The Government of Nepal and the United Nations jointly organised the first annual meeting of the Joint Steering Committee of the Nepal UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2023-2027 on Thursday.

Speaking at the meeting, National Planning Commission Vice Chair Min Bahadur Shrestha highlighted that Nepal sought transformative and impactful support of the UN to create more employment opportunities, boost productivity, and productive capacity to realise its plan of graduating from the Least Developed Countries (LDC).

“The vice chairman stated that Nepal looks forward to graduating from the LDC status in 2026 and implementing the 16th Development Plan,” reads a press release issued by the meeting organisers.

“Nepal seeks scalable, transformative, and impactful support of the UN to create more employment opportunities, boost productivity, and productive capacity, promote sustainable use of natural resources, fortify the data management system for evidence-based policymaking, and enhance access to quality education and health facilities,” Shrestha said.

The United Nations Resident Coordinator Hanaa Singer Hamdy stated that the Cooperation Framework is the centrepiece for the implementation of the UN Development System reform at the country level.

“It articulates how the UN is supporting the people and the Government of Nepal in achieving its development goals,” she is quoted as saying.

The meeting, co-chaired by Shrestha and Hamdy, discussed work plans and priorities for 2024 under its four outcome areas: Sustainable, Resilient, and Inclusive Economic Transformation; Inclusive and Transformative Human Development; Environment Sustainability, Climate and Disaster Resilience; and Governance, Federalism, Participation, and Inclusion, the statement further reads.