The Minister of Youth and Civic Education Mounouna Foutsou received in the Executive Coordinator of the United Nations Volunteer Program (UNVP) TOILY KURBANOV, to discuss about promoting volunteerism and proposed actions to enabled both parties move on with in this direction.
MINJEC works on a daily basis in favor of the promotion of Volunteering in Cameroon. This, through the Direction de l'Insertion Sociale des Jeunes et du Volontariat (DISJEV) and related structures such as the National Volunteering Program (PNV) and the National Civic Service Agency for Participation in Development (ASCNPD), with close collaboration from community mediators of the PLAVOLCAM platform.
Information revealed that Cameroon has been a partner of the United Nations Volunteer Program (UNVP) for several years. TOILY KURBANOV, the coordinator wished to continue this frank collaboration between the United Nations Volunteers Program and MINJEC.
He reaffirmed the United Nations commitment to promote volunteerism for social and population well-being. According to him, many Cameroonians are involved in the implementation of volunteering actions and initiatives which have had great success.
For the Director of Youth Social Integration and Volunteering at Minjec, Mr Elangue Victor, it is important to ensure the training of volunteers to strengthen their effectiveness in the field.
To end discussions, MINJEC expressed its satisfaction for this commitment and reassured the Executive Coordinator of the PVNU of his commitment to do everything possible to promote the actions of volunteers in the field.
Presentation of the UNVP
The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) program was established by the General Assembly (GA) in 1970 through resolution 26/59.
The initial role of the UNV program was to mobilize volunteers who could provide technical support to UN agencies in various countries. Since then, the mandate of the UNV program has evolved and largely consists of peacekeeping activities, and also seeks to promote recognition of the role of volunteerism globally. Since 1971, more than 30,000 volunteers have worked with the UNV program in more than 140 developing countries.
The 2018-2021 UNVSP Strategic Framework emphasizes two main achievements:
1. Outcome 1: Volunteering, which is an effective means of implementation and mobilization, will support the efforts of Member States to implement the 2030 Agenda;
2. Outcome 2: The work of United Nations Volunteers and the integration of volunteering will help the United Nations system to implement the 2030 Agenda.
Biography of TOILY KURBANOV, Executive Coordinator of the United Nations Volunteers program
Mr. Toily Kurbanov (Russian Federation / Turkmenistan) took up his post as Executive Coordinator of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) program in January 2021.
Prior to that, Toily worked as the Deputy Executive Coordinator of the UNV program since 2016 and played an important role in positioning the UNV program in the context of Agenda 2030 and UN reform.
Toily joined the UNV program from Myanmar, where he had led UNDP's strategic support to the nation's democratic transformation as UNDP Country Director since 2012. While in Myanmar, he mobilized expertise and UN policy advice to help build the capacity of the national legislature, to support justice sector reform, decentralization and post-conflict recovery in ethnic areas, and to help national stakeholders refine orientation of socio-economic policies towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. From 2007 to 2012, Toily worked as Deputy Resident Representative in Fiji and the Pacific Small Island Developing States, where he provided day-to-day management of UNDP, notably the implementation of the agency's programs in the areas of adaptation to climate change, disaster resilience, poverty reduction and civic education. Toily joined UNDP in 2004 as part of the Leadership Development Program. He first served as the Management Specialist in the Planning and Budget Office at UNDP Headquarters and supported the design and implementation of enterprise systems for results-based management and budgeting.
Before joining the UN, Toily had a brilliant career in the Turkmen government: as Ambassador to Armenia (2000-2003), President of the National Tourism Company (1999-2000) and Minister of Foreign Economic Relations (1997-1998). As a member of the cabinet, then as a senior diplomat, Toily used the breadth of his respective portfolios and the depth of his expertise to promote national socio-economic reforms and facilitate international trade and investment. .
Toily holds an MA in Public Administration from Harvard University and an MA in Economics from Plekhanov Russian Economic University. He speaks English and Russian. Toily is married and has three children.
Communication, MINJEC