As the United Nations lead agency on international development, UNDP works in 170 countries and territories to eradicate poverty and reduce inequality. The organization helps countries to develop policies, leadership skills, partnering abilities, institutional capabilities, and to build resilience to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Their work is concentrated in three focus areas: sustainable development, democratic governance and peacebuilding, and climate and disaster resilience.

In 2016, KAIICID and the UNDP Regional Bureau for Arab States signed a Memorandum of Understanding to support the achievement of UN Sustainable Development Goal #11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG #16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).

KAICIID has worked closely with the UNDP Regional Bureau for Arab States, designing a series of trainings for young people and religious leaders under the Social Media as a Space for Dialogue programme. Additionally, the Centre has worked with UNDP in Iraq to identify and empower local agents for social cohesion, called “Social Cohesion Champions.”

KAICIID and UNDP have partnered on a number of initiatives on the engagement of religious actors, including hate speech prevention, a survey on the UN’s engagement with grassroots faith actors and a side event at the UN High-level Political Forum in 2021.