OREANDA-NEWS. June 7, 2011. UN Resident Coordinator in Kazakhstan Stephen Tull and Head of Administration of the East-Kazakhstan oblast Berdibek Saparbayev signed today the document of the new joint programme "Raising Competitiveness of the Region through Innovative Approaches to Regional Planning and Social Services”.

Four UN agencies (United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Populations Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and United Nations Volunteers (UNV)) within five years will apply their joint efforts to improve the quality of life of the population, and to advance progress towards Millennium Development Goals achievement in Eastern Kazakhstan Oblast, in particular in the districts severely hit by nuclear tests at the former Semey nuclear site. The total programme budget makes USD 11,6 mln, with USD 9,8 mln co-financing by the Government of Kazakhstan. The programme is based on the assessment of the previously implemented national and international programmes, including the previous UN Programme on enhancement of human security in the former Semey nuclear test site (2008-2010).

Oblast Akim Berdibek Saparbayev has commended the previous work of the UN agencies in Semipalatinsk region and assured in supporting further initiatives within the new  Programme. He said he appreciates the Government's decision to allocate funds for the region's support and emphasized the correct approach when the Government and international organizations are both accontable for the development programmes. Also during the ceremony Akim invited the partners to the Forum to celebrate 20th anniversary of closure of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site to take place in Astana and Kurchatov on 12-13 October 2011.

In his remarks at the signing ceremony UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Kazakhstan Stephen Tull highlighted the new level of cooperation of Kazakhstan with the development partners based on strategic partnership and equal participation. He said within this programme UN agencies will facilitate research and implement projects aimed to increase effectiveness of state bodies and institutions of civil society in development, implementation and monitoring of the national and local programmes.

East-Kazakhstan oblast has a sound potential for industrial and innovative development, but at the same time it is an economically plural region with the biggest part of the population living below the subsistence minimum. To strengthen local governance UNDP will support regional, city and districts administrations in planning, implementation, monitoring and assessment of local development programmes.

UNFPA Subregional Director for Central Asia Nikolai Botev in his turn stressed the focus on capacity building for universal access to sexual and reproductive health services. "UNFPA assistance will be oriented both at access improvement and quality of medical services, and improvement of right holders’ access to training and information. We will support health organizations responsible for public outreach to raise an awareness among women, youth non-governmental organizations and Mass media on safe maternity, family planning and gender equality with a special accent put on response to domestic violence", added Nikolai Botev.

UNICEF will support local bodies in development and application of effective social protection strategies for children and families at the local level to mitigate the social and economic effects on children and to enhance access to social services for the most marginalized groups in Semei, Kurchatov, Ust-Kamenogorsk and the districts most affected by nuclear testing in Eastern Kazakhstan Oblast.  Health systems will be strenghened trough use of accepted technologies aimed to decrease perinatal and neonatal mortality, including preventive measures and mitigation of risk HIV infection.

UNDP envisages assistance in piloting budgets tailored for allocation of funds for small development projects at a district level. To foster small and medium business Service Center will be opened under oblast administration", added UN Head in Kazakhstan. UNDP will also assist in adapting international social policy standards related to elderly people, persons with disabilities and homeless. Jointly with UNV UNDP will continue supporting the established Center for Adaptation and Social Integration of Oralman in Semey city and will widen its services up to the districts of East-Kazakhstan oblast.