The United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) was the first-ever joint regional framework produced by the UN Pacific participating agencies based in Fiji and Samoa. The UNDAF provides the main programmatic framework for co-ordination that will produce effective results. More than 50 interested parties and stakeholders endorsed the joint UNDAF in May 2007.
The UNDAF for the 14 Pacific Island Countries (PICs) will endeavour to align its activities and programmes with national development plans, and to increase national ownership in its development initiativies. It will also linkg its work to other regional plans and strategies, including the ambitious Pacific Plan, adopted by the Pacific Islands Forum to support regional integration and cooperation.
The UNDAF is a crucial road map enabling the UN to coordinate and focus its programming better, and more strategically, using the processes, activities and tools already in place. The start of the joint UNDAF operation is from 2008 - 2012.
A central plank of UNDAF's mission is to help the countries it serves achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015. The MDG challenge for the region provides a motivational focus for UN agencies. They look to build strong partnerships with Island countries, donors and other stakeholders to help accelerate development and meet the MDGs.
In summary, the four major results sought by the UN in the Pacific in the next five years are:
Equitable economic growth;
Good governance and promotion human rights;
Equitable social protection services;
Sustainable economic management.
UNDAF Alignment Implementation Meeting, Samoa, 2008
Stakeholders Meeting Fiji, 2007
