Nigeria and the United Nations on Thursday signed a five-year Sustainable Development Partnership Framework (UNSDPF) (2018-2022) which is a successor programme to the current United Nations Development Assistance Framework III (UNDAF III) (2014-2017).
The signing ceremony in Abuja is the result of the joint effort between the United Nations, Nigeria and partners over the past year in formulating UNSDPF (2018-2022).
The Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma signed on behalf of the Federal Government, while the UN Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr Edward Kallon, alongside other UN Systems Directors in Nigeria, signed for the United Nations.
The UNSDPF has three strategic priority result areas which are: Governance, Human Rights, Peace and Security; Equitable Quality Basic Services and Sustainable; and Inclusive Economic Growth and Development.
The Minister noted that the process for development of the UNSDPF, which crystallised in the signing of the document, involved extensive consultations between the Nigerian Government and the UN System and that the consultations allowed for sharing of experiences and for value addition to the development of the UNSDPF.
He also noted that the UNSDPF aligns with and took cognisance of the main objectives of Nigeria’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP).
“The aspiration is to make Nigeria a productive nation; a nation where we grow what we eat and consume what we produce. The growth we are targeting is an inclusive one in line with the Sustainable Development Goals. A growth that is pro-poor, employment generating and people centred,” he added.
