Record-high Norwegian core funding to UN organisations in 2019

This year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has disbursed over NOK 3 billion in core funding to the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), UN Women, the World Food Programme (WFP), and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNCHR).

In addition, Norway provides substantial support in the form of earmarked funding to these organisations. Norway is also providing support to a number of other UN organisations and programmes that are working in various parts of the world to safeguard human rights, alleviate suffering, and combat poverty. In 2018, Norway channelled a total of NOK 10 billion in aid funds through UN organisations.

‘Core funding is important for ensuring stability and predictability in the UN’s activities, and for enabling the UN to implement its strategic plans. Predictability is also crucial for achieving a faster and more effective humanitarian response. Norway will therefore increase the use of multi-year contributions to its main international partners. As a donor country, it is important for us that UN organisations demonstrate that they are working effectively, that their efforts are well-coordinated, and that they are ensuring transparency, in line with the guidelines adopted by Norway and other countries in the organisations’ boards,’ said Minister of Foreign Affairs Ine Eriksen Søreide.

In order to achieve good and measurable results, the UN organisations need stable and predictable financing. Norway has therefore pledged multi-year core funding to the UN organisations we cooperate most closely with. These organisations are important partners in our efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

‘Norway wishes to be a consistent partner of the UN, but has made it clear that aid funds must be used in the most effective way possible, to the benefit of the people they are intended to help. We are giving priority to including vulnerable groups, such as people with disabilities, and to strengthening women’s rights and combating slavery. A substantial amount of the Norwegian funding goes towards giving children better health services and schooling, and promoting democracy and good governance,’ said Minister of International Development Dag-Inge Ulstein.

Norway’s core funding for 2019 has been distributed as follows: 

UNICEF         NOK 1 084 million

UNDP             NOK 615 million

UNFPA          NOK 530 million

UN Women    NOK 100 million

UNHCR         NOK 380 million

WFP               NOK 300 million