The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has pledged continued support towards the government’s efforts at alleviating poverty in the country. The UN Development Assistance Framework action plan 2012 – 2016, launched earlier in the year, would invest $470m in resource contribution towards Ghana’s development agenda for the next 5 years. Speaking at the maiden UNDP media day in Accra, Thursday, the Country Director, Mr Kamil Kamaluddeen said the global body remains a development partner of choice, and will continue to be active in the areas of Democratic Governance, Sustainable Development and support interventions that promote inclusive growth. “As Ghana builds its own development solutions, UNDP provides ideas for strategic development projects and capacity building in support of continued efforts to eradicate pockets of extreme poverty, improve gender equality, reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS, promote and protect human rights and enhance environmental management,” he said. He said the Programme recognized the media as a critical dimension of its work, to communicate results and identify ways through which it can further strengthen institutions, and build additional capacity for the media. Mr Kamaluddeen was optimistic that the gathering would kick start the renewed relationship between the UNDP and the media. The United Nations Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative, Ms Ruby Sandhu- Rojon said all the agencies under the UN umbrella worked as “one UN” to deliver a common objective of a better world for all. She said the UN country team was going to work hard to ensure that support under the UNDAF framework for 2012-2016 worked in the interest of Ghana’s growth. She disclosed that the UN and all its agencies present in Ghana would celebrate the UN Day in partnership with the Government of Ghana on the 24th October 2012 and looked forward to meeting more press men on the occasion that will highlight the activities the UN is undertaking in the country. She said the platform would present another opportunity for the UN country team to deepen its collaboration with the media. Ms. Sandhu-Rojon said the country had made giant strides towards the attainment of some of the major Millennium Development Goals (MDG) targets before the 2015 deadline. She was quick to add however, that serious attention was needed in areas like ending maternal mortality and poverty in the northern belt. Highlighting the details of the UNDP’s country support initiative, the Deputy Country Director in charge of the programmes, Mr. Jeremias Blaser said, in supporting the aspiration of Ghanaians to achieve a consolidated and democratic nation, the UNDP has supported the process of enabling about 80,000 Ghanaians from across the country to participate in the review of the Constitutional Review Process. He said “We have assisted Ghana to strengthen its institutions and provided technical support totaling $89.3m over the past 5 years. This year, a total grant of $16m in the form of programme funds would be released to support Ghana’s development agenda for 2012”. According to him, the UNDP, in the last 5 years, had supported over 100,000 women engaged in livelihood activities under its micro small and medium enterprises project to build avenues for their personal and community development. These women have gained practical capacity building training and capital support to start and sustain profitable businesses. All cluster heads at the UNDP and the entire staff were present to share with newsmen their activities and ways of partnering to eradicate extreme poverty. The occasion was also used to outdoor the new website for the organization. The site, which is expected to go live by the close of next week, gives detailed information on the activities of the UNDP in Ghana. It would be a good source of facts and resources for journalists, especially, and the general public.