Check against delivery

I will thank Ms. McSweeney and the rest of the staff. I am delighted to be invited to the UNDP office. Thank you for your introduction. I am impressed with the important work you perform.

I am aware that I am not only visiting the UNDP office but also the office of the UN resident coordinator.

Norway has since the beginning supported the idea of stronger UN coordination at a country level. I know that this exercise can be hard and painful as each agency has its own culture and its own identity. It truly requires a lot of talent and accommodation by the heads of agencies to succeed.

But the world community and the million of people that rely on the services of the UN family have the right to expect nothing less than excellence in the way you perform.

I have been told that you and your colleagues are rising to the challenge here in India. For that I salute your effort.

Recently that effort was severely tested as the most terrible earthquake in 50 years hit the west of India. It left thousands killed or injured and turned homes and vital infrastructure into heaps of rubble.

Many were there to help after it all happened. Humanitarian assistance helped alleviate the immediate suffering. Yet, most of the enormous task of rebuilding rests with Indian authorities.

India has risen to this call. Her efficiency in responding to natural disasters is well documented.

To assist is an international obligation.

I am pleased that the UN Disaster Management Team led by the UNDP has played a key role. You have admirably co-ordinated international relief to the Gujarat earthquake victims.

The ambition of my government’s contribution is to maintain the momentum in this crucial work.

The UNDP country programme for India focuses on poverty eradication. The new programme gives added priority to HIV/AIDS and to promoting good governance. This I welcome. It is firmly in line with the overall aims of Norwegian development policy.

Let me end by saying how much we support the work of the UNDP. You are the development arm of the United Nations. You are the development partner for programme countries. My government has increased the resources allocated to ODA. And we have increased the proportion of ODA channelled through the multilateral system.

The best way to ensure trust in the UNDP is to demonstrate the impact at field level. This is the yardstick by which the UNDP, and indeed all of us, should be measured.

The work you do here passes that crucial test.

To assist you in your important work in Gujarat I am pleased to hand over a cheque to the amount of USD 30,000.

I wish you every success in your endeavours.