Engage and Partner with UNESCO
UNESCO's Comprehensive Partnership Strategy is firmly anchored in the 2030 Agenda and at its heart lies SDG 17: Revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development
The SDGs can only be realized with strong global partnerships and cooperation. They are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges we face, including poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice.
A successful development agenda requires inclusive partnerships — at the global, regional, national and local levels — built upon principles and values, and upon a shared vision and shared goals placing people and the planet at the centre.
Many countries require Official Development Assistance to encourage growth and trade. Yet, aid levels are falling and donor countries have not lived up to their pledge to ramp up development finance.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the global economy is projected to contract sharply, by 3 per cent, in 2020, experiencing its worst recession since the Great Depression.
Strong international cooperation is needed now more than ever to ensure that countries have the means to recover from the pandemic, build back better and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
- Learn more about the Goal 17 and its targets
The Value of UNESCO
UNESCO's mission and impact across 193 countries and Member States cannot be achieved without the crucial partnerships with both public and private sector partners: governments, UN agencies, international financial institutions and global programme partnerships as well as innovative financial mechanisms. UNESCO supports and empowers people across the globe with the core mission of building peace in the minds of men and women. As the major challenges, we are facing now become more and more complex, requiring comprehensive understanding from a different perspective, building stronger partnerships is key.
UNESCO Abuja Office: Our Comparative Advantage
To ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all, UNESCO Abuja Office, as the Regional Multisectoral Regional Office (MSRO) for West Africa, has built close partnership with a wide range of stakeholders and partners, such as governmental authorities, private sector, civil society organizations, universities, and individuals.
UNESCO Abuja Office multidisciplinary team covers all fields of competencies of UNESCO, making the office the one-stop-shop for cooperation with UNESCO in the region, with close links to three UNESCO Category II Centers and many UNESCO Chairs in the eight countries covered by this Office. The Office has strong relations with National Commissions and different tiers of Governments. It is uniquely positioned to support the Member States across various levels to meet its international obligations. Due to the Member States (e.g. Nigeria and Benin)-UNESCO Special Plan of Cooperation, UNESCO Abuja MSRO has gained the experience on self-benefitting resource mobilization model to implement extra-budgetary programmes. Moreover, UNESCO Abuja MSRO acts as a bridge among the Governments, private sector and the civil society organizations or non-profit organizations as well as plays significant roles as a convener, facilitator, and implementer of multi-stakeholder partnerships. It can gather global knowledge and expertise, especially the application of tested approaches and tools, to address local development challenges.
In addition, UNESCO Abuja MSRO is developing a special team for resource mobilization, which can amplify the domestic and international available resources in support of UNESCO’s work in the region.
Potential Benefits That Donors Can Enjoy
After formally building collaboration and partnerships with UNESCO Abuja MSRO, donors can enjoy a wide range of potential benefits, which can be categorized to Visibility, Accountability, and Social Responsibilities.
Increasing Visibility across Local, National, and Global Levels
UNESCO Abuja MSRO is grateful for the generous contributions of donors that facilitate UNESCO’s ongoing work towards its mandate and the Sustainable Development Goals. Various actions can be taken to enhance donors’ visibility, including but not limited to press release, donors’ logo presence on the relevant dissemination materials as well as in project activities and deliverables, and exposure on the website of UNESCO Abuja MSRO.
Enjoying Accountability through Effective Engagement
Donors can meaningfully and effectively engage in their sponsored projects through the designing, implementation, and conclusion phases. UNESCO Abuja MSRO is able to develop efficient projects in consideration of donors’ reasonable requests to meet their goals and objectives. Relevant work plans, progress reports, results-based monitoring and evaluation documents, and budgetary information would be provided to donors to ensure project accountability.
Practicing Social Responsibilities with Trusted Partners
With its expertise, comparative advantage, innovation, and large-scale impact in the region, UNESCO Abuja MSRO is a trusted partner to work with for practicing social responsibilities. Also, the Global Network of UNESCO is enjoyable by donors.