2006 ECOSOC Operational Activities Segment
13 July 2006
Statement by Ms Robyn Mudie, Deputy Permanent Representative,
Australian Mission to the UN in Geneva, on behalf of Canada, Australia
and New Zealand
(As delivered)
Mr President,
I make this statement on behalf of Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
We welcome the Secretary-General's report on progress in implementation of the Triennial Comprehensive Policy Review (TCPR) and the actions taken by the UN development system to pursue TCPR operational reforms. The TCPR, amongst other processes, is an important part of a continuous cycle of reform. It is a process from which the UN system should constantly learn and then implement, evaluate and revise its operations against a background of improvements to enhance the effectiveness of aid and capacity of partners.
Mr President,
We particularly welcome progress made by the UN system in simplification and harmonization. This includes strengthening of the Resident Coordinator system, piloting of the joint office model in Cape Verde, and a harmonised Common Country Assessment (CCA) and UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) in Vietnam as part of a country-led, country-owned process. We also congratulate the UN on the steps taken towards harmonization of cost recovery rates and better monitoring and evaluation, including the endorsement through the UN Evaluation Group of UN system-wide norms and standards for evaluation. Some progress has also been made in the areas of gender equality and transitions, including the preliminary work of the UNDG Taskforce on Gender Equality. Despite such progress, there is, however, still further room for improvement in these and other areas.
For example, while processes for reflecting a gender equality perspective have improved, this has not been translated into specific country-level goals, targets or deliverable results. Setting and measuring such goals, targets and results is one aspect of monitoring and evaluation which we would like to see improved, especially as the terms of reference for the next TCPR are developed. CANZ also calls for an improvement across the UN system in tracking allocations and expenditure for gender quality.
On transitions and early recovery, we welcome the work being done on development of possibilities for harmonized approaches to funding and the steps taken to include early recovery in emergency appeals and ensure greater OCHA/UNDG collaboration. However, a concrete solution is needed to solve the ongoing funding and coordination gap in transitions. Further improvements are also needed in post-disaster needs assessments and effective coordination, planning and interaction between all UN actors involved in integrated missions, including development and humanitarian agencies.
On simplification and harmonization, we look forward to expansion of the joint office model; further regionalization initiatives; and continued strengthening of the Resident Coordinator system through improvements in accountability, performance frameworks, training, and selection of candidates. But more critically, we believe that improved harmonization of the CCA/UNDAF process through a consolidated UNDAF is an essential step if operations at the country level are to be streamlined and implementation of nationally set goals optimized. As noted in the Secretary-General’s report for this session, the CCA/UNDAF process was developed as a tool in enhancing the ability of national authorities to own and streamline UN activities. Yet at the recent UNICEF and UNDP-UNFPA Executive Board meetings, consensus was not reached on moving forward with the proposal to further enhance that ability through a consolidated UNDAF. It is indeed a pity that the Executive Boards felt that this proposal went too far. We hope that the Boards will move forward swiftly in September to at least approve the Country Program format and accelerated approval process.
Mr President,
We welcome the work of the UNDG working group in developing operational guidelines for UN country teams on developing the capacities of partner countries. By capacity development, we mean support to strengthen the planning, management, performance and accountability for results of government departments so that they can better implement and coordinate both their own national development process and external, including UN, assistance. Further support to strengthening of national capacity is required, especially in the context of new aid modalities such as Sector Wide Approaches and general budget support.
Capacity development is also important beyond national governments – at local and provincial government levels, in the NGO sector and within civil society. We ask the Secretary-General, in conducting next year’s TCPR, to identify ways to further enhance support for capacity. This should include an assessment of the adequacy of the human resources available within the UN system to support capacity development and national priorities. As a critical element of relief, transition and development, CANZ encourages the UN system to enhance its support to capacity development in all these stages.
Mr President,
Last, but certainly not least, we look forward to next year’s triennial comprehensive policy review. We call for a focus on areas guided by the current TCPR and those that we have outlined as priorities in the terms of reference for the next TCPR.