Dr. Maureen Birmingham, United Nations Resident Coordinator, ad interim
Distinguished Representatives from the United Nations and Thai agencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Allow me, first of all, to thank Dr. Birmingham and the UN Country Team for co-hosting this important event with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Today’s ceremony marks a new chapter of enhanced partnership between the UN and Thailand in recognition of Thailand’s emergence as a Middle-Income Country.
In April last year, as you may recall, we concluded the UN Partnership Framework (UNPAF) 2012-2016. Today, the signing of the UNPAF Action Plan translates our mutual commitment into common actions.
Significantly, both the Framework and the Action Plan align the support of the UN Country Team, in terms of policy advices and technical assistance, with the goals and objectives of the Eleventh National Economic and Social Development Plan over the course of the next five years.
We are pleased that the 6 fields of Joint Partnerships, which are the focus of our joint efforts, lies at the very heart of the Eleventh National Economic and Social Development Plan.
This common Action Plan, which replaces the individual Country Programmes of UNDP, UNFPA and UNICEF will provide greater coherence to the engagement of the UN and development partners with relevant Thai agencies.
It will, in addition, provide more effective planning, monitoring and flexibility to address new priorities and needs that come with Thailand’s emergence as a Middle-Income Country, as well as ensuring the maximization of resources.
In this regard, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs highly appreciates the UN Country Team’s efforts in making this process of preparing the Action Plan inclusive from the very beginning.
At the same time, I also wish to thank my Thai colleagues from the relevant ministries, especially those who have participated at every UNPAF Workshop since September 2010, for their important contributions.
I am confident that your valuable ideas and suggestions have helped to align this Partnership Framework with the expectations and development priorities of the Royal Thai Government, and provided clear-cut guidelines for ensuring meaningful results.
I firmly believe that Thailand’s experiences with the preparation of the UNPAF will inspire other countries to form similar partnership with the UN.
In closing, I would like to reiterate my earnest hope that the UNPAF Action Plan 2012-2016 would successfully accomplish all of its objectives and provide the impetus for an enhanced and more dynamic partnership between Thailand and the UN in the years ahead.
Thank you.
For further information, please contact the Press Division, Department of Information, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tel.02-6435170, Fax.02-6435169, E-mail: div0704@mfa.go.th