Russia Aids 8 UN Socioeconomic Projects Including In Syria, N. Korea - Nebenzia

UNITED NATIONS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 18th January, 2020) Russia provided financial assistance to UN agencies in starting eight projects to address immediate socioeconomic needs in Syria, North Korea, Belarus and Tajikistan, Russia Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia said at an event to mark the launching of the initiatives.

"[The projects] fully correspond to the developing priorities of the recipient countries and are aimed at ordinary people and their immediate needs," Nebenzia said on Friday. "We aim at contributing to capacity-building and at increasing long-term socioeconomic potential of those countries in areas where Russia has a comparative advantage and is happy to share its best expertise."

In Syria, jointly with UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), Moscow supported an initiative titled "Strengthening and Building Local Capacity to Deliver Quality Education, Nutrition and Health Services." In partnership with the UN Development Program (UNDP), Moscow also sponsored the launching of a community resilience plan in critical areas of the Arab republic.

To address the delivery of healthcare services in rural areas of Aleppo, Russia financed programs dubbed "Restoring vital Reproductive and Maternal Health Services" and "Restoring the Provision of Health Care Services in Newly Regained Syrian Governorates," operating under the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) respectively.

Syrian Envoy to the United Nations Bashar Jaafari said he is grateful for the relevancy of the programs during the phase when the middle Eastern country witnesses the return of internally displaced persons and refugees.

"A project funded by the Russian Federation constitutes a successful model for financing projects implemented by international organizations in alignment with the priorities of the needs of the Syrian Arab Republic," Jaafari stated.

In North Korea, Russia and UNICEF collaborated on a plan aimed at the reduction of child morbidity and mortality utilizing preventive and curative health services. UNFPA, on its part, introduced a program to bolster the statistical system and training institutions focusing on population and development challenges.

Children in Belarus will benefit from a UNICEF initiative aimed at securing inclusive education, while in Tajikistan, Russia will bolster UNFPA's action to improve demographic statistics.

UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore, UNFPA Chief Natalia Kanem, as well as WHO Assistant Director-General Stewart Simonson and UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner, who were attending the meeting, thanked Russia for supporting the international assistance across the four countries and expressed hope that such help will continue in the future.