Japan and the United Nations
Meeting between Foreign Minister Taro Kono and Mr. Achim Steiner, Administrator for the UNDP
August 29, 2019
On August 29, commencing at 2:45 p.m. for approximately 15 minutes, Foreign Minister Taro Kono had a meeting with Mr. Achim Steiner, Administrator, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) who was visiting Japan to attend the Seventh Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD7). The overview of the meeting is as follows.
- Foreign Minister Kono expressed his gratitude for the cooperation of the UNDP as a TICAD co-organizer, and it’s effort for promotion of Japanese staff at the UNDP. He stated that “human security” is the cornerstone of the SDGs in its approach of “leave no one behind”. He mentioned “I would like to further cooperate with the UNDP in order to revitalize the approach of “human security” in the era of the SDGs.”
- Furthermore, Foreign Minister Kono stated “it is necessary to seriously consider innovative financing in order to secure the funds necessary for the achievement of the SDGs” and the Minister and Administrator confirmed that they would cooperate to advance consideration of innovative financing.
- Foreign Minister Kono requested continued cooperation toward an increase in the number of Japanese staff working at the UNDP, and the Minister and Administrator agreed to continue to cooperate toward promotion of the SDGs in the international community.