PRESIDENT David Granger was on Friday paid a courtesy call by United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator, Ms. Mikiko Tanaka, who gave him a status update on the work of the various UN agencies in Guyana. The meeting was held at State House.

Ms. Tanaka informed that in 2017, a total of 15 UN agencies executed various projects in Guyana, all with the aim of ensuring the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are met. The UN agencies have conducted several capacity-building programmes with ministries and government agencies and conducted a series of community awareness/sensitisation programmes on various issues, including gender-based violence, HIV/AIDS, corporal punishment and nutrition.

Meanwhile, President Granger said that Guyana is committed to working closely with the UN system to ensure that their programmes are successful. To this end, he designated Minister of Public Affairs, Ms. Dawn Hastings-Williams to work with Ms. Tanaka to consolidate the UN programmes and to conduct an analysis so that implementation can be more effective.

Additionally, the President has extended an invitation to the UN Heads of Programmes in Guyana to a roundtable discussion, which would allow for them to interface directly with Cabinet members. This, he said, will pave the way for greater synergies between the UN system and the Government. (Ministry of the Pesidency)