View source for United Nations Development Programme

{{Short description|Global development network of the United Nations}}
{{More sources|date=October 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}}
{{Infobox organization
| image                    = UNDP logo.svg
| image_size               = 100px
| name                     = United Nations Development Programme
| staff                    = 7,394
| staff_year               = 2022<ref>{{cite web|url=https://unsceb.org/hr-organization|title=PERSONNEL BY ORGANIZATION &#124; United Nations - CEB}}</ref>
| map                      = 
| map_size                 = 
| map_caption              = 
| type                     = Programme
| abbreviation             = UNDP
| headquarters             = [[New York City]]<br />([[extraterritoriality|international territory]])
| leader_title             = Administrator
| leader_name              = [[Haoliang Xu]] (acting)<ref>{{cite web |author=<!-- not stated --> |date=27 September 2025 |title=Haoliang Xu Acting Administrator and UNDP Associate Administrator |url=https://www.undp.org/our-leadership |website= |location=New York |publisher=UNDP |access-date=27 September 2025}}</ref>
| leader_title2            = Executive Board President
| leader_name2             = [[Muhammad Abdul Muhith]]
| status                   = Active
| formation                = 22 November 1965
| website                  = {{Official URL}}
| parent_organization      = [[United Nations Economic and Social Council|ECOSOC]]<ref>{{Cite journal
 |url           = http://www.unausa.org/atf/cf/%7b49C555AC-20C8-4B43-8483-A2D4C1808E4E%7d/2007+UNA-USA+MUN+UNDP+%5bMegacities+and+the+Environment,+Foreign+Direct+Investment%5d.pdf
 |title         = Background Guide;: Executive board of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
 |publisher     = UN-USA
 |access-date   = 13 December 2007
 |archive-url   = https://web.archive.org/web/20070614085742/http://www.unausa.org/atf/cf/%7b49C555AC-20C8-4B43-8483-A2D4C1808E4E%7d/2007%20UNA-USA%20MUN%20UNDP%20%5bMegacities%20and%20the%20Environment,%20Foreign%20Direct%20Investment%5d.pdf
 |archive-date  = 14 June 2007
 |url-status    = dead
 }} (from Internet archive)</ref>
| footnotes                = 
}}

The '''United Nations Development Programme''' ('''UNDP''')<ref group="note">{{langx|fr|Programme des Nations unies pour le développement, '''PNUD'''}}</ref> is a [[United Nations]] agency tasked with helping countries [[Poverty reduction|eliminate poverty]] and achieve [[Sustainable development|sustainable economic growth]] and [[Human development (economics)|human development]]. The UNDP emphasizes on [[capacity building|developing local capacity]] towards long-term self-sufficiency and prosperity.<ref name="britannica.com">{{cite web|title=United Nations Development Programme {{!}} international program|url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/United-Nations-Development-Programme|access-date=2021-10-07|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|language=en}}</ref>

Based at the [[headquarters of the United Nations]] in New York City, it is the largest UN development aid agency,<ref name="britannica.com"/> with offices in 177 countries.<ref>{{cite web|title=FAQs|url=https://www.undp.org/faqs|access-date=2021-10-07|website=United Nations Development Programme|language=en}}</ref><ref name="The Biography of Kemal Dervis">{{cite web|url=https://www.un.org/sg/senstaff_details.asp?smgID=9|title=The Biography of Kemal Dervis|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110924113646/http://www.un.org/sg/senstaff_details.asp?smgID=9|archive-date=24 September 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> The UNDP is funded entirely by voluntary contributions from [[member states of the United Nations|UN member states]].<ref name="The Biography of Kemal Dervis"/>

== Founding ==
The UNDP was founded on 22 November 1965 through the merger of the Expanded Programme of Technical Assistance (EPTA) and the Special Fund in 1958.<ref>''Consolidation of the Special Fund and the Expanded Programme of Technical Assistance in a United Nations Development Programme'' GA Res 2029, XX (1965)</ref> The rationale was to "avoid duplication of [their] activities". The EPTA was set up in 1949 to support the economic and political aspects of underdeveloped countries while the Special Fund was to enlarge the scope of UN technical assistance. The Special Fund arose from the idea of a Special United Nations Fund for Economic Development (SUNFED) (which was initially known as the United Nations Fund for Economic Development (UNFED).<ref>Stokke, O., 2009, The UN and Development: From Aid to Cooperation, Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, especially Chapter 3</ref>

Countries such as the Nordic countries were proponents of such a [[United Nations]] (UN) controlled fund. However, the fund was opposed by other developed countries, especially by the United States, which were wary of the Third World dominating such funding and preferred it to be under the auspices of the [[World Bank]]. The concept of SUNFED was dropped to form the Special Fund. This Special Fund was a compromise over the SUNFED concept: it did not provide investment capital but only helped to bring pre-conditions for private investment.

With the US proposing and creating the [[International Development Association]] within the World Bank's umbrella, the EPTA and the Special Fund appeared to be conducting similar work. In 1962, the United Nations [[United Nations Economic and Social Council|Economic and Social Council]] asked the Secretary-General to consider the merits and disadvantages of merging UN technical assistance programmes and in 1966, the EPTA and the Special Fund merged to form the UNDP.<ref>Stokke, O., 2009, The UN and Development: From Aid to Cooperation, Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, p.82</ref><ref>Murphy, C.N. 2006, The United Nations Development Programme: A Better Way? Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp.51–66</ref><ref>Jolly, R., Emmerij. L. And Ghai, D., 2004, UN Contributions to Development Thinking and Practice, Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press pp.73-84</ref>

==Budget==
{{Update|section|date=December 2019}}
In 2022, UNDP's budget was US$6,737.92 million.<ref>{{cite web |title=UNDP Transparency Portal |url=https://open.undp.org/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240510103908/https://open.undp.org/ |archive-date=May 10, 2024 |access-date=9 January 2021 |website=United Nations Development Programme}}</ref>

===Funding information table===

The following table lists the top 15 DAC 5 Digit Sectors<ref>{{cite web |url=http://iatistandard.org/202/codelists/Sector/ |title=DAC 5 Digit Sector |publisher=The IATI Standard|access-date=4 September 2016 |archive-date=16 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916185432/http://iatistandard.org/202/codelists/Sector/ |url-status=live }}</ref> to which UNDP has committed funding, as recorded in its [[International Aid Transparency Initiative]] (IATI) publications. The UNDP claims on the IATI Registry website that the data covers 100% of development flows.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://iatiregistry.org/publisher/about/undp |title=About – United Nations Development Programme – IATI Registry |access-date=4 September 2016 |archive-date=21 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160921222101/https://iatiregistry.org/publisher/about/undp |url-status=live }}</ref>

UNDP topped the Aid Transparency Index published by [[Publish What You Fund]] in 2015 and 2016, with an excellent score of 93.3%.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.publishwhatyoufund.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/2016-Aid-Transparency-Index.pdf |title=2016 Aid Transparency Index – Publish What You Fund |access-date=11 December 2017 |archive-date=6 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180206000013/http://www.publishwhatyoufund.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/2016-Aid-Transparency-Index.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

{| class="sortable wikitable"
|-
!
! colspan="7" | Committed funding (US$ millions)
|-
! Sector !!2012 !! 2013 !! 2014 !! 2015 !! 2016 !! Sum
|-
| Security system management and reform 
| style="text-align:right;" | 624.3
| style="text-align:right;" | 541.7
| style="text-align:right;" | 591.6
| style="text-align:right;" | 643.8
| style="text-align:right;" | 656.4
| style="text-align:right;" | 3,057.9
|-
| STD control including HIV/AIDS 
| style="text-align:right;" | 415.9
| style="text-align:right;" | 421.4
| style="text-align:right;" | 412.1
| style="text-align:right;" | 465.2
| style="text-align:right;" | 483.5
| style="text-align:right;" | 2,198.1
|-
| Public sector policy and administrative management 
| style="text-align:right;" | 216.3
| style="text-align:right;" | 299.3
| style="text-align:right;" | 372.2
| style="text-align:right;" | 456.9
| style="text-align:right;" | 462.9
| style="text-align:right;" | 1,807.7
|-
| Decentralisation and support to subnational government 
| style="text-align:right;" | 256.7
| style="text-align:right;" | 327.5
| style="text-align:right;" | 302.7
| style="text-align:right;" | 338.4
| style="text-align:right;" | 505.8
| style="text-align:right;" | 1,731.1
|-
| Reconstruction relief and rehabilitation 
| style="text-align:right;" | 249.0
| style="text-align:right;" | 282.5
| style="text-align:right;" | 338.1
| style="text-align:right;" | 376.5
| style="text-align:right;" | 422.0
| style="text-align:right;" | 1,668.2
|-
| Elections 
| style="text-align:right;" | 157.8
| style="text-align:right;" | 267.8
| style="text-align:right;" | 330.3
| style="text-align:right;" | 279.0
| style="text-align:right;" | 149.8
| style="text-align:right;" | 1,184.7
|-
| Disaster prevention and preparedness 
| style="text-align:right;" | 146.4
| style="text-align:right;" | 170.2
| style="text-align:right;" | 211.2
| style="text-align:right;" | 243.7
| style="text-align:right;" | 241.3
| style="text-align:right;" | 1,012.9
|-
| Energy policy and administrative management 
| style="text-align:right;" | 113.3
| style="text-align:right;" | 157.0
| style="text-align:right;" | 198.9
| style="text-align:right;" | 212.3
| style="text-align:right;" | 316.2
| style="text-align:right;" | 997.6
|-
| General budget support 
| style="text-align:right;" | 77.6
| style="text-align:right;" | 142.7
| style="text-align:right;" | 263.1
| style="text-align:right;" | 223.7
| style="text-align:right;" | 273.9
| style="text-align:right;" | 981.1
|-
| Social/ welfare services 
| style="text-align:right;" | 108.7
| style="text-align:right;" | 149.4
| style="text-align:right;" | 155.4
| style="text-align:right;" | 219.4
| style="text-align:right;" | 195.2
| style="text-align:right;" | 828.1
|-
| Legal and judicial development 
| style="text-align:right;" | 62.1
| style="text-align:right;" | 76.6
| style="text-align:right;" | 97.5
| style="text-align:right;" | 113.8
| style="text-align:right;" | 106.9
| style="text-align:right;" | 456.8
|-
| Environmental policy and administrative management 
| style="text-align:right;" | 49.6
| style="text-align:right;" | 63.4
| style="text-align:right;" | 70.9
| style="text-align:right;" | 95.4
| style="text-align:right;" | 122.0
| style="text-align:right;" | 401.3
|-
| Power generation/renewable sources 
| style="text-align:right;" | 42.8
| style="text-align:right;" | 44.4
| style="text-align:right;" | 60.3
| style="text-align:right;" | 101.0
| style="text-align:right;" | 125.2
| style="text-align:right;" | 373.7
|-
| Democratic participation and civil society 
| style="text-align:right;" | 56.3
| style="text-align:right;" | 62.1
| style="text-align:right;" | 62.1
| style="text-align:right;" | 65.9
| style="text-align:right;" | 76.6
| style="text-align:right;" | 323.0
|-
| Human rights 
| style="text-align:right;" | 28.1
| style="text-align:right;" | 45.5
| style="text-align:right;" | 52.4
| style="text-align:right;" | 88.5
| style="text-align:right;" | 56.2
| style="text-align:right;" | 270.8
|-
! Other
! style="text-align:right;" | 334.5
! style="text-align:right;" | 315.5
! style="text-align:right;" | 379.8
! style="text-align:right;" | 507.3
! style="text-align:right;" | 969.5
! style="text-align:right;" | 2,506.6
|-
! Total 
! style="text-align:right;" | 2,939.5
! style="text-align:right;" | 3,367.1
! style="text-align:right;" | 3,898.5
! style="text-align:right;" | 4,430.9
! style="text-align:right;" | 5,163.6
! style="text-align:right;" | 19,799.6
|}

UNDP links and coordinates global and national efforts to achieve the goals and national development priorities laid out by host countries. UNDP focuses primarily on five developmental challenges:

====Democratic governance====
UNDP supports national democratic transitions by providing policy advice and technical support, improving [[civil service reform in developing countries|institutional]] and individual capacity within countries, educating populations about and advocating for democratic reforms, promoting negotiation and dialogue, and sharing successful experiences from other countries and locations.

====Poverty reduction====
{{primary sources|section|date=December 2013}}
UNDP helps countries develop strategies to [[Poverty reduction|combat poverty]] by expanding access to economic opportunities and resources, linking poverty programmes with countries' larger goals and policies, and ensuring a greater voice for the poor. It also works at the macro level to reform trade, encourage debt relief and foreign investment, and ensure the poorest of the poor benefit from globalisation. 

The UNDP [[International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth]] (IPC-IG) in Brasília, Brazil, expands the capacities of developing countries to design, implement and evaluate socially inclusive development projects. IPC-IG is a global forum for [[South-South]] policy dialogue and learning, having worked with more than 7,000 officials from more than 50 countries.

A 2013 evaluation of the UNDP's poverty reduction efforts states that the UNDP has effectively supported national efforts to reduce poverty, by helping governments make policy changes that benefit the poor.<ref>{{cite web|title=Evaluation of UNDP Contribution to Poverty Reduction|work=Issuu |url=http://issuu.com/undp-evaluation/docs/evaluation_poverty_2013/90.|publisher=UNDP|access-date=4 November 2013|archive-date=31 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160731024356/https://issuu.com/undp-evaluation/docs/evaluation_poverty_2013/90.|url-status=live}}</ref> Nevertheless, the same evaluation also states there is a strong need for better measurement and monitoring of the impacts of the UNDP's work.<ref>{{cite web|title=Evaluation of UNDP Contribution to Poverty Reduction|work=Issuu |url=http://issuu.com/undp-evaluation/docs/evaluation_poverty_2013/94.|publisher=UNDP|access-date=4 November 2013|archive-date=19 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160319033333/https://issuu.com/undp-evaluation/docs/evaluation_poverty_2013/94.|url-status=live}}</ref> The UNDP's Strategic Plan from 2014 to 2017 incorporates the recommendations of this poverty evaluation.<ref>{{cite web|title=UNDP Strategic Plan: 2014-2017|url=http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/librarypage/corporate/Changing_with_the_World_UNDP_Strategic_Plan_2014_17.html|publisher=UNDP|access-date=4 November 2013|archive-date=18 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200518065050/http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/librarypage/corporate/Changing_with_the_World_UNDP_Strategic_Plan_2014_17.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

====Crisis prevention and recovery====
UNDP works to reduce the risk of armed conflicts or disasters, and promote early recovery after crisis have occurred. UNDP works through its country offices to support local government in needs assessment, capacity development, coordinated planning, and policy and standard setting.

Examples of UNDP risk reduction programmes include efforts to control [[small arms proliferation]], strategies to reduce the impact of natural disasters, and programmes to encourage use of diplomacy and prevent violence. Recovery programmes include [[disarmament, demobilization and reintegration]] of ex-combatants, demining efforts, programmes to reintegrate displaced persons, restoration of basic services, and transitional justice systems for countries recovering from warfare.

Following the suspension of most foreign aid to Afghanistan due to its [[2021 Taliban offensive|takeover by the Taliban]], the UNDP took responsibility for funding most essential health services in the country, including the salaries of over 25,000 health care professionals.<ref name=":0">{{cite news|last=DeYoung|first=Karen|date=6 October 2021|title=U.N. agency to pay salaries of Afghan health-care workers to help stave off humanitarian crisis|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/un-afghanistan-health-system-funding/2021/10/06/30702c72-2535-11ec-9de8-156fed3e81bf_story.html|access-date=7 October 2021}}</ref> This was observed as being outside the organization's usual development activities, and was facilitated by special licencing by the United States government.<ref name=":0" />

====Environment and energy====
As the poor are disproportionately affected by [[environmental degradation]] and lack of access to clean, affordable water, sanitation, and energy services, UNDP seeks to address environmental issues in order to improve developing countries' abilities to develop sustainably, increase [[Human development (humanity)|human development]] and [[Poverty reduction|reduce poverty]]. 

UNDP's environmental strategy focuses on effective [[water governance]] including access to [[water supply]] and [[sanitation]], access to [[sustainable energy]] services, [[Sustainable land management]] to combat [[desertification]] and [[land degradation]], conservation and sustainable use of [[biodiversity]], and policies to control emissions of harmful pollutants and ozone-depleting substances. UNDP's Equator Initiative office biennially offers the [[Equator Prize]] to recognize outstanding indigenous community efforts to reduce poverty through the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, and thus making local contributions to achieving the [[Sustainable Development Goals]] (SDGs).

Between 1996 and 1998, the UNDP sponsored the deployment of 45 [[Multifunction Platform]]s (MFP) in rural [[Mali]]. These installations, driven by a diesel engine, power devices such as pumps, grain mills and appliances.<ref>{{cite web |title=Technological Innovation:Multi-functional Platforms in Mali |url=http://www.geni.org/globalenergy/research/ruralelectrification/casestudies/mali/index.shtml |website=geni.org |access-date=13 April 2020 |archive-date=3 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200303100029/http://www.geni.org/globalenergy/research/ruralelectrification/casestudies/mali/index.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> By 2004, the number of MFPs in Mali reached 500.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Sovacool |first1=Benjamin K. |last2=Clarke |first2=Shannon |last3=Johnson |first3=Katie |last4=Crafton |first4=Meredith |last5=Eidsness |first5=Jay |last6=Zoppo |first6=David |title=The energy-enterprise-gender nexus: Lessons from the Multifunctional Platform (MFP) in Mali |journal=Renewable Energy |date=1 February 2013 |volume=50 |pages=115–125 |doi=10.1016/j.renene.2012.06.024 |bibcode=2013REne...50..115S |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0960148112003758 |language=en |issn=0960-1481 |access-date=13 April 2020 |archive-date=13 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200413062329/https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0960148112003758 |url-status=live |url-access=subscription }}</ref>

In 2012 the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) was established. BIOFIN brings 30 countries together to develop and implement evidence-based finance plans to safeguard biodiversity. BIOFIN has developed an innovative and adaptable methodology to guide countries to analyze the policy and institutional context for biodiversity finance; measure the current biodiversity expenditures; assess future financial needs, and identify the most suitable finance solutions to achieve national biodiversity targets.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://107.170.39.247/sites/default/files/uploads/documents/biofin_factsheet_6may14.pdf |title=Factsheet: The Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) |access-date=3 June 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140606234239/http://107.170.39.247/sites/default/files/uploads/documents/biofin_factsheet_6may14.pdf |archive-date=6 June 2014 }}</ref>

====HIV/AIDS====
UNDP works to help countries prevent further spreading of and reduce the impact of [[HIV/AIDS]], convening The Global Commission on HIV and the Law which was reported in 2012.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hivlawcommission.org/ |title=Global Commission on HIV and the Law  |access-date=11 December 2013 |archive-date=28 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210328154928/https://hivlawcommission.org/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

====Hub for Innovative Partnerships====
Major programmes underway are:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.undp.org/geneva/hub.html |title=The Hub for Innovative Partnerships |date=November 2011 |publisher=undp.org |access-date=17 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120111222936/http://www.undp.org/geneva/hub.html |archive-date=11 January 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
[[File:Gender Inequality Index Map.svg|thumb|World Map of Gender Inequality Index by country sourced from 2017 Human Development Report]]

* [[ART Global Initiative]]
* [[World Alliance of Cities Against Poverty]]
* [[Territorial Approach to Climate Change]]
* [[Africa–Kazakhstan Partnership for the SDGs]]

====Human Development Report====
Since 1991, the UNDP has annually published the [[Human Development Report]], which includes topics on [[Human development (humanity)|Human Development]] and the annual [[Human Development Index]].<ref name="hdr.undp.org">{{cite web |url=http://hdr.undp.org/en/ |title=un.org |access-date=22 April 2011 |archive-date=20 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110220182623/http://hdr.undp.org/en/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The Gender Inequality Index is one such topic discussed in the Human Development Report.

=== Evaluation ===
The UNDP spends about 0.2% of its budget on internal evaluation of the effectiveness of its programmes.<ref name=svd_30sep2013>{{cite news|title=Biståndets svarta hål (in Swedish)|url=http://www.svd.se/nyheter/inrikes/bistandet-slukas-i-fns-svarta-hal_8564732.svd|access-date=30 September 2013|newspaper=[[Svenska Dagbladet]]|date=2013-09-30|archive-date=30 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130930095223/http://www.svd.se/nyheter/inrikes/bistandet-slukas-i-fns-svarta-hal_8564732.svd|url-status=live}}</ref> The UNDP's Evaluation Office is a member of the UN Evaluation Group (UNEG) which brings together all the units responsible for evaluation in the UN system. Currently the UNEG has 43 members and 3 observers.<ref>{{cite web|title="About the United Nations Evaluation Group".|url=http://uneval.org|publisher=United Nations|access-date=4 November 2013|archive-date=5 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105155306/http://uneval.org/|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Global Policy Centres ==
The UNDP runs six Global Policy Centres, including the Seoul Policy Centre (USPC) on partnerships, the Nairobi Global Policy Centre on Resilient Ecosystems and Desertification (GPC-Nairobi), the Singapore-based Global Centre for Technology, Innovation and Sustainable Development (GC-TISD), the Istanbul International Centre for Private Sector in Development (IICPSD), the Oslo Governance Centre, and the Singapore-based Global Centre for Public Service Excellence (GCPSE) that issues the "Raffles Review" email newsletter on developments in public administration research.

== UN coordination role ==
UNDP plays a coordination role in the UN's activities in the field of development. This is mainly executed through its vice-chair role of the UN Development Group and integrator function, within the broader the Resident Coordinator System. 

=== United Nations Development Group ===
{{Main|United Nations Development Group}}

The United Nations Development Group (UNDG) was created by the Secretary-General in 1997, to improve the effectiveness of UN development at the country level. The UNDG brings together the operational agencies working on development. The Group is chaired by the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, with the Administrator of UNDP serving as vice-chair. UN Development Coordination Office (DCO) provides the Secretariat to the Group.

The UNDG develops policies and procedures that allow member agencies to work together and analyse country issues, plan support strategies, implement support programmes, monitor results and advocate for change.

===Resident coordinator system===
The [[Resident Coordinator]] (RC) system coordinates all organizations of the United Nations system dealing with operational activities for development in the field. The RC system aims to bring together the different UN agencies to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of operational activities at the country level. Resident Coordinators lead UN country teams in more than 130 countries and are the designated representatives of the Secretary-General for development operations. Working closely with national governments, Resident Coordinators and country teams to advocate the interests and mandates of the UN drawing on the support and guidance of the entire UN family. It is now coordinated by the UNSDG, chaired by the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations.<ref>[http://www.undg.org/index.cfm?P=5 undg.org] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131220175536/http://www.undg.org/index.cfm?P=5 |date=20 December 2013 }}</ref>

== Innovation Facility ==
The UNDP established the Innovation Facility in 2014, with support from the [[Government of Denmark]], as a dedicated funding mechanism to nurture promising development interventions.<ref>[http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/librarypage/development-impact/undp-innovation-facility/ UNDP's Innovation Facility] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160925120112/http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/librarypage/development-impact/undp-innovation-facility/ |date=25 September 2016 }}. Retrieved 23 August 2016.</ref>

The Innovation Facility offers technical assistance and [[seed funding]] to collaborators across 170 countries and territories to explore new approaches to complex development challenges. Since its inception, the Innovation Facility has fostered innovation labs across all five regions to better deliver and monitor the [[SDGs]].<ref>[http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/library/innovation/Infographic%201%20-%20IF%20at%20a%20glance%20updated.pdf At a Glance] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210204001302/http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/library/innovation/Infographic%201%20-%20IF%20at%20a%20glance%20updated.pdf |date=4 February 2021 }}. Retrieved 23 August 2016.</ref> In 2015, the Innovation Facility invested in 62 initiatives across 45 countries to achieve 16 SDGs.<ref>[http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/librarypage/development-impact/2015-year-in-review.html 2015 Year in Review] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201107193314/https://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/librarypage/development-impact/2015-year-in-review.html |date=7 November 2020 }}. Retrieved 23 August 2016.</ref>

==Controversies==

=== NSA surveillance ===
{{Further|Global surveillance disclosure}}

Documents of [[Edward Snowden]] showed in December 2013 that British and American intelligence agencies surveillance targets with the United States [[National Security Agency]] (NSA) included organisations such as the United Nations Development Programme, the UN's children's charity [[UNICEF]] and [[Médecins Sans Frontières]] and the [[Economic Community of West African States]] (ECOWAS).<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/dec/20/gchq-targeted-aid-agencies-german-government-eu-commissioner GCHQ and NSA targeted charities, Germans, Israeli PM and EU chief] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131221234525/http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/dec/20/gchq-targeted-aid-agencies-german-government-eu-commissioner |date=21 December 2013 }} The Guardian 20 December 2013</ref>

=== Allegations of UNDP resources used by Hamas ===

In August 2016, Israel's [[Shin Bet]] security agency publicized the arrest of Wahid Abdallah al Bursh, a Palestinian engineer employed by the UNDP, stating he had confessed to being recruited in 2014 to help [[Hamas]], the dominant Islamist group in Gaza. Among "various assignments" Bursh performed on behalf of Hamas was "using UNDP resources" to build a maritime jetty for its fighters; no further details were provided on this claim. Shin Bet also claimed Bursh had persuaded his UNDP superiors to prioritize neighbourhoods with Hamas operatives when earmarking reconstruction funds for Gaza, which was devastated by the [[2014 Israel–Gaza conflict|2014 war with Israel]].<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-palestinians-un-hamas-idUSKCN10K1SI Israel says U.N. aid used by Hamas] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210328154928/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-palestinians-un-hamas-idUSKCN10K1SI |date=28 March 2021 }} Reuters 9 August 2016</ref>

=== Alleged financial irregularities ===
The UNDP had been criticised by members of its staff and the [[Presidency of George W. Bush|Bush administration]] of the United States for irregularities in its finances in North Korea. Artjon Shkurtaj claimed that he had found counterfeit US dollars in the programmes' safe despite staff being paid in euros. The UNDP denied keeping improper accounts and any other wrongdoing.<ref>{{cite news
|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6279998.stm
|title=UN denies firing 'whistleblower'
|date=7 July 2007
|publisher=BBC News
|access-date=13 December 2007
}}</ref>

=== Disarmament and controversy ===
In mid-2006, as first reported by [[Matthew Lee (lawyer)|Inner City Press]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.innercitypress.com/unhq062806.html|title=In Uganda, UNDP's Belated Announcement of Program Halt Leaves Questions Unanswered|last=Lee|first=Matthew Russell|date=2006-06-28|website=innercitypress.com}}</ref> and then by [[New Vision (newspaper)|''New Vision'']],<ref>[http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/13/506557 newvision.co.ug] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070214024159/http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/13/506557 |date=14 February 2007 }}</ref> UNDP halted its disarmament programmes in the [[Karamoja]] region of Uganda in response to human rights abuses in the parallel forcible disarmament programmes carried out by the [[Uganda People's Defence Force]].

=== Russia UNDP GEF Project Corruption Scandal ===
In 2019, reports alleging possible misappropriation of funds for UNDP projects in Russia began to appear in the mainstream media. An article called "Greed and Graft at U.N. Climate Program" in August 2019 in ''[[Foreign Policy]]'' reported the findings of a 2017 final evaluation that a UNDP Global Environment Facility<ref>{{Cite web |title=Home {{!}} GEF |url=https://www.thegef.org/ |website=thegef.org}}</ref> greenhouse gas reduction project, the UNDP GEF Energy Efficiency Standards and Labels project in Russia with a budget of US$7.8 million, did not meet its goals and had "strong indicators of deliberate misappropriation" of funds.<ref name="Mackinnon">{{Cite web |last1=Mackinnon |first2=Colum |last2=Lynch |first1=Amy |title=Greed and Graft at U.N. Climate Program |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/08/14/greed-and-graft-at-un-climate-program-united-nations-undp-corruption/ |access-date=2022-05-05 |website=Foreign Policy |date=August 14, 2019 |url-access=subscription |language=en-US |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201213122353/https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/08/14/greed-and-graft-at-un-climate-program-united-nations-undp-corruption/ |archive-date= 2020-12-13}}</ref> The ''Foreign Policy'' article reported that concerns raised by whistleblowers [[Dmitry Ershov]] and John O'Brien and multiple other consultants to the project over many years about irregularities in the programme — which were first reported internally as far back in 2011— were largely dismissed or ignored for several years by their superiors in Istanbul, New York, and Washington, as well as by donor governments, including the United States. The ''Foreign Policy'' article reported that a 2017 confidential audit appendix prepared by final evaluators found "strong indicators of deliberate misappropriation" of millions of dollars in funds from the project between 2010 and 2014.

This led in March 2020 to 12 donor governments writing a letter to UNDP Administrator [[Achim Steiner]] demanding from UNDP an independent review of UNDP's handling of the energy efficiency standards and labels project in Russia, as reported again in ''Foreign Policy'' magazine in December 2020 where it was revealed that these donors had blasted UNDP for resisting appeals to fight corruption and further reports by the [[Financial Times]]<ref>{{Cite news |last1=White |first1=Edward |last2=Hook |first2=Leslie |date=2020-11-30 |title=UN agency hit with corruption allegations at climate projects |work=Financial Times |url=https://www.ft.com/content/054a529c-e793-489b-8986-b65d01672766 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/https://www.ft.com/content/054a529c-e793-489b-8986-b65d01672766 |archive-date=10 December 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=2022-05-05}}</ref> about the 'systemic nature' of the problems and also reports by various other media outlets such as Climate Change News, Passblue and in Newsroom in the New Zealand media. In January 2021, this independent report into the matter as requested by the donors was published, 'Systems and Silos'. This independent review found "irregularities" and concluded the project in question was not managed "either efficiently or effectively" by UNDP and that a number of individuals were able to 'game the relatively weak systems of governance and technical capacity.'  It suggested UNDP consider returning to the [[Global Environment Facility]] (which funded the project) its "entire management fee" as "restitution" and proposed "ongoing efforts to achieve changes in the work culture that reward greater transparency and remove fears of unfair reprisals" aimed at whistleblowers.<ref>Rath, Amitav, Systems and Silos: Review of a UNDP/GEF Project, January 2021, https://www.thegef.org/sites/default/files/documents/3216_Independent_Review_UNDP_GEF_Project_Final_Report.pdf {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210512054907/https://www.thegef.org/sites/default/files/documents/3216_Independent_Review_UNDP_GEF_Project_Final_Report.pdf|date=12 May 2021}}</ref> Concerns over UNDP's failure to handle the Russia controversy in a satisfactory manner led to the government of the [[Netherlands]] withholding some 10 million euros in funding in early 2021.

In February 2022, the leaders of three leading NGOs in the fight against corruption, [[Transparency International]], the Whistleblower International Network or WIN, and the [[Government Accountability Project]] wrote a public letter to UNDP's administrator [[Achim Steiner]], expressing their serious concerns about the lack of whistleblower protection for John O'Brien and Dmitry Ershov by UNDP and highlighting the conclusion of the independent review on the failure by UNDP to carry out John O'Brien's whistleblower case in a satisfactory manner.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Allain |first=Mary |date=2022-02-09 |title=UN climate change whistleblowers must be protected |url=https://whistleblower.org/letter/un-climate-change-whistleblowers-must-be-protected/ |access-date=2022-05-05 |website=Government Accountability Project |language=en-US}}</ref> According to the 2019 Foreign Policy article, Ershov claimed he was "pushed out of his U.N. job" after raising concerns about procurement irregularities and project conflicts of interest way back at the end of 2014.<ref name="Mackinnon"/>

In June 2022, [[BBC Two]] broadcast a 90-minute documentary,''[[The Whistleblowers: Inside the UN]]'', which reported on whistleblower cases across the UN system, including John O'Brien's case. It reported that O'Brien was fired from UNDP in March 2022 several days after his BBC interview. The documentary was described by ''[[The Guardian]]'' as exposing "a toxic culture" where senior UN leaders hide "behind a cloak of saintliness."<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2022/jun/21/the-whistleblowers-inside-the-un-review-a-horrific-tale-of-misogyny-and-10000-deaths behind a cloak of saintliness]</ref>

=== Iraq UNDP Funding Facility for Stabilisation Corruption Scandal ===

In on 22 January 2024, the Guardian Newspaper reported that the US$1.88 billion funding facility for stabilization was riddled with corruption. The Guardian discovered that there had been some 136 corruption allegation cases to its Office of Audit and Investigations (OAI) in relation to the reconstruction programme – the majority of which were against suppliers rather than employees. Then on 5 February 2024, the Guardian Newspaper reported that [[UNDP]] had commissioned an internal management review of the Iraq corruption problems. It also reported that several donors had requested an independent review which exactly is what happened in the case of the UNDP GEF Russia corruption scandal.

The Guardian articles clearly show that the corruption problems at [[UNDP]] and the failure to protect whistleblowers remain, and have not been fixed. The Guardian Newspaper article reveals very similar themes of widespread kickbacks and corruption, staff who are scared to report wrongdoing, and almost no protection for whistleblowers who are scared to come forward in case they are retaliated against and/or lose their jobs.

== Administrator ==
The UNDP Administrator has the rank of an [[Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations]]. While the Administrator is often referred to as the third highest-ranking official in the UN (after the [[UN Secretary-General|Secretary-General]] and  [[Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations|Deputy Secretary-General]]), this has never been formally codified.

In addition to his/her responsibilities as head of UNDP, the Administrator is also the vice-chair of the [[UN Development Group|UN Sustainable Development Group]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/about-us.html|title=About us {{!}} UNDP|website=UNDP|language=en|access-date=10 January 2018|archive-date=6 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180106183428/http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/about-us.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://undg.org/about/undg-global/|title=UNDG at the Global Level|website=undg.org|language=en|access-date=10 January 2018|archive-date=28 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210328155147/https://unsdg.un.org/about/who-we-are|url-status=live}}</ref>

The position of Administrator is appointed by the Secretary-General of the UN and confirmed by the General Assembly for a term of four years.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.undp.org/about/bio1.shtml
|title=Biography: Kemal Derviş, UNDP Administrator
|website=United Nations Development Program
|access-date=11 March 2009
|archive-date=27 February 2009
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090227055034/http://www.undp.org/about/bio1.shtml
|url-status=dead
}}</ref>

[[Achim Steiner]] was the most recent Administrator, serving from 2017 until June 2025, when his second term ended. He was replaced on a temporary basis by Haoliang Xu, who is serving as acting Administrator until a new, permanent Administrator is appointed.<ref name="undp.org administrator 2">{{cite web |date=17 June 2025 |title=Haoliang Xu Designated Acting Administrator of UNDP |url=https://www.undp.org/news/haoliang-xu-designated-acting-administrator-undp |access-date=7 August 2025 |website=UNDP}}</ref> The five countries on the UNDP board have some influence over selection of the Administrator.{{Citation needed |date=March 2011}}

The first administrator of the UNDP was [[Paul G. Hoffman]], former head of the [[Economic Cooperation Administration]] which administered the [[Marshall Plan]].

Other holders of the position have included: [[Bradford Morse]], a former Republican congressman from the U.S. state of Massachusetts; [[William Henry Draper III|William Draper]], an American venture capitalist and friend of [[George H. W. Bush]] who saw one of the UN system's major achievements, the [[Human Development Report]], introduced during his tenure; [[Mark Malloch Brown]] of the UK, who was previously Vice President of External Affairs at the [[World Bank]] and subsequently became UN Deputy Secretary-General; and [[Kemal Derviş]], a former finance minister of Turkey and senior World Bank official.

{| class="wikitable" 
|-
! Nr
! Administrator
! Nationality
! Term
|-
|9
|[[Achim Steiner]]
|{{BRA}} / {{GER}}
|2017–2025
|-
| 8 || [[Helen Clark]]  || {{NZL}} || 2009–2017
|-
| 7 || [[Kemal Derviş]] || {{TUR}} || 2005–2009 
|-
| 6 || [[Mark Malloch Brown, Baron Malloch-Brown|Mark Malloch Brown]]  || {{GBR}} || 1999–2005 
|-
| 5 || [[James Gustave Speth]] || rowspan=5|{{USA}} || 1993–1999 
|-
| 4 || [[William Henry Draper III|William Henry Draper]] || 1986–1993 
|-
| 3 || [[F. Bradford Morse]] || 1976–1986 
|-
| 2 || [[Rudolph A. Peterson]] || 1972–1976 
|-
| 1 || [[Paul G. Hoffman]] || 1966–1972 
|}

=== Associate Administrator ===
During meetings of the [[United Nations Sustainable Development Group]], which are chaired by the Administrator, UNDP is represented by the Associate Administrator.{{Citation needed|date=April 2011}} The position has been held by [[Haoliang Xu|Holiang Xu]] (China) since June 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Haoliang Xu appointed new Associate Administrator for the United Nations Development Programme {{!}} United Nations Development Programme |url=https://www.undp.org/news/haoliang-xu-appointed-new-associate-administrator-united-nations-development-programme |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=UNDP |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Secretary-General Appoints Haoliang Xu of China Associate Administrator, United Nations Development Programme {{!}} UN Press |url=https://press.un.org/en/2023/sga2212.doc.htm |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=press.un.org}}</ref> He replaced [[Usha Rao-Monari]] (India).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.undp.org/press-releases/usha-rao-monari-assumes-role-new-associate-administrator-united-nations-development#:~:text=New%20York%20%2D%20Ms.,General%20Ant%C3%B3nio%20Guterres%20last%20February |title=Usha Rao-Monari assumes role as new Associate Administrator for the United Nations Development Programme |publisher=United Nations Development Programme |date=6 April 2021 |access-date=13 March 2022}}</ref>

=== Assistant administrators ===
Assistant Administrators of the UNDP, Assistant Secretaries-General and Directors of the Regional Bureaus are:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Our leadership {{!}} United Nations Development Programme |url=https://www.undp.org/our-leadership |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=UNDP |language=en}}</ref>

* [[Abdullah Dardari|Abdallah Al Dardari]] (Syria), Head of Regional Bureau for Arab States<ref>{{Cite web |title=Abdallah Al Dardari appointed as new Assistant Secretary-General and new Director for the Regional Bureau for Arab States {{!}} United Nations Development Programme |url=https://www.undp.org/news/abdallah-al-dardari-appointed-new-assistant-secretary-general-and-new-director-regional-bureau-arab-states |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=UNDP |language=en}}</ref>
* [[Ahunna Eziakonwa]] (Nigeria) Head of Regional Bureau for Africa<ref>{{Cite web |title=Assistant Secretary-General, Assistant Administrator and Director of the Regional Bureau for Africa (RBA) {{!}} United Nations Secretary-General |url=https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/profiles/ahunna-eziakonwa |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=www.un.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Ahunna Eziakonwa |url=https://www.brookings.edu/people/ahunna-eziakonwa/ |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=Brookings |language=en-US}}</ref>
* Kanni Wignaraja (Sri Lanka) Head of Regional Bureau for Asia and Pacific<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kanni Wignaraja, Assistant Secretary-General, Assistant Administrator and Director of the Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific {{!}} United Nations Development Programme |url=https://www.undp.org/asia-pacific/kanni-wignaraja-assistant-secretary-general-assistant-administrator-and-director-regional-bureau-asia-and-pacific |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=UNDP |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Ms. Kanni Wignaraja of Sri Lanka - Assistant Secretary-General and Director of the Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) {{!}} United Nations Secretary-General |url=https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/personnel-appointments/2019-11-18/ms-kanni-wignaraja-of-sri-lanka-assistant-secretary-general-and-director-of-the-regional-bureau-for-asia-and-the-pacific-united-nations-development |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=www.un.org}}</ref>
* [[Ivana Živković]] (Croatia) Head of Regional Bureau for Europe and the [[Commonwealth of Independent States|CIS]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ivana Živković appointed as new Assistant Secretary General, Assistant Administrator and the new Director, Regional Bureau for Europe and Commonwealth of Independent States {{!}} United Nations Development Programme |url=https://www.undp.org/news/ivana-zivkovic-appointed-new-assistant-secretary-general-assistant-administrator-and-new-director-regional-bureau-europe-and-commonwealth |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=UNDP |language=en}}</ref>
* Michelle Muschett (Panama), Head of Regional Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean<ref>{{Cite web |title=Michelle Muschett appointed as new Assistant Secretary-General, Assistant Administrator and the new Director, Regional Bureau for the Regional Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean {{!}} United Nations Development Programme |url=https://www.undp.org/press-releases/michelle-muschett-appointed-new-assistant-secretary-general-assistant-administrator-and-new-director-regional-bureau-regional-bureau |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=UNDP |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Secretary-General Appoints Michelle Muschett of Panama Assistant Secretary-General, Director, UNDP Regional Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean {{!}} UN Press |url=https://press.un.org/en/2022/sga2164.doc.htm |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=press.un.org}}</ref>
* Angelique M. Crumbly, Head of Bureau for Management Services<ref>{{Cite web |title=Assistant Secretary-General, Assistant Administrator and Director of the Bureau for Management Services {{!}} United Nations Secretary-General |url=https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/profiles/angelique-crumbly |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=www.un.org}}</ref>
* Susan Brown (Switzerland), Head of Bureau for External Relations and Advocacy<ref>{{Cite web |title=Assistant Secretary-General, Assistant Administrator and Director of the Bureau of External Relations and Advocacy (BERA) {{!}} United Nations Secretary-General |url=https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/profiles/ulrika-modeer |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=www.un.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Ulrika Modéer Assumes Role Leading UNDP's External Relations and Advocacy {{!}} United Nations Development Programme |url=https://www.undp.org/press-releases/ulrika-modeer-assumes-role-leading-undps-external-relations-and-advocacy |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=UNDP |language=en}}</ref>
* Shoko Noda (Japan), Director of Crisis Bureau<ref>{{Cite web |title=Secretary-General Appoints Shoko Noda of Japan Assistant Administrator, Director United Nations Development Programme's Crisis Bureau |publisher=United Nations |url=https://press.un.org/en/2023/sga2230.doc.htm |access-date=2024-10-06}}</ref>

== See also ==
{{Portal|Politics}}
{{div col|colwidth=18em}}
* [[Development aid]]
* [[Economic development]]
* [[Equator Prize]]
* [[Human development (economics)|Human development]]
* [[International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights]]
* [[International development]]
* [[International Development Association]]
* [[List of HIV-positive people]]
* [[List of UNDP country codes]]
* [[Match Against Poverty]]
* [[Passblue|PassBlue]]
* [[Special Programme on Human Reproduction]]
* [[UNDP Goodwill Ambassador]]
* [[United Nations Economic and Social Council]] (ECOSOC)
* [[United Nations Millennium Campaign]]
* [[United Nations Sustainable Development Group]]
* [[United Nations Volunteers]]
* [[U.S. Committee for the United Nations Development Program]]
* [[World Population Day]]
{{div col end}}

==Notes==
{{NoteFoot}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
*Jackson, R. G. A., ''A Study of the Capacity of the United Nations Development System. 2 vols'', Geneva: United Nations, 1969.
*Mitcham, Chad J. 'Australia and Development Cooperation at the United Nations: Towards Poverty Reduction.' In ''Australia and the United Nations'', edited by James Cotton and David Lee, 191–221. Canberra: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Sydney: Longueville Books, 2013.

== External links ==
*{{Official website}}
*Mitcham, Chad J., ''[https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/jackson-sir-robert-gillman-20715/text31511 Jackson, Sir Robert Gillman (1911-1991)]'', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, published online 2016, accessed online 5 September 2017.

{{Commons category|United Nations Development Programme}}

{{United Nations}}
{{Election Organizations}}
{{Humanitarian partners of the European Commission}}
{{South-South}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:United Nations Development Programme| ]]
[[Category:International development organizations]]
[[Category:United Nations General Assembly subsidiary organs]]
[[Category:Organizations based in New York City]]
[[Category:United Nations Development Group]]
[[Category:1965 establishments in the United States]]
[[Category:1965 establishments in New York (state)]]
[[Category:Economic development]]