Iran, UN Announce New 5-Year Programmatic Framework
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The priorities for the work of the United Nations in Iran which constitute the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) 2023-27 have been officially announced, paving the way for the next five years of activities by UN entities in the country.
The UNSDCF was the focus of a meeting on March 12, 2023, with the participation of UN agencies, funds and programs, and government ministries of the Islamic Republic of Iran. With some 130 participants, the meeting brought together more than 80 representatives from 30 government entities, joined together by about 50 officials from 18 UN entities present in the country.
The meeting was co-organized by the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office and Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with the aim of enhanced collaboration and coordination between UN entities and relevant line ministries.
“The signing of the UNSDCF is not the end of our collective work, now the implementation phase of the document has started,” said Mohammad Hassani Nejad Pirkouhi, the Director General for International Environmental and Sustainable Development Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the meeting’s co-chair. “In the next 5-year period, coordinating and maintaining an interactive approach in defining and implementing joint activities will be the most important factor for our collective success.”
The UN Resident Coordinator in the Islamic Republic of Iran, Stefan Priesner, also reaffirmed the alignment of the cooperation framework with the country’s development aspirations.
“The new cooperation framework aligns well with national plans, especially with socio-economic resilience approaches, and it places emphasis on joint inter-sectoral programs,” said Priesner. “The UN in Iran can use its convening role to facilitate regional and international cooperation including south-south and triangular cooperation.”
“In this difficult time, we believe that transformative and innovative policies are needed to tackle complex challenges and support better, and smarter, those most vulnerable,” added the UN Resident Coordinator.
During the meeting, the achievements of Iran in terms of advancing human development over the years were noted, and development trends and priority entry points for collaboration were explored.
The UNSDCF covers the period 2023-2027, and is aligned with Iran’s 7th National Development Plan. The document is focused around five strategic pillars of:
- Public health management
- Socio-economic resilience
- Environmental protection, integrated natural resources management and addressing climate change
- Disaster risk reduction and management
- Drug control
The UNSDCF also allows for the UN to provide humanitarian support to host communities, in coordination with national authorities.
