, electricity, health clinics, hospitals, schools and universities
12,857 displaced people in Iraq received free legal aid and social services in 2017

LIBYA:
Stabilisation Facility reaches over 1 million people, expanding to over 2 million in 2018

16 schools rehabilitated and municipal electrical, water and sewage systems repaired
11 hospitals repaired or re-equipped and 14 ambulances supplied in 2017

LEBANON:
Support to Lebanese and Syrians towards improved livelihoods and basic services, including:
Training for 300 staff to improve basic services at 19 social services and primary health care centres; and 
Equipment and training for 10 agriculture and agrifood cooperatives, benefiting 1587 members, 50% of them women

SOUTH SUDAN:
Improved access to justice for vulnerable groups, including:
Legal aid services for 1,573 (584 of them women); and
Psychosocial care for 247 survivors of sexual and gender-based violence