October 24, Doha – The UN Development Programme (UNDP) Administrator, Achim Steiner, visited Doha, Qatar on 24 October to discuss the UNDP-Qatar partnership with high-level Qatari officials.

In his meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the State of Qatar, H.E. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, the Administrator acknowledged the ever-growing, strategic partnership with the State of Qatar, which recently culminated in the opening of a UNDP Office in Doha led by Mr. Biplove Choudary. The Administrator noted that the UNDP Doha Office will provide a gateway for Qatari institutions to connect to UNDP’s global network of country offices and policy hubs. The Administrator and the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister also shared frank views on possible collaboration in responding to the spiraling crisis in Afghanistan. 

During his mission, Mr. Steiner and the Director General of the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD), Mr. Khalifa Jassim Al-Kuwari, signed a two-year funding agreement. This new contribution to UNDP’s regular resources builds on previous support from Qatar for the work UNDP around the world to end poverty and reduce inequalities. Under this agreement, UNDP will receive US $16 million to the core budget  for the period 2021-2022. UNDP welcomes this multi-year contribution as it will support essential UNDP work on the ground in over 170 countries and territories.

“Qatar is an important partner and a long-standing friend to UNDP whose support and collaboration we greatly appreciate.  We are excited to continue deepening this partnership as Qatar expands its collaboration with developing countries and makes climate change a key priority of its strategy. UNDP’s new Strategic Plan 2022-2025 is set to deliver on this and other key shifts in the future of development and Qatar’s support contributes to UNDP realizing our vision and goals for achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” said Mr. Steiner during the signing ceremony. 

The new contribution agreement comes on top of US $ 20 million which the Qatar Fund for Development provides as one of the founding investors, together with Germany, to UNDP’s Accelerator Labs Network. The Network which was recently expanded to 91 Labs covering 115 countries is at the forefront of using innovative approaches to understand complex development challenges and learn fast. Mr. Steiner and Mr. Al-Kuwari expressed their keenness to continue this successful collaboration during the visit. 

Mr. Steiner and Mr. Al-Kuwari further exchanged on plans for the upcoming Fifth United Nations Conference on the LDCs (LDC5) that will take place in Doha from 23 to 27 January 2022. The Conference is expected to adopt a ten-year programme of action as a new, strengthened framework to support LDCs..  They further discussed the 20^th Doha Forum scheduled from 26 to 27 March 2022 and agreed that UNDP will make powerful contributions to both events. 

The mission also provided an opportunity for the Administrator to engage with Doha-based partners, including Ambassadors of various Governments

to Qatar/Afghanistan, representatives of UN entities and Qatari organisations, including Education Above All.

The Administrator presented UNDP’s broader directions of work to build resilience, in the context of its recently adopted Strategic Plan 2022-2025, providing further reflections on the future development and how UNDP is responding to the development emergency situation in Afghanistan. 

Concluding his mission, Mr. Steiner reaffirmed UNDP’s commitment to reimaging development differently, encouraging ambitious policy choices and new innovative ways of actions to support a fairer and greener future. 

UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet. 

Learn more at undp.org or follow at @UNDP https://www.undp.org/