Mme. President, Members of the Executive Board,

I am pleased to introduce this session presenting the new Strategic Framework 2022-2025 for the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) Programme.

Please allow me to highlight some of the key elements of the framework – and the close cooperation between the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and UNV – before Mr. Kurbanov takes the floor to speak to the Framework in greater detail.

This Strategic Framework is the third such one for UNV, with the previous two covering the years 2014-2017 and 2018-2021.

It is closely aligned with the 2020 UN General Assembly (GA) Resolution on the Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review (QCPR) of the UN Development System. 

This Framework builds upon the findings and recommendations of the independent evaluation of the previous Strategic Framework, as well as a series of consultations with this Executive Board, UN Member States, UN partners and UN Volunteers themselves.

With a focus on country- and community-level results, UNV is a trusted provider of skills, knowledge, creativity and energy in critical areas like peace, development, and humanitarian assistance. In doing so, it is an enabler of diversity, inclusion, innovation, and community engagement.

In 2021, UNV reached a milestone by providing over 10,000 UN Volunteers to 55 UN entities in approximately 160 countries – in one year alone.  Many of these UNVs were amongst the first responders to the COVID-19 crisis, playing a pivotal role in stopping the spread of the virus as doctors, nurses, public health officers and community workers.

UNV continues to respond rapidly and effectively to the varied and complex needs of the UN system through the deployment of qualified international, national and online volunteers in a multitude of challenging country settings -- including in fragile and conflict contexts -- boosting development results on the ground.

UNDP is extremely proud to host UNV, one of the first common services of the UN system.

UNV’s new Strategic Framework aligns closely with UNDP’s ambitious new 2022-25 Strategic Plan.

With our common aims, UNV will continue to play a central role in helping the United Nations and UNDP to make that high-speed connection to the 2030 Agenda.

Indeed, to build forward better from this devastating pandemic, governments and other stakeholders need to work even more closely with volunteers -- engaging with them as key partners and creating space for them to co-create vital development solutions.

To this end, UNV’s role in promoting volunteers and volunteerism is perhaps more important than ever.

In so many ways, volunteers who offer their expertise and time are writing the next chapter for people and planet.

Thank you, Mme. President.