Nigeria has entered into a five-year Sustainable Development Partnership Framework (UNSDPF) worth $4.3 billion with the United Nations.

Speaking at the signing ceremony in Abuja on Thursday, the UN Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Edward Kallon (photo), explained that the UNSDPF is designed as a strategic framework which aims to address Nigeria’s developmental and humanitarian challenges, leveraging on UN leadership, comparative advantages and capacity assessment.

He said the UNSDPF has three strategic priorities result areas which are: Governance, Human Rights, Peace and Security; Equitable Quality Basic Services and Sustainable and Inclusive Economic Growth and Development. These three strategic priorities results were selected together with nine specific baselines, targets and indicators.

“The UNSDPF is a US$4.3 billion estimated document consisting of required, available and expected funding to implement the nine outcomes and to deliver the contribution of the UN in Nigeria for the next five years,” he added.

Also speaking at the ceremony, the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo Udoma, disclosed that his Ministry is currently working on the implementation plan for the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) which seeks to take the Nigeria economy out of recession and unto a path of sustained, inclusive and diversified growth. According to him, the UNSDPF aligns with the main objectives of the ERGP.

Anita Fatunji