Content tagged with One UN

CEB and the Joint Inspection Unit continued to collaborate, particularly during the preparation of reports by the Joint Inspection Unit with a system-wide focus. During 2014, consultations between the Joint Inspection Unit and the CEB took place on a regular basis. For example during the drafting of the JIU report on a "System-wide review of results-based management - phase II" the CEB Secretariat shared all the documentation, training material and tools produced by the Results-Based Management Community of Practice of the High-Level Committee on Management.

In line with the growing momentum for climate action, the UN system has stepped up its efforts to support Member States in addressing climate change, identified by Member States in General Assembly resolution 68/212 as “one of the greatest challenges of our time”.  The High-Level Committee on Programmes, through its Working Group on Climate Change, expanded its efforts in 2014 to make the UN system’s climate-related expertise and services more accessible to Member States and other partners.

In 2014, CEB pursued a number of initiatives for advancing policy coherence and programmatic coordination, in particular in the areas of youth employment, cybercrime and cybersecurity, and climate change. Those system-wide activities were carried out in response to intergovernmental mandates, including General Assembly resolutions 68/130, 68/243, 68/212.

With the 2015 deadline to meet the Millennium Development Goals on the horizon, CEB had decided, at its second regular session of 2012, to include a review of the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals at each of its forthcoming sessions through 2015, beginning at its first regular session of 2013, with a view to helping to accelerate progress within countries that experience difficulties achieving one or more of the goals.

Pursuant to Economic and Social Council resolution 2008 (LX), the present report provides an overview of the annual work of the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB).

In the Summit Outcome, Member States reaffirmed their commitment to the global partnership for development set out in the Millennium Declaration, the Monterrey Consensus and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation. They further stressed that each country must take primary responsibility for its own development, and that the role of national policies and development strategies is critical in the achievement of sustainable development. Such national efforts should be complemented by supportive global programmes, measures and policies.

The High-level Panel on United Nations System-wide Coherence in the Areas of Development, Humanitarian Assistance and the Environment; Increasing the effectiveness and coherence of United Nations system activities at the country level.

Staff security and safety; Enhancing governance and accountability; Enhancing financial resources management; Enhancing human resources management; Coordinating United Nations system response to the threat of avian influenza; Inter-agency collaboration in information and communication technology.

CEB considered that a principal determinant of the United Nations system’s image in donor as well as recipient countries was its work at the country level. The system could not, therefore, afford to be perceived as a disparate group of competing organizations. CEB members should instead strive to work as a coherent  system devoted to bringing its diverse capacities to bear, in a concerted way, on the priorities defined by developing countries. How best to harness the limited resources available to United Nations organizations to maximize their impact remained a major challenge.

Over the 2006/07 period, CEB addressed a number of emerging and important programme issues with system-wide implications. Those included issues that required the development of a coordinated response from the United Nations, such as international migration and development, the midterm review of the Brussels Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries, and the cross-cutting issue of employment and decent work.

At its 2007 spring session, the Chief Executives Board endorsed the recommendation for an evaluation of the eight pilot projects carried out at the country level under the One United Nations initiative and gave the United Nations Evaluation Group the task of establishing the substantive parameters and process for the evaluation. In response to that request, the United Nations Evaluation Group envisaged a three-stage process, as follows:

The Board’s consideration of management issues during the period 2007/08 focused on enhanced coherence in the working modalities of member organizations. Inspired by the ongoing deliberations on system-wide coherence, which highlighted the key role that improved business practices could play in the United Nations system’s ability to deliver better results, a plan of action for the harmonization of business practices in the United Nations system was elaborated under the auspices of the High-Level Committee on Management.

In April 2007, CEB had endorsed a proposal to establish the substantive parameters and process for a three-phased evaluation of the eight delivering-as-one pilot projects in Albania, Cape Verde, Mozambique, Pakistan, Rwanda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay and Viet Nam. The first outcome of this process, a synthesis report of the assessments conducted by the United Nations Evaluation Group, was before the High-level Committee on Programmes during the reporting period.

During the period under review, CEB continued its efforts at furthering coordination and cooperation among the organizations of the United Nations system on a wide range of programme, management and operational issues. As pointed out by Member States during the consultations on system-wide coherence held by the General Assembly during its sixty-first to sixty-third sessions, coherence is not a goal in itself but a means of improving the delivery of support to those that need it most.

Global financial and economic crisis; Second United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (2008-2017); Climate change; United Nations development system working together; Working together in crisis and post-crisis countries; Security and safety of staff; Business practices

General Assembly resolution 63/311 on system-wide coherence covers a number of areas of significance for the ongoing work of the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB) and its three Committees. The Board’s work to enhance harmonization of business practices is, in this regard, expected to have a significant impact on streamlining administrative practices of United Nations system organizations, thereby helping ease the administrative burden on programmes.

During the reporting period, CEB and its three pillars have made advances in the coordination and coherence of the United Nations system on system-wide issues. The Board also devoted increasing attention to operational issues at the country level and to alignment of the work of the United Nations system at the global, regional and country levels.

During 2009/10, the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB) continued its ongoing efforts to align the strengths of the United Nations system in support of countries’ efforts to deal with the challenges confronting the international community. Throughout the reporting period, CEB has played a key role in ensuring a coherent approach by the United Nations system in addressing the needs of the international community and delivering as one at the global, regional and country levels.

Policy coherence among the organizations of the decentralized United Nations system of specialized expertise and operational experience is a key success factor for increasing efficiency and improving development outcomes. Advancing policy coherence and programmatic coordination is a key function of CEB, which is systematically carried out by the High-level Committee on Programmes on behalf of the Board.

Quadrennial comprehensive policy review of United Nations operational activities for development; Strengthening coordination at the country level.

Through its subsidiary bodies, CEB continues to substantially contribute to the processes of both ICSC and the Joint Inspection Unit.

In response to General Assembly resolution 67/226 on the quadrennial comprehensive policy review of United Nations operational activities for development of the United Nations system, the United Nations Development Group placed the highest priority on ensuring coherent implementation of the quadrennial comprehensive policy review across the system with a firm focus on high-impact areas.

The interconnected nature of modern society accelerates commerce, opens vast opportunities for development and connects individuals across the globe on an unprecedented scale. However, the same technologies that Governments, private-sector enterprises and a growing proportion of the world’s population depend upon every day also bring risks for security and privacy.

Throughout 2013, CEB responded to calls by the General Assembly for system-wide coordination in the preparation and follow-up to United Nations conferences and summits, including the Millennium Summit, post-2015 development agenda, Istanbul Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries, and the third International Conference on Small Island Developing States. In support of those conferences and summits, CEB developed joint contributions and enhanced United Nations system-wide coherence in the implementation of conference outcomes.

The least developed countries, representing the poorest group of developing countries, face unique economic, social and environmental vulnerabilities. The commitment of CEB to least developed countries and to the implementation of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2011-2020 (Istanbul Programme of Action) followed from the Board’s endorsement of a statement of support to the Fourth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, held from 9 to 13 May 2011 in Istanbul, Turkey.

In response to General Assembly resolution 67/226 on the quadrennial comprehensive policy review of United Nations operational activities for development of the United Nations system, the United Nations Development Group placed the highest priority on ensuring coherent implementation of the quadrennial comprehensive policy review across the system with a firm focus on high-impact areas.

The interconnected nature of modern society accelerates commerce, opens vast opportunities for development and connects individuals across the globe on an unprecedented scale. However, the same technologies that Governments, private-sector enterprises and a growing proportion of the world’s population depend upon every day also bring risks for security and privacy.

In 2013, Member States affirmed not only their commitment to intensify efforts to accelerate the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals but also their determination to craft a strong post-2015 development agenda that would build on the foundations laid by the Millennium Development Goals.

Pursuant to Economic and Social Council resolution 2008 (LX), the present report provides an overview of the annual work of the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB).

Parties to the Convention and United Nations system leaders shared experiences, highlighted best practices and identified further needs for implementation of the Cancún Agreements.

The HLCM Strategic Plan reflects the collective vision of the HLCM membership and intends to leverage its professional talent and expertise to formulate and put forward proposals – several of which are far-reaching – and foster its role as a source of inspiration and a catalyst for action towards UN system-wide management reform.

The wide international agreement reached around three core principles to improve coordination of national responses to HIV/AIDS, known as the “Three Ones,” exemplifies a successful effort towards harmonization of donor policies, in the spirit of the Rome Declaration on Harmonization, the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness and the Monterrey Consensus.

The UN system can only succeed in its mission to help countries implement the goals of the Millennium Declaration if its delivery of services at the country level is well managed, using all its resources and expertise.

Recognizing the need to build on progress underway to ensure a coherent, effective response to country needs, the CEB held a one-day retreat in October 2004, to consider further steps needed to maximize the collective impact and involvement of the UN system as a whole.

CEB member organizations collaborated closely in the ITU-led preparatory and follow-up processes for the first phase of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) held in Geneva on 10-12 December 2003. Their contributions were coordinated through the High-Level Summit Organizing Committee (HLSOC) led by ITU. At the second phase of the Summit in Tunis, the HLSOC is expected to monitor implementation of the Geneva Action Plan by organizations of the UN system and report on those efforts to the Summit process.

The electoral assistance provided by the UN system can be grouped into three categories: technical assistance; the organization and conduct of elections; and observation or monitoring of elections and participation, where elections are expected to play a significant role in the peacebuilding phase of political negotiations. While technical assistance tends to be provided in politically stable contexts, the organization and conduct of elections takes place almost exclusively in post-conflict conditions.