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UN Environment Programme

General Assembly: Informal Consultations on International Environmental Governance

Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel on System Wide Coherence on Humanitarian Assistance, Development and Environment

General Assembly: Reform of the Economic and Social Council

General Assembly: Informal Consultations on the Mandate Review

General Assembly: Management Review

General Assembly: Universal Membership of the UNEP Governing Council

Multilateral Environmental Agreements

UN Agencies, Programmes and Funds

Chief Executives Board for Coordination

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Volume 1 Edition 1 ¦May 2006

Chief Executives Board responds to the World Summit Outcome: In February 2006, the CEB secretariat circulated a paper-Gender mainstreaming and women, peace and security- outlining possible elements for a gender and system wide coherence (CEB/2006/HLCM/R.4). The proposed system-wide gender mainstreaming policy and strategy would serve as a standard setting reference guide for gender mainstreaming for all UN entities, while at the same time providing both a conceptual and operational framework for collaboration.

New York , October 2005: High-Level Committee on Programmes discusses follow-up on environment, proposes system wide discussion on climate change: In an address to the Chief Executives Board's (CEB) Second regular Session of 2005, the Chairman of High Level Committee on Programmes (HLCP) outlined the HLCP's reflections on the implications of the Summit Outcome for the UN system.

Chief Executives Board responds to the World Summit Outcome

Volume 1 Edition 1 | May 2006

The World Summit Outcome Document underscored the importance of system-wide coherence through implementing measures that strengthen the linkages between the normative work of the United Nations and its operational activities, pursuing coherent policies and ensuring that the key policy themes such as gender equality are taken into account in all decision-making. In a report to the General Assembly (A/60/430), the Secretary General directed that further steps be taken to mainstream a gender perspective in the policies and programmes of the UN system. In this regard, he has asked the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women, to work, in cooperation with UN entities, to strengthen methodologies, tools and competencies for gender mainstreaming and the updating of existing ones. In a letter to the Heads of Agencies, dated January 6 2006, the Secretary-General requested the Chief Executives Board's (CEB) High-level Committees, in cooperation with the Special Adviser, to develop a system-wide gender mainstreaming policy and strategy which will be presented to the Economic and Social Council at its substantive session in 2006. In February 2006, the CEB Secretariat circulated a paper ‘Gender mainstreaming and women, peace and security' outlining possible elements for a gender and system wide coherence. The proposed system-wide gender mainstreaming policy and strategy would serve as a standard setting reference guide for gender mainstreaming for all UN entities while at the same time providing both a conceptual and an operational framework for collaboration, including collective action where appropriate. The paper proposes the following system-wide and agency-specific elements of a UN system wide gender mainstreaming policy:

Source: UNCEB, 2006;
http://ceb.unsystem.org/hlcm/programmes/hrm/Documents/11-March2006%20eleventh%20session/R4Gender.pdf

High-level Committee on Programmes discusses follow-up on environment, proposes system wide discussion on climate change

Volume 1 Edition 1 | May 2006

In an address to the Chief Executive Board's (CEB) Second regular Session of 2005 (28 October), the Chairman of High-level Committee on Programmes (HLCP) outlined the HLCP's reflections on the implications of the Summit Outcome for the UN system. On the environment, he said the meeting underlined the need to integrate the key issues – climate change, natural disasters, energy, freshwater, water and sanitation, production and consumption patterns, chemicals and hazardous wastes, oceans and seas, and coastal zone management -- within a development framework and to ensure a coordinated response by the system. He said some members suggested that the HLCP examine the possibility of elaborating a system-wide strategy on the issue of climate change. He said the Committee also discussed using UN-Water more fully on integrated water and flood management and that consideration should also be given to setting targets and objectives for reducing the impact of natural disasters, such as halving the number of casualties. He also noted that based on the CEB's report, “One United Nations – Catalyst for Progress and Change” a system-wide approach to ensuring coherent and coordinated follow up of the Summit Outcome would be elaborated. The CEB's first regular session for 2006 took place in Madrid , Spain , from 6 to 8 April 2006. The session will be devoted, among other subjects, to the follow-up to the 2005 World Summit, and to the gender mainstreaming and women, peace and security. The retreat also focused on the issues before the High-level Panel on System-wide Coherence in the areas of development, humanitarian assistance and the environment and included a dialogue with some of the Panel members.

Source: UNCEB, 2005
CEB, Second Regular Session New York , 28 October 2005;
http://ceb.unsystem.org/documents/summary.conclusions/CEBSummaryFall2005-2-Dec-05.pdf

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UN Environment Management Group

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Volume 1 Edition 2 ¦May 2006

Geneva , February 2006: UN Environment Management Group Initiates Review: In response to the World Summit 2005, UNEP Executive Director and EMG Chair Klaus Töpfer initiated the EMG High-level Forum in order to revitalise support arrangements for UN System-wide cooperation. The High-level Forum took place on 24 January 2006.

UN Environment Management Group Initiates Review

Volume 1 Edition 1 | May 2006

The UN Environmental Management Group (EMG) was established by the UN Secretary-General for the purpose of enhancing UN system-wide inter-agency coordination in the field of environment and human settlements. The EMG is a central outcome of the endorsement by the General Assembly, of a comprehensive series of measures designed to enhance coherent action within the UN (A/53/463). The EMG is entrusted with responsibility to provide an effective, coordinated and flexible UN system response to, and, facilitate joint action aimed at finding solutions to important and newly emerging specific issues of environmental and human settlements concern. In response to the World Summit 2005, UNEP Executive Director and EMG Chair Klaus Töpfer initiated the EMG High-level Forum in order to revitalise support arrangements for UN System-wide cooperation. The High-Level Forum of the UN Environment Management Group took place on 24 January 2006. The Forum discussed and agreed in a more productive and cost-effective manner, common and coordinated approaches to the environmental challenges of our time. The Chair's Summary of the High-level Forum notes that EMG members were called on to reflect: how the Group could promote problem-solving and results-oriented approaches; enhance the sharing of information; promote collaboration on specific initiatives; provide information on the work of the Group's members in selected sustainable development issues with environmental dimensions; map out for donors information on current system-wide and agency-specific initiatives; promote activities which respond to the needs of member States; undertake advocacy to promote specific issues of interest to its members, such as the life-cycle economy; and provide a platform for developing system-wide perspectives on relevant elements of the ongoing United Nations reform initiatives. The Chair's Summary also outlined elements for a short-term work plan, including the following indicative elements:

As an initial and immediate follow up action, Walter Erdelen, the UNESCO Assistant Director General for Natural Sciences, presented the main outcomes of the EMG High- Level Forum to the 9th Special Session of the Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum held in Dubai on 7-9 February 2006. The Ministers at the Forum welcomed the extensive efforts aimed at reinvigorating the EMG, which they see as an initial and practical response to the outcome of the 2005 World Summit, including the need for greater system-wide coherence in the fields of environment and human settlements. As a second crucial follow up step, a letter has been sent to the UN Secretary-General regarding the EMG's commitment to facilitate support and contributions for the on-going UN reform initiatives and particularly for the new UN Panel on System-Wide Coherence in the Areas of Development, Humanitarian Assistance and Environment. The EMG Partnership Forum took place in Curitiba , Brazil , on 26 March 2006, in the margins of the 8th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The Forum was co-hosted by the Secretariat of the CBD, demonstrating that the Secretariats of the Multilateral Environmental Agreements are actively participating in the process of reinvigorating the EMG.

Source: UNEMG, 2006
UNEMG High-level Forum, 2006; http://www.unemg.org/document/11th_EMG.php
UNEMG: Chair's Summary of the EMG High-level Forum:
http://www.unemg.org/download_pdf/EMGHLP/EMGHLFChairsSummaryandConclusions.pdf

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UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation

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Volume 1 Edition 1 ¦May 2006

Paris , April 2006: Executive Board of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation discusses Director's Report: The issue of UN reform was also addressed during the 174th session of the UNESCO Executive Board in April 2006. In his address to the Board, Koïchiro Matsuura, Director-General, addressed Member States on how UNESCO could contribute to the current UN reform debates.

Executive Board of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation discusses Director's Report

Volume 1 Edition 1 | May 2006

The issue of UN reform was also addressed during the 174th session of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Executive Board in April 2006. In his address to the Board, Koïchiro Matsuura UNESCO Director-General, identified measures where the Organisation could contribute to the current UN reform debates. Acknowledging several deficiencies in UNESCO, he said the Organisation “must strengthen its action at regional, sub regional and country levels, especially in key areas and in key countries, particularly by strengthening the decentralisation policy.” He noted that “such approaches are consistent with the UN Secretary-General's view that the whole of the UN system should become more field-oriented.” He said it was “imperative that UNESCO strengthens its capacity for teamwork at country level so that we are increasingly an integral and active member of coherent UN teams.” In response to some of the wide ranging proposals on system-wide coherence, the Executive Director said “ UNESCO must be extremely wary of any tendency towards separating operational activities from normative, analytical and policy matters.” Noting that “this is a false dichotomy and is a recipe for incoherence, not coherence,” he said “ he could not accept the G-13's argument if it meant that specialised agencies are no longer expected to involve themselves in implementation on the ground; the global and local roles of specialised agencies are inseparable in my view.” He said “the question of the right balance between the normative and the operational is crucial. I am therefore cautious about any notion of turning the specialised agencies into ‘centres of excellence' if the effect is to cut UNESCO adrift from direct, operational, ground level activity in the service of Member States. I would like to strongly advise developed countries to think very carefully indeed about advocating an untested and, in my view, unworkable model for the specialised agencies .”

Source: UNESCO, 2006; http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0014/001452/145218m.pdf

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International Strategy for Disaster Reduction

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Volume 1 Edition 1 ¦May 2006

Geneva , November 2005: Strengthening the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction: The 12th session of the Inter- Agency Task Force on Disaster Reduction in November 2005 finalised and adopted the new structure of the ISDR system.

Strengthening the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction

Volume 1 Edition 1 | May 2006

The World Summit also committed the General Assembly to strengthening the UN's coordination of humanitarian and disaster relief assistance. In response, the Chair of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Disaster Reduction (IATF/DR), the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Jan Egeland, has initiated several processes for mainstreaming the Hyogo Framework on Disaster Reduction. A letter addressed to all UN Resident Coordinators, signed jointly by Egeland and the Administrator of the UN Development Programme requested them to represent International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) at the country level and to assist in the national implementation of the Hyogo Framework. Both the Under-Secretary-General and the Assistant-Secretary-General on Humanitarian Affairs have held informal consultations with interested Member States and have circulated a proposal for the reform of the ISDR system. Furthermore a Multi-Stakeholder Workshop was held in Geneva with a view to giving all ISDR system partners the opportunity to discuss the modalities of an expeditious implementation of that reform.

In August 2005, Jan Egeland submitted his ‘Proposal for Strengthening the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction as a Tool for the Implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015: Building the resilience of nations and communities to disasters.' This proposal aims at establishing a strong strategic basis for action, through identifying clear roles and responsibilities among the elements of the international ISDR system, including oversight and governance mechanisms to ensure a coherent implementation of the Hyogo Framework. Building on the existing, the strengthened system includes a new Management Oversight Board, an expanded Inter-Agency Task Force on Disaster Reduction– renamed as Global Platform for Disaster Reduction- and a Program Advisory Committee as its subsidiary organ. It is proposed to maintain an ISDR Donor Support Group to support ISDR and to provide support, advice, feedback and information exchange. The Management Oversight Board, chaired by the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and the Program Advisory Committee will be instrumental in ensuring a strong and focused strategic and programmatic leadership for the implementation of the Hyogo Framework. A renewed Secretariat will better support policy development, program coordination for the implementation of the Hyogo Framework and will play a key advocacy role in favour of the national platforms and regional and thematic networks and platforms. The proposal aims to promote the establishment and strengthening of national platforms for disaster risk reduction. Egeland has proposed that the UN Country Team, and in particular the Secretary-General's representative at a country level (Resident Coordinators, Humanitarian Coordinators, Special Representatives of the Secretary-General as the case may be), support the national authorities and civil society in establishing risk reduction strategies, and ensure that the UN programs' strategies are fully in line with the three strategic goals and the five priority areas of the Hyogo Framework.

The 12th session of the IATF/DR in November 2005 finalised and adopted the new structure of the ISDR system. At the conclusion of the meeting, the Task Force requested the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs to: establish the MOB; convene that body's first meeting in early 2006; keep the current members of the Task Force informed of his decisions; include all current members in the Global Platform; and ensure that the Global Platform's membership be as inclusive as possible, covering Governments, civil society, the scientific community, knowledge-based networks and the private sector. The meeting suggested that more thinking was needed to improve the scientific and technical advisory function for the ISDR system. The Task Force concurred with the Chair's proposal to establish a provisional Reference Group to work on the preparation for the first session of the Global Platform and the integrated work programme. It also agreed to use this Reference Group to prepare for discussions during the 2006 Substantive Session of Economic and Social Council in Geneva and to convene the first session of the Global Platform in early autumn 2006.

Source: UNISDR, 2005
Decisions and recommendations (IATF/DR-12/work doc 4);
http://www.unisdr.org/eng/task%20force/tf-meeting-12th-eng.htm
Multi-stakeholder workshop summary report. 10-11 October 2005 (IATF/DR-12/inf4 );
http://www.unisdr.org/eng/task%20force/tf-meeting-12th-eng.htm

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Economic Commission for Africa

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Volume 1 Edition 2 ¦May 2006

Ouagadougou, 15 May 2006: Economic Commission for Africa: Follow-Up to The 2005 World Summit Outcome: ECA's Response: Discussion paper, prepared by the Secretariat of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), entitled Follow-Up to the 2005 World Summit Outcome: ECA's Response. The paper deals specifically with: coherence in the areas of development, humanitarian assistance, and the environment; review of mandates; UN response to the World Summit Outcome in the economic and social area; and ECA's response to the World Summit Outcome and other initiatives.

Economic Commission for Africa: Follow-Up to The 2005 World Summit utcome: ECA's Response
Note by the secretariat

Volume 1 Edition 2 | May 2006

Ouagadougou , 15 May 2006: The Twenty-fifth meeting of the Committee of Experts Thirty-ninth session of the Commission/Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, held in Ouagadougou from 14 - 15 May 2006, discussed a paper, prepared by the Secretariat of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), entitled Follow-Up to the 2005 World Summit Outcome: ECA's Response. The paper deals specifically with the: coherence in the areas of development, humanitarian assistance, and the environment; review of mandates; UN response to the World Summit Outcome in the economic and social area; and ECA's response to the World Summit Outcome and other initiatives. Since the World Summit, the ECA has been closely involved in a number of United Nations-wide initiatives, including preparations for a review of mandates and review of programmes and priorities by UN economic and social entities coordinated by the Executive Committee of Economic and Social Affairs (EC-ESA).In addition to its involvement in these global level reform efforts, ECA has also launched some initiatives of its own to respond to the policy guidance contained in the World Summit Outcome. Following wide ranging consultations with ECA stakeholders, the Executive Secretary established a Task Force to review ECA's priorities and articulate a new strategic orientation for its work. The Task Force will also propose actionable recommendations in other key areas including strengthening partnerships with other organisations within and outside the UN system, including in particular, the African Union (AU) and African Development Bank (ADB); and strengthening management and other organisational processes towards a more results-oriented programme of work in support of the development efforts of Member States. The ECA Note outlines the following areas of interest to the broader UN reform process:

Coherence in the Areas of Development, Humanitarian assistance, and the Environment
The implications of the World Summit Outcome for the UN are many. Besides requiring that UN organisations adjust their priorities and programmes to carry forward the new commitments, the Summit demands stronger system-wide coherence across the various development-related agencies, funds and programmes of the UN. In addition to supporting current, ongoing reforms at building a more effective, coherent and better performing UN country presence, the Summit specifically requested the Secretary-General to launch work to further strengthen the management and coordination of UN operational activities, including proposals for "more tightly managed entities" in the field of the environment, humanitarian assistance and development. In response to this request, the Secretary-General commissioned a high-level panel of prominent and experienced international figures from within and outside the UN system, to develop concrete and comprehensive analysis in this regard. The panel is expected to complete its work by June 2006, to allow for formal presentation of its recommendations to the next session of the General Assembly in September 2006 and possible implementation in 2007.

The overarching objective of the study is to examine options for the rationalisation of UN operational activities to maximise available resources for relief and development and minimise costs. As such, the study will explore ways of fully exploiting synergies between work and the operational activities of the system. It will also address how the UN system works and can best exercise its comparative advantage with other partners such as the Bretton Woods institutions, the European Union and other regional actors, donors, civil society and the private sector. While the primary focus of the study is to increase impact at the country level, in making proposals for improved management, coordination and effectiveness, the study will also make recommendations with regard to linkages in the work of the UN at the global, regional and country levels. The work of the panel is intended to lay the groundwork for a fundamental restructuring of UN operational activities in the environmental, humanitarian and development fields.

The core UN entities in the economic and social fields have provided inputs and suggestions to the panel and its secretariat in support of their work. The five regional commissions including ECA have also come together to adopt a common strategic approach in responding to concerns about their future role in a reformed architecture of development cooperation, particularly as it relates to their technical cooperation activities. In this regard, it was agreed that the regional commissions seek the political support of the G 77 countries, and make a strong case to the Panel for strengthening the regional dimension in UN operational activities for development based on the following unique comparative advantages:

Review of Mandates
ECA, in close consultation with the other regional commissions undertook the assessment of mandates according to common criteria agreed among the regional commissions. The information and data resulting form this assessment were entered into a global database established for this purpose. In addition, the Executive Secretary of ECA sent a cover note to the Secretary-General which highlighted the main outcomes of the exercise. The report noted that in recent years, ECA had significantly streamlined and rationalised its activities and structures including its mandates in response to the changing needs of its member States. The outcome of the most recent review in 2004 was taken into account in the preparation of the programme budget for 2006-2007, leading to the discontinuation of 160 outputs associated with low priority and obsolete mandates subsequent consolidation and redeployment of resources. Thus, the ECA programme of work and its outputs, as endorsed by the Commission's session and the General Assembly in 2005, already reflects activities and mandates of high priority. The Secretary-General issued his report on mandate review in March 2006. The report also called for suggestions and recommendations to Member States, in two areas relevant to Africa, namely promotion of sustainable growth and sustainable development and on the development of Africa . ECA is involved in the ongoing consultation within the context of EC-ESA to agree on how best to support Member States in their review of mandates.

UN Response to the World Summit Outcome in the Economic and Social Area
On its part, EC-ESA adopted a two-pronged approach in responding to the Secretary-General's request. First, its members came together to exchange views on common approaches and developed a common framework to guide the review of the Summit 's implications in their respective entities, and the resulting realignment of priorities and programmes. Second, eleven task forces bringing together programme managers from EC-ESA organisations on the main themes covered by the UN development agenda reviewed the challenges and opportunities emanating from the Summit in their respective areas of work. They sought to identify shifts in priorities that the Summit demanded in the work of their respective entities, agree on modalities for deepening cooperation among the entities, and develop new joint initiatives in response to the Summit outcome. Across development sectors, a number of priority areas emerged from the review as requiring a renewed joint effort from EC-ESA entities to enable the UN to respond effectively to the thrust and new emphases reflected in the Summit Outcome. These include supporting the elaboration of national strategies to implement the internationally agreed development goals, including the MDGs; financing for development; implementing the development dimensions of the Doha work programme; promoting productive employment and decent work; gender mainstreaming; science and technology for development; water; energy and its linkage with climate change; Science and technology for development; migration; post conflict peace-building and development. An important cross-cutting priority for all entities is to strengthen collective support to ECOSOC in its new functions, notably the ministerial reviews of progress in the implementation of the international development agenda and the new Development Cooperation Forum. ECA, as a member of EC-ESA has been closely involved in the above-mentioned processes and contributed to the joint proposal submitted by the regional commissions on measures to improve the functioning and role of EC-ESA as an instrument for strengthening policy coherence, aligning the work of the eleven thematic clusters more closely to the proposal to the priorities in the Summit Outcome and strengthening collaboration between EC-ESA and UNDG in support of the UN development agenda.

ECA's Response to the World Summit Outcome and Other Initiatives
In addition to its involvement in the UN system-wide reform efforts described above, ECA also launched some important initiatives of its own in response to the World Summit Outcome. Most notably, the Executive Secretary established a Change Management Task Force to propose actionable recommendations for repositioning ECA and defining a new strategic orientation for its work within the context of the broader reform efforts currently underway in the UN. To that end, the Task Force has already undertaken extensive internal consultations, with the Divisions and received valuable feedback from individual staff members. In addition, the Executive Secretary has consulted widely - with member States , regional and subregional organisations, bilateral partners, UN agencies, as well as the staff of the Commission. The outcome of these consultations will inform the work of the Task Force.

Source: ECA, 2006; Internet: http://www.uneca.org/cfm/2006/docs/Note_Secretariat.htm

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International Labour Office

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Volume 1 Edition 2 ¦May 2006

Geneva , 27 March 2006: ILO's Somavia: The 2005 World Summit Outcome document: Implications for the ILO: Speaking to the International Labour Office's Working Party on the Social Dimension of Globalisation ILO Director-General Juan Somavia addressed the policy implications of the World Summit 2005 Outcome Document for the ILO.

ILO's Somavia: “The 2005 World Summit Outcome document: Implications for the ILO”

Volume 1 Edition 2 | May 2006

Geneva , 27 March 2006: Speaking to the International Labour Office's Working Party on the Social Dimension of Globalisation Juan Somavia, ILO Director-General addressed the policy implications of the World Summit 2005 Outcome Document for the ILO. The Working Party held discussions on a background paper prepared by the Secretariat on the World Summit implications for the ILO that examines the Outcome Document and draws conclusions in the areas of policy, management, and technical cooperation. In his address, the Director-General identified eight ‘fronts' that called for action by the ILO. First, at country level, Somavia stressed that the ILO's Decent Work Country Programmes (DWCPs) were “the main instrument for cooperation with member States, and the expression of tripartite priority setting, engagement and ownership in support of decent work as a central objective of national development strategies and plans.” He said that the DWCPs were an important vehicle for ILO engagement with UN policy reform, and greater operational coordination at the country level.

Second, within the ILO itself, Somavia said the “strategies and activities needed to make decent work a global goal and a national reality form the backbone of the ILO's work programme and are featured in the Programme and Budget for 2006-07.” He noted that “within the framework of results-based management, all technical sectors are in the process of compiling a checklist of the policy instruments, policy options, knowledge base, tools and products, including building on lessons from experience, in relation to each of the ILO strategic objectives.” He also said that the “complete overview and the internal and external linkages between the four strategic objectives, will be a major platform for ILO action at the international, regional, national, local and sectoral level, most notably through DWCPs.” Third, at the inter-agency level, the Director-General noted the invitation, made by the High-level Committee on Programmes (HLCP) of the United Nations Chief Executive's Board (CEB), for the ILO to develop an “employment and decent work promotion tool”. Somavia said the promotion tool will assist UN agencies, individually and collectively, to assess their policies, programmes and activities in their specific fields of activity, against their potential outcomes in terms of employment and decent work, and to advise countries accordingly.

Fourth, at the inter-governmental level, Somavia applauded the inclusion of decent work on the upcoming ECOSOC high level segment, and the Commission on Social Development's 2007-08 work cycle. He said the “ILO will also continue its efforts to advocate for decent work in the governance structures of the Bretton Woods institutions.” Fifth, with the donor community, the Director-General outlined the ILO's work with multilateral, regional and individual development cooperation agencies to systematically integrate the objectives of productive employment and decent work in their policy dialogue and programming cycles with countries and regions. Sixth, working for policy coherence, Somavia said that “greater policy coherence is nevertheless essential if the multilateral system, including the International Financial Institutions, is to contribute more significantly and tangibly to improving the lives of people, and creating opportunities for communities and countries.” Seventh, working with others, he said a range of stakeholders at the in the international, national and local, public and private scene, “can add value, knowledge, advocacy, support and broader legitimacy to the decent work objective by mobilising and extending their support to areas beyond the ILO's reach.” The eighth and final front, identified by Somavia, was the need to work of reform. He said the ILO was “ready to participate in the broader multilateral system's reform process and to be actively involved in discussions on the design of development assistance, and the institutional and organisational set-up best suited to realise the potential of multilateralism to its fullest.”

Several days earlier (23 March 2006), the Director-General addressed the ILO's Programme, Financial and Administrative Committee, where he outlined the ILO's reform context, summarised key reforms already under way to renew the Organisation, and identified 10 specific initiatives to further strengthen the ILO in the near term. The Committee's session was addressing a number of reform issues, including: results-based management and the revised Human Resources Strategy and the Programme Implementation Report and its lessons for the formulation of the next programme and budget. Somavia said UN reform should be comprised of a three-pronged effort focusing on policy, management and operations. “For overall reform to succeed,” he said “all three areas must be pursued together as an integrated whole. Reform is about enhancing instruments to equip the Organisation with the knowledge, resources and tools to deliver on our mandate and respond to our constituents more effectively. To begin with, each organisation must have its own reform agenda.” In order for the Organisation to keep modernising, to keep strengthening and to keep building, the Director-General identified 10 specific areas: change management; knowledge sharing; staff development; planning and programming; technical cooperation and resource mobilisation; diversity and inclusiveness; transparency and accountability; integrity and ethical standards; and field structure. Somavia said the our overriding priority of the ILO “is to ensure that economic and social policies deliver tangible results to people in respect of employment and social protection, rights, representation and dialogue. The initiatives I have outlined will seek to reinforce the ILO as a global centre of excellence with respect to policies and processes relating to the world of work.” On the issue of field structure, Somavia said a field structure review will be undertaken in the course of the 2006-2007 biennium, with the review focusing on the “best possible field arrangements for effective support to DWCPs and effective integration into system-wide UN efforts.” “In this regard,” he said, “consideration would also be given to the evolving organisational arrangements of the UN system's field structure at regional, subregional and country levels, and the extent to which they offer new opportunities for our presence in the field, and also be informed by the findings of the Secretary-General's High Level Panel on System-wide Coherence.”

Speaking on the ILO's role in the broader UN reform process, Somavia stressed that “the UN and its specialised agencies need to deliver on what people expect of them, namely, solving concrete problems in daily life, particularly for the many for whom fulfilling basic human aspirations and necessities and respect of basic rights remain an uphill battle.” He said there is no doubt that the ILO can “to make a significant contribution to a strong partnership and improved coherence among all UN organisations. Our tripartite structure gives us an authority in the world of work which cannot be replaced, should not be diluted and can be of great service to the UN system. In turn, the ILO can only gain from a stronger, more effective United Nations.” As we progress along our continuum of reform, let us again recall that management, operations and policy improvements are all connected. Unless international organisations have policies that work in the same direction, reforms to achieve greater management or operational effectiveness across the UN system could easily fall short. To ensure such coherence, reform discussions under way at the IMF, the World Bank and WTO should be taken into account. They are part and parcel of a revamped multilateral system.

Source:http://www.ilo.org/public/english/bureau/dgo/speeches/somavia/2006/wpsdg.pdf
Source: http://www.ilo.org/public/english/standards/relm/gb/docs/gb295/pdf/gb-9-1-ad.pdf

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UN Conference on Trade and Development

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Volume 1 Edition 2 ¦May 2006

Geneva, 8 May 2006: Statement to the first meeting of the Mid Term Review of the São Paulo Consensus in Geneva by UNCTAD Secretary-General Supachai Panitchpakdi.

UNCTAD Secretary-General Speaks on the Role of the Organisation

Volume 1 Edition 2 | May 2006

Geneva, 8 May 2006: Statement to the first meeting of the Mid Term Review of the São Paulo Consensus in Geneva by UNCTAD Secretary-General Supachai Panitchpakdi. Below is an extract from his remarks on UNCTAD reform.

Turning to another crucial area of our work - what is often called "consensus-building", on the intergovernmental level - the impact is perhaps more difficult to measure. UNCTAD´s intergovernmental machinery is not, of course, a negotiating forum. What it is, is a forum for dialogue on issues within the UNCTAD mandate and on related policy issues that matter for our membership. It also provides the opportunity for members to guide us in our work, and to contribute to consensus-building at the highest level, both within the UN system and within the broader international community. The effectiveness of our overall intergovernmental machinery, however, depends not only on its structure and its reporting mechanism, but also on how, collectively, both the secretariat and the member States help it to function. Here, I am sure we would all agree that it could be even more effective.

In examining that performance, I am pleased to note that developing countries´ demand for our technical assistance continues to grow. Clearly, our core mandate for trade and development is as relevant as ever, if not more so, given recent developments in the multilateral arena and at the bilateral and regional levels. But - and here are the lessons - there is always room for improvement, and a member-driven and member-funded organisation like ours must always strive to keep up with the times, if not to anticipate them. We need, for example, to link our analytical work much more closely to its application on the ground. We need to be better equipped to handle your requests for our assistance, implying better organisation, sharper focus and more efficient use of resources. It is crucial that all our activities be well coordinated and synergised with those of other international organisations - a concern that is reflected, of course, in the broader UN reform process now under way. And we can certainly do a better job in disseminating our work and enhancing its impact. While I have been pleased, as I said, by how much good work we are doing, I am also struck by how little people know about it outside the organisation.

I am taking these lessons seriously and have already begun to act on them. The task force on management reform which I set up is nearing completion of its work. We have already begun to implement its preliminary proposals on enhancing internal information flows and inter-divisional interaction. The final report will address our technical cooperation. More specifically, it will look at how to make that work more efficient, and how to adapt our technical cooperation strategy to national development priorities and to the MDGs, keeping donors´ concerns also in mind. We are improving our reporting and our project formulation. We have made a number of realignments within the secretariat so that it can deliver more effectively on our mandate. Later this summer I will receive the report of the Panel of Eminent Persons I established last year to consider how to enhance both the development role and impact of our organisation; I hope that report will in turn aid you in your work. As you assess our performance in the coming months, I hope you will guide us on how we can improve it.

Source: UNCTAD, 2006:
http://www.unctad.org//Templates/webflyer.asp?docid=6984&intItemID=3549&lang=1

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UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs

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Volume 1 Edition 2 ¦May 2006

New York, 15 May 2006: Address to the Fifth Session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues by José Antonio Ocampo, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs and Coordinator of the Second International Decade of the World's Indigenous People.

DESA: Ocampo on Indigenous Peoples and UN Reform

Volume 1 Edition 2 | May 2006

New York , 15 May 2006: In an address to the Fifth Session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues by José Antonio Ocampo, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs and Coordinator of the Second International Decade of the World's Indigenous People, outlined the importance of address indigenous peoples issues in the UN reform process.

Noting the launch of the Programme of Action of the Second International Decade of the World's Indigenous People, adopted by the General Assembly last December, Ocampo said as the Coordinator of this Second Decade “I am committed to encouraging and facilitating the efforts of all stakeholders to make optimal use of the synergies between pursuing the Millennium Development Goals and the overarching goal of the Second Decade: to further strengthen international cooperation for the solution of problems faced by indigenous peoples in such areas as culture, education, health, human rights, the environment, and social and economic development by means of action-oriented programs and specific projects, increased technical assistance, and standard-setting activities.” He said considerable energy has been spent on “inviting each part of the UN system to adopt its own plan of action for the Decade and have promoted concerted action by UN country teams through the UN Development Group (UNDG).” He said “over the last four years, the Permanent Forum has served to provide policy and programmatic direction on indigenous issues to the UN system. It has made a substantial contribution to the goal of eradicating poverty as an ethical, social, political, economic and cultural imperative—central to the UN development agenda. The Forum's outcome this year will take that contribution further still, by ‘re-defining' the MDGs with special emphasis on the full and effective participation of indigenous peoples. Its recommendations, along with those from its past sessions, should thus assist Member States in meeting the commitments on indigenous peoples set out in the World Summit Outcome.” At a time when significant reform processes are underway within the United Nations, and when a high-level panel has been appointed to study UN system-wide coherence, Ocampo staid the “Permanent Forum can play a critical role as a subsidiary body of the Economic and Social Council—in terms of demonstrating clear and productive linkages between the normative work of the Forum and the operational work across countries.” He stressed that an “increasing number of UN agencies, Funds and Programmes are reporting on implementation of the Forum's recommendations within their country programs and projects. The Permanent Forum continues to engage substantively in developing further mechanisms for linking recommendations with operational programs on the ground, in partnership with the Inter-Agency Support Group on Indigenous Issues (IASG).” Ocampo also called on “Member States, the UN system and other stakeholders to adopt and implement specific plans of action for the Decade, as part of these efforts and to enhance our partnership for development, by contributing to the Trust Fund on Indigenous Issues.”

Source: DESA, 2006; Internet:
http://www.un.org/esa/desa/ousg/statements/2006/20060515_unpfii.html

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World Health Organisation

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Volume 1 Edition 2 ¦May 2006

May 2006: WHO Paper on Collaboration within the United Nations system and with other intergovernmental organisations, including United Nations reform process: The WHO Secretariat's Report on ‘Collaboration within the United Nations system and with other intergovernmental organisations,' including United Nations reform process.

WHO Paper on Collaboration within the United Nations system and with other intergovernmental organisations, including United Nations reform process

Volume 1 Edition 2 | May 2006 |

Geneva , May 2006: In May 2006, the World Health Organisation's (WHO) Secretariat released a report Collaboration within the United Nations system and with other intergovernmental organisations, including United Nations reform process. The report provides an overview of WHO's collaboration within the UN system and with other intergovernmental organisations. It includes an interim report on progress in implementing resolution WHA58.25 on the United Nations reform process and WHO's role in harmonisation of operational development activities at country level. The report will be discussed as part of the agenda for the 59 th Session of the World Health Assembly.

Source: WHO Report: Internet: http://www.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA59/A59_37-en.pdf

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Envoy for Tsunami Recovery

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Volume 1 Edition 2 ¦May 2006

Geneva, 5 April 2006: Lessons from the Tsunami : Remarks of Eric Schwartz, Secretary General's Deputy Special Envoy for Tsunami Recovery, to ECOSOC Informal Preparatory Meeting.

Lessons from the Tsunami: Remarks of Eric Schwartz, Secretary General's Deputy Special Envoy for Tsunami Recovery to ECOSOC Informal Preparatory Meeting

Volume 1 Edition 2 | May 2006

Geneva, 5 April 2006: In his address to the ECOSOC Informal Preparatory Meeting Erich Schwartz, the Un Secretary- General's Deputy Special Envoy for Tsunami Recovery, offered six lessons on which interested and concerned governments can take action. First, Schwartz said “political security and stability are the key to achieving the goal being discussed at this meeting: that is, ‘creating an environment at the national and international levels conducive to generating full and productive employment and decent work for all.” Second, he said that “governments must translate post-tsunami rhetorical support for risk reduction into concrete action – and financial support.” Third, Schwartz stressed the “enormous importance of donor support for building local capacity, and doing so on many different levels – promoting governance, and the vitality of the private sector and NGOs.” Fourth, he said, “affected governments should be promoting more inclusive and accountable economic development efforts and that the UN has a significant role to play in encouraging such policies.” Fifth, he said, “donors, UN agencies, and NGOs must all be prepared to act with much greater flexibility to ensure sustainable and effective support for economic recovery that promotes equity.” Sixth, Schwartz stressed the importance of coordination for promotion of economic recovery. He said “systemic progress in international management and coordination on humanitarian issues has not been matched by effective coordination and management of economic recovery.”

Source: http://www.tsunamispecialenvoy.org/presscenter/040506.asp

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