Joint Nordic Statement: UNFPA Strategic Plan, 2026-2029
Joint Nordic Statement by H.E. Ms. Anna Johannsdottir,
Permanent Representative of Iceland to the United Nations
Second Regular Session of the UNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS Executive Board
Item 7: UNFPA Strategic Plan, 2026-2029
26 August, 2025
Mr. President,
I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Nordic countries: Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, and my own country Iceland.
As we near the transition to the next Strategic Plan, the Nordic countries reaffirm our unwavering support to UNFPA’s mandate and the fundamental values guiding its work. The commitment to human rights, bodily autonomy, sexual and reproductive health and rights and gender equality is foundational to sustainable development. The rights and choices of each individual are non-negotiable. They are both a moral imperative and a development necessity that yield tangible social and economic returns.
We are encouraged to see these values clearly reflected in the new Strategic Plan and further commend it for being ambitious, normatively strong and programmatically sharpened. Its four outcome areas – ending preventable maternal deaths, meeting the unmet need for family planning, eliminating gender-based violence and harmful practices, and addressing demographic change – set a clear and rights-based direction. We particularly welcome the focus on adolescents and youth, on those most often left behind, and on safeguarding UNFPA’s humanitarian role in the most challenging contexts.
The Nordic countries welcome the new Strategic Plan’s recognition of emerging priorities: demographic foresight, digitalization – including preventing and responding to digital violence – and innovative partnerships with civil society, the private sector, and youth. These elements are vital for sustaining impact in a rapidly changing world.
Furthermore, the Strategic Plan is realistic about today’s financial constraints. In these dire times, the Nordic countries remain steadfast providers of core funding to UNFPA to enable meaningful delivery on its mandate. At the same time, we commend the Strategic Plan’s emphasis on accountability, oversight and risk management, as this helps to maximize the development impact of UNFPA’s resources on the ground.
The coming four years will be decisive. The new Strategic Plan provides a strong framework to complete the unfinished business of Cairo and to advance the 2030 Agenda, which remains the North Star of all sustainable development work.
The Nordic countries support a comprehensive and ambitious UN reform and expect all UN entities to fully engage with the Secretary General’s UN80 initiative. As we proceed with the reform deliberations, the Strategic Plan’s implementation should remain agile and ready to adjust to the changes ahead. Throughout these changes, we must ensure that sexual and reproductive health and rights and gender equality remain at the core of UN’s work.
The Nordic countries look forward to working with all partners to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person’s potential is fulfilled.
I thank you.