Message from UN Resident Coordinator

Thank you for visiting the United Nations Indonesia website.

Writing this introduction comes as I begin my role as UN Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator. Indonesia is a land of contrasts, challenges and changing needs, and I accept this new position with great enthusiasm. The UN agencies in Indonesia have a wealth of expertise and resources, and I look forward to coordinating this to ensure that the UN continues working with the Government to help the people of Indonesia achieve their full potential, especially poor and vulnerable communities, families and individuals.

There are currently 27 UN funds, programmes and specialized agencies working in the country, and almost 3,300 staff. Their work ranges from poverty reduction to post-disaster recovery; from shedding light on new scientific discoveries to appreciation of Indonesia's rich cultural heritage. Each agency has a critical role to play in lending expertise, energy and resources to the people of Indonesia.

The United Nations Development Assistance Framework 2006 - 2010 provides a collective and integrated response to national priorities and needs. It reflects how the UN agencies in Indonesia will work together to respond to evolving needs and development plans. Joint programming also enables us to take a coordinated approach on vital issues such as avian influenza and pandemic preparedness.

I'm encouraged by the level of commitment from all UN agencies and their partners, and by their continuing achievements. We still have a lot of work to do. Although Indonesia just graduated to middle-income country status, 40 percent of its population still lives below the national poverty line. These people aspire to better lives and a better future.

We have also passed the halfway point for achieving the global Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). With the 2015 target date fast approaching, we must maintain all efforts to meet these goals. The Government of Indonesia has committed to achieving the MDGs, and we must ensure that our development assistance is such that we help Indonesia fulfill this commitment. Therefore, ongoing hard work and cooperation with all parties, including civil society, private sector and the donor community, is vital.

To learn more about the UN agencies working in Indonesia, please click on their logos on the front page, which lead to their individual websites. Please also feel free to send comments or suggestions to the website Editor at un-indonesia@un.or.id

Once again, thank you for visiting the website. I plan to update this page periodically. Please bookmark this site, and continue to learn about our ongoing work in Indonesia.

With warm regards

El-Mostafa Benlamlih
UN Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator