ECOSOC Dialogue on the longer-term positioning of the UN development system in the context of the 2030 Agenda

Transcription

1 ECOSOC Dialgue n the lnger-term psitining f the UN develpment system in the cntext f the 2030 Agenda UNDG Perspective n Functins 1 UNDG key messages fr Wrkshp 5, 13 April 2016 The 2030 Agenda must determine the future functins f the UN develpment system (UNDS). Current and ptential functins f the UNDS will need t be priritized as the range f functins prvided by the UNDS is grwing in respnse t the changing develpment envirnment and differentiated demands f cuntries, thereby requiring cnsiderable capacity, flexibility and expertise. Functins must be based n the cmparative advantages f the UNDS, which are generally agreed t be its universal mandate, bth its nrmative and peratinal rles and the ability t effectively link the tw, values f impartiality and neutrality, its intergvernmental rle and cnvening pwer, its glbal reach, and experience drawn frm diverse agency mandates and expertise, and its fcus n the mst vulnerable. Functins must be driven by purpse, which is primarily t deliver results at cuntry level and prmte natinal wnership. The verall strategic psitining and relevance f the UNDS t supprt the new develpment agenda must be pre-eminent in determining its future functins. Efficiency and effectiveness, thugh very imprtant, must serve strategic psitining and relevance, and nt the ther way arund. The Standard Operating Prcedures fr the Delivering as One apprach enable the UNDS t ptimize and blend capacities, extend reach and expertise t respnd t the cmplexities f the Sustainable Develpment Gals (SDGs). The UN is mre effective and efficient when it wrks in a cherent manner and acrss sectrs, and much less s when it wrks in sils. Functins must be adequately resurced, while it is recgnized that funding must fllw functin. The supprt the UNDS prvides can be universal ffered t, and be relevant fr, all cuntries; differentiated accrding t their needs; and integrated acrss the three pillars f the UN and the three cmpnents f sustainable develpment. The fllwing cre integrated functins f the UNDS will be needed t effectively supprt implementatin f the 2030 Agenda: Integrated plicy advice including prviding thught leadership and analysis n critical plicy issues, wrking acrss gvernments and scieties t address and respnd t crss-cutting challenges, and prviding supprt t generating data and evidence required t better supprt plicy making, implementatin and mnitring f natinal develpment pririties and the SDGs. Such plicy advice will draw n the diversity and expertise available acrss the UN system, and the tls and analysis utilized by the different pillars f the UN human rights, humanitarian actin, peace and security, plitical ecnmy and climate change. Nrmative supprt t cuntries t establish, implement, mnitr and reprt n nrms, nrmative standards and agreements, including n internatinal human rights cmmitments. This includes much greater fcus n all frms f inequality and discriminatin, including gender inequality, based n the principle f leaving nne behind. Capacity develpment, brkering innvatin and learning, and crss-cuntry Suth-Suth and triangular cperatin as a cmplement t much needed Official Develpment Assistance (ODA). Capacity develpment, peratinal supprt and service delivery t supprt cuntries t implement the SDGs will cntinue t be a critical functin f the UNDS ging frward, as will ensuring innvatin and cntinuus learning at all levels, including thrugh Suth-Suth and triangular cperatin and knwledge and technlgy transfer. 1 See als UNDG Perspectives n Functins (

2 Maximizing the UN system s cnvening rle bringing tgether stakehlders acrss sectrs- and acrss scieties including civil sciety, private sectr, scial partners, Parliaments, academia, etc.- - t implement, mnitr and reprt n the new develpment agenda, ensuring inclusiveness, participatin and cntinuus engagement f, and cnsultatin with, stakehlders, and cnvening issues-based multi-sectr partnerships using lessns learned frm gd practice in the System. Leveraging partnerships and resurces in supprt f implementatin f the SDGs, t maximize develpment impact. It will be imprtant t build n the experience f the Millennium Develpment Gals (MDGs), including the MDG Acceleratin Framewrk, in rder t leverage supprt t help cuntries accelerate the remval f bttlenecks t achieving sustainable develpment. Diversified and innvative funding surces and mdalities will be key, in additin t the cntinued imprtance f traditinal ODA. Delivering integrated develpment and humanitarian supprt thrugh maximizing the integratin f planning cycles, jint funding and jint prgramming underpinned by jined analysis where effective, as well as cmmn investments in building the resilience f peple and institutins in situatins f fragility. Effective service delivery and peratinal supprt is ften prvided tgether with plicy and institutinal capacity supprt. Even when separate, it will cntinue t be vital in humanitarian crises and cnflict-affected cntexts; in Least Develped Cuntries and Lwer Incme Cuntries it wuld align and serve as a cmplement t the abve functins. UNDG Respnse t the Functins Paper by the Independent Team f Advisers While the paper recgnizes a brad spectrum f glbal and upstream functins f the UNDS, including nrm and standard setting, thught leadership, plicy advcacy and addressing glbal challenges requiring cllective actin, much greater emphasis shuld be given t the diverse set f functins perfrmed by the UNDS thrugh Resident Crdinatrs and UN Cuntry Teams (UNCTs) at the cuntry level. In this cntext, it is imprtant t nte that the UNDS als plays a key rle at cuntry level in prmting and peratinalizing universally agreed UN nrms and that the UNDS peratinal wrk at cuntry level is an integrated mix f delivering n nrmative, integrated plicy supprt, capacity develpment, advcacy, service delivery, and supprt t natinal implementatin based n a brad nrmative-peratinal feedback lp. At the reginal level, the recently signed Statement f Cllabratin between the heads f the Reginal Cmmissins and the UNDG Chair n Supprting Member States in Implementatin f the 2030 Agenda fr Sustainable Develpment charts the way fr further cllabratin in crdinating and leveraging UNDS effrts and expertise in supprt f cuntry develpment wrk. The different physical lcatins f UN reginal ffices wuld als need t be cnsidered where pssible and cst-effective t imprve prspects fr better crdinatin at the reginal level. Functinal grupings f UN entities at the glbal level arund crss-cutting utcmes can be further deepened, taking int accunt existing initiatives and the different gvernance and business mdels, cuntry presence, prgramming arrangements, and funding structures. UN entities shuld als prmte integratin at the cuntry level, mbilizing the brad range f expertise available within the UN system, and aligned t natinal develpment plans arund UNDAF utcmes by strengthening UN Develpment Assistance Framewrks (UNDAF) results grups (intrduced by the Standard Operating Prcedures) in all UNCTs. Results grups are cnvened in an inclusive fashin by lead agencies based n cmparative advantage and mandates, which may differ frm cuntry t cuntry, supprted by clear jint planning and matrix management within UNCTs n crsscutting issues. There are als instructive examples f cllabrative arrangements within the UNDS t address crss-disciplinary issues with multi-sectral and multi-stakehlder appraches (e.g. UNAIDS, nutritin, gender etc.) that culd serve as mdels. At the glbal level, the Quadrennial Cmprehensive Plicy Review (QCPR) itself shuld prvide the strategic visin and framewrk fr hw the UN system shuld wrk tgether t supprt SDG implementatin. A strategic QCPR with a clear fcus n peratinal utcmes culd be underpinned by a system-wide plan f actin and mnitring framewrk. Ensuring that UNDS interventins are crss-sectral and multi-dimensinal will need

3 t be based n cuntry cntext and is best peratinalized at cuntry level thrugh the UNDAF and results grups. The diversity f the UNDS is ne f its greatest assets, ffering Member States specialized and tailred supprt in a vast array f areas. While the call fr greater integratin is welcme, it is unclear why the paper suggests that integrated appraches t prgramming will cntinue t have limitatins, but that fully integrated appraches t plicy advice, plicy advcacy and natinal data capacities are cnsidered necessary in all cases. It will als need t be ensured that UN entities maintain their ability t respnd t humanitarian crises withut delay, as and when needed, in pursuit f their mandates. In additin, there needs t be acknwledgement that while greater integratin is very much needed, UN entities will als need t ensure that they implement their specific agency mandates, which cntribute t the attainment f the 2030 Agenda The Resident Crdinatr (RC) system is the crnerstne f a cherent United Natins develpment system, able t deliver integrated supprt acrss the UN Charter fr achievement f natinal develpment pririties. Effectiveness f the RC system is dependent n: a) sufficient and predictable funding fr carrying ut the crdinatin functin; b) empwered leadership including thrugh decentralizatin f decisin-making authrity t agency representatives at the cuntry level; c) cllective wnership and mutual accuntability f the system by all participating agencies; and d) a firm management anchr in peratinal experience at the cuntry level. Further reference in the paper t recent refrm develpments within the UNDS (bth within individual entities and system-wide) wuld very much enrich the discussin (e.g. Standard Operating Prcedures (SOPs); Plan f Actin fr Headquarters; Thery f Change etc.) as these measures have helped further the cmmn sense f purpse and strategic cherence f the UNDG. In that cntext, existing crdinatin mechanisms at glbal, reginal and cuntry level shuld als be acknwledged. The UNDG wuld very much welcme an pprtunity t engage with ITA members, and Member States, n the prpsals set ut in this paper. UNDG perspective n Funding 2 Funding must supprt agreed pririty functins f the UNDS, particularly f delivering results at the cuntry level. Fr the UNDS t fulfill the key functins it will need t play in supprt f the 2030 Agenda fr Sustainable Develpment, strng and mre predictable supprt t cre funding is essential. This includes supprt t the UN s peratinal rle which encmpasses nrmative and plicy wrk, capacity develpment and, where needed, service delivery per cuntry cntext and peratinal reality. Funding appraches at the cuntry level will need t be differentiated accrding t cuntry cntexts as well as ptentially t different functins. This culd include: 1. Agency cre and/r assessed funding r negtiated pledges (depending n the agency) t supprt the wrk f the UNDS at the cuntry level, including its cre functins such as bth its nrmative and peratinal rle, supprt t the RC system, plicy supprt and capacity develpment, and the UN s knwledge, leveraging and cnvening rle. 2. Nuanced emphasis n jint and/r pled funding, where efficient and effective and where it prvides as if cre financing fr integral parts f One Prgrammes and/r jint prgrammes in supprt f the SDGs. Specific additinal windws culd be pened fr humanitarian-develpment nexus funding, fr innvatin, emerging issues that require a rapid respnse, Suth-Suth cperatin, and fr crdinatin thrugh Delivering as One. 3. Openness t different types f funding and the ability t use these resurces effectively and in a streamlined manner will be key, including bth cre, and nn-cre funding, as well as cnsidering ther financing ptins 2 See als UNDG Perspectives n Funding ( and UNDG Paper n The Rle f UN Pled Financing Mechanisms t deliver the 2030 Agenda"

4 such as blended grant and nn-grant funding mdalities The UN s rle and cntributins in high middle-incme and high-incme cuntries wuld be mre reliant n hst cuntry cntributins, unilateral trust funds, fees fr service, and s n, ntwithstanding the UN system s universal advcacy rle. Pled funding mechanisms can be further encuraged and used at the glbal, reginal, cuntry and thematic level, where apprpriate. Pled funding can act as a vehicle fr hst-cuntry, private sectr and individual giving, help manage risks, ensure a better jined-up results fcus fr the UNDS, drive UN synergies and plicy cherence and cnvene partners arund shared results. Funding must incentivize and supprt greater integratin f the develpment and humanitarian dimensins. Investments in bth humanitarian respnse and lng-term develpment must be multi-dimensinal and fcus n enhancing the resilience f the mst vulnerable. Innvative mdels that are risk infrmed have ptential fr grwth. Dnr funding behavir that is rganized this way must be encuraged. One Funds r develpment pled funds at cuntry level can pen humanitarian windws, and vice versa, thereby creating efficiencies and reducing transactin csts. Greater pririty needs t be given t innvative funding appraches that can leverage further resurces and supprt the transfrmatins called fr by the new glbal develpment agenda. Fr example, institutinal r city twinning arrangements r the internatinal slidarity levy n airline tickets have ptential and culd be adapted t ther sectrs. Financing Suth-Suth and triangular cperatin in supprt f identified pririty functins and the expectatins f Member States. A case culd be made t better ring fence financing fr Suth-Suth cperatin t mre clearly demnstrate the rle the UNDS plays and the impact f its supprt. This grwing interest is demnstrated in sme f the new UNDAFs that articulate this as a key utcme area, financed by the hst gvernment. Diversifying the funding base thrugh mbilizing private funding fr the sustainable develpment agenda will be critical, including leveraging issue based partnerships fr mbilizing funds in supprt f natinal results. Innvative financing strategies in supprt f UN interventins in upper-middle-incme and high-incme cuntries will als be key in this regard. Alternative financing mdels and instruments will be needed t supprt the UN s nrmative and peratinal rles, ptentially including fees fr services and knwledge prducts. Diversified surces and innvative funding must be a hallmark f UNDS financing ging frward, and the UNDS must be enabled t have the agility and flexibility t receive and use such financing. The sustainability, flexibility and predictability f funding is critical fr the UNDS t successfully perfrm its key functins, deliver results and ensure greater impact. Traditinal ODA will remain essential, in particular fr the least develped cuntries, and fragile and cnflict affected cuntries. Dnr funding appraches must be mre cnsistent and cherent acrss the system, with use f cmmn principles and a range f standardized funding agreements and streamlined reprting requirements. Investments in institutinal strengthening shuld be an integral part f ensuring the UNDS remains fit fr purpse. The UN system shuld diversify its delivery mdels investing in its capacity t design and manage a cnslidated prtfli f pled funds at the glbal, reginal and cuntry levels in rder t maximize their cmparative benefits and minimize their ptential drawbacks. This will include enhancing the capacity f UN staff t identify, access, cmbine and sequence the right type f financing instruments t meet glbal and natinal pririties. Cre funding fr rganizatinal activities must be upheld. 3 Currently, nly UNCDF and IFAD prvide nn-grant funding at the cuntry level.

5 UNDG respnse t the Funding Paper prepared by the Independent Team f Advisers The UNDG fully aligns itself with the cnsensus reached in the first phase f the ECOSOC Dialgue n the principle that frm shuld fllw functin. Functins and results t be achieved shuld determine gvernance arrangements, nt the ther way arund (figure II, p.3). Recmmendatins n funding shuld be clsely linked t the analysis and recmmendatins n functins (currently there is a discnnect between the tw papers). Analysis and recmmendatins n the future funding architecture shuld take int accunt the Addis Ababa Actin Agenda and clsely cnsider the varius business mdels used by UNDS entities (e.g. wrking capital funds such as thse utilized by WFP; IDA mdels fr multi-year cmmitments; pssibility f using flexible resurces t issue bnds and raise capital, r use guarantees fr new cncessinal lending t certain cuntries) as well as innvative financing methds (e.g. Islamic financing, micr-levies and insurance based mechanisms). The financial data is aggregated t such an extent that it becmes misleading and unclear (Annex 1). Humanitarian and develpment financing shuld nt be placed in cmpetitin with each ther. The assumptin that humanitarian assistance is diverting resurces away frm develpment is nt grunded in data. A levy n humanitarian financing risks being cunterprductive and bringing back a sil apprach. The pririty shuld be t advance the integratin f the humanitarian and develpment pillars, including thrugh mre jined-up planning prcesses and by fcusing n funding streams that transcend sils by addressing rt causes and drivers f disaster and crises, as well as exit strategies. UN entities shuld lk at mre integrated financing mechanisms that address vulnerability and supprt lnger-term slutins and systems while still meeting dnr requirements related t financial reprting and accuntability. Inter-agency pled funding mechanisms can play an imprtant rle as part f a brader prtfli f financing instruments as an incentive fr wrking tgether and fr achieving cllectively shared results. At the cuntry level, gvernments and natinal agendas must be at the frefrnt f multi-stakehlder planning prcesses underpinned by a transparent participatry prcess n fund allcatin. A minimum target share f future glbal nn-cre shuld be allcated t inter-agency pled financing instruments ver the next QCPR cycle (in reference t p. 4). While the prpsed target f dubling pled funding builds n discussins held in the UNDG, it is ambitius in the current funding envirnment and will depend n dnrs willingness t change their behavir including budgeting prcesses and demand fr individual results. Dnr assessments, evaluatins and reprting requirements shuld be streamlined t imprve efficiencies and pen up space fr mre cllabrative appraches. Cst recvery methdlgies (r the definitin f direct/indirect csts) and fiduciary requirements shuld be applied cnsistently by dnrs acrss the bard Earmarking nn-cre resurces at utcme level culd be an effective means t induce transfrmative change and increase the impact f the UNDS. It will require leadership by Member States. On first inspectin, the prpsed levies n nn-cre t fund cre functins appear cunterprductive and wuld encurage agencies t pursue mre prcurement/cntractr functins (and wuld increase the perceived bilateralizatin f the UNDS). They wuld need t be thrughly stress-tested fr feasibility, incentives, and prs and cns. The UNDS is already in a psitin t prvide a cmprehensive picture f bth incme and expenditure at glbal and in-cuntry level (in line with the paper s recmmendatin that the UNDS develp a cnslidated balance sheet fr its peratins ). A cnslidated review f results is als largely pssible as many UN entities have signed up t the Internatinal Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI). Greater effrts will need t be made, hwever, t make IATI s principles universal standard practice. Further reflectin n the utcme f the first phase f the ECOSOC Dialgue and recent refrm develpments within the UNDS (bth within individual entities and system-wide) wuld very much enrich the funding discussins (e.g. UNDG Thery f Change; UNDG paper n the rle f pled financing mechanisms etc.) as these prcesses have cnsiderably advanced the cmmn sense f purpse and strategic cherence f the UNDS. The UNDG wuld welcme an pprtunity t engage with ITA members and Member States n furthering such prpsals n funding f the UNDS.