The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has expressed its commitment to support Nigeria to attain the set deadline of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015.
Mr Daouda Toure, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Representative in Nigeria, made the remark at a stakeholders’ validation workshop for 2013 National MDGs Report in Abuja on Thursday.
Represented by Mr Colleen Zamba, an Economic Advisor at the agency, Toure said the UN would ensure that all human beings secured an acceptable degree of development.
He said that the UN was committed to ensuring that people enjoyed their basic human rights by eliminating poverty in the country.
“The UN system in Nigeria is very pleased to be associated with the efforts of the government in producing the 2013 report.
“As crucial as the issue of poverty reduction is, we, at the UN, strongly believe that it can be addressed effectively only in the context of an overall development strategy and not in isolated fashion.
“It is within this context that national MDGs report was prepared,” he said.
Toure said that nations were expected to prepare MDGs reports to raise awareness on their targets among all stakeholders and the public.
“They are key navigation tools for national economies striving to achieve the MDGs; they are primary references for organisations seeking to partner on MDGs and development in general.”
He said that Nigeria had made progress to ensure that the targets were achieved by 2015.
“We have seen government commitment through the articulation of institution and policy frameworks, including the countdown strategy,’’ he said.
He cited the vision 20-2020 National Implementation Plan and innovative programmes, including the Conditional Grants Scheme among others as part of government’s efforts. Speaking earlier, Dr Precious Gbeneol, Special Assistant to the President on MDGs, said the MDGs office had established an inter-ministerial steering committee in 2012 to actualise the 2015 report.
She noted that the committee collaborated with stakeholders to develop a plan of action and identified data gaps in the 2010 report.
