The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Asia-Pacific Development Effectiveness Facility (AP-DEF) opened a two-day meeting on aid ahead of the upcoming Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation. More than 100 government delegates and development experts are exploring how to design integrated national financing frameworks for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Asia-Pacific. “Domestic sources of finance are emerging as a key driving force for sustainable development in Asia-Pacific,” said Haoliang Xu, UN Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Director for Asia and the Pacific. “These new sources of finance allow us to expand the existing development cooperation and partnership.”

Mr. Tapan Mishra (India) arrived on Friday 12 June 2015 to take up his appointment as UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Mr. Tapan Mishra presented his credentials to His Excellency Ri Su Yong, DPRK Minister of Foreign Affairs on Monday 15 June...

In Myongchon farm in Jangyon county, South Hwanghae province, as part of the resumption of the Sustainable Rural Energy Development Programme (SRED) in 2010, a mini (600 kW) hydropower turbine and generator was supplied to the local community. The local people themselves provided significant in-kind contributions...

In 2011, three co-operative seed farms were selected for pilot projects on seed production, with the technical assistance of the Food and Agriculture Organization and the financial support of UNDP. This initiative has started to bear fruit: these farms are now fully engaged in quality seed production.

In most farms in the country, the loss of grain in the post-harvest period accounts for more than 15 percent of total crop production on average. Due to a lack of proper farming machinery, farmers cut crops by hand using a sickle and pile them in stacks. Limited transportation capacity means that the stacks...

Because of the severely cold climate and the lack of fuel to heat houses and prepare food, people in rural areas tend to deplete nearby forests.