
The United Nations (UN) held a consultative meeting with stakeholders in Nasarawa State with a view of getting their inputs on the development of the new United Nations Development Sustainable Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF).
UN Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, Mrs Comfort Lante made the call on Saturday in Lafia at a consultative session with stakeholders.
According to the country’s resident coordinator, the new framework that would span between 2023-2027 is to replace the current UNSDPF that spanned between 2018-2022 and is folding in 2022.
Mrs Comfort Lante explained the UNSDPF is aimed at tackling the identified developmental challenges in partnership with the Federal Government.
She added that the partnership between Nigerian Government on implementation of current UNSDPF is now in its last year of implementation, that is why they have launched the process for drafting the next document.
“The new document is expected to provide the framework for the next phase of partnership and cooperation towards accelerating achievement of the 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development.
The 28 agencies of UN, 24 resident and four non-resident in Nigeria are working in partnership with FG towards addressing all identified development challenges,” she added.
Mrs Comfort Lante further explained that the consultation with stakeholders represented that of North-Central Zone and would hold in the remaining geopolitical zones of the country.
She noted that the consultation would ensure that no one is left behind and developmental concerns of Nigerians are captured and conceptualized in the document.
Earlier, Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State expressed gratitude to UN for the choice of the state for the North-Central consultative meeting.
The Governor, represented by Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mohammed Ubandoma, said the meeting was apt given that the nation is striving to recover from hardship induced by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The COVID-19 pandemic had affected all facets of human development; hence it has become imperative for a continuous collaboration towards economic recovery.
“As such, our commitment is the creation of an enabling environment for investors to invest in different sectors of human development,” the governor added.
Governor Sule also stated that the state has domesticated the National Action Plan for the revitalization of Water Supply, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) to achieve the objectives of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
He said the government is making effort to eradicate poverty, hunger as well as promote gender equality and provide improved healthcare services among other SDGs goals.
The meeting had in attendance academia, Civil Society Organizations, media, representatives of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies in the state, among others.
The highlight of the session includes a paper presentation, interactive session and questions and answers where participants offered suggestions on how the challenges confronting the country can be tackled.