UN System and South African Government sign UN Development Assistance Framework 2007 - 2010

Pretoria, 25 October 2006 - The Government of South Africa, represented by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Susan van der Merwe, and the United Nations System in the country, led by UN Resident Coordinator Scholastica Kimaryo, yesterday signed the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) for South Africa for 2007-2010, in a ceremony at the Diplomatic Guest House in Pretoria.

The signing, which took place on the 61st commemoration of UN Day, is an important milestone in the UN System's commitment to support the goals of the South African Government's Vision 2014, its primary development blueprint.

Ms. Kimaryo delivered a message on behalf of the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, his last UN Day address before retiring at the end of 2006. In addition, Ms. Kimaryo gave an overview of the UNDAF process and its objectives.

Deputy Minister van der Merwe, in her statement, expressed the South African Government's appreciation for the role played by the UN, both during the anti-apartheid struggle and in the development of a post-apartheid society.

"As a people who benefited directly from the efforts of the UN to defeat the apartheid system, South Africans carry a special responsibility to prove with our actions that an effective partnership with the UN is possible," the Deputy Minister said.

She also paid tribute to outgoing Secretary-General Annan and pledged the South African government's commitment to fulfilling its responsibilities as a new non-permanent member of the Security Council.

The UNDAF is based on a common understanding of how the strengths of the UN System in South Africa can best be harnessed to add value to Government's own Plan of Action in the pursuit of its development objectives and priorities. As such, it is hoped that the UNDAF will assist Government in achieving its main objective of improving the quality of life of all South Africans.

For further information, contact the UN Development Programme South Africa Country Office: Lopa Banerjee (lopa.banerjee@undp.org, 012 354 8036) or Philip Browne (Philip.browne@undp.org, 012 354 8049).

ENDS