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07 June 2023
New WHO Initiative for Building State Capability: Strengthening the Ministry of Health Stewardship and Governance Functions
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Story
07 June 2023
European Immunization Week 2023 “Door to door” campaign in North Macedonia
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Speech
05 June 2023
Statement for World Environment Day by the UN Resident Coordinator in North Macedonia, Rossana Dudziak
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Latest
The Sustainable Development Goals in North Macedonia
The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in North Macedonia:
Story
07 June 2023
European Immunization Week 2023 “Door to door” campaign in North Macedonia
European Immunization Week (EIW) is a pillar in what the World Health Organization is calling the year of ‘The Big Catch Up’ in which we are addressing a concerning decline in childhood vaccination rates across the world. Much of this decline can be attributed to impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, but as we continue to fight the consequences of this devastating disease, it is important that we do not lose ground in our efforts to control and eliminate other vaccine-preventable diseases.
In the WHO European Region as elsewhere, un- and under-vaccinated people remain at risk of contracting preventable diseases like measles, diphtheria and polio. Public health systems must therefore remain vigilant to track and trace any cases of vaccine-preventable diseases, and we must remind the people of this Region that every vaccine and vaccine dose counts to save lives, protect ourselves, and protect those we love.
In North Macedonia, WHO has worked together with the Ministry of Health, National Immunization Committee, the Institute of Public Health, Centers of Public Health, and local Health Centers which are providing immunization services, but also with the support of other UN partners to identify under-immunized groups and expand equitable access to COVID-19 and routine vaccinations.
Building on past successes, WHO is launching a novel initiative to address this issue by increasing the outreach for vaccination services at local level via door-to-door on-spot vaccination enhancing the accessibility and coverage rates through deployment of mobile vaccination teams across the country and dissemination of evidence-based informational materials on immunization.
As part of this year’s WHO nation-wide campaign, а five week long “Door to door” caravan started on 24 April 2023 to address the traditionally low immunization in particular areas of the country. More than 30 medical teams are visiting families in over 120 settlements where marginalized communities live. Citizens are being informed about the health benefits of regular immunization and are at the same time offered on-the-spot COVID-19 vaccination.
“In North Macedonia, WHO and all partners have worked together to identify under-immunized groups and expand equitable access to COVID-19 and routine vaccinations,” concludes Goran Kochinski, National Professional Officer for Immunization, WHO Country Office in North Macedonia.
WHO, and other partners, we will overcome the obstacles brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the progress we have made in each country and the Region in protecting children and adults from life-threatening diseases will continue so that no one will be left behind.
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Story
07 June 2023
New WHO Initiative for Building State Capability: Strengthening the Ministry of Health Stewardship and Governance Functions
WHO initiates the enhancement of the stewardship and good governance functions at the Ministry of Health, thereby enabling a better healthcare for all. WHO supports the necessary skills development of dedicated teams to carry out, monitor and assess this initiative.
Dr. Anne Johansen, Head of the WHO office in North Macedonia emphasized the novel approach of the WHO to health system reforms according to a unique method - one that tries and adjusts and then monitors the outcome and adjusts interventions again, as needed.
“We have designed this initiative to support the sustainable institutional capacity development of the health sector, which sets it apart from the traditional approach of focusing solely on health systems strengthening projects. We aim to establish a strong foundation for developing the Ministry's stewardship functions to a point where it can continuously improve the performance of the entire health system” confirmed Dr. Johansen.
High-ranking officials at the Ministry and stakeholders from related health agencies have manifested resolute motivation to carry out the initiative aiming to contribute to improving significantly the health outcome for all patients in the country.
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05 May 2023
FAO and partners lay the foundation for improved seed system management in North Macedonia
A final event was held in Skopje today to present the results of an FAO regional project aimed at creating enabling environment for enhanced climate resilience in agriculture. The project involved North Macedonia, as well as Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. FAO provided support to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy of North Macedonia to promote domestic production of seeds and planting material, with a focus on protecting and conserving the genetic diversity of domestic varieties.
The impact of climate change on seed production has serious implications for food security. Limited access and high prices of agricultural raw materials, including high-quality seed material and facilities for their production, storage, and application, further affect the efficiency and resilience of agricultural production to climate change.
To address the growing demand for high-quality, climate-resilient seed material, the Macedonian Ministry of Agriculture received support from FAO to enhance the national seed system. This included improving domestic production of high-quality and climate-tolerant seeds of strategic crops and strengthening national capacities to ensure adequate seed supply to farmers.
As part of the project, the Ministry worked to improve the production and certification of quality seed material and assessed national policies for seed production, distribution, and certification in the country. Together with the Agricultural Institute at the University "St. Kiril i Metodij'' Skopje, demonstration experimental fields were established in Kochani, Skopje, and Tetovo for production, testing, and multiplication of quality seed materials from several strategic crops.
"High-quality and climate-resistant domestic varieties, good national seed policies and capacities to grow new and maintain local varieties - are an important step in transforming food systems in a sustainable way, improving food security, adapting to climate change in agriculture and greater competitiveness. Hence, this project is of great importance for the sustainable development of domestic agriculture'' - said Trajan Dimkovski, State Advisor at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of North Macedonia.
With FAO support, a comprehensive analysis was conducted to assess the state of North Macedonia's domestic seed system with regards to selection, conservation, production, policies, and legal framework. The analysis resulted in a set of recommendations aimed at improving the efficiency, sustainability, and climate resilience of the seed system.
Key recommended measures include the development of policies for plant breeding programs, regular funding for plant breeding and conservation, educating farmers and young scientists on seed systems and techniques, creating a register of local varieties, supporting scientific institutions, fostering collaboration between specialists and authorities, ensuring public availability of registers, establishing botanical gardens, conducting multiplication trials for climate resilience, and public awareness raising on the importance of enhancing the seed systems’ climate resilience.
Tania Santivanez, FAO Regional Agricultural Officer, explained that these measures, if implemented, could go a long way in transforming the Macedonian agri-food system in a sustainable way, improving food security, adapting to climate change, and enhancing competitiveness.
Representatives of the Macedonian Ministry of Agriculture were also engaged in a regional training organized by FAO in Armenia. The training provided an opportunity to exchange knowledge and experiences with other participating countries on seed quality management, seed policies, and principles and elements of assurance and seed quality certification.
Ms Kristina Mitic Arsova, FAO National Team Leader, expressed gratitude to all partners and stakeholders who had contributed to the success of the project. She emphasized that the project has laid a solid foundation for future interventions to improve the national seed system. ‘’The analyses and activities carried out so far would serve as a basis for future specific initiatives to advance the domestic seed system’’ - she concluded.
LINKS:
North Macedonia’s agriculture becomes more climate resilient through quality seed production
https://www.fao.org/europe/news/detail/North-Macedonia-s-agriculture-becomes-more-climate-resilient-through-quality-seed-production/
FAO and North Macedonia
https://www.fao.org/countryprofiles/index/en/?iso3=MKD
PHOTOS: North Macedonia FAO Project ‘’Creating enabling environments for enhanced climate resilience in agriculture''
https://www.flickr.com/photos/128106072@N05/albums/72177720296177412
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04 May 2023
Enhancing land management policy: MAFWE, EU, and FAO initiate the development of the new National Strategy on Land Consolidation
An event for lunching the preparation of the new National Strategy on Land Consolidation for the period 2022-2030 was organized in Skopje today, under the EU-funded project ‘’Enhancing Land Consolidation in North Macedonia’’, co-funded by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and implemented in close cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy (MAFWE).
At the event, Head of the Land Consolidation Department in MAFWE, Kiril Georgievski, and FAO National Team Leader, Kristina Mitic Arsova, presented the key achievements of the National Land Consolidation Strategy 2012-2020, and lessons learned from the previous strategic period that will serve as a basis for the development of the new Strategy on Land Consolidation 2022-2030. Maxim Gorgan, Land Tenure Officer from the FAO Regional Office in Europe and Central Asia (REU), further presented the goals, objectives, and the inclusive process for the development of the new Strategy, providing a roadmap for a sustainable land policy that will foster greater efficiency and resilience of the agricultural sector over the next decade.
The Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, Ljupcho Nikolovski, highlighted the strategic importance, unwavering determination, and active engagement of the Macedonian government in addressing the challenges of agricultural land fragmentation and small-scale agricultural holdings. ‘’With the invaluable support of our partners, the European Union and FAO, we are committed to improving the competitiveness of Macedonian agricultural production, enhancing the quality of life in rural areas, and ensuring the sustainable use of natural resources – as the fundamental objectives of the previous National Strategy on Land Consolidation for 2012-2020’’ – he stated.
Minister Nikolovski acknowledged the achievements of the previous National Strategy on Land Consolidation. ‘’The legal and institutional framework for land consolidation was established, capacities were strengthened, awareness was raised among farmers, financial and strategic planning foundations were laid, and land consolidation projects were successfully implemented on the ground. The fragmentation of land parcels has been significantly reduced in nine areas of the country, with consolidation reaching 4.7 times in the village of Dabjani. Improvements in the shape of parcels were also noticeable in all land consolidation areas. This success has paved the way for even more effective and sustainable land consolidation efforts in the future’’ – he pointed out.
‘’The new National Land Consolidation Strategy is a crucial tool for promoting sustainable land use and advancing the ongoing progress of structural land reform in North Macedonia's agriculture sector’’ said Nabil Gangi, FAO Deputy Regional Representative for Europe and Central Asia in his opening remarks. ‘’We should take pride in the fact that the new strategy has a solid foundation to build upon, drawing from a decade of experience in land consolidation in North Macedonia, including the achievements and lessons learned from the previous strategic period’’- he added.
The event convened representatives from key relevant national institutions and agencies, the association of the units of local self-governments, civil society and farmers’ organizations and the media.
About the EU-funded ‘’Enhancing Land Consolidation in North Macedonia’’ Project
Building directly on the results of the MAINLAND project, this project aims to assist MAFWE in further enhancing land consolidation in North Macedonia by improving the national policy on land consolidation, including strategic, legal, and institutional frameworks, as well as to continue supporting the implementation of the National Land Consolidation Programme through a full-fledged implementation of land consolidation projects in two project areas, combined with construction of agricultural infrastructure. The project also supports the preparation of a new National Strategy for Land Consolidation and Action Plan for the period 2022-2030. Several key activities, such as establishing a Project Advisory Group on land consolidation, reviewing national policies, legislation and programs to assess the results achieved in the previous strategic period, and preparing a Policy Note on multi-purpose land consolidation are currently ongoing. From May 2023 to December 2024, consultation workshops will be conducted on the draft Strategy, to facilitate stakeholder engagement and conslutations and the government approval process, followed by a public awareness-raising campaign from February 2025 to October 2025 to promote the new Strategy at country level. The Project budget is EUR 1.2 million, financed from the EU IPA II 2019 Assistance (EUR 1 million) and FAO contribution (EUR 0.2 million). The project is implemented over a period of 42 months, from August 2022 until January 2026.
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Story
25 April 2023
WHO representative visits Tetovo University's School of Medicine
An integral part of WHO work in North Macedonia is keeping up to date with the academic institutions where Medicine is taught. During her first visit to the Tetovo University’s School of Medicine, Dr. Anne Johansen, WHO Special Representative and Head of Office a.i. met with the high academic officials and with the students of the School of Medicine.
At the meeting with the Rector of the University, Professor Dr. Kushtrim Ahmeti, the Vice Dean for International Collaboration, Associate Professor Barhdyl Dauty and with the Dean of the School of Medicine, Dr. Anne Johansen was informed that the University’s own journal Akta Medica was being referenced in other international journals, proving thereby the relevance of medical sciences taught at Tetovo. The School of Medicine, accredited in 2008, now enrolls 4,000 students at the studies of general practice, dentistry, midwifery, nursing and pharmacy. They represent a third of the total of 12,000 students enrolled at all Faculties at Tetovo University. As part of their developmental activities, the School of Medicine are soon introducing specialization studies in a total of nine medical fields.
Dr. Anne Johansen, speaking as Head of the WHO office in North Macedonia emphasized the approach of the WHO to the Macedonian health system reform, the initial phase of which is well underway at the Ministry of Health. University officials also expressed interest to be involved in the reform process taking place at the Ministry of Health.
Outlined at the meeting were the possible areas of collaboration with the WHO in the future: lecturing on and training in health systems operation; joint research projects; visits to the WHO country office by students for a first-hand experience of how WHO works in the country; Brain gain initiatives and focus groups with students; conferences and roundtables on various topics and collaboration with Economics professors in the area of health economics.
At her meeting with the students, Dr. Johansen delivered a tailor-made presentation on the organization, structure and work of WHO, followed by and engaging questions and answers session, as the human interest is centerpiece to Dr. Anne Johansen. Meeting with young people is always an opportunity to hear their thoughts, ideas and hopes for the future, to listen to the future of the country talking about their needs now. Such visits enable Dr. Johansen to make informed decisions on the ways of future work of WHO in North Macedonia.
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Press Release
20 February 2023
Joint work key for boosting quality of life for all people in North Macedonia
The members of the Joint Steering Committee discussed the 2022 UN annual results, the opportunities and challenges facing the country, and endorsed the 2023 Joint Workplans.
“Only with joint efforts we can protect humanity and nature, especially if we are committed to the achievement of Agenda 2030, nationally and globally. Full implementation of the Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework is the pathway towards achieving tangible change for people in North Macedonia, resulting in better legal, more efficient and more responsible institutions and greater future for everyone”, said Fatmire Isaki, Deputy Minister of foreign Affairs.
SDCF is a key strategic document that guides the work of UN in North Macedonia and represents the UN development system’s collective offer to support the country in achieving sustainable development goals. To ensure that it reflects the interest and priorities of all people in the country, the SDCF has been developed through a participatory and consultative process, starting with the analysis of the country’s development context, strategic prioritization and its operationalization through annual workplans of UN entities and stakeholders.
“The context has evolved significantly since SDCF’s inception in 2020. COVID-19 and its immediate and long-term socio-economic impact, followed by the current energy, food security and finance crises – all shaped by the war in Ukraine – have put a significant strain on the Government to continue prioritizing reform processes and structural changes as the fiscal space has been shrinking and vulnerabilities increasing,” says Rossana Dudziak, UN Resident Coordinator in North Macedonia. “Targeted and focused expert advice and support, underpinned by the focus on leaving no one behind will remain the key pinnacle of UN work in North Macedonia in 2023 and beyond.”
The 2021-2025 UN SDCF also reflects the UN Secretary General’s plea for accelerated action to implement Agenda 2030 through a Decade of Action.
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Press Release
28 December 2022
Systematic solutions as an answer to the global food and energy crisis
Skopje, December 21, 2022. - At the conference entitled "Look further", which was held today in Skopje in the organization of the United Nations, representatives of several UN agencies together with international experts and representatives of the government discussed the key measures that the Republic of North Macedonia is taking and should take plans in the future in order to overcome the challenges in the food and energy crisis.
"The current crisis is in many ways unprecedented. However, the root causes and drivers are neither new nor surprising and reflect our inability to prioritize the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Policy solutions are complex. We need to respond to the immediate needs to lift people out of poverty, but we also need to support businesses in order to save jobs, with concrete measures to ensure the best possible results with the available resources. Most importantly, policies should be systemic, sustainable and visionary to ensure that, despite the challenges, we remain strongly focused on sustainable growth and development. That requires timely and accurate data, cooperation and coordination," said the UN Resident Coordinator, Rossana Dudziak, at the opening of the conference.
During the panel, the Vice Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Fatmir Bytyqi, emphasized that the problems should be solved systematically. "If they are not solved systematically, the problems increase. For example, we have been talking about digitization for years, but it was only superficial and not essential. Digitization requires a fundamental change in the behavior of stakeholders and citizens. We have not entered any segment to solve the problem in the way we should solve it", says Bytyqi. "Regarding the energy crisis, we understand that production is important, but we knew that we are 35 percent dependent on energy imports. It was nice because the price was good. As soon as a crisis comes, everyone asks why the problem is not solved. That problem is not solved overnight. The problem is again systemic. It should have started to be solved 10 years ago, and that in the field of alternative energies. Green energy. We are now trying to get old timers back into traffic with little intervention. But that is not a solution. The solution is green energy, a transition to green energy," added the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs.
The deputy representative of UNICEF, Artur Ayvazov, pointed out that shocks from price growth disproportionately affect households with more children and poorer families, due to their lower incomes and the greater share of food and energy consumption in their household budgets. Rising food prices leave these families with very little means to meet other basic needs. Ayvazov indicated that the Government should consider additional measures to reduce the burden on children and other vulnerable groups, including by expanding the access and volume of existing cash transfers and to ensure that the budget crisis does not disrupt basic health care services. , social protection and education.
Addressing the conference, the Deputy Regional Representative of FAO for Europe and Central Asia, Nabil Gangi, emphasized that from a long-term perspective, it is important to consider the structural causes of the food crisis, and in order to have a better approach to solving this problem, distinguishes between issues affecting access to food and issues affecting food availability. In terms of access to food, the situation is multidimensional and reflects the complex interrelationship between food, energy and financial crises. According to Gangi, addressing food security challenges caused by current crises requires an "agri-food systems" approach, which FAO promotes to act outside the usual sectoral frameworks. It is a systematic combination of policies, investments and solutions focused on sustainable improvements in productivity and efficiency, greater resilience and ensuring enough healthy food for all.
"Empirical research shows that a well-developed financial system can increase growth by up to 1 percent, and more importantly, reduce poverty. Financial systems contribute to encouraging savings and channeling them into investments, which are important for increasing the volume of capital and productivity, which in turn are the main determinants of long-term growth," said the Governor of National Bank of the Republic of North Macedonia, Anita Angelovska - Bezhoska. "The importance of finance is especially great in these crisis circumstances that emphasize structural weaknesses and the need for a green and digital transformation of the economy. It is positive for us that credit support for green transformation is growing, i.e. loans for this purpose in the past three years have recorded an increase of 80%", says Angelovska - Bezhoska.
According to the Permanent Representative of the UNDP, Armen Grigoryan, the crisis will probably continue in 2023 and it is difficult to predict in which direction things will develop. "UNDP and other UN agencies in the country, together with other development partners, are here to support institutions and citizens and contribute to public dialogue and consensus building around specific policies and other measures that will contribute to addressing current development challenges and the impact of the global crisis. However, we now have a better understanding of the vulnerabilities and root causes of the crisis, internal and external factors, and propose systemic pathways in response to the crisis. One of the things that should be paid attention to is the gray economy, which, according to research, amounts to somewhere around 35 percent entering the system, to pay taxes. The second thing is the encouragement of small and medium-sized enterprises and regional cooperation," Grigoryan said.
The Minister of Finance, Fatmir Besimi, emphasized that the past three years, which have been marked by crisis, have moved the mid-term framework of the planned fiscal targets, aimed at the consolidation of public finances and their long-term sustainability. "But at the same time, the policy makers give us the opportunity and show us where in the system we need changes. That's why we think it's good to implement the reform agenda in crisis episodes."
He added that this year, contrary to expectations, was not a year suitable for fiscal consolidation, and there was a need for measures to support citizens, the economy and for greater production of electricity from domestic capacities to deal with the energy and price crisis.
"In these conditions, the Government successfully resorted to rationalization of the expenditure side of the Budget, with which the achieved deficit is largely kept within the framework of the fiscal targets, which by 2027 should be reduced to 2.8% of the GDP budget deficit and public debt below 60%", said Besimi.
The goal of the United Nations agencies, UNDP, FAO and UNICEF, together with national and international partners, is to find sustainable and long-term solutions that will respond to the needs of vulnerable groups and at the same time support growth and development, in conditions of high inflation. and modest financial resources.
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Press Release
09 June 2022
The United Nations in North Macedonia launches 2021 Annual Results Report
"SDGs are not just an additional plan for the world but are a shared vision and therefore we must embrace their transformation and implementation. In order to achieve the 2030 Agenda, North Macedonia remains fully committed to the development of institutions and partnerships that will enable sustainability for present and future generations", underlined the Minister of Foreign Affairs Bujar Osmani.
The report focuses on the results that have been achieved and the lessons learned during 2021, the first year of implementation of the joint UN-Government 2021-2025 Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (SDCF).
“COVID-19 crisis reminded the whole world that we are all interconnected and that we need to work together towards sustainable development and that no one is left behind”, says Rossana Dudziak, UN Resident Coordinator in North Macedonia. “This report showcases how working together can contribute to achieving better results with our collective efforts.”
Following the priorities identified in the 2021-2025 SDCF, the report records progress in the areas of inclusive prosperity, quality services for all, healthy environment, and good governance.
Among many others, some of the results highlighted in the report are the 6,822 new jobs for young people that were created, more than 500 companies that received advisory and digitalized services, the consolidation of 1,078 hectares of agricultural land, the economic revival, and the return to in-person education. Also, the employment picked up, especially for women, who suffered the most during the pandemic, but less so for youth, which remains of concern.
A total of 24 UN entities worked closely with over 130 partners in North Macedonia and their work is aligned with the country’s national development and strategic priorities, its international human rights and gender equality obligations, as well as commitments towards achieving Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Online version of the report is available in three languages, English, Macedonian and Albanian at the following link.
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Press Release
29 April 2022
New FAO–North Macedonia programming framework for a more competitive, sustainable, and resilient rural economy
Priorities of FAO’s new CPF for North Macedonia (2021–2025) are consistent with the priorities of the Government, the country's Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development 2021–2027, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2021–2025, with a view to facilitate food system transformation and progressive alignment of agriculture and the rural economy with European Union (EU) standards and the Sustainable Development Goals.
The accord was signed by Nabil Gangi, FAO Deputy Regional Representative, and Ljupco Nikolovski, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy of North Macedonia during their meeting today with FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu.
“This framework is a continuation of the long-standing partnership between FAO and North Macedonia and our joint efforts to advance agricultural development, empower smallholders and family farms, and invest in a sustainable and food-secure future of Macedonian people,” said Nabil Gangi, FAO Deputy Regional Representative.
"We are ready to continue the activities and the excellent cooperation with FAO through which the Ministry, the Government and the citizens of our country see the benefits directly on the ground. I will only mention the success we have achieved with the ongoing agricultural land consolidation projects under the National Land Consolidation Programme, through which we achieved historic progress in improving the structure of agricultural land, which has ultimately contributed to reducing costs and increasing farmers’ incomes. The cooperation with FAO is abundant, there are many joint projects that are of great interest to the country," said Minister Nikolovski.
Agriculture is one of the key sectors of the Macedonian economy and a critical employer in rural areas, accounting for 12 percent of the gross domestic product and some 22 percent of total employment. Still, the sector’s development is hampered by many challenges, including, but not limited to, agricultural land fragmentation, limited access to productive assets (such as infrastructure, land, water, energy, knowledge, and financial services), weak value chains, and high vulnerability to climate change.
Having this in mind, FAO is ready to support North Macedonia in two main areas; building a stronger rural economy aligned with the EU standards, with focus on small farms and women farmers, and enhancing climate action, natural resources, and disaster risk management.
More specifically, FAO will support the Government of North Macedonia in formulating effective policies and enabling investments for rural transformation, improving agricultural land structures and land market mobility, modernizing production, strengthening value chains, and ensuring climate-smart, resilient agriculture.
Support to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy will continue to implement the ongoing land consolidation projects under the National Land Consolidation Programme and further scale up the programme at national level, as well as other land market instruments.
Through knowledge sharing and other means, FAO will help the Ministry and other relevant partners in formulating policy measures for improved advisory, veterinary, and phytosanitary services, as well as in the European Union approximation efforts in the areas of animal health management and food safety and quality, to meet the national needs and global challenges in the food value chain.
Under the second priority of the programme, FAO will support the country’s climate action efforts. This includes sustainable management of natural resources (land, water, forestry, and biodiversity), building climate resilience of agricultural production, and reducing disaster risks in agriculture. Boosting the climate resilience of smallholder farmers in many ways – including more efficient input use, high-quality data for decision-making, climate-smart agriculture, and expansion of irrigation systems – will be a key area in this regard.
‘’Achieving these results is possible with strong Government commitment and support from resource partners as well as with FAO’s contribution through its Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP). The technical assistance provided through TCP projects plays an important role in addressing the critical technical gaps of the Government, but also in having a catalytic effect for a sustainable impact and further investments towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals defined in the CPF’’, says Goran Stavrik, FAO Programme Officer (TCP). North Macedonia relies on FAO’s global experience and know-how as an accredited entity to the Green Climate Fund (GCF), Adaptation Fund (AF), and Global Environment Facility (GEF) in accessing environmental climate finance to support the country's national climate change adaptation and mitigation priorities while also meeting the country's global climate commitments.
LINKS
In rural North Macedonia, FAO helps improve sustainable and resilient development
Enhancing rice production in North Macedonia through land consolidation
Young Macedonian artist wins World Food Day poster contest honoring food heroes
Land consolidation is the missing link for farmers in North Macedonia
North Macedonia receives continued support for “greening”
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Press Release
28 March 2022
Working jointly is the fastest way to improve health services for all
Representatives of the UN family, health workers and representatives and of many national partners involved gathered to discuss lessons learned from the Joint Programme, which was implemented by three UN agencies, UNFPA, UNICEF and WHO, in coordination with the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office, and funded by the UN COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund.,
Participants of the event also discussed how to reach groups that may have been left behind in health services, improve preventive care in remote and underserved areas, how to strengthen immunisation, utilize digitalisation to ensure accessibility of the health services for all.
“This programme was established to enable fast and innovative response to emerging needs stemming out of COVID-19 and we are happy to be among very few in the world that managed to get funding from the UN COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund”, says Patrizia DiGiovanni, UN Resident Coordinator ad interim. “The program enabled free life-saving services for the people, particularly women and girls, living in underserved areas to whom provision of such services was disrupted or postponed due to COVID 19 pandemic and it should serve as a model for many future activities and investments in the health sector, aiming not only to save life, but to increase quality of life and improve outcomes for all people in the country.”
“Safe and Innovative Health Services in Times of COVID-19 in North Macedonia” is a joint programme that helped the government improve essential health services within the context of COVID-19 by building on the significant investments already made to strengthen the national health and social systems, contain disease outbreaks, and ensure health responses to various emergencies.
The programme has introduced several innovative health services, such as the mobile gynaecological clinics visits to remote areas, including e-immunisation registry that aims to improve data collection and the calculation of immunization coverage rates, and risk communication to immunization-sceptic populations as well as awareness raising among women and girls of sexual and reproductive health and gender-based violence. These improved services address the significant decrease in their provision since the outbreak of COVID-19 and enable more efficient real time collection of policy relevant data on immunization while also contributing to greater professional and public support for vaccination.
The programme targets vulnerable women, adolescent girls and children, particularly those living in remote areas of the country, who would benefit from sexual and reproductive health services, immunization and psycho-social support. The implementation of the programme started in January 2021 and ends now at the end of March 2022, with a budget of $850,000.
The programme is jointly implemented by three UN agencies in close partnership with key national partners including the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, e-Health Directorate, Association of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians, Committee on Safe Motherhood and Healthy New-borns, Macedonian Medical Association, Macedonian Association of Nurses and Midwives, University Clinic of Psychiatry and civil society organizations.
This joint programme is made possible thanks to the contributions to the UN COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund by the governments of Norway, Netherlands, Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden, Republic of Korea, Finland, Austria, United Kingdom, Spain, New Zealand, United States of America, Iceland, Croatia, Portugal, Thailand, Slovak Republic, Romania, Cambodia, Cyprus and Philippines.
More info at:
https://northmacedonia.un.org/en/170196-safe-and-innovative-health-services-times-covid-19
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