United Nations Development Programme
(UNDP)
OFFICE IN SOUTH AFRICA
The United Nations Development Programme
UN House
Metropark Building
351 Schoeman Street
Pretoria
E-mail: undpsa@lia.co.za
HISTORY AND PRESENT STATUS
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
administers and coordinates most of the technical
assistance provided through the UN system. UNDP's
Mission Statement endorsed by Executive Board decision
96/29 (1996) states, in part, that the UNDP's mission
is to help countries in their efforts to achieve
sustainable human development by assisting them
to build their capacity to design and carry out
development programmes in poverty eradication, employment
creation and sustainable livelihoods, the empowerment
of women and the protection and regeneration of
the environment, giving first priority to poverty
eradication. Special attention is paid to the needs
of the least developed countries (LDCs).
The Republic of South Africa formally accepted
membership of the UNDP in 1994 and was admitted
to the UNDP Executive Board in January 1998. South
Africa, through the Department of Foreign Affairs,
coordinates the activities of the UNDP. The Resident
Representative of the UNDP in South Africa is also
the Resident Coordinator of the UN family of representatives
in South Africa. The UNDP is involved in numerous
projects in South Africa, dealing with a variety
of central and provincial government departments.
OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND COOPERATING ORGANISATIONS
Finance
Trade and Industry
Education
Health
CSIR
GENERAL COMMENTS
On 12 October 1994 President Mandela signed the
Standard Basic Assistance Agreement with the UNDP,
formalizing South Africa's recipient status with
this institution.As from January 1998, South Africa
became a member of the UNDP Executive Board for
a period of 3 years.
South Africa has been making annual contributions
to the UNDP, to assist it in defraying some of the
costs related to its activities in South Africa.
Project Implementation meetings are convened in
South Africa on an ad hoc basis. These meetings
include participants from the line function department
responsible for implementation, DFA, Finance and
the UNDP.
