UN pledges to help Kenya speed up anti-poverty goals

The UN said Friday it will continue helping the Kenyan government meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and spur inclusive economic growth and development across all the 47 counties. UN Resident Coordinator to Kenya Nardos Bekele-Thomas said meeting the UN anti-poverty goals will help the East African nation achieve Vision 2030. "This will be achieved through mutual collaboration and implementation of the UN Development Assistance framework for Kenya designed to cover the period 2014 to 2017, and which has been designed to align to Kenya Vision 2030 and its second Medium Term Plan [MTPII]," said a statement from UNDP issued in Nairobi. The statement said the commitment was affirmed when the recently appointed Bekele-Thomas held a meeting with President Uhuru Kenyatta in Nairobi. "The UN will continue to accelerate progress in MDGs through innovative approaches designed to help the national and county governments identify and resolve barriers to eradicating extreme poverty, promote inclusive economic growth and job creation, and foster peace and cohesion," the statement said. The meeting emphasized mutual agreement and cooperation between the government and the UN system in Kenya in order to meet the objectives of the Constitution and propel Kenya into a middle income country as outlined in Kenya's Vision 2030 and the MTPII. During the meeting, Kenyatta acknowledged the role played by the UN in helping the country achieve its development aspirations and in supporting reforms in Kenya. He expressed the commitment of his government to working with the UN to improve the lives of all Kenyans by promoting people- centered development and national cohesion. Nardos Bekele-Thomas is the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations system in Kenya and is also the Resident Representative of the UNDP. She is a seasoned UN official and was until recently serving in a similar capacity in Benin..