Yasmin Bilal
A new partnership between South Africa and the United Nations is expected to strengthen efforts to tackle poverty, create jobs and improve service delivery over the next five years.
The United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework, which runs from 2026 to 2030, was officially signed on Friday. The agreement sets out how the government and the UN will work together to support the country’s development priorities.
Speaking at the launch, Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Maropene Ramokgopa said the agreement was more than a formal commitment between the two partners.
“This moment is not just about signing another partnership agreement. It reaffirms our shared commitment to work together toward a South Africa that is more inclusive, prosperous, resilient and just,” she said.
Ramokgopa thanked the United Nations Country Team, government departments and development partners for their contribution to the framework.
She said sustainable development could not be achieved by government alone.
“It needs collective leadership, shared responsibility and lasting partnerships,” she said.
Ramokgopa said the framework had been aligned with South Africa’s Medium Term Development Plan. It would also support the country’s commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
She said the partnership would focus on economic growth, job creation, infrastructure development, stronger public institutions and better service delivery.
“The Cooperation Framework will be the main platform through which the UN Development System will support South Africa over the next five years,” she said.
Ramokgopa said the partnership would provide policy advice, technical assistance, innovation and institutional support to help improve development outcomes.
She said the agreement would ultimately be judged by its impact on people’s lives.
“It will be measured by whether young people find meaningful work, whether communities gain access to reliable public services, whether inequality decreases and poverty declines, and ultimately whether the quality of life for all South Africans improves,” she said.
She called on all partners to work together to ensure the agreement delivers lasting benefits for South Africans.