Redefining UN role and engagement in MIC Viet Nam Concept Note: April 2015

Transcription

1 Redefining UN role and engagement in MIC Viet Nam Concept Note: April 2015 A. Introduction and background In preparation of the new ( ) UN-Viet Nam Strategic Cooperation Framework (One UN Strategic Plan), the UN Country Team has envisaged a knowledge-intensive and inclusive process leading to production of (i) a Common Country Assessment (CCA) that will identify key development challenges Viet Nam is facing currently and in the next development stage; (ii) an Option Paper that will redefine roles of UN and modalities of UN engagement in development of MIC Viet Nam; (iii) based on these, a joint Government-UN position paper (which will then serve as the basis for preparation of) (iv) the One UN Strategic Plan. In particular, the joint GOVN-UN position paper will address a question on how the UN can be fit for purpose in the rapidly changing country context in Viet Nam. The following roadmap has been agreed by the UNCT: Phase Key outputs Timeframe 1. Inception Phase Establishment of UN Task Forces on 1) Common Country Assessment and 2) Options for new role of UN in mid-income Viet Nam TORs, roadmap and recruitment of consultants March- September2015 Equity Systematic Review (done) 2. Evaluation, Assessment and Positioning Phase CCA UN in mid-income countries options paper Evaluation of One Plan Jan-Sept 2015 Draft focus areas and outcome statements for One Plan 3. Strategic Prioritization and Programming Phase Prioritization workshop- Dec 2015 Draft One Plan- Jan-March 2016 Dec-March UN Agency Programming Draft agency-specific country programme documents February 2016 Phase Detailed Project Outlines (DPOs) to Dec Results Implementation structure Groups Work Planning Joint results groups (JPGs) Phase joint action plans and detailed budgets 6. Implementation Implementation June Dec 2016 January 2017-Dec 2021 B. Overall objective The overall objective of Redefining the roles of UN and modalities of UN engagement in development of MIC Viet Nam exercise is that the UN become perceived and recognized as a partner, not a donor. In a changing country context, a changing ODA environment, and a globally evolving environment for Financing for Development, it is imperative that the contributions of the UN as a critical partner for Viet 1 P a g e

2 Nam has continued relevance and is most effective in addressing its emerging needs. Therefore, roles of the UN, the types of support, the suitable and feasible business models and modalities for VN-UN partnership, and UN engagement in delivering support, needs to be revisited with a view to identify new and improve forms for engagement that are more cost effective and enable the UN to be Fit for Purpose at country level. The exercise (its product in the form of an Option Paper, and more importantly the dialogue process) aims to identify: Viable modalities for the UN s new ways of working, so UN can be flexible and responsive to emerging issues New financing channels and options for promoting joint ownership of the costs and resource mobilization for the UN s development assistance to Viet Nam Options for reduced transaction costs (notably in the processes for appraisal and approval of UN assistance) Shared understanding of UN s contribution to Viet Nam s development in a changing development assistance landscape. C. Scope of the exercise The scope of the exercise includes three following inter-related areas of analysis on the strategic role of the UN: 1. Positioning and Partnerships What is the UN s unique offer? How do we work and who do we work with to create results? How could we expand our partnerships to add more value to our work and enhance results/impact? 2. Engagement modalities What are optimal vehicles for agreeing and delivering results? How should UN and government define cooperation? Reflect on the evaluation of project and DPO modalities. What are the opportunities to reduce transaction costs? What are the regulatory barriers to address? What business models are used by in various UN agencies? 3. Funding and Resource Mobilization How to generate the funds for the UN s work? Who has interest in funding the UN s work? How will the UN agencies business models change in response to emerging opportunities? Within these areas, information, views and ideas will be generated and analyzed to answer following research questions: (i) Changing UN roles, positions and partnerships: Value proposition: What is the UN s offer? How can UN best support addressing the unfinished agenda in light of resource constraints? What is UN s key contribution and services in the future? How has the UN been effective in transforming its role in supporting other MICs? How can UN be more responsive when un-earmarked funding resources shrink? How should business change? What will the UN be doing more/less of? Who do we need to work with, and how do we work with them in order to deliver results? What are the barriers to effective partnerships? How are other DPs changing their position in MIC Viet Nam? What would be the implications of recognizing the UN as a non-donor? How will our roles, positions and partnerships change in the context of increasing normative role that the UN must play in the coming years? 2 P a g e

3 (ii) Possible/Effective engagement modality options: To what extent is the current structure for agreeing and delivering development results (e.g. DPO / Project) serving its purpose? Can it be made lighter? What are other opportunities to reduce transaction costs? What are the core modalities in future assistance? Opportunities for non-dpo assistance What business models and engagement modalities are currently used by UN agencies? What are the key opportunities of emerging practices? What are the plans for each UN agency to change its business model or engagement modalities, if any? Includes analysis of how the UN is seen in Decree 38 and related circulars (references also to SBAA) (iii) Funding and Resource Mobilization Options: How can the UN fund its core set up in an environment of shrinking core budgets /ODA? How do we mobilize non-traditional partnerships? o What are relevant opportunities for Government cost sharing in Viet Nam? o What are opportunities for partnership with the private sector? o How can the UN and the government work together to mobilize resources? What are some successful Innovative Funding Models and their applicability to Viet Nam? o Crowd funding, Voluntary Solidarity Contributions o Coalitions with private sector foundations o Contributions from philanthropists; global, regional, local o Social Impact Investment packaging social products /services for investors o Technology partnerships and Public-Private Partnerships o Opportunities for replication of effective approaches within the UN? Analysis of the enabling environment: Constraints and opportunities? D. Methodology, steps and time targets Methodology (i) Reviewing: available information/documents such as: Joint UN-EU-MPI Publication on Development Finance; 2014 Analysis by RCO of UN potential role in implementation of ODA projects; and Feedback& findings from recent MTRs (UNICEF, UNFPA, others); (ii) (iii) Obtaining and analyzing: experiences of UN Agencies pilot collaboration with private sector (what has been tried and effective in Viet Nam); Government s in other MIC countries successful experiences with UN; Innovative financing models and evidence of success/effectiveness, experience of some precedents of Government cost sharing in Viet Nam and building on the related dialogue that has been initiated; Partner Attitudes with regard to UN role and partnerships; Regulatory/enabling environment constraints and opportunities. Engaging and consultation: Stakeholders: Other GoV coordinating institutions (GACAs); Implementing Partners / Beneficiaries; IFIs; Non-traditional and traditional donors; Civil society representatives; Private sector companies partnering with the UN today and UN personnel and staff. Means of engagement and consultation: Exposure workshop with Government representatives from other MIC countries; Key informant interviews & structured questionnaires: gather qualitative and quantitative data; Focus group discussions to validate and interpret data, probe and to advance our understanding; High-Level consultations to obtain feedback and steer dialogue around the outputs from the process. 3 P a g e

4 Process Steps & Target Dates Steps First consultation with MPI Recruitment process for the consultants completed Data collection and analysis completed First consultation to share the initial findings Final report submitted to the task team Experience sharing workshop Position paper drafted based on the CCA and the Option paper Public consultation Target/completed Dates Early May Mid-May Mid-May to end June Mid- July Early-August Mid-August Mid-August to September September to October Throughout the process of developing the Options Paper, the task force will closely coordinate its work with the CCA task force to ensure linkages and coherence in the two parallel processes. E. Implementation Under the overall and strategic guidance of the RC/UNCT in close cooperation with the Government of Viet Nam, the exercise will be implemented by: (i) A UN Task Team 1, which will be responsible to: Develop the TORs, Identify, select consultants and provide continuing guidance to the consultants Source data and information Help facilitate stakeholder consultations; identify who, what, when Carry out quality assurance of all products and ensure timely completion of assignments of consultants. (ii) A Consultant Team of: 1 National Senior Strategic Advisor: responsible for providing (i) strategic advices necessary for RC/UNCT and UN Task Team to successfully guide, manage and implement the entire process and (ii) guidance to an international consultant and a national consulting firm for ensuring good quality and relevance of their deliverables. 1 International expert: provide RC/UNCT and UN task team with substantial technical advice on the UN positioning issues as well as responsible for providing relevant international/un experiences in: (i) evolving UN roles, types of UN support and partnership/engagement modalities in delivering UN support in MICs; and (ii) innovative financing solutions. The international consultant is accountable to the UN as well as to the national consulting firm, which is responsible for integrating the international consultant s report in the Option Paper. 1 The Task Team: chaired/facilitated by Louise Chamberlain and UN agencies colleagues (FAO: Jong Ha/ Nguyen Song Ha; UNFPA: Ritsu Nacken /Do Thi Thu Ha; WHO: Socorro Escalante; UNICEF: Yoshimi Nishino; UNDP: Nguyen Tien Phong; RCO: Vu Thuy Huong) 4 P a g e

5 1 National consulting firm: supporting strategic analysis of the Viet Nam context; facilitating consultations and dialogues with national/government stakeholders; Conducting rigorous qualitative data collection and analysis; Producing the Option Paper based on the results of research, consultations and international expert s report. (iii) Other implementation tasks such as procurement of consultancy services, organizing consultation and exposure meetings/workshops, logistics and administrative support to the UNCT/Task Team, Consultant team and participants of the consultation/exposure events, etc. will be provided by UN agencies-members of the Task Team and RCO based on a more detailed work-division to be developed by the Task Team. ************************* 5 P a g e