Page 59 - kpi21190

59

Renaud Meyer*

IIt is a great honor and privilege for UNDP to have been invited by the
King Prajadhipok Institute to deliver this address on inequality and
democracy. I would like to thank the Institute and the Committee
organizing this 21st Congress for giving me this unique opportunity to be
here and humbly share with you a few reflections based on the work and
perspective of UNDP on the issue of “Bridging the Inequality Gap and
Nurturing the Quality of Democracy”.

First reason, it is because reduction of inequalities and promotion of
democracy are at the core of the work of the UNDP in Thailand and globally.
Everywhere in the more than 130 countries where we work, and here in Thailand
for more than 50 years, together with our partners from Government, civil society,
private sector and local communities, we mobilize resources and expertise to first
understand why inequalities are increasing and why democracies are being
challenged in many places around the world, and, second, to identify development
solutions and interventions that are context specific to address these inequalities
and strengthen democracy.

* UNDP Resident Representative, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP),
Thailand