India -UN Development Partnership is example of uniting for success

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United Nations – “The India-UN Development Partnership Fund stands as a testament to the extraordinary accomplishments that nations can achieve when they unite, surpassing borders and differences, to create a sustainable, equitable, and just world,” said Deputy Secretary General Amina J. Mohammed recently at the India-UNDP Fund – 6 years of Collaborative Partnership event at the UN head quarters.

Mohammed said the India-UNDP Fund (the Fund hereafter) has supported 76 development projects, collaborating with 54 developing countries through 12 United Nations entities and also facilitating the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation.

The India-UN Development Partnership Fund, managed by the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation, was established by Government of India in June 2017 for South-South cooperation and supports sustainable development projects. The fund works specifically with the Commonwealth countries in South Asia through its Commonwealth Window.

Expressing heartfelt appreciation for these achievements and for its unwavering commitment and contributions through the Fund, Mohammed said India’s philosophy of ‘vasudhaiva kutumbakam’ was clearly visible in this support of the South-South cooperation and also of pursuit of the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) set by the UN.

The Fund has been making a positive difference through its support of projects in countries including Haiti, Moldova, Zimbabwe and more, according to Mohammed.

Speaking at the event, Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj, Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations, said, “India stands as a pillar of leadership and advocacy for the Global South”.

Stressing that the Fund was instrumental in advancing SDGs  through South-South cooperation, Kamboj spoke of India’s representative role in the global south and of India’s timely humanitarian assistance to countries including Afghanistan, Ukraine, Turkiye, Nepal, and to Gaza.

Kamboj echoed the sentiment expressed by Mohammed when she said, “India’s commitment to South-South cooperation goes beyond mere policy; it is deeply rooted in our ethos and philosophy, which envisions the world as a single family.”

“Our commitment to the ethos of ‘leaving no one behind’ is not just rhetoric but a demonstrated reality”, she said.

Kamboj had emphasized India’s commitment to the comprehensive development of fellow developing nations, at an earlier event ‘India-UN for Global South: Delivering for Development’.

President Dennis Francis of UN General Assembly praised India for its achievements and called it “important work geared towards fostering meaningful inclusivity and, of course, advancing the principle of leaving no one behind.”

Francis said it was “no small feat in the face of shrunken fiscal spaces and the lingering impact of the pandemic.” The Fund speaks volumes about India’s development and its ability to channel funds where they were needed most, he said.

Twenty eight of India’s development projects are in Small Island Developing States, covering all the SDGs from climate resilience and livelihood development to health and education, as well as agriculture and food security sectors. Commending India, Francis said, “It is well targeted initiative of endurance – and agility – that I wholeheartedly endorse,” and added

His own region of the Caribbean Community was a major beneficiary getting support for innovative, Southern-owned and led, demand-driven sustainable development projects, including establishment of a telemedicine system in Trinidad and Tobago, Francis said.

Mentioning India’s efforts to include the African Union in the G20 permanent members, Frnacis said, “We are all accustomed to the fact that keeping an eye on the horizon is nothing new for India.”

Referring to this, Kamboj had also said, “India has consistently championed the cause of the Global South,” at the United Nations Day for South South Cooperation.

“Home to one-sixth of humanity, India also plays an unparalleled role in the global mission – including here at the UN – to create a more just and equitable world,” Francis said.

Urging to move forward the 2030 Agenda of the SDGs, Francis also prescribed innovation and new economic modes.

Other speakers at the eent included the Permanent Representative of  Dominica, El Salvador, Morocco, Cameroon and Nicaragua, Senegal, Fiji, Tuvalu, Togo, and Tonga. The event was also attended by members of the UN agencies, international organizations, think tanks, and academicians.

The India-UN Development Partnership Fund Annual Report was launched on this occasion. A short video showcasing how the Fund has positively impacted communities across the global South was also played.