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The UNICEF Executive Board’s first regular session of the year, which opened on Tuesday, emphasized the urgency of integrating development work with humanitarian response and efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change.
In his opening statement, H.E. Mr. Sven Jürgenson, the newly elected President of the UNICEF Executive Board and Permanent Representative of Estonia to the United Nations, celebrated important global achievements in 2015. These milestones include the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement on climate change. President Jürgenson noted that, despite these accomplishments, an increasing number of protracted conflicts and natural disasters threaten to set back development by decades. These challenges can be offset, he argued, by greater fusion between development programmes and relief work.
During the proceedings, the Board approved seven new country programme documents: for Argentina, Azerbaijan, Ethiopia, Iraq, the Syrian Arab Republic, Uruguay and the United Republic of Tanzania.
Over the course of the three-day meeting, the Board will review UNICEF’s financial report and audited statements for 2014 and Report of the Board of Auditors, and the Private Fundraising and Partnerships workplan and proposed budget for 2016.
Apa.az
