unitar training course

United Nations Reform III

System-wide coherence process

New York, 19 November 2010

UNITAR Training Course

Kristinn Sv. Helgason, Office for ECOSOC Support and Coordination, UNDESA

System-wide coherence process

A. Key milestones

B. Major decisions of GA 64/289

C. Next steps

D. Lessons learned

Presentation outline


GA 60th legislative sessionWorld Summit Outcome invites SG to

“launch work to further strengthen the management and coordination of UN operational activities” (Sep.’05)

Kofi Annan appoints High-level Panel on UN system-wide coherence (Feb.’06)

A. Key milestones


GA 61s legislative sessionHLP delivers report to SG (Nov.’06)

Ban Ki-moon responds to HLP findings (Apr.’07)

Ambassador Christopher F. Hackett of Barbados and Ambassador Jean-Marc Hoscheit of Luxembourg appointed as co-chairs of informal consultations on SWC - series of informal consultations/briefings (May.-Aug.’07)

GA adopts oral decision to continue SWC consultations in 62nd session of Assembly (Sep.’07)

A. Key milestones


GA 62nd legislative session

Ambassador Augustine Mahiga of Tanzania and Ambassador Paul Kavanagh of Ireland appointed as co-chairs of second round of consultations (Jan.’08)

Series of informal consultations/briefings (Feb.-Jun.’08)

Deputy Secretary-General submits paper “Institutional options to strengthen UN work on gender equality and empowerment of women” (Jul.’08)

A. Key milestones


GA 62nd legislative session (cont.) GA adopts resolution 62/277 deciding that

subsequent SWC consultations will focus on five areas (Sep.’08):

(a) Harmonization of business practices(b) Funding(c) Governance(d) Gender equality and empowerment of

women (Focus on composite gender entity)

(e) DaO at country & regional levels

A. Key milestones


GA 63rd legislative session

Ambassador Kaire Munionganda of Namibia and Ambassador Juan Antonio Yanez-Barnuevo of Spain appointed as co-chairs of third round of consultations (Feb.’09)

Series of informal consultations/briefings - Secretariat submits background documents on composite gender entity, governance and funding (Mar.-May’09)

A. Key milestones


GA 63rd legislative session (cont.)

Co-chairs issue summaries of state of consultations in three key areas: (a) composite gender entity, (b) governance and (c) funding (Jun.’09)

Co-chairs conduct informal consultations with regional groups and Member States (Jun.-Sep.’09)

GA adopts resolution 63/311 proposed by co-chairs following informal consultations (Sep.’09)

A. Key milestones


GA 63rd legislative session (cont.)

GA resolution 63/311 provides framework for final round of consultations in 64th session of GA

Important additions - SG requested to:a) Propose modalities for establishment of independent

system-wide evaluation mechanismb) Create central repository of information on

operational activities for development building on annual funding report of SG

c) Make urgent arrangements for independent evaluation of “delivering-as-one” pilots

A. Key milestones


GA 64th legislative session

Ambassador Tiina Intelmann of Estonia and Ambassador Ghazi Jomaa of Tunisia appointed as co-chairs of fourth round of consultations (Nov.’09)

SG submits two reports: (a) composite gender entity and (b) all other areas (informal note on funding followed in March) (Dec.’09-Jan.’10)

SWC consultations resume in five clusters (Feb.’10)

A. Key milestones


GA 64th legislative session (cont.) Intensive substantive dialogue through

informal interactive sessions and WGs on governance and funding (Feb.-Apr.’10)

Co-chairs circulate draft elements for resolution to facilitate formal negotiations (Apr.’10)

Intensive intergovernmental negotiations on draft resolution (Apr.-Jun.’10)

GA adopts SWC resolution (2 July 2010)

A. Key milestones


1. Establish UN-WomenMerging DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW and UNIFEM

2. Launch process in EBs of funds and programmes to define “critical mass” of core funding

3. Establish coordination meetings of bureausPresident and bureau of ECOSOC to convene informal coordination meetings with bureaus of funds and programmes



4. Conduct independent evaluation of lessons learned from “delivering-as-one” pilots

SG to proceed with evaluation and independent Evaluation Management Group to submit report to GA at its 66th session

5. Establish Joint Meeting of Boards as forum for informal discussion on common country programmes



6. Conduct “client satisfaction surveys”

SG to conduct periodic surveys of programme country governments on effectiveness, efficiency and relevance of UN support to national development efforts

7. Funds & programmes to report annually to EBs on progress in harmonization of business practices

8. Commission review of institutional framework for system-wide evaluationSG, in consultation with UNEG and JIU, to commission a comprehensive review and submit a report with recommendations to GA at its 66th session



9. Strengthen voice of national policy-makers from developing countries in governing bodiesECOSOC and governing bodies of funds, programmes and agencies to consider measures to strengthen participation of national policy-makers in programme countries in their meetings

10.Improve governance of non-core funding flowsEBs of funds and programmes to include in annual reports assessment of how programme and project-specific funding is aligned with strategic plans



Governing bodies

a) Executive boards of funds and programmes to launch dialogue on how to define “critical mass” of core funding

b) ECOSOC and governing bodies of funds, programmes and agencies to discuss how to strengthen participation of national policy-makers in programme countries in their meetings

c) ECOSOC bureau to launch informal coordination meetings with bureaus of funds and programmes

C. Next steps


Secretary-General a) To make UN-Women fully operational

as of 1 Jan.’11

b) To conduct comprehensive review of institutional framework for system-wide evaluation

c) To proceed with independent evaluation of DaO

C. Next steps


Other UN entitiesa) UNDESA, funds, programmes and agencies

To improve reporting in areas of governance and funding

b) UNITAR To conduct training of delegates on

functioning of UN operational activities for development

C. Next steps


Other UN entities (cont.)c) CEB Secretariat

With ECOSOC President, to organize periodic briefings on work of CEB to Member States

To regularly brief ECOSOC on progress in harmonization of business practices

Provide update on establishment of central repository of information to ECOSOC at its 2011 substantive session

Publish inter-agency agreements and decisions on CEB website

C. Next steps


1. Importance of political leadership Co-chairs conducted final round of

negotiations in a highly strategic, professional, transparent and politically-sensitive manner

2. Strategic workplanning makes a difference

Co-chairs presented at outset a transparent workplan for the consultations with clear timelines and deliverables for a process that was fast-paced but allowed for ample opportunities for interaction on technical issues

D. Lessons learned


3. Quality of process consultations is critical Interactive approach adopted leveled

playing field among Member States and helped dispel misconceptions on important substantive issues that otherwise might jeopardize the formal negotiation process at a later stage

4. Secretariat can play a catalytic role

Through impartial and effective support in areas such as strategic planning, background documentation, legislative drafting and high degree of responsiveness to requests submitted by Member States during the consultative process

D. Lessons learned


unitar training course

Documents

ecosoc support

key milestoneskristinn

key areas

legislative session

subsequent swc consultations

final round of consultations

composite gender entity

s legislative sessionhlp