We are committed to Ghana's development-UNDP

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on Monday expressed its commitment to the development and improvement of living standards of Ghanaians.

To this end, Mr Kamil Kamaluddeen, UNDP Country Director, said pragmatic measures have been instituted to support government’s effort to improve the lives of the citizenry.

“As Ghana builds its own development solutions, UNDP provides ideas for strategic development projects and capacity building in support of continued efforts to eradicate pockets of extreme poverty, improve gender equality, reverse the spread of HIV and AIDS, promote and protect human rights and enhance environmental management”, he said.

The UN Development Assistance Framework action plan 2012 -2016, launched earlier this year, seeks to invest 470 million dollars in resource towards Ghana’s development agenda for the next five years.

Mr. Kamaluddeen made this known during a media briefing to mark UNDP Media Day in Accra.

He assured UNDP’s support to the media saying, “I believe they represent a crucial pillar to foster democracy and contribute to the sustainable development of the nation as a whole.

He said UNDP was a reliable partner to every nation to drive and sustain development and improve the quality of life of people.

“On the ground in 177 countries and territories, we offer global perspective and local insight to help empower lives and build resilient nations”, he said.

He said UNDP had launched four new Information Communication Technology centres in decentralized areas of the country to provide internet access to inhabitants of most deprived areas.

Ms Ruby Sandhu- Rojon, United Nations Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative, said all the agencies under the UN umbrella worked as “one UN” to deliver a common objective of a better world for all.

She disclosed that the UN and all its agencies present in Ghana would celebrate the UN Day in partnership with the Government of Ghana on October 24.

She said the platform would present another opportunity for the UN country team to deepen its collaboration with the media.

Ms. Sandhu-Rojon said the country had made giant strides towards the attainment of some of the major Millennium Development Goals (MDG) targets before the 2015 deadline adding that serious attention should be given in areas like ending maternal mortality and poverty in the northern belt.