Top UN official in SL

UN Assistant Secretary-General, Chair, United Nations Development Group Asia-Pacific and UNDP Assistant Administrator & Director, Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, Haoliang Xu, who arrived in Sri Lanka yesterday evening said that he look forward to better understanding the human development priorities of Sri Lanka.

Xu said that he looks forward to understanding the progress made in the first year of the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) for 2013-2017. “UN’s work in Sri Lanka has shifted largely towards more development-focused programmes.”

“While understanding the impressive progress made so far, I also look forward to better understanding the human development priorities of the country as well as how we as the United Nations could strengthen our support to achieve these priorities,” he said.

Mr. Xu further said that his visit will in particular focus on UNDP’s Programme in Sri Lanka, in the areas of access to justice, gender equality, socio-economic development, empowerment and disaster risk management.

During the visit, Mr. Xu is expected to meet and exchange views with high-level Government officials, development partners and the civil society.

He will gain a perspective of the progress made by the UN System during the first year of implementation of the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) 2013-2017, while transitioning from a largely humanitarian to a development-focused programme in Sri Lanka, the UN office in Colombo said in a statement.

Mr. Xu will also engage in a policy dialogue with eminent economists and representatives from think-tanks on Sri Lanka’s development outlook, and with a cross-section of women leaders on issues pertaining to gender-based violence in Sri Lanka.

Further, Mr. Xu will also undertake a visit to the Northern Districts, where he will meet with Government officials, representatives from Community Based Organizations and beneficiaries and gain a first-hand understanding of the development priorities in the districts and further support needs. He will also visit UN/UNDP supported livelihood development projects on the ground.