09 May 2013

Botswana appreciates support that the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) accords the country's development agenda.

Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration, Mr Mokgweetsi Masisi said this at the launch of the revised Botswana-United Nations Programme Operational Plan 2010-2014 in Gaborone on May 8.

He said UNDP played an important role in Botswana’s pursuit of key goals and objectives of national development plans and Vision 2016.

Mr Masisi noted that through the country programme, UNDP supported activities in Botswana in five strategic areas, which included governance and the promotion of human rights, economic diversification and poverty reduction, health and HIV/AIDS, environment and climate change as well as children, youth and women empowerment.

“This level of assistance is intended to facilitate the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals. Botswana attaches great importance to this long standing, cordial and excellent relationship,” Minister Masisi said.

The minister further noted that the poverty eradication programme that formed part of government’s flagship agenda also enjoyed support from UNDP.

He explained that government co-funded UNDP activities and accounted for 60 per cent of the total programme budget. He said as HIV/AIDS continued to be a major threat, government hoped to succeed in the fight against the disease through UNDP support.

Ministry of Finance and Development Planning population development acting director, Ms Lesego Chalashika said signing of the revised plan by Minister Kenneth Matambo and UN Resident Coordinator, Mr Anders Pedersen reaffirmed the continued good relations between Botswana and UN.

“It is common knowledge that Botswana has over the years benefitted from United Nations development assistance, most recently focused more on national capacity building,” she said.

The plan was revised following a mid-term review last year. The original plan was signed in 2009. Presenting the revised plan, Mr Pedersen explained that the UN had aligned the plan to the development context and national priorities of Botswana.

He said the plan focused on priority areas as outlined by the tenth National Development Plan (NDP 10), which included acceleration of economic growth, economic diversification, employment creation and poverty reduction

Mr Pederson also pointed out that during mid-term review, it was established that Botswana had made significant progress in the Millennium Development Goals and was on course to achieve the majority of the goals.

He, however, said the country lagged behind in goals that were connected to HIV/AIDS. Furthermore, Mr Pederson noted that Botswana faced challenges of improving the social conditions of its population without government spending excessively. BOPA