The Economic and Social Council this afternoon resumed its dialogue session, with a focus on two major themes of the Triennial Comprehensive Policy Review of operational activities for development. These were: challenges to the capacity of resident coordinators in the context of United Nations reform - system-wide support, and simplification and harmonisation - how far the United Nations system had gone. The Council then concluded its general discussion on its Operational Activities Segment.

Carmen Maria Gallardo Hernandez, Vice-President of the Council, opening the dialogue, said in 2007, the General Assembly, in Resolution 62/208, requested the Secretary-General to report on an annual basis to the Economic and Social Council on the functioning of the resident coordinator system, including costs and benefits. The functioning of the resident coordinator system had always had a prominent place in the Triennial Comprehensive Policy Review, with increasing importance and attention in the last two reviews since 2004. The General Assembly recognised that the resident coordinator system was a key instrument for the efficient and effective coordination of operational activities for development of the United Nations system, including through the common country assessment, and the United Nations Development Assistance Framework.

Helen Clark, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme, speaking as Chairperson of the United Nations Development Group, said the resident coordinator system was the lynchpin of the United Nations efforts at the country level. Existing United Nations Development Assistance Frameworks needed to be reviewed and recalibrated to respond to the economic crisis and to prevent reversals of gains made towards the Millennium Development Goals. The roll-out of 90 United Nations Development Assistance Frameworks over the next three years presented a good opportunity for the development system to focus sharply on the actions required to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. Climate change also needed to be brought to the core of their work on how to bring about trying to reduce poverty and promote sustainable development.

Denis Aitken, Assistant Director-General of the World Health Organization, speaking as Vice-Chairperson of the High-Level Committee on Management, said harmonised business practices across the United Nations system as a whole, throughout the organizations and headquarters and at the regional level, was what was needed as the eight Resident Coordinators said that headquarters kept on telling them different things when working at a country level. A set of harmonized business practices was being developed to ensure greater efficiency as there was progress towards the 2015 Millennium Development Goals. Harmonization was the way to go. As part of the harmonization project, but also in day-to-day going on of how the United Nations considered its business practices, there was far too much complication, as there were too many layers. Harmonization proposals would thus include simplification proposals.

In the discussion following the two presentations, delegations said, among other things, that the role of the empowered resident coordinator was central to the work of the United Nations Development Group. The measures undertaken to attract, recruit and retain high quality leaders, as resident coordinators, were welcomed. Harmonization of business practices was a matter of simplification, particularly dealing with so many agencies, and was a key process and without this being done nothing else could move forward – it was necessary to simplify collaboration and coordination at all levels, in particular on the ground. It was also very important that United Nations agencies themselves set aside money for this work. Speakers welcomed that the gender balance was being improved with respect to the recruitment of resident coordinators.

Speaking in the discussion were the representatives of Sweden on behalf of the European Union, Norway, Brazil, Pakistan, Netherlands, France, United Kingdom, Czech Republic, New Zealand and Spain.

Following the discussion on the presentations, the Council concluded its general discussion on the Operational Activities Segment, under which delegations said, among other things, that the deliberations on the Operational Activities Segment this year had assumed special significance - the global economic and financial crises were exacerbated by volatility in food and fuel prices, and climate change posed serious development challenges. Improved coherence was not an end, it was a means towards achieving the goal of effective delivery. The crucial issue remained the quantity and quality of United Nations development assistance. Furthermore, operational activities should be aimed at ensuring improved delivery of assistance, in accordance with the efforts of system-wide coherence. In achieving these objectives, the cornerstone for successful efforts was to ensure adequate and predictable funding, which required the expansion of funding. An appropriate balance between core and non-core funding was vital in preventing a fragmented approach which only corroded effective development. The combined economic, food security and climate change crises were threatening development, and challenged the United Nations system to provide strategic and cohesive support to Governments.

Speaking in the general discussion were the representatives of Pakistan, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, China, Republic of Moldova, Kenya, Malaysia, Morocco, Ireland, Algeria, International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization and the World Health Organization.

The next meeting of the Council will be on Friday, 17 July at 10 a.m., when it will hold a dialogue with United Nations country teams on strengthening the United Nations country teams’ coherent support to public health.

Dialogue Discussion on the Triennial Comprehensive Policy Review of Operational Activities for Development

Opening Statement

CARMEN MARIA GALLARDO HERNANDEZ, Vice-President of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), opening the discussion, said that in 2007 the General Assembly in its resolution 62/208 had requested the Secretary-General to report on an annual basis to ECOSOC on the functioning of the resident coordinator system, including costs and benefits. The functioning of the resident coordinator system had always had a prominent place in the Triennial Comprehensive Policy Review, with increasing importance and attention in the last two reviews since 2004. The General Assembly recognized that the resident coordinator system was a key instrument for the efficient and effective coordination of operational activities for development of the United Nations system, including through the common country assessment, and the United Nations Development Assistance Framework.

Resident coordinators were increasingly faced with broader and more complex challenges, with new mandates coming from the intergovernmental consensus and with numerous countries experiencing conflict and disasters and their aftermath. Moreover, resident coordinators had become central in the implementation of reforms in the “Delivering as One” initiative. More and more was expected of them – their tasks and responsibilities were unenviable, but they could also be most rewarding for consummate development professionals. In light of that, the General Assembly had urged the United Nations development system and requested the Secretary-General in consultation with the United Nations Development Group to ensure that the resident coordinators had the necessary resources to fulfil their role effectively.


Statements by United Nations System Speakers

HELEN CLARK, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Chairperson of the United Nations Development Group, said the resident coordinator system was the lynchpin of United Nations efforts at the country level. Country-by-country analysis revealed which of the Millennium Development Goals were currently lagging behind, but also those which could also be reached with more effort, backed by the necessary resources. Existing United Nations Development Assistance Frameworks needed to be reviewed and recalibrated to respond to the economic crisis and to prevent reversals of gains made towards the Millennium Development Goals. The roll-out of 90 United Nations Development Assistance Frameworks over the next three years presented a good opportunity for the development system to focus sharply on the actions required to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. Climate change also needed to be brought to the core of their work on how to bring about trying to reduce poverty and promote sustainable development.

All of the resident coordinators were instructed to approach their host Governments proactively to offer support to them as they evaluated their policy options and developed their positions for the negotiations at Copenhagen, Ms. Clark underscored. Last year the United Nations Development Group agreed on a mutual accountability framework and on a division of labour between resident coordinators and United Nations Country Teams. The agreement noted that the resident coordinator system was managed by UNDP on behalf of all members of the United Nations development family. The agreed long-term vision was that the resident coordinator would have an equal relationship with, and responsibility to, all United Nations Country Team member agencies. The resident coordinator should have access to the technical resources of all the agencies. Those important agreements needed to be translated into action and to lead to change in how the United Nations conducted business at the country level. Among remaining challenges were accelerating the harmonization of business practices, and meeting the call for the development of a single report which would capture the totality of the United Nations development system’s results in a country on an annual basis.

DENIS AITKEN, Assistant Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), speaking as Vice-Chairperson of the High-Level Committee on Management, said harmonized business practices across the United Nations system as a whole, throughout the organizations and headquarters and at regional level, was what was needed, as the eight resident coordinators said that headquarters kept on telling them different things when working at a country level. A set of harmonized business practices was being developed to ensure greater efficiency in progress towards the 2015 Millennium Development Goals. Why that had not been done before was because the United Nations system had developed gradually, and each body had seen that it could do things differently due to its different mandate. However, the situation was now critical. There were 19 proposals on how to harmonize business practices, and to start that off, there was a need for extra funding. It would increase effectiveness and efficiency and comprehensive understanding, so that one person, understanding how WHO worked, would immediately understand how the United Nations Population Fund or the United Nations as a whole worked.

The changes would take place with proper interaction with Member States. There would be occasions in which each agency came to a Member State, asking for changes to be made to the current regulations, structures and rules, and that would be a harmonized approach on which States could express themselves. On the funding side, there was a need for approximately $ 20 million to start that as fast as possible. The prioritization of individual projects in an organization, and the need for additional funding to give a boost to how those new and coordinated projects could be taken forward was not something that could be taken from those projects to implement the harmonization process. There would be measurement and evaluation of the process. Harmonization was the way to go. As part of the harmonization project, but also in day-to-day goings on of how the United Nations considered its business practices, there was far too much complication, as there were too many layers. Harmonization proposals would thus include simplification proposals.

Discussion

In the ensuing general discussion, speakers noted, among other things, that the role of the empowered resident coordinator was central to the work of the United Nations Development Group. The measures undertaken to attract, recruit and retain high quality leaders as resident coordinators was welcomed; however, how could candidates be given incentives to join and stay on board? The post of resident coordinator was considered to be one of the most impossible jobs in the world today, as it was a job that required one to wear multiple hats. Regarding harmonization of business practices, it was a matter of simplification, particularly dealing with so many agencies. Simplifying collaboration and coordination at all levels, in particular on the ground, was a key process and without that being done nothing else could move forward. It was also very important that United Nations agencies themselves set aside money for that work.

In light of the fact that resident coordinators worked within a delicate framework at the country level, it was important that they could take decisions on allocation of resources, in the case where negotiations had stalled or where there was a lack in leadership to move forward. Speakers welcomed that the gender balance was being improved with respect to the recruitment of resident coordinators. An effective United Nations response to national priorities had to be based on a resident coordinator system that was participatory and responsible; and the role of resident coordinator should be strengthened in order to mobilize resources. Speakers also welcomed the “Unity in Action” initiative, which helped to promote the process of simplification and harmonization. Most critical were countries in crisis and post-crisis situations; what were the main issues for staffing and retaining resident coordinators in those cases? To gain a better sense of the difficult task ahead of the resident coordinators, what were some of the responsibilities or roles they took on? How were the positive experiences of the pilot project and other projects being launched by the United Nations Development Group being integrated into future projects?

Concluding Remarks

HELEN CLARK, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme, speaking as Chairperson of the United Nations Development Group (UNDG), responding to the questions and comments, said with regard to countries where there were United Nations missions, such as in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the resident coordinator would be a Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General. In cases of humanitarian crisis, he would also be Humanitarian Coordinator. The resident coordinator could wear five different hats – it was a very wide-ranging job. There was a UNDG-approved proposal to donors to support resident coordinators in crisis countries, recognizing the complexity of their task and the need for better coordination of donors, to be a convener of stakeholders, and to play a role in strategic planning in the development area. The resident coordinator needed to be recognized as the leader of the country team – if they were not given full support from the country team, then their job became very difficult. There was a need for people with good leadership capabilities and strength, as well as good judgement and team-building skills in the role.

On whether savings could be applied in-country, that would be investigated, but often the things that seemed the most obvious were the hardest to sort out. There may well be some work to be done in that regard, but there was good will to sort it out.

DENIS AITKEN, Assistant Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), speaking as Vice-Chairperson of the High-level Committee on Management, in response to questions and comments, said, on alternative funding, one of the biggest projects for harmonization being adopted by the United Nations – the International Public Accounting Standard – would be to a small extent funded by those budgets. The whole system in the next few years would be harmonized through the International Public Accounting Standard. Giving examples with respect to the balance of responsibilities among agencies, he noted that on the procurement side UNDP was in the lead, the World Food Programme took the lead on the inter-agency shared service centres and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees took the lead on the consolidation of the United Nations data centre. Each agency had a responsibility which was shared. With regard to coordination between agencies, contact between the chairs was central to that initiative.

General Debate on Operational Activities for the Development of the UN System

MUHAMMAD AYUB (Pakistan) said the deliberations on the Operational Activities Segment this year had assumed special significance. The global economic and financial crises were exacerbated by volatility in food and fuel prices, and climate change posed serious development challenges. Effects were being felt both at the systemic and operational level. Hard-earned Millennium Development Goal gains were reversing. Millions were being pushed back into poverty. While commitments had fallen way short of implementation, the gap between resources and needs continued to widen. Improved coherence was not an end, it was a means towards achieving the goal of effective delivery. The crucial issue remained the quantity and quality of United Nations development assistance. To address the issue of aid fragmentation, it was essential that bilateral donors be a part of any integrated approach to development cooperation. For developing countries to address national priorities and achieve the Millennium Development Goals, a continuous process of capacity-building was required, to which the United Nations system could make a significant contribution. The United Nations system should use as far as possible national professional staff and national consultants from programme countries. It was important that the resident coordinator system continue to work within the framework of national ownership and leadership of national development processes. The harmonization and simplification of business practices of all United Nations funds, programmes and agencies could be promoted through the United Nations Chief Executives Board for Coordination.

Mr. D. SUPRATIKTO (Indonesia) said the organizational effectiveness and efficiency of United Nations operational activities for development had to continue to be strengthened to support developing countries’ development efforts, and implementation of the internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals. Upon the request of the recipient country, the value of United Nations operational activities for development should be assessed on the basis of their impact and contribution to strengthening national capacity, particularly to eradicate poverty and achieve sustained economic growth and sustainable development. Furthermore, operational activities should be aimed at ensuring improved delivery of assistance, in accordance with the efforts of system-wide coherence. In achieving those objectives, the cornerstone for successful efforts was to ensure adequate and predictable funding, which required the expansion of funding. An appropriate balance between core and non-core funding was also vital in preventing a fragmented approach, which only corroded effective development. With regard to the United Nations contribution to national capacity development, Indonesia stressed the need to focus on South-South cooperation.

ZHARKIN KAKIMZHANOVA (Kazakhstan) said it should be recognized that the advantages of the United Nations system in carrying out operational activities lay in its neutral and objective stance. The principles of operational activities should be respected. Moving ahead towards implementation of the Millennium Development Goals required improvement of management structures and their efficiency, as well as accountability and mobilization of resources to attract additional funding. The achievement of the Millennium Development Goals in terms of the financial crisis was slightly different. The United Nations Development Assistance Framework was important because the need to support human security and development was increasing. Two of the main priority areas for Kazakhstan and the United Nations were economic and social well-being and preservation of the environment. There were situations in which some countries had received more assistance and aid than they actually needed, showing there was no international mechanism to assess those needs, and to bring assistance and aid in line with them. There should be maximum efficiency and timeliness of aid. Experience showed positive changes, and unifying the sources of funding of country programmes made the assistance provided more effective. There was a need to further harmonize and simplify the United Nations system, but only in terms of improving the system.

SHAO CHANGFENG (China) said the world was facing an ever widening gap between the North and South and the rich and poor. The hope for poverty eradication remained illusive for hundreds of millions of people. China believed that efforts should be made in four areas. First, all funds and programmes should fully avail themselves of the opportunities afforded by the political consensus forged at the High-Level Conference on the World Financial and Economic Crisis and its Impact on Development and the United Nations High-Level Meeting on Millennium Development Goals and fulfil their development functions as their top priority task. Second, advancing global development partnership required an early improvement in the financing situation of the United Nations development system. Third, capacity-building for developing countries should be considered as the central task of the United Nations development operational activities. Fourth, with regard to reform of the United Nations operational activities, China believed that in view of the far-reaching impact of the reform of operational activities on developing countries, it was necessary to attach importance to listening to the opinions of the developing countries. Furthermore, regarding South-South cooperation, China believed that the capacity-building of the United Nations mechanisms and institutions for South-South cooperation should be strengthened.

VICTOR MORARU (Republic of Moldova) said the Republic of Moldova supported the implementation of General Assembly resolution 62/208. More needed to be done in order to achieve a significant increase in the effectiveness of United Nations activities at the country level, especially in the context of the current multiple crises. The combined economic, food security and climate change crises were threatening development and challenged the United Nations system to provide strategic and cohesive support to Governments. The discussions organized today confirmed that the economic and social progress achieved in many countries was clearly being threatened. It was important to analyse the situation in programme countries, particularly in those affected by multiple crises, so that the system could respond appropriately to the needs of each country. It was of utmost importance that the United Nations funds and specialized agencies review, and if appropriate redirect, their assistance, particularly to heavily affected low-income countries, to mitigate and more effectively respond to the various crises. The present aid allocation system should be improved as soon as possible, with a view to allow an effective aid allocation. The principles of aid effectiveness and the Doha commitments on financing for development had assumed special importance. At country level, “Delivering as One” needed to expand and improve its scope and effectiveness.

ROBERT NGEI MULE (Kenya) said the United Nations was created basically to address the development challenges which faced the world. To execute this role effectively, Kenya supported the concept of the United Nations system ‘delivering as one’ hence the need for the system to improve its efficiency, coherence and effectiveness through among other innovative ways; the Common Country Assessments, the United Nations Development Assistance Frameworks and the Regional Coordination Mechanisms as well as national programmes. To undertake the operational activities of the United Nations attention should be given to the mobilisation of substantial resources; strengthening of the United Nations system monitoring mechanisms; and the United Nations as the global promoter of South-South cooperation. Kenya considered South-South cooperation as one of the important tools for achieving the necessary development. As a result the country had adopted South-South cooperation as a complimentary development strategy and had participated in many South-South cooperation activities. The General Assembly decided to convene a high-level conference aimed at further promoting South-South cooperation, which was to be held in Kenya this year.

RAJA NUSHIRWAN ZAINAL ABIDIN (Malaysia) said the reports before the Council emphasised and confirmed that much more needed to be done if the multilateral development system was to effectively support the efforts of programme countries to achieve the internationally-agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals. While contributions to United Nations operational activities grew faster during the 1995-2005 period, it fell in real times in 2006, and increased fractionally in 2007. The reason for these developments needed to be investigated. Malaysia had noted the existence of donor darlings and donor orphans for some time now, but was, however, surprised at the magnitude of the problem, with 15 programme countries receiving 60 per cent of bilateral aid - the issue should be fully discussed. Malaysia believed that this phenomenon was also related to the non-fulfilment of donor commitments, resulting in a false and forced need to prioritise. Programmatic incoherence was almost always caused by funding fragmentation. This issue would get worse. Malaysia also took note of the progress made in the area of simplification and harmonisation of the United Nations development system. Further progress needed to be made if the United Nations was to strengthen its image as a unified system and reduce transaction costs.

MOHAMMED IBOUMRATEN (Morocco) said the strengthening of the United Nations operational activities needed to face in an accorded manner the three crises of climate change, food security and the economic and financial crisis, which hindered the carrying out of the Millennium Development Goals. The United Nations system operational activities continued to be subject to in-depth reforms and challenges. The challenges required constant adaptability. At a time when the international community was mobilizing to address the impact of the global economic and financial crises, the United Nations had to create conditions for inter-agency coordination, with improved financing. The resident coordinator system was part of the strategic plan of the United Nations Development Programme, the dual role of the United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Development Group needed to ensure the coherence of activities, in particular on the ground. It was clear that strengthening operational activities required more human resources. Any action to ensure better coordination of the United Nations in the field had to be adapted to each specific country, and thus South-South cooperation was essential and had to be given more support. The harmonization and simplification of operations and its alignment with national policies would help to make operational activities more effective in the field.

VICKY DILLON (Ireland) said improving the United Nations' work on operational activities for development had assumed an even greater urgency, in light of the unprecedented economic and financial crises that the world was facing. It was essential that the United Nations system be strengthened and reinvigorated, so that it may play its role in responding to the demands of programme countries and delivering assistance to mitigate the effects of the crisis on the most vulnerable. Ireland welcomed the progress already made in this regard by the United Nations Development System. There was increased evidence that common country programming, the establishment of a common country Fund, and an empowered resident coordinator leading the UN country team were all significant elements in improving the functioning of the United Nations system at country level, and these elements were crucial in ensuring that the United Nations' work was aligned with, and responsive to, the priorities and development plans of national Governments. An empowered resident coordinator who could effectively lead, and was supported by, a strong United Nations Country Team was essential for the United Nations to deliver coherently and effectively. The administrative burden of Country Teams should be reduced so they could maximise the resources going to programmatic work. In relation to financial regulations, Ireland encouraged all United Nations funds, programmes and specialised agencies to continue to harmonize and simplify these regulations in order to reduce transaction costs for national partners and United Nations agencies, and to increase the use of national systems and build the financial management capacity of national partners.

NACIM GAOUAOUI (Algeria) said with respect to the report on the operational activities of the United Nations for international development cooperation (A/64/75), where in the annex of the document countries and territories were listed, there were inconsistencies between the English and French versions, and therefore Algeria asked the secretariat to harmonize the information there to give a better understanding of the data presented. In addition, Algeria wanted to see a break down of the specific contributions made to each country and region. They were of the impression that this would be done in subsequent reports.

KIFLEMARIAM AMDERMARIAM, of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said humanitarian diplomacy faced multiple challenges - the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies’ operational work was taking place in a world where populations confronted an ever-increasing number of natural disasters. Liberia's demographic health survey showed that 50 per cent of the population was under the age of 25, and the Liberian Red Cross Society had made youth, in particular those affected by war, one of the priority-targeted populations for its support programmes. Younger people were actively involved in the work of the Federation, which conducted a wide variety of training sessions for youth in different areas, including coaching sessions for youth leaders. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies was also working, with the support of the Government to build its volunteer base; this involved meetings with young people to develop strategies to build a vibrant youth volunteer network. The value of the national society in these circumstances was obvious, and this role was valued by the international community. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and its partners understood fully that only by working together could they make a significant difference for the largest number of beneficiaries.

KERSTIN HOLST, of the United Nations Educational, Scientific And Cultural Organization, speaking on behalf of the Director-General, said the 2007 Triennial Comprehensive Policy Review resolution recognized important principles such as national ownership and leadership in development efforts, the need to preserve flexibility, and gave room for individual country-specific approaches to “one size did not fit all”, and identified capacity-building in Member States as a main focus. It was of critical importance to UNESCO that the resolution explicitly established the internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals, as a reference point for the United Nations system’s action; that it recognized the specific expertise of United Nations funds and programmes and specialized agencies in line with their respective mandates and strategic plans; and that it requested countries to increasingly benefit from the full range of mandates, expertise and resources to be found within the United Nations system, including non-resident expertise.

NAMITA PRADHAN, of the World Health Organization (WHO), said WHO's participation in this year's ECOSOC had been defined by the theme of the High Level Segment and the Annual Ministerial Review, both focusing on public health. The Ministerial Declaration of last week highlighted the need for political leadership and commitment, international cooperation and partnerships across different sectors, among all stakeholders, and at all levels in achieving not only health-related Millennium Development Goals, but broader internationally-agreed development goals, as well as more equitable health outcomes for all. It recognised the adverse impacts of the current financial and economic crisis, food insecurity, and climate change on health; and that better health could be achieved through multi-sectoral policies, strengthening health systems and comprehensive primary healthcare. WHO attached great importance to pursuing opportunities for collective action to enhance coherence and efficiency within the United Nations system, and was actively engaged in planning processes for United Nations reform, and participated actively in the Chief Executives Board for Coordination and its subsidiary bodies. WHO was also an engaged partner in the United Nations system Delivering as One eight pilot countries. WHO was committed to continuing its engagement in the efforts of the United Nations family towards greater harmonisation and alignment to make the system more effective and results-focused, responding to the needs of the Member States.


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