Sixty-second General Assembly

Second Committee

9^th Meeting (PM)

speakers in Second Committee call for streamlined United Nations development

 

operations, while stressing importance of south-south cooperation

In Consensus Action, Members Adopt Revised Programme of Work for Session

Streamlining the United Nations development system was of key importance in efficiently and effectively delivering programmes to help developing countries rise to meet the challenges of the Millennium Development Goals, and South-South cooperation provided timely opportunities to reach those targets, several speakers said this afternoon, as the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) began its consideration of operational activities for development.

Colombia’s representative said coherence within the United Nations system was critical to increasing the efficiency of the Organization’s operational activities for development, as was coordination among all entities involved, both at Headquarters and in the field.  One solution to development challenges was for the United Nations to boost South-South cooperation efforts, which not only complemented North-South cooperation, but held comparative advantages, mutual benefits and solidarity.  Colombia considered the United Nations a catalyst for South-South cooperation and the financial, administrative and technical capacities of its agencies provided an appropriate framework for the implementation of triangular schemes.

She said that promoting and supporting South-South cooperation in various settings for intergovernmental discussion, including those relating to operational activities, would further strengthen cooperation.  In addition, Colombia supported the proposed convening of a conference commemorating the Buenos Aires Plan of Action, and welcomed the establishment of a link between that Plan and the forthcoming launch of the Economic and Social Council’s Development Cooperation Forum, which would hopefully bolster cooperation.  However, financing was problematic as a predictable flow of funds was lacking.

The representative of Pakistan, speaking on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, added that part of the financing problem lay in widening imbalance between “core” and “non-core” or earmarked funding.  For example, this year the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) would have $1 billion in core funding and $5 billion in non-core funding.  The increasing shift from core to non-core funding satisfied the donor more than the recipient.  Non-core resources were unpredictable, increased transaction costs and caused wasteful competition and inefficiency among United Nations entities.  To correct that, the triennial comprehensive policy review process should be driven by the vision of a stronger United Nations development role and by the need for full implementation of the Millennium Goals and other internationally agreed targets.

Speaking on behalf of the European Union, Portugal’s representative said more must be done to improve the system to effectively serve the needs of developing countries.  The simplification and harmonization of operational rules and procedures should go beyond a mere cross-cutting exercise to strengthening credibility and efficiency gains that would benefit developing countries.  The Paris Declaration and other initiatives provided an overall framework for many development stakeholders to make good on their Millennium commitments in a coordinated, coherent and effective manner.  The triennial comprehensive policy review was a valuable instrument and should play a global, regional and national role in the partnership for development.

Benin’s representative, speaking on behalf of the African Group, emphasized that well managed operational activities would drive the United Nations system to better help African countries achieve the Millennium Goals.  But to do that, the United Nations must, among other things, reinforce partnerships with recipient countries and mobilize all its own capacities so developing countries could benefit from all its services and entities.  The efficiency of operational activities depended on adequate and predictable financing, and the African Group deplored the continuing drop in funding from official development assistance.

Presenting reports for the Committee’s consideration were Rachel Mayanja, Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women, who introduced the report on the triennial comprehensive policy review; Joanne Sandler, Ad Interim Executive Director of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), who introduced the report on that body’s activities; and Yiping Zhou, Director of the Special Unit for South-South Cooperation, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), who introduced the Secretary-General’s report on the state of South-South cooperation.

Other speakers today were the representatives of Mozambique (on behalf of the Southern African Development Community), Bangladesh, Russian Federation, Algeria, Iceland, Morocco, Australia and Japan.

The representative of Kuwait made a statement in exercise of the right of reply.

In other business, the Committee adopted, by consensus, its revised work programme for the session.

The Committee will meet again at 10 a.m. tomorrow, Thursday, 18 October, to continue its consideration of operational activities for development.

Background

The Second Committee (Economic and Financial) met this afternoon to take up operational activities for development, including operational activities for development of the United Nations system, the triennial comprehensive policy review of operational activities for development of the United Nations system, and South-South cooperation for development.

Before the Committee was a note by the Secretary-General transmitting the report on Activities of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) (document A/62/188), which provides a review and update of that body’s programme for 2004-2006, tracks its progress, and highlights results in the implementation of the Fund’s multi-year funding framework for 2004-2007.

UNIFEM’s total resources increased by 14 per cent, rising from $49.2 million in 2004 to $56.3 million in 2006 due to an expansion of non-core resources, the report states.  However, non-core resources rose only slightly, from $23.2 million in 2004 to $25 million in 2006, causing concern as these resources constitute the bedrock of the Fund’s work.

On gender issues, the report notes that a recent study by the Association for Women’s Rights in Development shows that support for gender equality experts and women’s rights organizations at all levels is inadequate.  As a result, the Fund intends significantly to focus its support of women’s organizations.  In addition, the gap between legal and policy changes and their implementation remains significant, and an intensified focus is needed to develop national capacities to support, track and assess implementation and accountability.

In the context of United Nations reform, UNIFEM initiatives have increased at all levels, the report says.  Among other achievements, the Fund, as chair of the United Nations Development Group (UNDG) Task Team on Gender Equality, secured the UNDG principals’ endorsement of two recommendations concerning gender equality commitments and programming in United Nations country teams.

According to the report, the UNIFEM Consultative Committee, at its forty-seventh session, recommends, among other things, that the Fund continue to be involved in the processes of United Nations gender architecture and ongoing reform.  It also recommends that UNIFEM take active steps through its UNDG participation to ensure that a gender perspective is fully integrated into the “One United Nations” pilots, and encourages current and potential donors to devote a greater share of their contributions to the Fund’s regular resources and make commitments to multi-year funding.

Also before the Committee was a letter dated 19 June 2007 from the Permanent Representative of Pakistan addressed to the Secretary-General (document A/62/211), which transmits a press release announcing the launch of the Poverty Alleviation Fund of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) that took place in Dakar, Senegal, on 29 May 2007 at the thirty-second meeting of the Islamic Development Bank.

The report states that the Fund was launched with a total budget of $10 billion.  Initial contributions totalled $1.5 billion, including $1 billion from Saudi Arabia, $300 million from Kuwait and $100 million from Iran.  President Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal thanked contributors and appealed to the Governments that have already announced their pledges to increase their contributions to the Fund before or during the next OIC Summit, to be held in Dakar in March 2008.

Regarding the triennial policy review of operational activities for the development of the United Nations system, the Committee had before it the Secretary-General’s report on the Triennial comprehensive policy review of operational activities of the United Nations development system (document A/62/73—E/2007/52), which examines the question of whether the expectations of Member States have been met, as expressed by General Assembly resolution 59/250 and the 2005 World Summit Outcome.

According to the report, the United Nations is unparalleled in the breadth and depth of its knowledge, skills and the resources made available to member countries by some 40 funds, programmes, agencies and other entities.  But currently the Organization’s development system is not configured at the country level to allow developing countries to have optimal access to all its development resources.

The report highlights and analyses ongoing processes and emerging outcomes, and reviews the adequacy of funding, including innovative initiatives developed by several funds, programmes and agencies to enhance the predictability and dependability of resource availability.  Challenges remain in making the United Nations development system more coherent and efficient.

Also before the Committee was the Secretary-General’s report on Comprehensive statistical analysis of the financing of operational activities for the development of the United Nations system (document A/62/74—E/2007/54), which provides details on funding trends, expenditures, harmonizing data on contributions, and humanitarian aspects.

Responding to requests from the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council, the report introduces innovations, broader data coverage and a more extensive analysis of resource flows.  For the operational activities of the United Nations system in 2005, contributions received totalled $15.5 billion, a marked 17.4 per cent increase from 2004, and total expenditures amounted to $13.7 billion, a 20.4 per cent increase.

The report outlines humanitarian crisis areas and assistance provided by United Nations system entities, including the World Food Programme (WFP), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).  Enhanced and coherent understanding of the Organization’s operational activities calls for an acceleration of the current efforts by its entities to standardize data and statistical practices in order to improve the quality, timeliness and comparability of their financial data and reporting.

In addition, the Committee had before it the Secretary-General’s report on the Comprehensive statistical analysis of the financing of operational activities of the United Nations system:  2006 update (document A/62/326), which contains information on 37 of the Organization’s entities and provides an updated analysis, with provisional financial data for 2006 on core and non-core contributions and expenditures.  In 2006, total contributions received amounted to $15.8 billion, a slight decline from previous years, and expenditures totalled $14.5 billion, the same as the 2005 level.

Also before the Committee was the Secretary-General’s report on the Triennial comprehensive policy review of operational activities of the United Nations development system:  conclusions and recommendations (document A/62/253), which contains recommendations, proposals for innovations.

The report states that since 2004, much progress has been made in strengthening the evaluation function in United Nations entities, but evaluation offices are generally under-resourced and few are independent with fully developed evaluation policies.  The emphasis by developing countries on national ownership of the evaluation process represents a paradigm shift, from a tradition whereby evaluation was the domain of funding organizations to becoming increasingly recognized as an indispensable tool for accountability and learning for both public and private institutions that foster good governance.

Among other things, the report recommends that the General Assembly request a United Nations system-wide effort to further develop consolidated guidance and oversight mechanisms concerning adequate and realistic budgeting of United Nations development assistance frameworks; and encourage the expanded use of the joint programme approach, using two or more United Nations organizations and national partners with a common focus, workplan and budget.

Additional recommendations to the General Assembly include recognizing that several development challenges related to the achievement of internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals, are transboundary in nature and can best be addressed through interregional, regional and subregional cooperation; and emphasizing that developing-country Governments need increasingly to assume ownership and leadership in the evaluation of all forms of external assistance.

On South-South cooperation, the Committee had before it the Report of the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation (document A/62/39), which summarizes the decisions adopted and themes discussed during the Committee’s fifteenth session.  The Committee’s debate focused on South-South cooperation within the framework of implementing the 1978 Buenos Aires Plan of Action for Promoting and Implementing Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries and the “new direction” strategies endorsed by the General Assembly in 1995.  The debate highlighted the need to discuss South-South cooperation in the context of rapid globalization and its broad agenda, including good governance, food security, pandemic diseases and mitigating natural disasters.

Describing technical capacity among developing countries and capacity-building as essential parts of that agenda, the report summarizes the Committee’s discussions on the role of the United Nations in strengthening South-South cooperation through such bodies as the Special Unit for South-South Cooperation, the Perez Guerrero Trust Fund for Economic and Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Also before the Committee was a report of the Secretary-General on The state of South-South cooperation (document A/62/295), which reviews cooperation among developing countries from 2005 to mid-2007, noting the development of new policy frameworks, increased South-South trade and development assistance, and concerted action to implement the Millennium Development Goals and other internationally agreed development targets.  Developing countries’ share of world exports is now 43 per cent, compared to 20 per cent in 1970, and interregional trade has grown remarkably.  Foreign direct investment (FDI) between developing countries -– which doubled from 1999 to 2005 -- is growing more rapidly than North-South flows, but despite such achievements, many countries, particularly sub-Saharan African States, least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing States, are not on track to meet the Millennium targets.

The report recommends that the General Assembly encourage Member States and their development partners to optimize South-South approaches to achieve the Millennium Goals; step up multilateral support for South-South initiatives to address common development challenges; foster partnerships, including South-South arrangements supported by the North, as well as public-private sector efforts; enhance the United Nations support for South-South cooperation through closer inter-agency collaboration, joint programming and sharing of best practices; and continue to develop innovative ways to mobilize resources, including through the United Nations Voluntary Trust Fund for South-South Cooperation.

Also before the Committee was a letter dated 30 May 2007 from the Permanent Representative of Morocco addressed to the Secretary-General (document A/62/155), which transmits the Ministerial Declaration adopted at the first African Conference on Human Development, which Morocco hosted in Rabat on 6 and 7 April 2007.

The letter states that the Conference, attended by representatives of 45 African countries, was convened to conduct a constructive exchange of experiences in the field of human development, in light of progress made since the adoption of the Millennium Declaration, and to consider opportunities for improving South-South cooperation among African countries.

According to the report, the Rabat Declaration on human development in Africa strongly believes that economic and social development and environmental protection are interdependent and mutually reinforcing elements of sustainable human development, and recognizes that education, the peaceful settling of conflicts and addressing serious social problems, including HIV/AIDS.  Malaria, poverty, unemployment and social exclusion are critical areas, and the Declaration is concerned about the insufficiency of resources mobilized for implementation of the Millennium Development Goals.

The Declaration promotes the Millennium targets, local development, gender equality and good governance, and encourages the creation of an African network of human development experts with the establishment of national focal points, the organization of an African forum of planning and statistics institutions to advance analysis of human development indicator tables, and the establishment of a follow-up committee consisting of an expanded bureau of the Conference to prepare for the second African Conference on Human Development in 2009.

KIRSTI LINTONEN ( Finland), Committee Chairperson, introduced its revised programme of work, and members then agreed by consensus to proposed deadlines for the adoption of draft resolutions as contained in the revised schedule.

Introduction of Reports

RACHEL MAYANJA, Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Gender Issues and the Advancement of Women, introduced, on behalf of United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro, the Secretary-General’s reports on the triennial comprehensive policy review of operational activities of the United Nations development system (document A/62/73—E/2007/52); comprehensive statistical analysis of the financing of operational activities for the development of the United Nations system (document A/62/74—E/2007/54); comprehensive statistical analysis of the financing of operational activities of the United Nations system: 2006 update (document A/62/326); and the triennial comprehensive policy review of operational activities of the United Nations development system:  conclusions and recommendations (document A/62/253).

Today’s triennial comprehensive policy review took place against a challenging backdrop, she said.  At the mid-point of the Millennium Development Goals time frame, progress towards achieving the targets was uneven, and particularly unsatisfactory for least developed and African countries.  Global economic imbalances threatened the world economy and economic recovery in many developing countries, while climate change exacerbated the vulnerability of disadvantaged populations.  At the same time, development cooperation was changing as South-South economic collaboration and triangular cooperation grew steadily.

She said the Secretary-General’s reports called for increasing non-earmarked contributions, including core or regular funding, and reviewing zero-growth policies with regard to assessed contributions to regular budgets of some specialized agencies.  They showed fair progress in such key areas of operational activities as capacity development, South-South and triangular cooperation, the transition from relief to development, and gender mainstreaming and evaluation.  They also showed that data coverage and analysis had improved considerably, and that the latest report presented data for 14 separate United Nations entities or groupings as compared to seven in the past.

Still, it was essential to update the methodology for reporting on operational activity financing in line with the Organization’s current architecture, mandates and missions, she stressed.  The United Nations development system should tailor its responses to the specific development needs of recipient countries, respect country ownership and leadership, and better delineate the roles of resident coordinator and UNDP resident representatives.

JOANNE SANDLER, Ad Interim Executive Director of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), introduced the Secretary-General’s note on the activities of UNIFEM (document A/62/188), saying the Fund’s dual mandate was to support innovative activities benefiting women, and to play an innovative and catalytic role in relation to the Organization’s development cooperation system.

Regarding the second mandate, she outlined system-wide, regional-level and country-level initiatives, including the coordination of campaigns to end violence against women in Latin America with five agencies, and the execution, on behalf of the UNDP, of a programme to pilot innovative efforts to coordinate support and advocacy on gender and the Millennium Development Goals in Cambodia, Kyrgyzstan and Morocco.  The UNIFEM anticipated strong guidance in the next triennial comprehensive policy review for further enhancing effective and coherent United Nations support on gender equality in the reform context.

She said key elements that could contribute to stronger action included the encouragement of greater investment in initiatives already under way, and the development of United Nations system-wide approaches to better help countries institutionalize gender-responsive budgeting, among other things.  Midway to the Millennium target date of 2015, there was an opportunity for the Organization to show it could work together in assisting countries to enhance development effectiveness.  “Today, on World Poverty Day, the world looks to us to work as a system to take this opportunity and meet this challenge.”

YIPING ZHOU, Director, Special Unit for South-South Cooperation, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), introduced the Secretary-General’s report on the state of South-South cooperation (document A/62/295), saying it pointed to rising trade and investment flows that had contributed to unprecedented rapid economic growth in a number of developing countries.  It showed that developing countries were also reshaping international development cooperation which proved that South-South cooperation complemented North-South cooperation.

He said the report pointed out that the new dynamics presented enormous opportunities for a further deepening of South-South development cooperation towards achieving the internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Goals.  The challenge remained for the international community to help translate those dynamics into real gains for developing countries, especially for those most economically and geographically vulnerable and disadvantaged.

In the report, he continued, the Secretary-General invited the General Assembly to consider optimizing the use of Southern development solutions to meet Millennium targets, to intensify multilateral approaches to development challenges, to foster broad-based South, triangular and public-private partnerships, to enhance the coherence of United Nations system support for South-South cooperation, and to explore innovative mechanisms for the financing of South-South exchanges.

Statements

FARUKH AMIL (Pakistan), speaking on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, said the triennial comprehensive policy review process should be driven by a vision for a stronger United Nations development role and by the need for full implementation of the Millennium and other internationally agreed targets.  The review should not be superseded by other parallel processes.  Operational activities should be carried out for the benefit of recipient countries, at their request and in line with their development policies and priorities.

Calling for a stronger global partnership for development, he said partners should support national development strategies and goals.  The United Nations, Bretton Woods institutions and bilateral donors should recognize the ownership of the concerned developing countries, align their cooperation programmes with national development strategies, and harmonize individual cooperation programmes.  The quantity, quality and predictability of development assistance were important.

The growing imbalance between “core” and “non-core” or earmarked funding was of serious concern, he stressed, noting that this year, for example, the UNDP would have $1 billion in core funding and $5 billion in non-core funding.  The increasing shift from core to non-core funding was tailored to suit the donor more than the recipient.  Non-core resources were unpredictable, increased transaction costs and caused wasteful competition and inefficiency among United Nations organizations.  It was, therefore, essential to restore the balance between core and non-core funding.

He said development assistance should be responsive to national policies and plans, free from concomitant conditions and ties such as procurement from the donor country, and expensive consultants and experts from the United Nations and donor groups.  More than 45 per cent of UNDP’s current funding was devoted to governance projects and programmes, while only 25 per cent was spent on poverty programmes.  That distorted the support provided by the United Nations development system to implement national priorities of programme countries.  Savings resulting from the streamlining of United Nations operational activities should be channelled only into development activities, and there should be no restrictions on the ability of Governments to set their own development priorities or select development partners.  Improving regional coherence would require stronger United Nations regional mechanisms.  Operational activities should also take into account the need to promote national capacity building in developing countries.

MANUELA FERREIRA (Portugal), speaking on behalf of the European Union, said the consensus on the principles of global partnership and mutual accountability for development, and the recognition of such initiatives as the Paris Declaration provided the overall framework for many development stakeholders to make good on their Millennium and other internationally agreed commitments in a coordinated, coherent and effective manner.  In that regard, the European Union had recently approved a code of conduct on complementarity and division of labour between Member States and the European Commission to enhance effectiveness by reducing transaction costs and improving overall development results.  The triennial comprehensive policy review was a valuable instrument and should play a global, regional and national role in the global partnership for development.  While the progress made since the last review was welcome, more must be done to improve the system so as to effectively serve the needs of developing countries.

Capacity development should be at the core of United Nations operational activities, she said, adding that adequate capacity and resources were needed to strengthen United Nations country teams.  More could be done to make the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) a strategic planning tool as a whole.  The Organization’s response to country-specific development needs must be based on a collaborative, inclusive process involving all relevant actors.  The Resident Coordinator system -- essential to ensuring the effective coordination of operational activities for development at the country level -- should be strengthened.

She proposed including into future triennial comprehensive policy review reports and General Assembly resolutions a section on “accountability, oversight and governance” in order to avoid fragmentation and ad hoc consideration of that aspect.  The simplification and harmonization of operational rules and procedures should not be a mere cross-cutting exercise, but should also strengthen credibility.  Efficiency gains should benefit mainly developing countries.  While the European Union remained committed to further mainstreaming human rights into the Organization’s operational work, it was regrettable that there had been misunderstandings on the human rights-based approach to programming that did not create new conditions for development assistance.  The dialogue on that should continue during the triennial comprehensive policy review negotiations.

JEAN-MARIE EHOUZOU ( Benin), speaking on behalf of the African Group, said well managed operational activities would help the United Nations system better serve African countries in their efforts to achieve the Millennium Goals.  To do that, the Organization must, among other things, reinforce partnerships with recipient countries and mobilize all its own capacities so that developing countries could benefit from all its services and entities.

The United Nations should also fully support South-South cooperation, which had already seen a growth in trade and investment, both tools in the fight against poverty and the race to meet the Millennium Goals, he said.  The efficiency of operational activities depended on adequate and predictable financing.  The African Group deplored the continuing drop in funding and reiterated its call for developed countries to keep their promises with respect to official development assistance (ODA).  The United Nations should also harmonize its activities by simplifying its rules and procedures and working towards coherence.

FILIPE CHIDUMO (Mozambique), speaking on behalf of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), called on developed countries that had not yet done so to make concrete efforts to fulfil their promises to earmark 0.7 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) for ODA to developing countries, and 0.15 to 0.2 per cent for least developed countries.  There was also a need for greater predictability and long-term stability in the funding of operational activities for development.  The significant increase of supplementary funding to the detriment of core resources was a matter of particular concern.

Underlining the importance of South-South cooperation for development cooperation and its role as a precious vehicle for technology transfer and capacity-building, he pointed out, however, that it should not be seen as a substitute for North-South cooperation.  The SADC welcomed the Secretary-General’s recommendation to build a comprehensive, sustainable financial data and reporting system for the Organization’s operational activities as a whole.  The Community also called for the strengthening of United Nations efforts to standardize data and statistical practices.

There was still room to improve programming and funding modalities for United Nations humanitarian assistance, he said.  The Consolidated Appeal process monitored by OCHA was a fundamental tool for mobilizing resources to address emerging crises and a strategic planning instrument for tackling future crises.  The SADC called for a review of the United Nations response to disasters in order to improve coordination, efficiency and effectiveness, taking into account the various roles of the Organization’s agencies in disaster management and recovery.  The role of the Resident Coordinator should be strengthened to better reflect the growing role of the United Nations as a development partner.  The selection and recruitment process should be based on high-quality standards and on improved training to strengthen performance.  The United Nations should also implement a comprehensive accountability framework involving all stakeholders.

ABDUL ALIM ( Bangladesh) said United Nations operational activities should focus on sustained economic growth and poverty alleviation in developing countries, especially the least developed ones.  The Organization must also collate all its resources and expertise to support the efforts of developing countries to establish and strengthen effective national institutions and implement internationally agreed development targets, including the Millennium Goals.

Any new and innovative approach to coordination and coherence must be studied and discussed in a transparent manner, he stressed, calling for a lowering of the costs of operational activities, improved efficiency, and a minimizing of administrative and procedural burdens on national Governments.  Improving the United Nations development system was a major task that must be supported by adequate funds in a sustainable manner and with long-term predictability.

DMITRY MAKSIMYCHEV ( Russian Federation) said the outcome of the triennial comprehensive policy review would determine the future course of reforming United Nations operational activities and play a decisive role in the Organization’s development process.  The review was one of the more important issues on the General Assembly’s agenda, and the ultimate goal of the reform process should be to enhance productivity and effectiveness.

Unfailing adherence to and respect for the principles for extending multilateral development assistance was essential, particularly in the form of neutral and non-politicized grants, he said.  The Russian Federation supported General Assembly resolution 59/250 and other Assembly and Economic and Social Council agreements that provided for cohesion and consistency in development cooperation.

Underscoring the importance of allowing national Governments to determine priorities and ensure that development cooperation was in accordance with the Millennium Development Goals, he said the next review of operational activities must be flexible and tailored to countries’ specific development needs.  A balanced and programmatic approach was needed to further strengthen the Resident Coordinator system, as it would be counter-productive to try and transform the position into that of a United Nations ambassador of sorts.  Even though UNDP did provide technical assistance and support for hiring the coordinators, it should not itself serve as the coordinator.

NOR-EDDINE BENFREHA ( Algeria) said the United Nations played a key role in helping developing countries rise above development challenges, especially sustainable economic growth and capacity-building, to meet the Millennium Goals.  The effectiveness of the United Nations system rested at the heart of the triennial comprehensive policy review, and its operational activities should be based on national priorities.  The current configuration of the Organization’s development system did not provide developing countries with the best access to its capacities.

A consistent effort was required to find the best ways to enhance the United Nations system, he said, adding that the funding of operational activities was particularly pressing given the drop in donor levels.  To rectify that trend, funding programmes should be established.  In addition, South-South cooperation, a complement to North-South cooperation, offered many development opportunities, for instance, by encouraging triangular cooperation, from which the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) should benefit.  Algeria called for a high-level conference on South-South cooperation to address the Buenos Aires Plan of Action to promote and implement technical cooperation among developing countries and adjust the Plan of Action to reflect global economic realities.

HJALMAR HANNESSON ( Iceland) said system-wide coherence and coordination among United Nations entities was fundamental to ensuring the effectiveness of the United Nations development system and maximizing results on the ground.  That should be the guiding role of this year’s triennial comprehensive policy review.  The conclusions and recommendations contained in the Secretary-General’s report on the subject would provide a solid basis for implementing the recommendations of the High-level Panel on System-wide Coherence and strengthening the achievements made since the last review.  The “Delivering as One UN” system was important to those efforts, and Iceland looked forward to reviewing and building on lesson learned from the eight country pilots.

Stressing that national ownership should be at the heart of the development process, he said country demand should guide all United Nations operations in the field.  National development and poverty-reduction strategies were fundamental, and United Nations actors should support them.  Fragmentation and duplication of work was particularly detrimental to the successful transition from relief to development in post-conflict and disaster situations.  Streamlining the Organization’s operational activities in those situations was important for timely, effective and coherent assistance.  It was also important to expedite gender mainstreaming and heighten the focus on women’s empowerment in the country-level work of the United Nations.  The Organization must also continue to enhance cooperation and harmonization with other development partners in the field, particularly in disaster and post-conflict situations.  Iceland supported ongoing efforts to improve collaboration with the Bretton Woods institutions to that effect.

HAMID CHABAR ( Morocco) said much work remained to be done regarding coordination and coherence in the United Nations system.  Financing of operational activities remained a major challenge, and donor countries should provide predictable funding and follow national development strategies.  On the country level, following up on the principle of national ownership, national authorities remained sovereign and must play a leadership role.  Morocco remained committed to the involvement of civil society in development and underscored that Resident Coordinators could not claim to play the role of mediator between national Governments and non-governmental organizations.

United Nations statistics showed that South-South cooperation was a critical vehicle for opportunities in social and economic development, he said.  South-South cooperation should be reinforced on the regional, subregional and interregional levels, and the United Nations had an important role to play in that respect.  Enhancing and improving the coherence of the United Nations system was of the utmost importance, and Morocco hoped that the General Assembly would provide positive follow-up to the recommendations of the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation.

NATASHA SMITH (Australia) said her country attached high priority to a triennial comprehensive policy review that could deliver real results, as supporting country-led development objectives was crucial.  While the current review had many important elements, there were also issues that were critical to improving the system and yet were not highlighted in the Secretary-General’s report.  For instance, there had been advances in operational activities for gender mainstreaming, but there was still room for improvement.

Calling for coherence in United Nations country-level operations and for further steps to make “Delivering as One UN” the norm rather than the exception, she strongly encouraged greater efficiency.  The move towards coherence did not mean just one United Nations structure in every country, but rather that the United Nations was delivering as one.  There was room for improvement in several areas, including greater capacity development through stronger planning, management and performance of government systems.  It was also critical to ensure that development results were sustainable.

While there had been some progress in terms of the transition from relief to development, more must be done, she said.  That required strong leadership, effective coordination, timely and adequate resources and better donor assistance.  Reference to aid effectiveness and accountability should be included in the next policy review, and national ownership of development assistance was also essential.  Member States should be able to see clearly how resources led to better outcomes.  Other points brought up during the meeting -- South-South cooperation, strengthening the Resident Coordinator system, and simplification and harmonization of business practices -- were also important.

CLAUDIA BLUM ( Colombia) said South-South cooperation was not only a complement to North-South cooperation, but also a viable way to contribute to development by seizing comparative advantages, mutual benefits and solidarity.  Colombia recognized the role of the United Nations as a catalyst in that type of cooperation.  The financial, administrative and technical capacities of the Organization’s agencies, and their mechanisms for coordinating and aligning international cooperation with national priorities provided an appropriate framework for the implementation of triangular schemes to enhance South-South cooperation.

She stressed the importance of promoting and supporting South-South cooperation in various settings for intergovernmental discussions, including those relating to operational activities.  Colombia supported the proposal to convene a conference commemorating the Buenos Aires Plan of Action so as to seek additional guidance for cooperation at the regional and bilateral levels, and the establishment of a link between the Plan and the forthcoming launch of the Economic and Social Council’s Development Cooperation Forum.  Hopefully, that forum would further strengthen South-South cooperation.

Coherence within the United Nations system was also essential to increasing the efficiency of operational activities for development, as was coordination among all entities involved, both at Headquarters and in the field, she said.  To achieve greater efficiency and proper alignment with national policies and strategies, country ownership and leadership should be overriding principles of the triennial comprehensive policy review.  In Colombia, the joint construction of UNDAF had allowed progress, favouring alignment with the national development plan and with the Government’s international cooperation strategy.

JIRO KODERA ( Japan) said Member States had an excellent opportunity to improve the effectiveness of the United Nations as they discussed system-wide coherence and the triennial comprehensive policy review.  Failure to act would increase the risk of falling short of the Millennium Development Goals.  The 2007 review should reflect the recommendations of the High-level Panel on System-wide Coherence and the General Assembly’s informal consultations.  Japan hoped the review would strengthen the monitoring and evaluation of operational activities at Headquarters, regionally and nationally.  While recognizing the importance of an increase in non-earmarked funding for United Nations operational activities, the advantages of earmarked funding should not be underestimated.  A good balance of the two was important.

A strong United Nation system must be more coherent and produce results more effectively, he said, pointing out that challenges remained in that respect, including the one of ensuring that the UNDP function as an impartial manager of the Resident Coordinator system.  That was the key to realizing the goal of “One UN” at the country level and achieving system-wide coherence.  The UNDP should continue clearly to define its dual roles and to separate them with an internal “firewall”.  It should also continue to streamline operations so as to eliminate overlapping functions.

Emphasizing the essential importance of government capacity to formulate national development strategies, he said his country supported paragraph 19 of the Secretary-General’s report, which stated that the United Nations system was expected to support national capacities that gave developing countries ownership and leadership over external assistance and aid coordination.  Japan also supported South-South cooperation, an area in which the review should better guide the United Nations.

Right of Reply

JASEM IBRAHIM AL-NAJEM (Kuwait), exercising his right of reply to the statement by Iraq’s representative during Monday’s debate on external debt crisis and development, said that while his country fully appreciated Iraq’s situation and had provided its Government with political and material support to rebuild, the subject of reducing debts according to the Paris Club principles was different from compensation and demands for debt cancellation or reduction.  The policy of the new Iraqi regime, based on peaceful coexistence, good-neighbourly relations, respect for human rights and international commitments, had led Kuwait to reduce compensation from 25 per cent to 5 per cent despite the drop in oil prices at that time.  That had been done to support the new Iraqi Government.

The current Iraqi Government’s push not to be liable for the former regime’s actions was not legal, he stressed.  International law stated clearly that the violations of regimes could not be sidestepped.  For example, countries that had been aggressors during the Second World War had been held responsible for compensation to those countries they had harmed.  Kuwait was confident that the current Iraqi Government had no intention to disavow its international obligations.  It was responsible for the actions of its predecessor, including invading Kuwait, destroying its infrastructure and oil sector and harming its environment.  The compensation reduction granted to Iraq by several countries, including those in the Paris Club, and their forgiveness of more than 80 per cent of its debt were intended to push it to cooperate more with the Compensation Committee and to close that file, not to suspend payments or reduce the rate.  Iraq was obligated to pay the compensation owed to States harmed in accordance with Security Council resolutions.  Kuwait urged Iraq to continue to fulfil its commitments, including the compensation.

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For information media • not an official record