THE UN IN A CHANGING WORLD: Update on UN reform

1. THE UN IN A CHANGING WORLD:Update on UN reform Inyang Ebong-Harstrup, Associate Director UN Development Group Office

2. Presentation • Context for UN reform: Rationale and Drivers • Key global challenges • Progress to date 4. “One UN” pilots: Emerging thinking and challenges

3. The Case for Reform – Why now? Significant challenges ahead … • Unprecedented global change (speed, scope & scale) • MDG deadline close • Increase in victims of natural disasters • Environmental threats on the rise • Changing aid modalities (direct budget support – what is UN role?) … but

4. The Case for Reform – Why now? … also windows of opportunity • Reform momentum of the 2005 Summit • Millennium Declaration, Monterrey, Paris Declaration • Increases in ODA – to be spent wisely (is UN positioned to take a larger share?)

5. Drivers of UN reform in 2007 • Triennial Comprehensive Policy Review (TCPR) • SG’s High-Level Panel on UN system-wide coherence (November 2006) • New Secretary-General • Varying views of member states (e.g. Donors, G77, governing boards)

6. Key challenges for reform • Striking a balance between Inclusiveness (within the UN family) vs. Effectiveness (cost & programmatic) • Fragmented UN agency governance • Operational issues: proprietary policies, systems & tools • Complexity of reform with parallel structures on security, humanitarian, and development agendas • Allaying agency fears of losing mandates and identity.

7. TCPR 2008 - Highlights • Acknowledgment of the positive trends in the 2004 TCPR implementation • Emphasis on National ownership • Leading role of Governments in coordination • Clear reference for the importance of a neutral UN, in the context of multilateralism

8. TCPR 2008 - Highlights • No “one size fits all” for the UN reform at country level; • Acknowledgment of added value of different UN development institutions • Focus on effectiveness and impact of the activities, rather than process • Call for more regular/core funding

9. TCPR 2008 - Highlights • UNDAF, common programming tool of the UN development system • Highlight the need of UN support in MIC development agenda • Need for the UN to participate in the aid effectiveness agenda, using the new aid modalities

10. Progress to date • Focus on more strategic CCA/UNDAFs, better aligned with national priorities • Harmonized and simplified programming cycles, tools and procedures • Increasing number of joint programmes (with better guidance on modalities)

11. Progress to date …continued • Strengthened RC system • Rationalized UN presence & reduction in transaction costs • Improved quality assurance/oversight through regional structures • Stocktaking reports from the “Delivering as One” pilots

12. Implementation of the “One UN”: Mandate The HLP wording was not openly mentioned in the inter-governmental process for the Triennial Comprehensive Policy review, however, the “One UN” pilots are moving ahead, and other countries will build on their experience, with the context of the new TCPR. Governments of 8 countries volunteered to become “One UN” pilots Albania, Cape Verde, Mozambique, Pakistan, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uruguay and Viet Nam

13. The Four “Ones” • One Programme • One Empowered Leader and Empowered Team • One Budgetary Framework • One Office

14. Main findings of the stocktaking exercise One Programme: • “One Programme” elaborated rather as an operational document than a simple framework • Agency roles clearly defined for each result in the costed Results Matrix of “One Programme” • Need for harmonized programme reporting → still a challenge (use of SPR?)

15. Main findings of the stocktaking exercise One empowered leader and empowered team: • Acknowledged role of the RC in ‘positioning’ the UN, drawing on UN assets and advocating for all UN organizations • Empowered team: All members are leaders in results areas • Set up of a ‘mutual’ accountability framework (Codes of conduct) → RC accountable to UN System

16. Main findings of the stocktaking exercise One Budgetary Framework: • Costed Results Matrix for the One Programme, showing resources – indicative available resource and funding gaps – against results → clearer role of the UN in the country • Common approach to results based budgeting → still a challenge • One Budgetary Framework conceived to be used for monitoring and reporting over time

17. Main findings of the stocktaking exercise Country Level Fund: • Unfunded gaps in One Programme included in the pooled One Programme Fund, managed through JP pass-through funding option, e.g. in MDTFs • Clearer leading role of Governments, compared to the past, in decision making, through a Government/UN Steering Committee • RC accountable for allocation and reporting • Agencies accountable for use of funds received and report to donors through the RC

18. Emerging Thinking on the “Ones” One Office: • Is varying greatly in pilots • Based on common services framework → Key constraint - different operational procedures, but interim solutions possible

19. Current Challenges • Decision-making: how do we ensure a fully inclusive nature of the “One UN” process, without slowing it down? • Keeping the UN presence light, but maximize use of all agencies’ expertise and adapt the UN capacity to deliver on the One programme • Space for experimentation in pilots • Communications from HQs and regions • Expeditious mobilization of capacities to support the pilots, including further technical guidance • Monitoring and Evaluation of results