Statement by UN Resident Coordinator at the UNCT Retreat

It is a pleasure to welcome you to the opening of this retreat, which comes at a critical moment in time and for such an important purpose – creating a shared vision for the future of the UN’s work in The Gambia, with the goal of supporting the country achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and the set out national development priorities.

This annual retreat comes at a time when the world is trying to get back to normal because of the huge impact the COVID19 pandemic had on the world especially developing countries. At the global level, the decade of action to deliver on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is gaining momentum with the ambitious aim of mobilizing all actors and every resource for SDG action in the lead up to 2030. With only 8 years left to achieve the SDGs, there is an urgent need to step up action and everybody has a contribution to make.

At the same time, the United Nations will mark its 77th anniversary in 2022 and Country teams, funds, programmes, and agencies will have pivotal roles in stimulating UN75 dialogues throughout the year. This global listening exercise will engage many people and constituencies across the world on the role of global cooperation in building the future we want by 2045, the UN’s 100th birthday.

The paradigm shift from the Millennium Development to the 2030 Agenda’s universal, hugely ambitious approach, spanning economic, social, and environmental dimensions of development – and with a commitment to LNOB - already laid bare the need for change in the way we work to address challenges that don’t respect sectoral or national boundaries.  The reform of the UN development system that was set in motion in 2019 already recognized that it could not be business as usual for us and that we need to raise the level of ambition and partner with all stakeholders to ensure impact and leave no one behind.

Colleagues, Now more than ever, we need to demonstrate our ability to step up everywhere, to be the partner that governments need as they tackle the very tough challenges today and in the future. 

The government’s strong and consistent support for the reform points to key opportunities for the next generation of collaboration– and the next generation of UN country team – through the new UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework we are currently developing.

Opportunities to prioritize areas where the UN can deliver integrated policy solutions for SDG acceleration, aligned with the National Development Plan.

Opportunities to strengthen the coalitions needed to SDG financing, tapping effectively into internal and external, public, and private sources.  

We simply cannot miss these opportunities, especially at a time when the government is counting on our support to recover, build back better and address the major challenges the country is currently faced with.

The Cooperation Framework development comes at the same time as the recovery from the pandemic offers the UN an opportunity to move from a primary preoccupation with entity-specific sectoral projects to joined-up and cross-sectoral policy SDG solutions. The process invites us to source in strategic policy, programming and financing capacities needed to help The Gambia with its economic transformation agenda, mainly threatened by the corona virus.

It is exciting to see that there is so much that already enables the country to profit from global solutions, including the foundation of sound governance and respect for Rule of Law, human rights, gender equality and women’s empowerment, and the commitment to leave no one behind, the strong national institutions, and partnerships at subregional and regional levels. This includes our continued support to the transitional justice system, migration, children, and youth empowerment amongst others.

If we are to succeed going forward, our own partnerships need to be scaled up with key stakeholders. 

It is so encouraging to see the range of UN entities participating in this retreat. I also recognize those “non-resident” and specialized entities that have been engaging for the better part of the last years because they wish to join the new generation of UN programming; this will be critical to support the economic and climate transformation agenda and building back better from the challenges posed by the COVID 19 pandemic.

I’m grateful to the commitment from our bilateral and multilateral partners who will be instrumental in helping ensure complementary in cooperation- and commitment to impact. And we will need to lift the engagement with the private sector and Civil society to ensure inclusive growth.    

The SG has committed us to a reform agenda that will deliver a coherent, cohesive, effective, and efficient UN as a partner of choice for countries on their SDG journey. I urge us all to continue supporting The Gambia to achieve the SDGs – grounded in evidence, inclusive in outlook, and focused on areas where the UN truly has a comparative advantage to deliver, working in lockstep with the government and our development partners.

I wish to thank you all for leading and supporting the development process of the country even in the most difficult of times. I urge you all to continue to work together as one, leverage on the opportunities provided by joint programming to deliver as One UN.

I thank you and look forward to an amazing retreat.