Luxembourg Signs Strategic Partnership Frameworks with UN Agencies

From 6 to 8 December 2021, Luxembourg's Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs, and Minister of the Economy, Franz Fayot, has been in New York, US, on a working visit.

Minister Fayot signed two new strategic partnership frameworks with Henrietta Fore, Executive Director of United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and Ib Petersen, Deputy Director in charge of management of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

UNICEF and UNFPA will benefit from a total envelope of €26 million over a period of four years, until 2025.

The signing of the agreement with UNICEF coincides with the agency's new strategic plan which aims to contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and to establish a society from which no child is excluded and where every child has the power to act, has the same chances of success and fully exercises his rights.

The new agreement with UNFPA will allow Luxembourg to strengthen a long-standing partnership and work closely with a competent and experienced actor to guarantee universal access to sexual and reproductive health, the guarantee of reproductive rights and the reduction of infant mortality.

Minister Fayot also participated in a high-level meeting of the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), where he reiterated the contribution of €5 million for 2022 and announced that Luxembourg intends to maintain its financial support at the same level in 2023 and 2024, to meet growing humanitarian needs.

A new contribution was also made to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), in particular to the voluntary fund for technical cooperation of the OHCHR, which supports developing countries to realise their commitment to human rights. Respect for human rights is a priority for Luxembourg Cooperation, which remains active in regions where human rights are threatened, for example in Ethiopia and Myanmar.

Minister Fayot also met with Preeti Sinha, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Equipment Fund (UNCDF). The meeting focused on Luxembourg's contribution to the “Last Mile Finance Trust Fund”, the objective of which is to support local infrastructure projects, financial services and small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as to stimulate investment. in the least developed countries. The Bridge Facility issues catalytic loans and guarantees to businesses and project developers that meet its rigorous standards for development impact and financial sustainability. It thus gives access to financing to entrepreneurs who are too small for commercial banks but too large for microfinance institutions.

During a meeting with Martin Griffiths, the emergency relief coordinator of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), Minister Fayot was able to discuss the major current humanitarian crises, particularly in Afghanistan and Ethiopia.