Norway contributes $1.1m for UN reforms
By Ali Imran

ISLAMABAD—The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) inked an agreement Wednesday, to support operations of the UN transformationfund in Pakistan.
The Transformation Project Fund being provided under theagreement signed by Aud Marit Wiig, Ambassador, Royal Norwegian Embassy and Alvaro Rodriguez, Country Director, UNDP, would securetemporary resources for piloting the change in the UN system in Pakistan. The UN Resident Coordinator Jan Vandemoortele was alsopresent on the occasion.
This pilot initiative, to be referred collectively as oneprogram, extends over the next two years and comes at an opportune time as all UN agencies at the country level are formulating jointdevelopment plans in close collaboration with the government andcivil society. Through the reform, the UN will also focus on creating harmonized business practices and budget procedures making themsimpler for both national development partners and donors.
The government of Canada has also been supporting this initiative. Based on the government’s request, Pakistan is a pilot fordeveloping and enacting the principles of UN reform as on January09, 2007, United Nations in New York had informed the governmentthat the country had been selected as pilot.
In view of the government’s commitment to accelerate UN reform at country level, the UN Country Team (UNCT) continues it’s efforts to deliver with One programme, One leader, One budgetary frameworkand One office. Appreciating Norway’s support to this important initiative,Alvaro Rodriguez stated, the reform shall benefit the country’s progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) though thebut reform needed resources and time. Norway’s support through the Transformation Fund Project will facilitate the establishment of joint programs, business practicesand a unified budgetary framework.