Resident Coordinator's Remarks at the Signing Ceremony: UNFPA and TICA Framework of Collaboration and Annual Work Plan

Khun Sarun Charoensuwan, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs,

Khun Ureerat, Director General, Thailand International Cooperation Agency,

Khun Siriluck, Head of Office, UNFPA,

Colleagues from Ministry of Foreign Affairs and UN agencies.

Let me begin by congratulating you on the signing of the framework of collaboration which demonstrates vision and leadership of Thailand on maternal, sexual, and reproductive health, through South-South Cooperation.

This collaboration is in many ways a reflection of the depth of our partnership through UNFPA with TICA and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

It aligns to our comparative advantages to strategically position South-South Triangular Cooperation as an accelerator for the Sustainable Development Goals for the region and beyond. All under Thailand’s leadership in ASEAN.

The framework of collaboration will package best practices, share them with countries, and monitor its multiplier effect.

The knowledges and experiences gained will enable governments and civil society to improve reproductive health and well-being of women, girls, and the most vulnerable.

I believe the framework of collaboration is a model worthy of being emulated by other UN agencies as we institutionalize the partnership with TICA.

South-South Cooperation is one of the strategies embedded in the UNs Cooperation Framework to drive the SDGs.

In fact, we came together earlier this year to formally announce three flagship UN-TICA initiatives at the margins of the Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development, together with the EU Ambassador.

These initiatives are aligned with the Cooperation Framework and aim to first, scale up organic agriculture based on EU norms and second, strengthen capacities for strategic health diplomacy at the world health assembly.  

I am pleased to come full circle today and to see the actioning of the third initiative on ensuring access to quality reproductive health services for marginalized people.

I want to spend a moment to speak about the enabling factors to our partnership.

Thailand’s leadership is premised on its robust policy to prevent adolescent pregnancies, which has translated into 23 births per 1,000 women, which is half that of ASEAN.

I saw this work in action during my field visit to Mae Sariang, where I met with trained birth attendants who ensure safe deliveries in remote border villages, making a difference between life and death for young mothers, many of whom are from ethnic minorities.

Let me once again congratulate TICA and UNFPA for your ambition to enable zero preventable maternal death, and zero unmet need for family planning for the well-being of populations, beyond Thailand.

You continue to showcase how South-South Cooperation can support the advancement of SDGs across borders. I wish you all the success ahead.

Thank you.