Enhancing Partnerships for the Sustainable Development Goals in Zambia

June 26, 2019

Mr. Toily Kurbanov

UNV – 26th June 2019: Today, the Deputy Executive Coordinator of the  United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme, Mr. Toily Kurbanov, begins his visit to Zambia, Botswana and Kenya. He shall be accompanied by Ms. Sarah Anyoti, Regional Portfolio Manager and Ms. Iram Batool, Regional Portfolio Specialist from the East and Southern Africa Regional Office (ESARO) during the mission.

At UNV, we recognize that people are the greatest resource for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in the region and beyond. According to our State of the World Volunteerism Report (SWVR) launched last year, an estimated 1 billion people are already volunteering their time for free to realize these SDGs, and many more willing to do so if given the opportunities.

 “I look forward to meeting UN Volunteers—the everyday champions of sustainable development. I also look forward to discussions with Government counterparts and my UN colleagues on how UNV headquarters can best support the UN country team in the pursuit of sustainable development in Zambia,” Mr. Kurbanov said at the start of his mission.

 

We currently have a total of 1,468 onsite UN Volunteers serving in various assignments in the broader Eastern and Southern African region. In Zambia, 79 UN Volunteers are presently serving in different areas of development, humanitarian and peace-building assignments. These UN Volunteers are at the fore-front of UN efforts to achieve SDGs in Kenya. For example, UN Volunteers with UNDP in Zambia are helping set up fast track courts for victims of Gender-based violence and support skills development for inmates across the country.

During his visit, the UNV Deputy Executive Coordinator will meet senior Government and UN officials in Zambia to enhance the engagement of volunteers for development in the region. He will also meet UN Volunteers in the country to appraise their contributions to peace and development in various UN programmes.

Notes to editors:

For more information and interviews please contact:

Kevin Ochieng, Communications Associate, United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme kevin.ochieng@unv.org   

Fridah Daka, Head of UNV programme in Zambia

fridah.daka@unv.org

About the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme

The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme contributes to peace and development through volunteerism worldwide. We work with partners to integrate qualified, highly motivated and well supported UN Volunteers into development programming and promote the value and global recognition of volunteerism.

For more information go to: www.unv.org  and follow us on Twitter @UNV_ESARO and on Facebook at UNVESARO