United Nations
Development Programme

Actions undertaken within the development cooperation programme are aimed at preparing Poland, inclusive of human resources and the entire society, to play the role of aid donor to less developed countries, as well as promoting Poland on international forum as a country fostering the implementation of Millennium Development Goals. UNDP Poland is becoming increasingly involved in multi- and bilateral technical assistance projects and sharing with poorer nations Poland's experiences from the period of economic, social and political transformations and integration with the European Union.

Due to successful transformations, Poland ceased to be exclusively the recipient of development aid - and is now becoming, together with other countries of the region, a responsible partner supporting the less developed countries in reaching the Millennium Development Goals. Since 2003 and the adoption by Poland's Government of the "Strategy for Polish Co-operation for Development", Poland has been building a system of development cooperation. While in 2003, Poland's Official Development Assistance amounted only USD 27 million, in 2004 this amount has grown to USD 117 million, and according to the obligations taken by Polish Government is expected to grow in 2006 to USD 300 million, exceeding the level of USD 500 million in 2010. Acting via both the Government and international and non-governmental organisations, Poland is providing assistance to other countries not only in the financial form, but also in advisory services, sharing its valuable experiences from the political, social and economic transformations. A good example is the UNDP project - transfer of IT know-how from Polish to Ukrainian higher education institutions.

In order to build public support for Poland's foreign assistance, in 2004 the UNDP Office together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs launched a social campaign entitled "Millennium Development Goals: time to help others!”. The objective of the campaign was to initiate within Poland's society a debate on Poland's role and responsibility in supporting less developed countries and in the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals.

The UN Millennium Development Goals is an obligation undertaken in 2000 by 189 countries to considerably improve the living conditions throughout the entire world by 2015. The Millenium Goals determine tangible obligation in areas such as poverty and hunger reduction, ensuring primary education, promoting equal gender rights, improving health condition, preventing HIV/AIDS spread, protecting environment.

In 2005, UNDP launched an educational project within the scope of international development. The objective of the project is to introduce development studies at Poland's higher education institutions and, in further time perspective, to prepare competent human resources to plan and manage Poland's development assistance.