Country Support Team

Country Programmes - Saint Helena

Saint Helena is one of the world's most remote islands. Without an airport or extensive telecommunication links, Saint Helena relies heavily on financial assistance from the United Kingdom to sustain its relatively high standard of living, especially in terms of education and health care.

In a sense, Saint Helena is going through a transition similar to that of Central and Eastern Europe. The government is pursuing a dual policy of public sector reform and private sector development after decades of state dominance in the economy. Priorities regarding private sector growth include expanding high-value, low-volume tourist activities centered on the island’s environmental and marine heritage. Declining employment opportunities, due in part to the shrinking public sector, have caused a large portion of the workforce to seek employment overseas. A significant portion of the remaining population is made up of elderly people who require state care.

Saint Helena is only just beginning to address environmental and conservation issues. Much work is needed not only to develop and manage protected areas, but also to ensure that conservation is carried out using scientific methods. Furthermore, Saint Helena needs to make certain that development of the island continues on a sustainable basis.

UNDP’s programmes in Saint Helena focus on:

• integrating the island into regional and global markets;
• strengthening public revenue generation;
• enhancing the quality of life for the island’s population;
• promoting Saint Helena’s connectivity to the global information economy.