ZIF renews agreement with UNDP

ZIF and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have renewed their secondment agreement. End of January, ZIF Managing Director Astrid Irrgang and Shoko Noda, Director of the UNDP Crisis Bureau, signed the updated agreement, with which both organisations are continuing their successful cooperation and adapting it to current operational conditions. They are thus reaffirming their joint commitment and sending a strong signal for urgently needed civilian expertise in crisis and post-conflict contexts. The agreement enables the so-called secondment of German personnel to the UNDP.

Successful cooperation placed on a legally secure footing

ZIF has been more than 10 seconding civilian experts to UNDP projects, programmes and offices in conflict regions around the world since 2021. They provide valuable support for UNDP's work. The deployment of civilian experts is a building block of German engagement in conflict contexts and reconstruction worldwide. The updated agreement now adapts the cooperation to current needs and legal situations and clarifies ZIF's responsibility as an employer, staff welfare and the tasks of the seconded personnel. The importance of this was demonstrated not least by developments in Sudan, where German experts seconded to UNDP had to be evacuated as quickly as possible when civil war broke out.

‘We are thus jointly positioning ourselves for the future. Our personnel are in demand at UNDP and we want to continue to be a reliable international partner for implementing Germany’s contribution in challenging contexts,’ said Astrid Irrgang at the signing ceremony in New York. ZIF is currently sending two experts to UNDP in Lebanon and Jordan. More about the work of the UNDP.