(MENAFN- Jordan Times) AMMAN — The private sector is and should always be a key partner in enhancing development in the Arab region, a top UN official said, highlighting the efforts Jordan has exerted in that direction.
In an exclusive interview with The Jordan Times as part of her regional tour, UNDP Arab States Deputy Director Sarah Poole commended the achievements made by the Kingdom in its implementation of the Sustainable Agenda 2030, especially in terms of inclusive growth.
'Since the start of the Syrian crisis, Jordan has been bearing a huge burden and has yet managed to build on its national capacities to enhance communities' resilience both for the refugees and the local communities,' she noted, highlighting the government's inclusion of local communities in its resilience approach.
The UN official on Monday took part in the signing of an agreement between the UN Development Programme and Zain Jordan which entailed the endorsement and recognition of the corporate sustainability programmes being implemented throughout the years.
"UNDP's work aims to engage all partners in the reform agenda for sustainable development, and not solely focus on humanitarian aid,' Poole pointed out, stressing the need to 'find innovative ways to support community based resilience within the population itself.'
"The response to the Syrian crisis, both in Jordan and the region as a whole, needs to follow a medium- and longer-term vision, which includes all areas of work including livelihood work opportunities, women's rights, civil society participation, youth, and other issues,' she said, highlighting the relevance of integrated partnerships with all sectors to foster participatory discussions and inputs.
'Contrary to our past strategy, which was much more segmented through sectorial projects, we are now striving to bring all stakeholders together, both public and private, to address the points of tension and enhance social cohesion in society in a dynamic integrated approach,' Poole noted, highlighting the strong partnerships existent among all UN agencies in the Kingdom.
'As a global entity composed of numerous agencies, we cannot rely on a top down approach; we must rather provide support and facilitation to convene all groups so they can identify their needs and develop localised, participatory solutions to their obstacles,' she continued, praising Jordan's efforts in 'contextualising the global development agenda to its local, national and regional needs and challenges'.
'This agreement with ZainJo, which has been one of the earliest private sector's adapters of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Jordan, will pave the way in strengthening and deepening further partnerships between the UN and private entities,' she commented, noting that 'Jordan will also be better equipped to leverage the rich potential of emerging technologies".
Acknowledging the number of challenges still facing the region and the Kingdom in particular, she highlighted Jordan's continuous efforts to integrate SDGs in its governmental policies and frameworks, in collaboration with various UN country teams.
'During my visit to the Kingdom, I was able to witness a number of innovative partnerships between the government, the private sector and local and international organisations, which are concrete proof of the success of the SDGs' collaborative implementation,' she concluded.
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