By UN Journal Kayla Lee
On the sidelines of the 4th Conference on Financing for Development (June 30-July 3, Seville), Kim Jina, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, held a joint meeting on July 1, with the high-level representatives of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Programme (WFP) to announce the ROK government’s humanitarian assistance initiatives and its key project plans for this year.
The 4th International Conference on Financing for Development was the first high-level meeting convened by the UN in a decade since 2015, where representatives from governments and international organizations discussed how to enhance the mobilization and effective allocation of development finance.
As a responsible donor in the international community, the Republic of Korea has been expanding its cooperation with key international organizations to strengthen global humanitarian response capabilities.
In particular, the ROK government adopted a more integrated and strategic approach this year, undertaking a comprehensive redesign of its project framework: In collaboration with key partner organizations, it transitioned from fragmented, small-scale projects to a more focused response targeting regions and countries with acute humanitarian needs and heightened global attention. With a budget similar in size to that of last year, yet allocated with a greater strategic focus, the ROK aims to maximize the impact and visibility of its contribution, while enhancing its standing within international organizations in the evolving international development landscape.
UNDP, UNICEF and WFP, the ROK’s three key partners for this year, bring their respective expertise in emergency relief, children and health, and food security. In collaboration with these organizations, the ROK government will focus its efforts on regions with the greatest humanitarian needs due to prolonged conflicts and chronic food insecurity, including the Middle East (USD 65 million), Asia (USD 40 million) and Africa (USD 22 million).
Key target countries and regions include Palestine (including the Gaza Strip), Syria, Myanmar and Sudan, among others.
In particular, to enhance the visibility and impact of its efforts, the ROK government has consolidated its humanitarian projects this year under a unified brand, titled the Republic of Korea’s 3R Humanitarian Assistance Initiatives. Customized sub-brands have also been developed in collaboration with each of the three UN organizations to reflect both the ROK’s policy priorities and the organizations’ respective areas of expertise. This is expected to enhance the visibility of the ROK government’s contributions.
During the meeting, Vice Minister Kim reaffirmed the ROK government’s commitment to continued contribution to the international community befitting its stature and capacity.
She emphasized the importance of the ROK’s continued humanitarian efforts in the face of the growing funding gap caused by escalating global needs and declining resources. She also called on the organizations to step up their efforts to ensure effective implementation of the projects and promote their achievements. Furthermore, she requested their support in enhancing the representation of Korean nationals in international organizations.
The representatives from the three organizations expressed their deep appreciation for the ROK’s contribution amid the challenging international development cooperation environment and voiced strong expectations for the continued advancement of their partnerships with the ROK.
Strengthened strategic cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the key UN fund and programmes is expected to contribute to promoting global solidarity and cooperation in responding to the worldwide humanitarian crisis.
