The United Nations Peace and Development Trust Fund provides USD $3,056,613 to strengthen public sector capacity in developing countries

Project narrative

In 2016, the Chinese Government pledged to contribute $200 million to the United Nations over a ten year period. The United Nations Peace and Development Trust Fund (UNPDF) was established to channel these earmarked funds to specific projects in coordination with the UN. The UNPDF is divided into two sub-funds: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Sub-Fund and The Secretary-General's Peace and Security Sub-Fund. Approved in 2019 by the UNPDF, USD $3,056,613 was allocated from the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Sub-Fund to build the capacity of public institutions in developing countries and train up to 500 senior civil servants in results-oriented project implementation, strategic planning, policy formulation, public engagement in SDG processes, and mutual learning through bilateral, tripartite, and multilateral cooperation. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, plans for in-person training was replaced with three online webinars on poverty alleviation, smart city development, and digital government, particularly in the context of pandemic response. The project engaged 1,063 participants from developing countries, reached up to 19,000 viewers via livestream and the UN Public Administration Network (UNPAN), and produced 27 background papers and case studies highlighting best practices. The project was implemented by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) in collaboration with UN regional commissions, UN funds and programs, UN Country Teams, government institutions, and other stakeholders. Its scheduled duration is from December 2019 to November 2022.