STATEMENT BY UN RESIDENT COORDINATOR Gambia Training of Trainers Workshop on Infrastructure Asset Management

President GALGA,

Executive Director RDI 

Area Council Chairpersons,

UN Colleagues from UNDESA, UNOPS & UNCDF

Distinguished participants, colleagues, and partners,

Good Morning to you all

I am honored to join you today at this crucial workshop on Infrastructure Asset Management. The challenges facing local governments in managing vital infrastructure assets are complex, but our response must be decisive and coordinated.

This training represents a significant milestone in strengthening The Gambia's local governance systems. By bringing together representatives from all eight area councils, GALGA, and RDI, we are fostering a whole-of-society approach to sustainable infrastructure management.

The partnership between UN DESA, UNCDF, and UNOPS exemplifies our commitment to delivering as One UN in The Gambia. This coordinated approach, aligned with our UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework and The Gambia's green recovery-focused National Development Plan, demonstrates how we can maximize our impact when we work together. Through our combined expertise in sustainable development, local government financing, and infrastructure implementation, we are better positioned to support The Gambia's journey toward resilient and sustainable infrastructure management.

Since 2022, the collaboration between UN DESA, UNCDF, and UNOPS has demonstrated how unified action can drive meaningful change at the local level. The UN IAM Toolkit is not just an instrument – it is a pathway to ensuring that every infrastructure investment serves its community effectively and sustainably. 

The United Nations remains firmly committed to working hand-in-hand with local government authorities, who stand at the frontline of sustainable development. Your role is indispensable in localizing and accelerating progress on the SDGs. By strengthening infrastructure asset management at the local level, we directly advance multiple SDGs – from building resilient infrastructure to creating sustainable cities and communities, while ensuring no one is left behind.

As we work toward the 2030 Agenda, the capacity to manage infrastructure assets efficiently becomes ever more critical. This workshop will equip our local institutions with the knowledge and tools they need to make infrastructure more resilient, accessible, and sustainable for all Gambians.

Let us use these five days to learn from each other, share experiences, and strengthen our collective commitment to better asset management practices. For when we improve how we manage our infrastructure, we improve the lives of the people we serve.