UNFPA pledges continued support to Nigeria

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on Tuesday pledged to continue to provide humanitarian services for the benefit of Nigerians.

Ms Diene Keita, the new UNFPA Country Representative (CR) in Nigeria, made the promise at the opening of 2017 Mid-Year Review Meeting with its Implementing Partners (IPs) in Abuja.

Represented by the Assistant Representative (Population and Development), Mr Osaretin Adonri, she said that this would however be done within limited resources available to the Fund.

She said the UN system was concerned about the increasing demand for humanitarian interventions in the country and called on all stakeholders to address the situation.

The official also enjoined participants at the meeting to remain committed to the partnership and faithfully implement of all agreed 2017 annual work plans.

This, she said, would facilitate the realisation of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), South-South Cooperation and SDGs.

Welcoming representatives of the various IPs earlier, Dr Sanjo Faniran, Assistant Director, International Cooperation Department, Ministry of Budget and National Planning, pledged government sustained cooperation with the Fund to improve quality of lives of Nigerians.

He commended UNFPA for organising the event and charged participants to make constructive contributions toward national development.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that no fewer than 11 first line Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), including the federal ministries of foreign affairs, health, education, budget and national planning, women and social development, youths, National Population Commission, NPHCDA, FCTA and NAN are attending the meeting.

Other participants are nine NGOs promoting reproductive health and gender issues as well as UNFPA staff.

The five-day meeting is expected to come up with pragmatic ways of achieving set targets by the stakeholders.