ADDIS ABABA, June 7 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has launched a new five-year program that envisages capacity building of democratic institutions in Ethiopia.
The multi-stakeholder program, with a total estimated cost of 40 million U.S. dollars, will invest 5 million U.S. dollars in its first phase of program implementation period.
The program is designed to support efforts made by the Ethiopian government in promoting inclusive and sustainable development agendas through strengthening mechanisms that facilitate and promote transparency, accountability and rule of law in the east African country, according to Ahunna Eziakonwa, UNDP Resident Representative to Ethiopia.
Eziakonwa further noted that the program, by enabling public institutions to exercise independence and professionalism, would play a big role in helping the Ethiopian government to attain its targets.
Ethiopian government officials have also lauded the five-year program as an impetus to advance Ethiopia's major governance structures and targets.
Admasu Nebebe, Ethiopian State Minister of Finance and Economic Cooperation, said the program is aligned to the global agenda of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the second five-year Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP-II) of Ethiopia.
The program is highly related with the Ethiopian government's priorities and it would help the country's endeavors in strengthening good governance and deepening democratic participation in line with its constitution and international conventions.
