A newly-launched, glossy website is just one of the numerous signs that the United Nations Development Program is revamping its work in Jamaica.
In response to concerns that the country will not meet its Millennium Development Goals, Devex Early Intelligence has learned that the UNDP country team pledged to channel its efforts in four key areas: poverty reduction; energy and environmental security; HIV/AIDS; and peace and security.
Before implementing projects, the agency will carry out extensive research to gain up to date information about the situation in Jamaica. A program officer with UNDP Jamaica tells Devex that current figures vary considerably across different sources. The new data will allow UNDP to draw up an overarching map of poverty across the island and enable the agency to design and implement more effective policies based on empirical evidence.
Of the four priorities, it is acknowledged that peace, justice and governance is of critical importance. A UNDP program associate explains that the security situation in Jamaica has deteriorated to the extent that experts fear the government could degenerate into a failed state. For this reason, a three-year initiative called the Jamaica Violence, Prevention, Peace and Sustainable Development Program has been developed. The agency is also looking into expanding beyond this peace building intervention, and address migration and local governance issues.
