Success Stories

In many countries, UNDP already has a long history of working with governments on activities that connect different social and economic sectors. In Yemen, the Government turned to the UN system for assistance with an MDG assessment. Under the leadership of the Resident Coordinator, the UN agencies in Yemen worked closely together on a comprehensive programme of support. Each UN agency offered specialized skills-UNDP and the ILO on economic growth; UNDP on the environment, decentralization and gender; UNFPA and WHO on health and population; and the FAO and WFP on food security. Yemen's latest national development strategy, which began in 2006, draws extensively upon the results of the assessment. It integrates all key issues related to achieving the MDGs, and contains precise targets and specific actions on priorities such as economic growth, access to safe drinking water and girls' education. Yemen is now using the assessment for talks on membership with the Gulf Cooperation Council. Along with a public investment plan supported by UNDP, the assessment also became the basis for a council-sponsored donor conference in late 2006 that raised almost US$5 billion for Yemen's national development strategy.

UNDP works directly with national and multinational companies to reduce poverty and extend services to underdeveloped areas. In Kenya, under the aegis of its global Growing Sustainable Business initiative, UNDP has established 10 partnership projects to help improve businesses and livelihoods. One project works with Kevian, a juice manufacturer. Until recently, it imported all the concentrates for its mango juice from abroad. Kenya is an ample producer of mangoes, but many rot on the ground due to poor harvesting and marketing systems. The Growing Sustainable Business initiative has worked with local farmers on improved harvesting, marketing and pest management procedures, and linked them to Kevian. The farmers have an opportunity to improve their livelihoods; Kevian benefits from greater flexibility in its supplies and protection from foreign exchange rate fluctuations. Combined, Kenya's 10 Growing Sustainable Business initiative projects are expected to generate over US$70 million in additional revenues and create thousands of jobs, reaching an estimated 42,000 beneficiaries.

Last updated 1 November 2007