Sisonkhe December 2019 web

PARTNERSHIPS
UNCT hosts media on UN Day,
launches UN75 dialogues
UNCT and Editors pose for group photo after the roundtable discussion.
BY SIBUSISO MNGADI
he United Nations Country
TTeam (UNCT) in Eswatini, led
by the Resident Coordinator,
Ms. Nathalie Ndongo-Seh celebrated
UN Day by hosting a breakfast
roundtable meeting the media
comprising editors and senior
journalists on the 24th of October.
The purpose of the meeting was to
introduce the UNCT and senior
journalists to each other as a first step
towards establishing professional and
mutually beneficial relationships. The
meeting was also used to launch the
UN75 campaign which will run until
December 2020 with dialogues and
c o l l a b o r a t i o n s w i t h d i f f e r e n t
stakeholders on initiatives that will
contribute to the achievement of the
Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs), and the Eswatini National
Development Strategy and Vision 2022.
The UNCT also used the opportunity to
update the media on key initiatives and
developments supported by the UN in
Eswatini, including the observance of the
World Polio Day, World Food Day, the 30
year commemoration of the Convention on
the Rights of the Child (CRC@30), the
International Conference on Population
a n d D e v e l o p m e n t ( I C P D ) 2 5 t h
Anniversary and World AIDS Day.
The Resident Coordinator told the
media that UN work in Eswatini is guided
primarily by the UN Charter, 2030 Agenda
of SDGS and national priorities as outlined
in the National Development Strategy and
Vision 2022 of His Majesty King Mswati III.
“Our interventions are guided by the
UN Development Assistance Framework
(UNDAF) which has since been changed to
t h e U N S u s t a i n a b l e D e ve l o p m e n t
Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF)
effective 2021 – 2025,” she said.
“ T h e n e w C o o p e r a t i o n
Framework will serve as a tool
between government and the UN. It
is new in that it is pitched at a higher
level of extensive collaborations with
government, partners and donors.
The UNDAF was focused on the UN
and what they can do.”
N d o n g o - S e h e x p r e s s e d
appreciation that the UN enjoyed a
good relationship with the media,
noting good media coverage of UN
supported initiatives. She also
highlighted recent collaborations
with the media which included
o rganising t h e Wa l k t h e Ta lk
campaign and hosting a training on
journalism ethics and human rights
reporting. “We are planning more
capacity building initiatives to help
the media play its role in accelerating
the achievement of the SDGs,” she
said.
The second phase of the UN Day
celebrations included a community
service activity on 25 October 2019
which was organised under the
auspices of the Ministry of Labour
and Social Welfare to advocate and
contribute to governments efforts to
operationalise three vocational
learning centres for children with
disabilities. UN staff in collaboration
with government, private sector,
development partners and civil
society gathered at Nhlangano
Vocational and Training Centre, one
of the three schools, to clean and
repaint students' dormitories as well
as clear the yard and prepare a
vegetable garden.
Editors and UNCT at the meeting
06 SIS NKHE
December 2019
UNFPA Assistant Representative, Ms.
Margaret Thwala-Tembe sharing
upcoming activities
WHO Representative, Dr. Cornelia
Atsyor sharing upcoming activities