LAC RDT Effectiveness of the UN Development System at the Regional Level 2008 Global RDT

1. LAC RDT Effectiveness of the UN Development System at the Regional Level 2008 Global RDT Oslo, March 4-6 2008 Presented by Rebeca Grynspan Regional Director, UNDP-RBLAC

2. Inclusive Membership • Practice to include all interested Regional Directors with management responsibilities over the programmes in the countries and or the region’ • Members should have constant and regular involvement in RDT meetings and activities • Originally the 4 ExCom, as mandated in 2003, then expanded from 6 members in 2006 to 14 in 2008 • For RC Appraisal, only those with supervisory function over staff in the country concerned and generally the same grade or above those being appraised (standard practice).

3. RDT LAC EXPERIENCE • UNAIDS, • ILO, • UNEP, • OHCHR, • UNOPs, • UNHCR, Currently 14 regular members • UNDP, • UNFPA • UNICEF • WFP, • PAHO/WHO • ECLAC • OCHA • UNIFEM FAO, UN Habitat, UNESCO have participated in particular meetings depending on agenda

4. LAC RDT Mission • MISSION: Enhancement of UN system-wide coherence at the regional level and support of UNCTs at the country level to deliver as one to achieve sustainable human development for all. • TCPR 2007: • Reiterating the importance of the development of national capacities to eradicate poverty and pursue sustained and equitable economic growth and sustainable development as a central goal of the development cooperation of the United Nations system.

5. RDT LAC: Enhancing effectiveness and efficiency Programmatic Support to UNCTs • a) QSA and oversight for CCA/UNDAF process (Ecuador, Haiti, Venezuela in 07, Argentina, Guatemala in 08), joint missions, training, etc b) Support to specific countries (Haiti, Colombia, Bolivia, Uruguay) regular RDT discussion item and follow-up. • c) Focus on sub-national inequalities and excluded groups (eg. Indigenous, afro-descendant, women) • d) Focus on sub-regional and cross border issues Operational • RDT Secretariat • Regional Co-location –Panama Regional Center Partnerships • Collaboration with regional/sub-regional bodies (CARICOM, Ibero-America Summit, Summit of the Americas, OAS, IDB,CEPREDENAC, CDERA, Intl NGOs eg IFRC)

6. LAC RDT Functional Structure • Strategic Programme Support and guidance to specific countries in sensitive situations. Integrated support on the MDGs, HIV/AIDS, CCA/UNDAF , Delivering as One UN, and other emerging issues, support on joint programming, and capacity building for UN Country Teams • Appraisal, Accountability, Feedback and Support - Resident Coordinator/UN Country Team performance and UNCT work plans • Interagency support to crises and emergencies Regional IASC/Crisis Prevention , Preparedness, Response and Recovery– development of REDLAC regional coordination, REDHUM information exchange • Operational Support joint offices, UN presence and operations in selected countries .

7. 2008 LAC Regional Leadership Structure Regional Directors Team Latin America & Caribbean RDT Secretariat 4 MAIN FUNCTIONS OF THE RDT: LEADING UN REFORM IN THE REGION • Interagency support to • crisis and emergencies • Emergency response • Support Resource Mob. • Assist interagency coord. (IASC, REDLAC) • Operational Support • Common services • Common Premises • Joint Offices • RC/UNCT Appraisal, Accountability, Feedback & Support • UNCT & RC performance appraisal & support • Review of RC/UNCT work-plan • Strategic Programme Support • Strategic guidance • Integrated inter-agency support & technical programming capacity • CCA/UNDAF QSA • One UN Pilots (Uruguay) • HIV/AIDS RDG • Focus Countries –Haiti, Colombia, Bolivia, Uruguay • Oversight, Monitoring Implementation

8. From Process to Substance • Agreement on collaborative work on 3 regional priority MDGs • Child malnutrition • Child/infant mortality • Maternal mortality • ECLAC led IA analysis for advocacy & ID best practices • Next regional report – sustainable development or employment • HIV/AIDS • Mainstreaming the decent work agenda • Follow up on Declaration for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples • Focus on national ownership and capacity building in UNDAF (TCPR 07 reiterated)

9. Panama Regional Center LAC RDT is establishing a regional common premises for co-location of regional entities in Panama City, City of Knowledge to increase collaboration and efficiency (TCPR) • Feasibility Study by IA Group • RDT Agencies agreed on Panama as its regional center • Endorsement by UNDG Chair Dec 2006 • SG Declared Panama the Regional Hub June 2007 • Presentation to donors and high level UN Officials Feb 08 • Currently hosted inthe City of Knowledge: regional offices of UNICEF, WFP, OCHA, OHCHR, UNAIDS, UNEP, UNOPS; soon UNFPA, UNDP regional programmes. • sub-regional offices of IFAD and DSS, and other regional and sub-regional programmes and units (PAHO/WHO Emergency and Disasters Program; FAO regional programs, etc) • Greening the center

10. Lessons Learned • To engage agencies in RDT, it was important to work on a shared vision on the priorities of the region. • MIC status and inequality • Importance of RDT activities beyond regular RDT meetings • RDT meets with RCs (cluster meeting) • Joint Country Missions (Uruguay, Guyana/Suriname) • Joint Participation in Regional Meetings (HIV/AIDS conf. etc) • Working Groups and shared responsibilities

11. Regional Coordination/RDT is tasked but not resourced Challenges • Coordination demands considerable time and effort -there are clear limits if there are not additional resources: • Need more dedicated and sustainable resources allocated to regional level support – resources should be assigned at the global level for regional coordination purposes, it can not be solved at the regional level, especially in MIC region where our core resources are being depleted. • Need to balance between agencies involvement in RDT work without creating big structures. • RDT should support UNCT and not add an additional layer. • Quality Support needs to be improved and extended beyond design to implementation: more knowledge sharing , training and more experienced people involved at the agency level to support UNCTs • More need to demonstrate value added of coordination/support. • Need for further consultation with RDT before important decisions or guidelines are established and disseminated. • Systematization of messages/communications from highest levels through out and among agencies (to all agency staff).

12. Challenges in working in regional Middle Income Countries TCPR 2007 “recognizes that middle-income developing countries still face significant challenges in the area of poverty eradication and that efforts to address those challenges should be supported in order to ensure that achievements made to date are sustained, including through support to the effective development of comprehensive cooperation policies”