Judy Birkenhead

UNDP in Asia and the Pacific

Development challenges in Asia and the Pacific are as diverse and complex as the region itself. It has some of the youngest democracies and some of the world's most dynamic economies, but it is also home to more than half the world's poor. It is the most disaster-prone region in the world, with small island developing states in the Pacific bearing the brunt of climate change. Meanwhile, concerns about environmental degradation are increasingly relevant for some of the fastest growing economies in the region. To respond to these challenges, UNDP concentrates its efforts on building the region's capacity to promote inclusive, pro-poor growth, effective governance, and sustainable and resilient development. We help our partners in identifying relevant solutions to today's complex, trans-boundary development challenges. We support them to design and implement large scale development initiatives that deliver lasting social, economic and environmental improvements in countries across the region. UNDP provides support to governments to integrate the Sustainable Development Goals into their national development plans and policies. This work is already underway, as we support many countries in accelerating progress already achieved under the Millennium Development Goals.