LocationsOn 18-19th February, UNDP Administrator, Achim Steiner, was on official mission to Geneva, to join the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Principals meeting, the main coordination mechanism for humanitarian emergencies, and engage in a series of high-level meetings with key partners in Geneva.
(From left to right) Agi Veres, Director of UNDP Geneva; Achim Steiner, UNDP Administrator; H.E. Mr. OIKE Atsuyuki, Permanent Representative of Japan; and Tom Flecher, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, OCHA
Photo Credits: OCHA
During his recent visit to Geneva, the UNDP Administrator joined OCHA’s Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs & Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Flecher, briefing Member States at a Roundtable hosted by Ambassador Atsuyuki Oike, Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations Office at Geneva. In his address, the Administrator emphasized the necessity of combining different assets and approaches to address risk holistically—to people, institutions, and systems – and support crisis-affected communities.
Achim Steiner, UNDP Administrator; H.E. Mr. OIKE Atsuyuki, Permanent Representative of Japan; and Tom Flecher, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, OCHA
Photo Credits: OCHA
The UNDP Administrator highlighted how humanitarian, development, and peace efforts must move simultaneously, not sequentially, to be effective and ensure that immediate relief, resilience-building, recovery and reconstruction are complementary and context-specific. Reaffirming UNDP’s commitment to working closely with international and local partners to drive coordinated, strategic solutions to complex challenges, the Administrator outlined how UNDP stands ready to scale up its efforts in aligning humanitarian, development, and peace funding from the outset of a crisis to lead to more efficient resource use and long-term resilience.
UNDP Administrator, Achim Steiner shakes hands with Director-General of the World Health Organization, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Strengthened UNDP-WHO Collaboration so No One is Left Behind
While in Geneva, the Administrator also met with the Director-General of the World Health Organization, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, to further join forces between development and health institutions to support countries’ health and wellbeing.
UNDP Geneva and the Future of Development
At a time when the world is experiencing profound disruptions and uncertainty, the Administrator shared his reflections on the future of development with UNDP Geneva staff. The role of UNDP as a trusted partner by governments was emphasized, underlining the organization’s work from climate to crisis to poverty, as it supports countries around the world in reaching the Sustainable Development Goals. In 2025, UNDP will also adopt its new Strategic Plan for 2026-2029.