Norwegian Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives Thorbjørn Gaustadsæther and UNDP Sri Lanka Country Director Jorn Sorensen exchange the agreement

The Norwegian government has entered into a partnership agreement with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Sri Lanka to promote peace, justice and strong institutions under Sustainable Development Goal 16 for the period of December 2018 to December 2020.

Norwegian Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives Thorbjørn Gaustadsæther and UNDP Sri Lanka Country Director Jorn Sorensen signed the partnership agreement amounting to NOK 12.6 million or US $ 1.5 million. 

Under the partnership, the UNDP aims to strengthen select policymaking and oversight structures to perform the core functions for improved accountability and inclusivity, provide marginalized and vulnerable communities increased and equitable access to justice, including demand-driven legal protection and gender-sensitive services. 

It also aims to strengthen the capacity of national and sub-national level institutions to deliver equitable, accountable and effective services. 

Through the implementation of this project, the UNDP expects by 2022, people in Sri Lanka, especially the marginalized and vulnerable, benefit from more rights-based, accountable, inclusive and effective public institutions, to enhance trust amongst communities and towards the state. 
Commenting on the project, Gaustadsæther said public institutions are crucial to promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development and to provide access to justice for all. 

“At present, when Sri Lanka is going through difficult times, some of the positive developments that we see in the country are due to the work done in the past to strengthen institutions. Therefore, as development partners, it is crucial that we continue to support the work that the UN does to promote peace, justice and strong institutions,” Gaustadsæther said.