United Nations

Office of the UN Resident Coordinator – MALAWI
Tel: (265 1 773-500                  Fax: (265) 1 773-637

PRESS RELEASE

Four UN agencies to deliver as one

LILONGWE, 13th December 2007 –The Government of Malawi and the United Nations (UN) today signed the Country Programme Action Plans (CPAPs) which will see four UN agencies delivering as one to the Malawi nation.

The four UN agencies are UNDP, UNICEF, UNFPA and WFP.

Through this programme of action, the UN is expected to channel to Malawi development assistance estimated at K33 billion (US231 million), over the next four years.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Malawi’s Minister of Finance, Hon. Goodall Gondwe said the challenge facing both government and the UN now is to convert the CPAPs into improved living conditions for the people of Malawi.

“The Country Programme Action Plans are very comprehensive and they seek to contribute to many outcomes that are the centre of the government’s growth and development agenda,” said Hon. Gondwe.

The Finance Minister thanked the UN for providing leadership on many important issues such as health and nutrition, food security and economic growth.

Michael Keating, UN Resident Coordinator, commended government for being “deadly serious about reducing poverty”. He said the UN was one hundred percent on government’s side in its quest to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

“The challenge now is for all of us to work towards translating Malawi’s economic success into results for people,” said Keating.

He said the UN is there to help Malawi achieve the MDGs, support the country to fulfill its international commitments, attract more resources to Malawi and to strengthen the collective effectiveness and efficiency of the UN.

For more information, contact:
Ms. Pilirani Semu-Banda, Communications Officer, UNFPA Malawi
(pilirani@unfpa.unvh.mw), +265 1 771 444/474.