Government of Tajikistan and United Nations validate priorities for next four-year period of cooperation

The Cooperation Framework reinforces the  partnership and efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and national development priorities

The meeting took place with support of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan. Mr. Ashurboy Solehzoda, first Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Trade and Ms. Sezin Sinanoglu, UN Resident Coordinator chaired the meeting that brought together high-level representatives of the Government, UN entities, civil society, academia, private sector and media.

The strategic priorities and key actions were developed over the past several months through an iterative set of discussions inclusive of all stakeholders and of representatives of vulnerable groups in Tajikistan. The strategic priorities of inclusive human development; sustainable, green economic growth; climate and environment management; and people-centered governance and rule of law; were jointly identified. These partners will come together towards the end of the year to develop detailed joint workplans outlining the actions and initiatives needed to achieve the goals of the Cooperation Framework.

Mr. Ashurzoda noted: “Today’s event is an important milestone in completing the process of developing a new UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for 2023-2026. It should be noted that the new framework is closely linked to the goals of the National Development Strategy until 2030 and its medium-term program for 2021-2025 and reflects the key national priorities.”

 “I would like to sincerely thank the Government of Tajikistan and all stakeholders present here today for the joint work. The new Cooperation Framework is a different paradigm and brings a full partnership, mutual accountability for results and reaching people in Tajikistan that are farthest behind.  We can only do this if we work fully together” noted  Ms. Sezin Sinanoglu in her opening remarks.

During the meeting the UN Country Team also presented the 2021 UN Annual Results Report . The report provided comprehensive information in all major areas of the UN’s work in the country and highlighted achievements in financing SDGs, joint actions for nutrition, gender-based violence prevention and UN’s COVID-19 response among others. Some of the results highlighted are the following:

• 3,130,832  million people received full doses of COVID-19 vaccines        
• 2.1 million people covered by social protection systems     
• 1.27 million children vaccinated against polio
• 542,800 children in schools received daily school meals
• 263,228 people covered by alternative cost-efficient renewable energy in rural areas   
• 909,536 people were tested for HIV/AIDS
• 24,799 people improved their livelihoods through support programs.
• 13,799 people claimed their rights using free legal aid services provided by the Government and CSOs
• 13,165 children treated and cured from severe and moderate acute malnutrition
• 8,377 young people were trained in transferable skills

The report will be available on the UN in Tajikistan web-site in English, Tajik and Russian shortly.

The United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) is the most important instrument for planning and implementation of the UN development activities at country level. With its focus shifted from development assistance to development cooperation and integrated approach, the Cooperation Framework is in the center of UN reform. The goal of the UN Reform is to improve the coherence, accountability and effectiveness of the UN system to deliver better results for the people and support the Government of Tajikistan to achieve the goals and targets under the SDGs.