OREANDA-NEWS. September 23, 2016. The Memorandum of Understanding signed in New York with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) seeks to drive and work in conjunction with initiatives that contribute to the region's achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs) with a view to 2030. 

CAF - Development Bank of Latin America and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) today deepened their alliance with the signing of a cooperation agreement to work jointly in areas of mutual interest and to support the region's governments in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030.

The Memorandum of Understanding was signed in New York by CAF Executive President Enrique Garcia and the UNDP Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, Jessica Faieta, in the context of the 71st UN General Assembly.

"With this agreement we seek to strengthen and invigorate our cooperation with UNDP, which has a long history, in order for both institutions to work in a coordinated manner, taking advantage of our respective strengths towards the achievement of SDGs in Latin America. The region has achieved important social and economic progress in recent years, and it is now time to find a new impulse to undertake the reforms that ensure its continuous improvement and sustainability," stated Garcia after the agreement's signing.

Jessica Faieta highlighted that "UNDP has associated with governments, civil society and the private sector in order to make the 2030 Agenda a reality. Through this agreement, we hope to continue our work together with CAF with a view to achieving the targets set by the Sustainable Development Goals in a time of great challenges, but also of opportunities. Multidimensional progress for the region is possible and we must work together with all actors to achieve people's wellbeing, beyond income and without leaving anyone behind."

The agreement's main objective is to explore cooperation opportunities in regional development issues that contribute to achieving the SDGs set by the United Nations last year, with an agenda of 17 goals that seek to improve the lives and dignity of people, from here until 2030.

Among the areas of cooperation are the promotion of democratic governance, people's security and prevention of violence, institutional strengthening for the adaptation of countries to climate change in order to mitigate the risks of natural disasters and their response capacity, impulse for public-private cooperation that aims for businesses to commit to the 2030 Agenda of Sustainable Development, and the promotion of South-South cooperation initiatives among different government levels, countries and actors in the region.

The memorandum also includes joint support for gender programs that contribute to women's economic autonomy, the exploration of synergies for working together in community development and social innovation, and the support, at governments' request, for initiatives that contribute to strengthening their management capabilities for programs and projects. The collaboration in developing and disseminating reports related to human development at a regional and subregional level is also among the objectives of both institutions.