Meeting with UN Assistant Secretary-General Kanni Wignaraja focuses on India-UNDP cooperation, development priorities and the role of parliamentarians in accelerating the 2030 Agenda
New Delhi/New York: Hon’ble Members of Parliament interacted with Ms. Kanni Wignaraja, UN Assistant Secretary-General and Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, to discuss the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) work in India, India-UNDP cooperation and the role of parliamentarians in advancing sustainable development.
The interaction provided an opportunity to exchange views on how parliamentary engagement, policy oversight and grassroots implementation can contribute to faster progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the broader UN 2030 Agenda.
UNDP has maintained a longstanding partnership with India, working with the government at national, state and local levels on areas including inclusive growth, livelihoods, social protection, climate action, disaster resilience, digitalisation and institutional capacity building. UNDP
Parliamentarians’ role in achieving the SDGs
Such interactions are significant because parliamentarians can help translate global development commitments into effective national and local policies, strengthen accountability and encourage wider public participation in development programmes.
Parliamentary engagement can also help connect SDG targets with the concerns of communities, including poverty reduction, healthcare, education, employment, gender equality, environmental sustainability and social protection.
India’s SDG implementation involves close coordination among NITI Aayog, Union ministries, state governments and local institutions, with the UN system supporting efforts to localise the goals and ensure that development reaches all sections of society. The United Nations in India
India-UNDP partnership and South-South cooperation
India and UNDP also cooperate in advancing South-South cooperation, enabling developing countries to share knowledge, technologies, policy experiences and development solutions. India has highlighted its collaboration with UNDP through the India-UN Development Partnership Fund, which supports demand-driven development initiatives in partner countries. PMI New York
The engagement with Ms. Wignaraja also comes against the backdrop of India’s broader efforts to promote sustainable development, climate resilience, digital public infrastructure and inclusive economic growth while sharing its development experiences with countries of the Global South.
For UNDP, India represents an important partner in demonstrating how national ownership, institutional capacity and innovation can be combined to accelerate progress on the SDGs. UNDP’s work in India spans more than seven decades and includes support for policy development, institutional strengthening, sustainable livelihoods and resilience. UNDP
The meeting therefore underlined the value of India-UN parliamentary and development cooperation in turning global commitments into practical outcomes and strengthening collective efforts to build a more inclusive, resilient and sustainable future.