View source for Organization:United Nations Development Programme

{{Short description|Global development network of the United Nations}}

{{Infobox organization
| image         = UNDP logo.svg
| image_size    = 100px
| name          = United Nations Development Programme
| map           = 
| map_size      = 
| map_caption   = 
| type          = Programme
| abbreviation  = UNDP
| headquarters  = {{wipe|New York City}}<br />(international territory)
| leader_title  = Head
| leader_name   = Achim Steiner<ref name="undp.org administrator">{{cite press release|title=UNDP Executive Board welcomes appointment of Achim Steiner as new Administrator|url=http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/presscenter/pressreleases/2017/04/19/undp-executive-board-welcomes-appointment-of-achim-steiner-as-new-administrator.html|date=19 April 2017|access-date=24 April 2017|archive-date=24 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170424181516/http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/presscenter/pressreleases/2017/04/19/undp-executive-board-welcomes-appointment-of-achim-steiner-as-new-administrator.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| status        = Active
| formation     = 22 November 1965
| website       = [https://www.undp.org/ UNDP.org]
| parent_organization = [[Organization:United Nations Economic and Social Council|ECOSOC]]<ref>{{Cite journal
 |url           = http://www.unausa.org/atf/cf/%7b49C555AC-20C8-4B43-8483-A2D4C1808E4E%7d/2007+UNA-USA+MUN+UNDP+%5bMegacities+and+the+Environment,+Foreign+Direct+Investment%5d.pdf
 |title         = Background Guide;: Executive board of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
 |publisher     = UN-USA
 |access-date   = 13 December 2007
 |archive-url   = https://web.archive.org/web/20070614085742/http://www.unausa.org/atf/cf/%7b49C555AC-20C8-4B43-8483-A2D4C1808E4E%7d/2007%20UNA-USA%20MUN%20UNDP%20%5bMegacities%20and%20the%20Environment,%20Foreign%20Direct%20Investment%5d.pdf
 |archive-date  = 14 June 2007
 |url-status    = dead
 }} (from Internet archive)</ref>
| footnotes     = 
}}

The '''United Nations Development Programme''' ('''UNDP''')<ref group="note">{{lang-fr|Programme des Nations unies pour le développement, '''PNUD'''}}</ref> is a {{wipe|United Nations}} agency tasked with helping countries eliminate poverty and achieve [[Sustainable development|sustainable economic growth]] and human development. The UNDP emphasizes developing local capacity towards long-term self-sufficiency and prosperity.<ref name="britannica.com">{{cite web|title=United Nations Development Programme {{!}} international program|url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/United-Nations-Development-Programme|access-date=2021-10-07|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|language=en}}</ref>

Based at United Nations Headquarters in New York City, it is the largest UN development aid agency,<ref name="britannica.com"/> with offices in 177 countries.<ref>{{cite web|title=FAQs|url=https://www.undp.org/faqs|access-date=2021-10-07|website=United Nations Development Programme|language=en}}</ref><ref name="The Biography of Kemal Dervis">{{cite web|url=https://www.un.org/sg/senstaff_details.asp?smgID=9|title=The Biography of Kemal Dervis|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110924113646/http://www.un.org/sg/senstaff_details.asp?smgID=9|archive-date=24 September 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> The UNDP is funded entirely by voluntary contributions from UN member states.<ref name="The Biography of Kemal Dervis"/>

== Founding ==
The UNDP was founded on 22 November 1958 with the merging of the Expanded Programme of Technical Assistance (EPTA) and the Special Fund in 1958.<ref>''Consolidation of the Special Fund and the Expanded Programme of Technical Assistance in a United Nations Development Programme'' GA Res 2029, XX (1965)</ref> The rationale was to "avoid duplication of [their] activities". The EPTA was set up in 1949 to help the economic and political aspects of underdeveloped countries while the Special Fund was to enlarge the scope of UN technical assistance. The Special Fund arose from the idea of a Special United Nations Fund for Economic Development (SUNFED) (which was initially called the United Nations Fund for Economic Development (UNFED).<ref>Stokke, O., 2009, The UN and Development: From Aid to Cooperation, Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, especially Chapter 3</ref>

Countries such as the Nordic countries were proponents of such a {{wipe|United Nations}} (UN) controlled fund. However, the fund was opposed by other developed countries, especially by the United States, which were wary of the Third World dominating such a funding and preferred it to be under the auspices of the [[Organization:World Bank|World Bank]]. The concept of SUNFED was dropped to form the Special Fund. This Special Fund was a compromise over the SUNFED concept: it did not provide investment capital, but only helped to bring pre-conditions for private investment.

With the US proposing and creating the [[Organization:International Development Association|International Development Association]] within the World Bank's umbrella, the EPTA and the Special Fund appeared to be conducting similar work. In 1962, the United Nations [[Organization:United Nations Economic and Social Council|Economic and Social Council]] asked the Secretary-General to consider the merits and disadvantages of merging UN technical assistance programmes and in 1966, the EPTA and the Special Fund merged to form the UNDP.<ref>Stokke, O., 2009, The UN and Development: From Aid to Cooperation, Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, p.82</ref><ref>Murphy, C.N. 2006, The United Nations Development Programme: A Better Way? Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp.51–66</ref><ref>Jolly, R., Emmerij. L. And Ghai, D., 2004, UN Contributions to Development Thinking and Practice, Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press pp.73-84</ref>

==Budget==
In 2022, UNDP's budget was US$6,737.92 million.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://open.undp.org/ |title=UNDP Transparency Portal |website=United Nations Development Programme |access-date=9 January 2021}}</ref>

===Funding information table===

The following table lists the top 15 DAC 5 Digit Sectors<ref>{{cite web |url=http://iatistandard.org/202/codelists/Sector/ |title=DAC 5 Digit Sector |publisher=The IATI Standard|access-date=4 September 2016 |archive-date=16 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916185432/http://iatistandard.org/202/codelists/Sector/ |url-status=live }}</ref> to which UNDP has committed funding, as recorded in its International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI) publications. The UNDP claims on the IATI Registry website that the data covers 100% of development flows.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://iatiregistry.org/publisher/about/undp |title=About – United Nations Development Programme – IATI Registry |access-date=4 September 2016 |archive-date=21 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160921222101/https://iatiregistry.org/publisher/about/undp |url-status=live }}</ref>

UNDP topped the Aid Transparency Index published by Publish What You Fund in 2015 and 2016, with an excellent score of 93.3%.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.publishwhatyoufund.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/2016-Aid-Transparency-Index.pdf |title=2016 Aid Transparency Index – Publish What You Fund |access-date=11 December 2017 |archive-date=6 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180206000013/http://www.publishwhatyoufund.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/2016-Aid-Transparency-Index.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

{| class="sortable wikitable"
|-
!
! colspan="7" | Committed funding (US$ millions)
|-
! Sector !!2012 !! 2013 !! 2014 !! 2015 !! 2016 !! Sum
|-
| Security system management and reform 
| style="text-align:right;" | 624.3
| style="text-align:right;" | 541.7
| style="text-align:right;" | 591.6
| style="text-align:right;" | 643.8
| style="text-align:right;" | 656.4
| style="text-align:right;" | 3,057.9
|-
| STD control including HIV/AIDS 
| style="text-align:right;" | 415.9
| style="text-align:right;" | 421.4
| style="text-align:right;" | 412.1
| style="text-align:right;" | 465.2
| style="text-align:right;" | 483.5
| style="text-align:right;" | 2,198.1
|-
| Public sector policy and administrative management 
| style="text-align:right;" | 216.3
| style="text-align:right;" | 299.3
| style="text-align:right;" | 372.2
| style="text-align:right;" | 456.9
| style="text-align:right;" | 462.9
| style="text-align:right;" | 1,807.7
|-
| Decentralisation and support to subnational government 
| style="text-align:right;" | 256.7
| style="text-align:right;" | 327.5
| style="text-align:right;" | 302.7
| style="text-align:right;" | 338.4
| style="text-align:right;" | 505.8
| style="text-align:right;" | 1,731.1
|-
| Reconstruction relief and rehabilitation 
| style="text-align:right;" | 249.0
| style="text-align:right;" | 282.5
| style="text-align:right;" | 338.1
| style="text-align:right;" | 376.5
| style="text-align:right;" | 422.0
| style="text-align:right;" | 1,668.2
|-
| Elections 
| style="text-align:right;" | 157.8
| style="text-align:right;" | 267.8
| style="text-align:right;" | 330.3
| style="text-align:right;" | 279.0
| style="text-align:right;" | 149.8
| style="text-align:right;" | 1,184.7
|-
| Disaster prevention and preparedness 
| style="text-align:right;" | 146.4
| style="text-align:right;" | 170.2
| style="text-align:right;" | 211.2
| style="text-align:right;" | 243.7
| style="text-align:right;" | 241.3
| style="text-align:right;" | 1,012.9
|-
| Energy policy and administrative management 
| style="text-align:right;" | 113.3
| style="text-align:right;" | 157.0
| style="text-align:right;" | 198.9
| style="text-align:right;" | 212.3
| style="text-align:right;" | 316.2
| style="text-align:right;" | 997.6
|-
| General budget support 
| style="text-align:right;" | 77.6
| style="text-align:right;" | 142.7
| style="text-align:right;" | 263.1
| style="text-align:right;" | 223.7
| style="text-align:right;" | 273.9
| style="text-align:right;" | 981.1
|-
| Social/ welfare services 
| style="text-align:right;" | 108.7
| style="text-align:right;" | 149.4
| style="text-align:right;" | 155.4
| style="text-align:right;" | 219.4
| style="text-align:right;" | 195.2
| style="text-align:right;" | 828.1
|-
| Legal and judicial development 
| style="text-align:right;" | 62.1
| style="text-align:right;" | 76.6
| style="text-align:right;" | 97.5
| style="text-align:right;" | 113.8
| style="text-align:right;" | 106.9
| style="text-align:right;" | 456.8
|-
| Environmental policy and administrative management 
| style="text-align:right;" | 49.6
| style="text-align:right;" | 63.4
| style="text-align:right;" | 70.9
| style="text-align:right;" | 95.4
| style="text-align:right;" | 122.0
| style="text-align:right;" | 401.3
|-
| Power generation/renewable sources 
| style="text-align:right;" | 42.8
| style="text-align:right;" | 44.4
| style="text-align:right;" | 60.3
| style="text-align:right;" | 101.0
| style="text-align:right;" | 125.2
| style="text-align:right;" | 373.7
|-
| Democratic participation and civil society 
| style="text-align:right;" | 56.3
| style="text-align:right;" | 62.1
| style="text-align:right;" | 62.1
| style="text-align:right;" | 65.9
| style="text-align:right;" | 76.6
| style="text-align:right;" | 323.0
|-
| Human rights 
| style="text-align:right;" | 28.1
| style="text-align:right;" | 45.5
| style="text-align:right;" | 52.4
| style="text-align:right;" | 88.5
| style="text-align:right;" | 56.2
| style="text-align:right;" | 270.8
|-
! Other
! style="text-align:right;" | 334.5
! style="text-align:right;" | 315.5
! style="text-align:right;" | 379.8
! style="text-align:right;" | 507.3
! style="text-align:right;" | 969.5
! style="text-align:right;" | 2,506.6
|-
! Total 
! style="text-align:right;" | 2,939.5
! style="text-align:right;" | 3,367.1
! style="text-align:right;" | 3,898.5
! style="text-align:right;" | 4,430.9
! style="text-align:right;" | 5,163.6
! style="text-align:right;" | 19,799.6
|}

UNDP links and coordinates global and national efforts to achieve the goals and national development priorities laid out by host countries. UNDP focuses primarily on five developmental challenges:

====Democratic governance====
UNDP supports national democratic transitions by providing policy advice and technical support, improving [[Social:Civil service reform in developing countries|institutional]] and individual capacity within countries, educating populations about and advocating for democratic reforms, promoting negotiation and dialogue, and sharing successful experiences from other countries and locations. UNDP also supports existing democratic institutions by increasing dialogue, enhancing national debate, and facilitating consensus on national governance programmes.

====Poverty reduction====
UNDP helps countries develop strategies to combat poverty by expanding access to economic opportunities and resources, linking poverty programmes with countries' larger goals and policies, and ensuring a greater voice for the poor. It also works at the macro level to reform trade, encourage debt relief and foreign investment, and ensure the poorest of the poor benefit from globalisation. On the ground, UNDP sponsors developmental pilot projects, promotes the role of women in development, and coordinates efforts between governments, NGOs, and outside donors. In this way, UNDP works with local leaders and governments to provide opportunities for impoverished people to create businesses and improve their economic condition.

The UNDP International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth (IPC-IG) in Brasília, Brazil, expands the capacities of developing countries to design, implement and evaluate socially inclusive development projects. IPC-IG is a global forum for South-South policy dialogue and learning, having worked with more than 7,000 officials from more than 50 countries.

A 2013 evaluation of the UNDP's poverty reduction efforts states that the UNDP has effectively supported national efforts to reduce poverty, by helping governments make policy changes that benefit the poor.<ref>{{cite web|title=Evaluation of UNDP Contribution to Poverty Reduction|url=http://issuu.com/undp-evaluation/docs/evaluation_poverty_2013/90.|publisher=UNDP|access-date=4 November 2013|archive-date=31 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160731024356/https://issuu.com/undp-evaluation/docs/evaluation_poverty_2013/90.|url-status=live}}</ref> Nevertheless, the same evaluation also states there is a strong need for better measurement and monitoring of the impacts of the UNDP's work.<ref>{{cite web|title=Evaluation of UNDP Contribution to Poverty Reduction|url=http://issuu.com/undp-evaluation/docs/evaluation_poverty_2013/94.|publisher=UNDP|access-date=4 November 2013|archive-date=19 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160319033333/https://issuu.com/undp-evaluation/docs/evaluation_poverty_2013/94.|url-status=live}}</ref> The UNDP's Strategic Plan from 2014 to 2017 incorporates the recommendations of this poverty evaluation.<ref>{{cite web|title=UNDP Strategic Plan: 2014-2017|url=http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/librarypage/corporate/Changing_with_the_World_UNDP_Strategic_Plan_2014_17.html|publisher=UNDP|access-date=4 November 2013|archive-date=18 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200518065050/http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/librarypage/corporate/Changing_with_the_World_UNDP_Strategic_Plan_2014_17.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

====Crisis prevention and recovery====
UNDP works to reduce the risk of armed conflicts or disasters, and promote early recovery after crisis have occurred. UNDP works through its country offices to support local government in needs assessment, capacity development, coordinated planning, and policy and standard setting.

Examples of UNDP risk reduction programmes include efforts to control small arms proliferation, strategies to reduce the impact of natural disasters, and programmes to encourage use of diplomacy and prevent violence. Recovery programmes include disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of ex-combatants, demining efforts, programmes to reintegrate displaced persons, restoration of basic services, and transitional justice systems for countries recovering from warfare.

Following the suspension of most foreign aid to Afghanistan due to its takeover by the Taliban, the UNDP took responsibility for funding most essential health services in the country, including the salaries of over 25,000 health care professionals.<ref name=":0">{{cite news|last=DeYoung|first=Karen|date=6 October 2021|title=U.N. agency to pay salaries of Afghan health-care workers to help stave off humanitarian crisis|newspaper={{wipe|The Washington Post}} |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/un-afghanistan-health-system-funding/2021/10/06/30702c72-2535-11ec-9de8-156fed3e81bf_story.html|access-date=7 October 2021}}</ref> This was observed as being outside the organization's usual development activities, and was facilitated by special licencing by the United States government.<ref name=":0" />

====Environment and energy====
As the poor are disproportionately affected by environmental degradation and lack of access to clean, affordable water, sanitation, and energy services, UNDP seeks to address environmental issues in order to improve developing countries' abilities to develop sustainably, increase human development and reduce poverty. UNDP works with countries to strengthen their capacity to address global environmental issues by providing innovative policy advice and linking partners through environmentally sensitive development projects that help poor people build sustainable livelihoods.

UNDP's environmental strategy focuses on effective water governance including access to water supply and [[Engineering:Sanitation|sanitation]], access to [[Earth:Sustainable energy|sustainable energy]] services, Sustainable land management to combat [[Earth:Desertification|desertification]] and [[Earth:Land degradation|land degradation]], conservation and sustainable use of [[Biology:Biodiversity|biodiversity]], and policies to control emissions of harmful pollutants and ozone-depleting substances. UNDP's Equator Initiative office biennially offers the Equator Prize to recognize outstanding indigenous community efforts to reduce poverty through the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, and thus making local contributions to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Between 1996 and 1998, the UNDP sponsored the deployment of 45 Multifunction Platforms (MFP) in rural Mali. These installations, driven by a diesel engine, power devices such as pumps, grain mills and appliances.<ref>{{cite web |title=Technological Innovation:Multi-functional Platforms in Mali |url=http://www.geni.org/globalenergy/research/ruralelectrification/casestudies/mali/index.shtml |website=geni.org |access-date=13 April 2020 |archive-date=3 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200303100029/http://www.geni.org/globalenergy/research/ruralelectrification/casestudies/mali/index.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> By 2004, the number of MFPs in Mali reached 500.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Sovacool |first1=Benjamin K. |last2=Clarke |first2=Shannon |last3=Johnson |first3=Katie |last4=Crafton |first4=Meredith |last5=Eidsness |first5=Jay |last6=Zoppo |first6=David |title=The energy-enterprise-gender nexus: Lessons from the Multifunctional Platform (MFP) in Mali |journal=Renewable Energy |date=1 February 2013 |volume=50 |pages=115–125 |doi=10.1016/j.renene.2012.06.024 |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0960148112003758 |language=en |issn=0960-1481 |access-date=13 April 2020 |archive-date=13 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200413062329/https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0960148112003758 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2012 the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) was established. BIOFIN brings 30 countries together to develop and implement evidence-based finance plans to safeguards biodiversity. BIOFIN has developed an innovative and adaptable methodology to guide countries to analyze the policy and institutional context for biodiversity finance; measure the current biodiversity expenditures; assess future financial needs, and identify the most suitable finance solutions to achieve national biodiversity targets.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://107.170.39.247/sites/default/files/uploads/documents/biofin_factsheet_6may14.pdf |title=Factsheet: The Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) |access-date=3 June 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140606234239/http://107.170.39.247/sites/default/files/uploads/documents/biofin_factsheet_6may14.pdf |archive-date=6 June 2014 }}</ref>

====HIV/AIDS====
UNDP works to help countries prevent further spreading of and reduce the impact of HIV/AIDS, convening The Global Commission on HIV and the Law which reported in 2012.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hivlawcommission.org/ |title=Global Commission on HIV and the Law  |access-date=11 December 2013 |archive-date=28 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210328154928/https://hivlawcommission.org/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

====Hub for Innovative Partnerships====
Major programmes underway are:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.undp.org/geneva/hub.html |title=The Hub for Innovative Partnerships |date=November 2011 |publisher=undp.org |access-date=17 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120111222936/http://www.undp.org/geneva/hub.html |archive-date=11 January 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
[[File:Gender Inequality Index Map.svg|thumb|World Map of Gender Inequality Index by country sourced from 2017 Human Development Report]]

* ART Global Initiative
* World Alliance of Cities Against Poverty
* [[Organization:Territorial Approach to Climate Change|Territorial Approach to Climate Change]]
* Africa–Kazakhstan Partnership for the SDGs

====Human Development Report====
Since 1991, the UNDP has annually published the Human Development Report, which includes topics on Human Development and the annual [[Engineering:Human Development Index|Human Development Index]].<ref name="hdr.undp.org">{{cite web |url=http://hdr.undp.org/en/ |title=un.org |access-date=22 April 2011 |archive-date=20 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110220182623/http://hdr.undp.org/en/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The [http://hdr.undp.org/en/composite/GII Gender Inequality Index] is one such topic discussed in the Human Development Report.

=== Evaluation ===
The UNDP spends about 0.2% of its budget on internal evaluation of the effectiveness of its programmes.<ref name=svd_30sep2013>{{cite news|title=Biståndets svarta hål (in Swedish)|url=http://www.svd.se/nyheter/inrikes/bistandet-slukas-i-fns-svarta-hal_8564732.svd|access-date=30 September 2013|newspaper=Svenska Dagbladet|date=2013-09-30|archive-date=30 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130930095223/http://www.svd.se/nyheter/inrikes/bistandet-slukas-i-fns-svarta-hal_8564732.svd|url-status=live}}</ref> The UNDP's Evaluation Office is a member of the UN Evaluation Group (UNEG) which brings together all the units responsible for evaluation in the UN system. Currently the UNEG has 43 members and 3 observers.<ref>{{cite web|title="About the United Nations Evaluation Group".|url=http://uneval.org|publisher=United Nations|access-date=4 November 2013|archive-date=5 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105155306/http://uneval.org/|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Global Policy Centres ==
The UNDP runs six Global Policy Centres, including the Seoul Policy Centre (USPC) on partnerships, the Nairobi Global Policy Centre on Resilient Ecosystems and Desertification (GPC-Nairobi), the Singapore-based Global Centre for Technology, Innovation and Sustainable Development (GC-TISD), the Istanbul International Centre for Private Sector in Development (IICPSD), the Oslo Governance Centre, and the Singapore-based Global Centre for Public Service Excellence (GCPSE) that issues the "Raffles Review" email newsletter on developments in public administration research.

== UN coordination role ==
UNDP plays a significant coordination role for the UN's activities in the field of development. This is mainly executed through its leadership of the UN Development Group and through the Resident Coordinator System.

=== United Nations Development Group ===

The United Nations Development Group (UNDG) was created by the Secretary-General in 1997, to improve the effectiveness of UN development at the country level. The UNDG brings together the operational agencies working on development. The Group is chaired by the Administrator of UNDP. UNDP also provides the Secretariat to the Group.

The UNDG develops policies and procedures that allow member agencies to work together and analyse country issues, plan support strategies, implement support programmes, monitor results and advocate for change. These initiatives increase UN impact in helping countries achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), including poverty reduction.

Thirty-two UN agencies are members of the UNDG. The executive committee consists of the four "founding members": UNICEF, UNFPA, WFP and UNDP. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights is an ex-officio member of the executive committee.

===Resident coordinator system===
The Resident Coordinator (RC) system coordinates all organizations of the United Nations system dealing with operational activities for development in the field. The RC system aims to bring together the different UN agencies to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of operational activities at the country level. Resident Coordinators lead UN country teams in more than 130 countries and are the designated representatives of the Secretary-General for development operations. Working closely with national governments, Resident Coordinators and country teams advocate the interests and mandates of the UN drawing on the support and guidance of the entire UN family. It is now coordinated by the UNDG.<ref>[http://www.undg.org/index.cfm?P=5 undg.org] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131220175536/http://www.undg.org/index.cfm?P=5 |date=20 December 2013 }}</ref>

== Innovation Facility ==
The UNDP established the Innovation Facility in 2014, with support from the Government of Denmark, as a dedicated funding mechanism to nurture promising development interventions.<ref>[http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/librarypage/development-impact/undp-innovation-facility/ UNDP's Innovation Facility] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160925120112/http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/librarypage/development-impact/undp-innovation-facility/ |date=25 September 2016 }}. Retrieved 23 August 2016.</ref>

The Innovation Facility offers technical assistance and seed funding to collaborators across 170 countries and territories to explore new approaches to complex development challenges. Since its inception, the Innovation Facility has fostered innovation labs across all five regions to better deliver and monitor the SDGs.<ref>[http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/library/innovation/Infographic%201%20-%20IF%20at%20a%20glance%20updated.pdf At a Glance] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210204001302/http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/library/innovation/Infographic%201%20-%20IF%20at%20a%20glance%20updated.pdf |date=4 February 2021 }}. Retrieved 23 August 2016.</ref> In 2015, the Innovation Facility invested in 62 initiatives across 45 countries to achieve 16 SDGs.<ref>[http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/librarypage/development-impact/2015-year-in-review.html 2015 Year in Review] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201107193314/https://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/librarypage/development-impact/2015-year-in-review.html |date=7 November 2020 }}. Retrieved 23 August 2016.</ref>

==Controversies==

=== NSA surveillance ===

Documents of Edward Snowden showed in December 2013 that British and American intelligence agencies surveillance targets with the United States' [[Organization:National Security Agency|National Security Agency]] (NSA) included organisations such as the United Nations Development Programme, the UN's children's charity UNICEF and Médecins Sans Frontières and the [[Organization:Economic Community of West African States|Economic Community of West African States]] (ECOWAS).<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/dec/20/gchq-targeted-aid-agencies-german-government-eu-commissioner GCHQ and NSA targeted charities, Germans, Israeli PM and EU chief] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131221234525/http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/dec/20/gchq-targeted-aid-agencies-german-government-eu-commissioner |date=21 December 2013 }} The Guardian 20 December 2013</ref>

=== Allegations of UNDP resources used by Hamas ===

In August 2016, Israel's Shin Bet security agency publicized the arrest of Wahid Abdallah al Bursh, a Palestinian engineer employed by the UNDP, stating he had confessed to being recruited in 2014 to help Hamas, the dominant Islamist group in Gaza. Among "various assignments" Bursh performed on behalf of Hamas was "using UNDP resources" to build a maritime jetty for its fighters; no further details were provided on this claim. Shin Bet also claimed Bursh had persuaded his UNDP superiors to prioritize neighbourhoods with Hamas operatives when earmarking reconstruction funds for Gaza, which was devastated by the 2014 war with Israel.<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-palestinians-un-hamas-idUSKCN10K1SI Israel says U.N. aid used by Hamas] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210328154928/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-palestinians-un-hamas-idUSKCN10K1SI |date=28 March 2021 }} Reuters 9 August 2016</ref>

=== Alleged financial irregularities ===
The UNDP had been criticised by members of its staff and the Bush administration of the United States for irregularities in its finances in North Korea. Artjon Shkurtaj claimed that he had found counterfeit US dollars in the programmes' safe despite staff being paid in euros. The UNDP denied keeping improper accounts and any other wrongdoing.<ref>{{cite news
|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6279998.stm
|title=UN denies firing 'whistleblower'
|date=7 July 2007
|publisher=BBC News
|access-date=13 December 2007
}}</ref>

=== Disarmament and controversy ===
In mid-2006, as first reported by Inner City Press<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.innercitypress.com/unhq062806.html|title=In Uganda, UNDP's Belated Announcement of Program Halt Leaves Questions Unanswered|last=Lee|first=Matthew Russell|date=2006-06-28|website=innercitypress.com}}</ref> and then by ''New Vision'',<ref>[http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/13/506557 newvision.co.ug] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070214024159/http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/13/506557 |date=14 February 2007 }}</ref> UNDP halted its disarmament programmes in the Karamoja region of Uganda in response to human rights abuses in the parallel forcible disarmament programmes carried out by the Uganda People's Defence Force.

=== Russia UNDP GEF Project Corruption Scandal ===
In 2019, reports alleging possible misappropriation of funds for UNDP projects in Russia began to appear in the mainstream media. An article called [https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/08/14/greed-and-graft-at-un-climate-program-united-nations-undp-corruption/ Greed and Graft] in August 2019 in ''Foreign Policy'' reported the findings of a 2017 final evaluation that a UNDP [https://www.thegef.org/ Global Environment Facility] greenhouse gas reduction project, the UNDP GEF Energy Efficiency Standards and Labels project in Russia with a budget of US$7.8 million, did not meet its goals and had "strong indications of deliberate misappropriation" of funds.<ref name="Mackinnon">{{Cite web |last=Mackinnon |first=Colum Lynch, Amy |title=Greed and Graft at U.N. Climate Program |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/08/14/greed-and-graft-at-un-climate-program-united-nations-undp-corruption/ |access-date=2022-05-05 |website=Foreign Policy |language=en-US}}</ref> The ''Foreign Policy'' article reported that concerns raised by whistleblowers Dmitry Ershov and John O'Brien and multiple other consultants to the project over many years about irregularities in the programme — which were first reported internally as far back in 2011— were largely dismissed or ignored for several years by their superiors in Istanbul, New York, and Washington, as well as by donor governments, including the United States. The ''Foreign Policy'' article reported that a 2017 confidential audit appendix prepared by final evaluators found "strong indicators of deliberate misappropriation" of millions of dollars in funds from the project between 2010 and 2014.

This led in March 2020 to 12 donor governments writing a letter to UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner demanding from UNDP an independent review of UNDP's handling of the energy efficiency standards and labels project in Russia, as reported again in [https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/12/07/document-of-the-week-aid-donors-undp-corruption-russia-climate/ ''Foreign Policy'' magazine in December 2020] where it was revealed that these donors had blasted UNDP for resisting appeals to fight corruption and further reports by the [[Social:Financial Times|Financial Times]]<ref>{{Cite news |last1=White |first1=Edward |last2=Hook |first2=Leslie |date=2020-11-30 |title=UN agency hit with corruption allegations at climate projects |work=Financial Times |url=https://www.ft.com/content/054a529c-e793-489b-8986-b65d01672766 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/https://www.ft.com/content/054a529c-e793-489b-8986-b65d01672766 |archive-date=10 December 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=2022-05-05}}</ref> about the 'systemic nature' of the problems and also reports by various other media outlets such as [https://www.climatechangenews.com/2021/10/04/gcf-considers-renewed-partnership-undp-amid-corruption-investigations/ Climate Change News] , [https://www.passblue.com/2022/02/07/how-well-can-the-un-development-program-manage-global-climate-funding/ Passblue] and in [https://www.newsroom.co.nz/nzs-involvement-in-un-corruption-claims Newsroom] in the New Zealand media. In January 2021, this independent report into the matter as requested by the donors was published, '[https://www.thegef.org/sites/default/files/documents/3216_Independent_Review_UNDP_GEF_Project_Final_Report.pdf Systems and Silos]'. This independent review found "irregularities" and concluded the project in question was not managed "either efficiently or effectively" by UNDP and that a number of individuals were able to 'game the relatively weak systems of governance and technical capacity.'  It suggested UNDP consider returning to the [[Organization:Global Environment Facility|Global Environment Facility]] (which funded the project) its "entire management fee" as "restitution" and proposed "ongoing efforts to achieve changes in the work culture that reward greater transparency and remove fears of unfair reprisals" aimed at whistleblowers.<ref>Rath, Amitav, Systems and Silos: Review of a UNDP/GEF Project, January 2021, https://www.thegef.org/sites/default/files/documents/3216_Independent_Review_UNDP_GEF_Project_Final_Report.pdf {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210512054907/https://www.thegef.org/sites/default/files/documents/3216_Independent_Review_UNDP_GEF_Project_Final_Report.pdf|date=12 May 2021}}</ref> Concerns over UNDP's failure to handle the Russia controversy in a satisfactory manner led to the government of the Netherlands [https://nltimes.nl/2021/01/29/netherlands-halts-payment-un-russian-corruption-scandal withholding some 10 million euros in funding in early 2021].

In February 2022, the leaders of three leading NGOs in the fight against corruption, Transparency International, the [https://whistleblowingnetwork.org/Home Whistleblower International Network or WIN], and the Government Accountability Project wrote a [https://whistleblower.org/letter/un-climate-change-whistleblowers-must-be-protected/ public letter to UNDP's administrator] Achim Steiner, expressing their serious concerns about the lack of whistleblower protection for John O'Brien and Dmitry Ershov by UNDP and highlighting the conclusion of the independent review on the failure by UNDP to carry out John O'Brien's whistleblower case in a satisfactory manner.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Allain |first=Mary |date=2022-02-09 |title=UN climate change whistleblowers must be protected |url=https://whistleblower.org/letter/un-climate-change-whistleblowers-must-be-protected/ |access-date=2022-05-05 |website=Government Accountability Project |language=en-US}}</ref> According to the 2019 Foreign Policy article, Ershov claimed he was "pushed out of his U.N. job" after raising concerns about procurement irregularities and project conflicts of interest way back at the end of 2014.<ref name="Mackinnon"/>

In June 2022, BBC Two broadcast a 90-minute documentary,''The Whistleblowers: Inside the UN'', which reported on whistleblower cases across the UN system, including John O'Brien's case. It reported that O'Brien was fired from UNDP in March 2022 several days after his BBC interview. The documentary was described by ''{{wipe|The Guardian}}'' as exposing "a toxic culture" where senior UN leaders hide "[https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2022/jun/21/the-whistleblowers-inside-the-un-review-a-horrific-tale-of-misogyny-and-10000-deaths behind a cloak of saintliness]". As of June 2022, there has been zero accountability for the cover up among senior officials at UNDP. The only two persons at UNDP who lost their job after years and years of alleged UNDP corruption and cover up were the two whistleblowers.

== Administrator ==
The UNDP Administrator has the rank of an Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations. While the Administrator is often referred to as the third highest-ranking official in the UN (after the Secretary-General and  Deputy Secretary-General), this has never been formally codified.

In addition to his/her responsibilities as head of UNDP, the Administrator is also the vice-chair of the UN Sustainable Development Group.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/about-us.html|title=About us {{!}} UNDP|website=UNDP|language=en|access-date=10 January 2018|archive-date=6 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180106183428/http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/about-us.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://undg.org/about/undg-global/|title=UNDG at the Global Level|website=undg.org|language=en|access-date=10 January 2018|archive-date=28 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210328155147/https://unsdg.un.org/about/who-we-are|url-status=live}}</ref>

The position of Administrator is appointed by the Secretary-General of the UN and confirmed by the General Assembly for a term of four years.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.undp.org/about/bio1.shtml
|title=Biography: Kemal Derviş, UNDP Administrator
|website=United Nations Development Program
|access-date=11 March 2009
|archive-date=27 February 2009
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090227055034/http://www.undp.org/about/bio1.shtml
|url-status=dead
}}</ref>

Achim Steiner is the current Administrator.<ref name="undp.org administrator 2">{{cite web|title=UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner|date=3 July 2017|url=http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/operations/leadership/administrator.html|access-date=3 July 2017|archive-date=6 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170706125845/http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/operations/leadership/administrator.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> The five countries on the UNDP board have some influence over selection of the administrator.{{Citation needed |date=March 2011}}

The first administrator of the UNDP was Paul G. Hoffman, former head of the Economic Cooperation Administration which administered the Marshall Plan.

Other holders of the position have included: Bradford Morse, a former Republican congressman from the U.S. state of Massachusetts; William Draper, an American venture capitalist and friend of George H. W. Bush who saw one of the UN system's major achievements, the Human Development Report, introduced during his tenure; Mark Malloch Brown of the UK, who was previously Vice President of External Affairs at the [[Organization:World Bank|World Bank]] and subsequently became UN Deputy Secretary-General; and Kemal Derviş, a former finance minister of Turkey and senior World Bank official.

{| class="wikitable" 
|-
! Nr
! Administrator
! Nationality
! Term
|-
|9
|'''Achim Steiner'''
|{{BRA}} / {{GER}}
|2017–
|-
| 8 || Helen Clark  || {{NZL}} || 2009–2017
|-
| 7 || Kemal Derviş || {{TUR}} || 2005–2009 
|-
| 6 || Mark Malloch Brown  || {{GBR}} || 1999–2005 
|-
| 5 || James Gustave Speth || rowspan=5|{{USA}} || 1993–1999 
|-
| 4 || William Henry Draper || 1986–1993 
|-
| 3 || F. Bradford Morse || 1976–1986 
|-
| 2 || Rudolph A. Peterson || 1972–1976 
|-
| 1 || Paul G. Hoffman || 1966–1972 
|}

=== Associate Administrator ===
During meetings of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group, which are chaired by the Administrator, UNDP is represented by the Associate Administrator.{{Citation needed|date=April 2011}} The position has been held by Holiang Xu (China) since June 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Haoliang Xu appointed new Associate Administrator for the United Nations Development Programme {{!}} United Nations Development Programme |url=https://www.undp.org/news/haoliang-xu-appointed-new-associate-administrator-united-nations-development-programme |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=UNDP |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Secretary-General Appoints Haoliang Xu of China Associate Administrator, United Nations Development Programme {{!}} UN Press |url=https://press.un.org/en/2023/sga2212.doc.htm |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=press.un.org}}</ref>He replaced Usha Rao-Monari (India)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.undp.org/press-releases/usha-rao-monari-assumes-role-new-associate-administrator-united-nations-development#:~:text=New%20York%20%2D%20Ms.,General%20Ant%C3%B3nio%20Guterres%20last%20February |title=Usha Rao-Monari assumes role as new Associate Administrator for the United Nations Development Programme |publisher=United Nations Development Programme |date=6 April 2021 |access-date=13 March 2022}}</ref>

=== Assistant administrators ===
Assistant Administrators of the UNDP, Assistant Secretaries-General and Directors of the Regional Bureaus are:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Our leadership {{!}} United Nations Development Programme |url=https://www.undp.org/our-leadership |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=UNDP |language=en}}</ref>

* Abdallah Al Dardari (Syria), Head of Regional Bureau for Arab States<ref>{{Cite web |title=Abdallah Al Dardari appointed as new Assistant Secretary-General and new Director for the Regional Bureau for Arab States {{!}} United Nations Development Programme |url=https://www.undp.org/news/abdallah-al-dardari-appointed-new-assistant-secretary-general-and-new-director-regional-bureau-arab-states |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=UNDP |language=en}}</ref>
* Ahunna Eziakonwa (Nigeria) Head of Regional Bureau for Africa<ref>{{Cite web |title=Assistant Secretary-General, Assistant Administrator and Director of the Regional Bureau for Africa (RBA) {{!}} United Nations Secretary-General |url=https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/profiles/ahunna-eziakonwa |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=www.un.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Ahunna Eziakonwa |url=https://www.brookings.edu/people/ahunna-eziakonwa/ |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=Brookings |language=en-US}}</ref>
* Kanni Wignaraja (Sri Lanka) Head of Regional Bureau for Asia and Pacific<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kanni Wignaraja, Assistant Secretary-General, Assistant Administrator and Director of the Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific {{!}} United Nations Development Programme |url=https://www.undp.org/asia-pacific/kanni-wignaraja-assistant-secretary-general-assistant-administrator-and-director-regional-bureau-asia-and-pacific |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=UNDP |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Ms. Kanni Wignaraja of Sri Lanka - Assistant Secretary-General and Director of the Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) {{!}} United Nations Secretary-General |url=https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/personnel-appointments/2019-11-18/ms-kanni-wignaraja-of-sri-lanka-assistant-secretary-general-and-director-of-the-regional-bureau-for-asia-and-the-pacific-united-nations-development |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=www.un.org}}</ref>
* Ivana Živković (Croatia) Head of Regional Bureau for Europe and the CIS<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ivana Živković appointed as new Assistant Secretary General, Assistant Administrator and the new Director, Regional Bureau for Europe and Commonwealth of Independent States {{!}} United Nations Development Programme |url=https://www.undp.org/news/ivana-zivkovic-appointed-new-assistant-secretary-general-assistant-administrator-and-new-director-regional-bureau-europe-and-commonwealth |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=UNDP |language=en}}</ref>
* Michelle Muschett (Panama), Head of Regional Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean<ref>{{Cite web |title=Michelle Muschett appointed as new Assistant Secretary-General, Assistant Administrator and the new Director, Regional Bureau for the Regional Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean {{!}} United Nations Development Programme |url=https://www.undp.org/press-releases/michelle-muschett-appointed-new-assistant-secretary-general-assistant-administrator-and-new-director-regional-bureau-regional-bureau |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=UNDP |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Secretary-General Appoints Michelle Muschett of Panama Assistant Secretary-General, Director, UNDP Regional Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean {{!}} UN Press |url=https://press.un.org/en/2022/sga2164.doc.htm |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=press.un.org}}</ref>
* Angelique M. Crumbly, Head of Bureau for management Services<ref>{{Cite web |title=Assistant Secretary-General, Assistant Administrator and Director of the Bureau for Management Services {{!}} United Nations Secretary-General |url=https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/profiles/angelique-crumbly |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=www.un.org}}</ref>
* Ulrika Modéer (Sweden), Head of Bureau for External Relations and Advocacy<ref>{{Cite web |title=Assistant Secretary-General, Assistant Administrator and Director of the Bureau of External Relations and Advocacy (BERA) {{!}} United Nations Secretary-General |url=https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/profiles/ulrika-modeer |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=www.un.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Ulrika Modéer Assumes Role Leading UNDP’s External Relations and Advocacy {{!}} United Nations Development Programme |url=https://www.undp.org/press-releases/ulrika-modeer-assumes-role-leading-undps-external-relations-and-advocacy |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=UNDP |language=en}}</ref>
* Asako Okai (Japan), Director of Crisis Bureau<ref>{{Cite web |title=Asako Okai takes the helm of UNDP’s Crisis Bureau {{!}} United Nations Development Programme |url=https://www.undp.org/press-releases/asako-okai-takes-helm-undps-crisis-bureau |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=UNDP |language=en}}</ref>

== See also ==
{{div col|colwidth=18em}}
* Development aid
* [[Finance:Economic development|Economic development]]
* Equator Prize
* Human development
* International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
* [[Finance:International development|International development]]
* [[Organization:International Development Association|International Development Association]]
* List of HIV-positive people
* List of UNDP country codes
* Match Against Poverty
* Special Programme on Human Reproduction
* UNDP Goodwill Ambassador
* [[Organization:United Nations Economic and Social Council|United Nations Economic and Social Council]] (ECOSOC)
* United Nations Millennium Campaign
* United Nations Sustainable Development Group
* United Nations Volunteers
* U.S. Committee for the United Nations Development Program
* World Population Day
{{div col end}}

==Notes==
{{NoteFoot}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
*Jackson, R. G. A., ''A Study of the Capacity of the United Nations Development System. 2 vols'', Geneva: United Nations, 1969.
*Mitcham, Chad J. 'Australia and Development Cooperation at the United Nations: Towards Poverty Reduction.' In ''Australia and the United Nations'', edited by James Cotton and David Lee, 191–221. Canberra: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Sydney: Longueville Books, 2013.

== External links ==
*[https://www.undp.org/ UNDP official website]
*Mitcham, Chad J., ''[http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/jackson-sir-robert-gillman-20715/text31511 Jackson, Sir Robert Gillman (1911-1991)]'', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, published online 2016, accessed online 5 September 2017.


{{South-South}}


[[Category:Economic development]]
[[Category:Organizations (Finance)]]
[[Category:Organizations|Finance]]

{{Sourceattribution|United Nations Development Programme}}