In the last year UNDP had continued its development assistance in various areas including democratic governance, energy and environment, poverty reduction and disaster risk reduction. The agency said it drastically increased its programme delivery in 2009, but it has recognized the need to plan more carefully for the inclusion of gender concerns.
Minister within the Ministry of Finance Jennifer Webster speaking at the joint Government of Guyana/UNDP review meeting yesterday underlined the scarcity of resources saying it is critical for the agency and partner agencies to integrate programmes and avoid duplication. The Finance Ministry acts as the focal point to channel the resources of such programmes to various agencies and line ministries.
She said the review provides an opportunity to derive solutions in project implementation, adding that government continues to place emphasis on the timely delivery and execution of projects while ensuring that it gets value for money.
In the assessment from last year UNDP also found that a paradigm shift is needed from focusing on individual level to system-wide capacity development.
“This problem is acute because many of these institutions do not work normally with project type work models and consequently find it difficult to integrate UNDP projects smoothly into their work,” the a summary of the results said.
Further, the review pointed to the recruitment of high-quality consultants saying this remains a key challenge to many UNDP projects. UNDP referred to the importance of more guidance, mentoring and support being provided to its implementing partners in various areas.
Additionally, UNDP will tackle better data collection to determine the effects and impact of its work.
UNDP’s work plan for 2010 was also up for consideration at the meeting yesterday. The agency said it has identified new and emerging trends that must shape its next Country Programme “given the changing policy and donor landscape in Guyana”.
Last year UNDP contributed to the development of a national early warning system, it offered support to the continuous institutional strengthening of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and it signed onto to a partnership with the government and the Inter-American Development Bank for disaster risk reduction among many other projects.
This year UNDP has outlined 14 projects under various thematic areas which are to be undertaken in the country.
Among the projects are support for GECOM; enhancing public trust and social inclusion; budget support and support for the Millennium Development Goals.
