(6 October 2021, Male’): The Government of Maldives and the United Nations in Maldives signed the United
Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) 2022-2026 today. This Framework is
the blueprint for the UN Development System’s support to the Maldives to address national priorities and
challenges in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The Framework was signed by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, His Excellency Ahmed Khaleel, on
behalf of the Government of Maldives, and Ms. Catherine Haswell, UN Resident Coordinator on behalf of the
United Nations. The signing was held in the presence of Minister of Foreign Affairs, His Excellency Abdulla
Shahid, senior government officials, and senior officials of the UN Maldives Country Team.
The Government and the UN have been working jointly since January 2021 to formulate the UNSDCF in
consultation with a wide range of stakeholders and partners. In response to development opportunities and
challenges faced by the Maldives, and driven by extensive consultations, three overarching Strategic
Priorities were identified, that encompass social, environmental and economic sustainability. Under these
Strategic Priorities, four Outcome Results were also formulated, for which the United Nations Development
System will focus its support on for the period 2022 – 2026.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Minister of Foreign Affairs noted that the Cooperation Framework is
designed to contribute to the development priorities and agenda of the Government of the Republic of
Maldives, as outlined in the 2019-2023 Strategic Action Plan and the National Resilience and Recovery (NRR)
plan.
UN Resident Coordinator Ms. Catherine Haswell thanked all partners for their inputs and active engagement
in designing an effective and impactful framework for UN support to Maldives for the next five years. She
further expressed hope that the joint commitment of the UN and the Government will pave the way for
Maldives to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and build a future that leaves no one behind.
The implementation of the Cooperation Framework will be coordinated through a High-Level Joint Steering
Committee, co-chaired by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the UN Resident Coordinator, and comprising
of Government Institutions, and UN Agencies and Funds and Programmes with operational activities in the
Maldives. The Joint Steering Committee will review progress annually and make recommendations and
strategic adjustments to accelerate the achievement of the targets set forth in the Cooperation Framework.
Through joint efforts, the Government of Maldives and the UN hope to achieve significant progress in the
Maldives’ journey to an inclusive, resilient, healthy, caring, tolerant and skilled society where all people
meaningfully participate in, contribute to, and benefit equitably from sustainable cultural, economic, and
social development and environmental protection, by 2026.
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