United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) on Wednesday signed the Ethiopian Fiscal Year 2012 annual work plans worth US$ 49 million (1.4 billion birr) with the Government of Ethiopia under the umbrella of the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF 2016-2020).

The work plans were signed by H.E. Mr. Admasu Nebebe, State Minister of Finance, Ms. Adele Khodr, UNICEF Representative to Ethiopia and Heads of Regional Bureaus of Finance and Economic Cooperation.  Also in attendance was UNFPA Country Representative to Ethiopia Mrs. Bettina Maas.

In his speech, Nebebe said as part of the harmonization process of UN delivering as one, the annual work plans of the two UN agencies were developed and signed jointly under the UNDAF this year.

He stressed the need for alignment and coordination at all levels among UN agencies to increase efficiency.

The Ethiopian Fiscal Year 2012 (EFY 2012) work plans will be the last work plans of the current UNICEF Country Programme 2016 to 2020. The upcoming Country Programme 2020-2025 will build on the achievements of the ending Country Programme.

The work plans will be implemented by more than 98 Federal and Regional Government Implementing Partners covering 16 programme areas including Health, Nutrition, Sanitation and Hygiene, Water Supply, Learning and Development, Early Warning and Disaster Preparedness, Violence Against Children, Ending Child Marriage and FGM, Birth Registration, Communications, Advocacy and Partnership, Child Rights, Social Policy/Protection, Evidence, Public Finance for Children, Gender, M&E and Coordination.