Delegates Voice Alarm over Funding, Coordination Gaps of United Nations Development System, as Second Committee Takes Up Operational Activities
With only 17 per cent of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targets on track, the United Nations system and Member States must enhance and coordinate efforts to rescue them, speakers told the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) today as it took up the Secretary-General’s reports on the state of development.
Birgitte Bryld, Chief of the Operational Activities Policy Branch in the Office of Intergovernmental Support and Coordination for Sustainable Development, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, introduced the Secretary-General’s report on the “Implementation of General Assembly resolution 75/233 on the quadrennial comprehensive policy review of operational activities for development of the United Nations system” (documents A/79/72 and addenda). That document provides a thorough analysis of the implementation of the quadrennial comprehensive policy review resolution since its adoption in 2020, and an update on the repositioning of the United Nations development system.
Accelerating progress on the SDGs will require urgent action in six key areas: food systems; energy transitions and access; digital connectivity; education and skills gaps; decent jobs and social protection, including health care; and addressing climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. She noted that 75 per cent of programme country Governments already find UN country team support in these areas to be effective, while 84 per cent of programme country Governments affirm the United Nations development system reform has strengthened coherence and reduced duplication. Meanwhile, 94 per cent of programme country Governments consider the new cooperation frameworks closely aligned with their needs and effective in responding to national priorities and SDG delivery.
Despite increased transparency and accountability, at all levels of the development system, greater support is still needed to close gaps in accountability under the management and accountability framework by all governing bodies — to ensure Member States can effectively monitor the system’s support to SDG achievement.
“The United Nations development system repositioning has yielded an astounding return on investment,” she stressed — with an unprecedented $553 million in efficiency gains in 2023. Despite this, the continued chronic shortfall in funding for the resident coordinator system is having a tangible impact on the functioning of that system, with 98 countries directly impacted by the budget shortfall. She noted that after six consecutive years of growth, contributions to development-related inter-agency funds declined by 22 per cent to $1.27 billion in 2022. This year’s 2024 quadrennial comprehensive policy review is an opportunity for Member States to strengthen SDG support; promote more proactive collaboration; boost United Nations country team capabilities; and incentivize fulfilment of the Funding Compact commitments.
Samba Thiam, Senior Policy Development Adviser of the UN Office for South-South Cooperation, introduced the Secretary-General’s report on the “State of South-South cooperation” (document A/79/230). He said the report outlines the current global development context and analyses new developments and opportunities in South-South and triangular cooperation. It notes that 81 per cent of UN entities included this mode of collaboration in their strategic plans in 2023, and 86 per cent integrated South-South results in corporate reporting — up from 73 per cent and 79 per cent, respectively, in 2022. Since 2021, requests for United Nations support on South-South or triangular cooperation have risen steadily from 53 per cent to 61 per cent of host country Governments, focusing mainly on health, climate change, and social protection. The development system’s response was evident, with an increased number of Governments (71 per cent in 2023, compared to 67 per cent in 2022) receiving such support.
According to the report, 35 per cent of Governments indicated they have received support from the UN system in establishing or strengthening national institutions engaged in South-South and triangular cooperation. Specific initiatives included assigning South-South focal points (58 per cent), establishing dedicated units for South-South cooperation (29 per cent) and allocating budgets for South-South cooperation (20 per cent). Since 2021, there has been a significant increase (from 27 per cent to 47 per cent) of Member States reporting they received UN support for organizing global, regional or national knowledge-sharing initiatives on solutions from the Global South. Key challenges faced by United Nations entities include a lack of institutional arrangements, capacity and funding for scaled-up South-South cooperation support, the report states.
In the ensuing debate, Member States voiced alarm over funding and coordination gaps, urging for the system to be more efficient and supportive. The representative of Uganda, speaking for the “Group of 77” and China, expressed deep concern that funding for development activities, particularly core funding, continues to drop annually — “creating unpredictability in funding of the operational activities for development”. This decline constrains the UN development system’s ability to provide the necessary support to developing countries to rescue the achievement of the SDGs, with progress still lagging. He urged developed countries to fulfil their commitments and obligations to fund the operational activities for development. Further, he called on the resident coordinator system to ensure that the skill sets are matched with the national needs and priorities of the programme countries.
United Nations development system support to programme countries should be in line with their national priorities and needs, he affirmed, with the development system continuing to support countries, upon their request, in the implementation, follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. South-South cooperation should continue to be guided by the principles of respect for national sovereignty, national ownership and independence, equality, non-conditionality, non-interference in domestic affairs and mutual benefits.
The representative of the European Union, speaking in its capacity as observer, said her bloc’s overall priority is to ensure a more effective UN development system to address interconnected crises, achieve the 2030 Agenda and tackle deepening inequalities. Reform of the system, and particularly the resident coordinators’ new role, seem to have strengthened overall UN representation, profile and visibility in programme countries. However, the UN “delivering as one” remains a work in progress. The Union notably looks forward to reaching an agreement to provide adequate, predictable and sustainable funding of the resident coordinator system, with a funding mix comprising the levy, cost-sharing and assessed contributions.
In coming negotiations on the quadrennial comprehensive policy review, the Union wants to further strengthen existing normative language, including that on human rights, gender equality, youth participation and eliminating discrimination based on any ground. She also said her bloc believes that UN country teams and resident coordinators have an important role to play in post-conflict and fragile contexts and want to see their stronger engagement in prevention, peacebuilding and sustaining peace, including in transitioning from peacekeeping to post-conflict reconstruction. Further, she noted the need to strengthen language on oversight and accountability functions of the Executive Boards and wants an effective, useful and independent system-wide evaluation system.
For his part, Grenada’s delegate, speaking for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), echoed concern about the low level of funding and the ensuing challenges for UN development systems entities, the resident coordinator system and development activities on the whole. This jeopardizes sustainable initiatives and investments in programme countries. Mobilizing adequate and predictable resources as well as increased resources from pool funding remain integral to strengthening delivery of development cooperation in countries. CARICOM member States are fiscally constrained, as “our inherent vulnerabilities position us on the front line of external shocks, and our hard-fought development gains can be eroded in an instant.” He cited Hurricane Beryl as an example — a very stark reminder of that vulnerability, and a testament to how the cycle of devastation and regression on progress can be occasioned by one catastrophic event, resulting in a long road to recovery.
Given the challenges, the system must deliver at a renewed pace and at scale to assist countries in building resilience in the quest to accelerate action on the SDGs. In 2022, small island developing States experienced a 7 per cent decrease in expenditure, attributed to a 17 per cent decline in spending on development activities — while spending on humanitarian activities far exceeded spending on development activities. “With six remaining years we cannot afford waning commitments,” he stated. Investments in human capital share must be bolstered to empower citizens to meaningfully contribute to development goals and to adapt to the evolving global landscape. He recognized the roles of the development coordination and the reinvigorated resident coordinator system, and the depth of transformation needed.
In the morning, the Committee continued its general debate, with Kiribati’s delegate noting that while her country remains committed to growing its economy, “we must emphasize that resilience is our highest priority.” Kiribati, like other small island developing States, is calling for greater access to adaptation funding, particularly for projects focused on coastal protection, land reclamation and climate-resilient infrastructure. The recently operationalized loss and damage fund is a critical step forward but must be sufficiently resourced and easily accessible.
Similarly, the representative of the Czech Republic affirmed that climate change will be “front and centre this year, and rightly so,” advocating for comprehensive, enhanced multilateralism and global action. He further condemned the Russian Federation’s illegal, unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine — a “heinous act” that has not only inflicted massive environmental damage and nuclear safety risks, but also precipitated energy and food insecurity on a global scale. A youth delegate called for greater sensitivity to youth and gender issues.
Guyana’s delegate lamented an era of proliferation of armed conflicts: global military expenditure for 2023 reached $2.4 trillion, representing a 6.8 per cent increase in real terms from 2022. Ongoing conflicts don’t just directly compromise the livelihoods of millions of people but have also inevitably decreased the available resources that can be used to fight against poverty, hunger, disease and climate change. “The task ahead of us is clear, we must simultaneously act to secure peace, combat the climate crisis and pursue economic prosperity,” she stressed.