UNDP 2007 Year end Programme Review and Planning meeting Held

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) review of 2007 was recently held at the Corinthia Atlantic Hotel in Banjul. The purpose of the meeting was to highlight the critical issues and challenges facing the organisation. The UNDP will provide a comprehensive presentation of its priorities for 2008 under the CPAP and take into account follow up activities and activities that may have emerged during 2007.

In a statement at the occasion the UNDP resident in The Gambia, Mr. Vitalie Muntean, said the UNDP has been looking forward to the meeting as it is the main forum to review the previous year's results.

According to the UNDP boss, the UNDP will continue to engage in reflecting and examining co-operation and frameworks whilst also seeking evidence of what has been achieved in terms of lessons and results. This, he said, will improve performance in the successful implementation of the 2007-2011 Country Programme Document (CDP).

Mr. Muntean went on to reveal that the UNDP have held key consultations and policy dialogues with relevant stakeholders. This has culminated in the signing of the Country Programme Action Plan (CPAP) which is a five-year framework defining mutual co-operation between the government of The Gambia and the UNDP

During the period under review, the UNDP resident representative revealed, the greatest challenges were involved in the efforts to make the CPAP operational. In partnership with the government and other relevant stakeholders the UNDP has managed to develop and kick-start the implementation of seven programme interventions in a relatively short period of time.

For his part, Honourable Abdoulie Sallah, secretary to the cabinet, expressed the government's profound gratitude to the UNDP country team. Hon Sallah said that UNDP is based on relevant programme framework documents notably the Country Programme Document and the United Nations Development Assistance Framework.

Signed in December 2006, the CPAP has become the reference for joint programming between the government of The Gambia and the UNDP covering a five-year cycle from 2007 to 2011.

Hon Sallah went on to say that the UNDP has committed resources for the implementation of activities under the two main pillars of poverty alleviation. The Millennium Development Goals on one hand and human rights and good governance on the other.

"It is gratifying to note that through the collaboration of the UNDP an independent assessment of the first year of the CPD/CPAP, 2007, was commissioned," Mr. Sallah said in conclusion.