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Babacar Cissé Luc-Joël Grégoire Christian Do Rosario
I
Christian Do Rosario United Nations Development Programme Operations Manager in Côte d’Ivoire
CODE BELIN 37163002 / 36 €
GRANDVAUX
ISBN 978-2-371630-02-4
Cover: © Création Kandioura Coulibaly
Luc-Joël Grégoire United Nations Development Programme Country Director in Côte d’Ivoire
United Nations Reform in Africa:
Babacar Cissé Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations and United Nations Resident Coordinator in Côte d’Ivoire
“Delivering as One”
n order to be even more innovative, reactive and efficient in working towards peace, security and sustainable development, the United Nations has embarked upon a reform process known as “Delivering as One”. This initiative defines strategic approaches and new practices of cooperation. It also enables the coordination of UN Agencies to be perfected. At a time when the question of the efficiency of development aid has become crucial, the “Delivering as One” initiative promotes both better support of sustainable development in the African Continent and the management efficiency required to make achievements sustainable. Co-written by senior officials of African administrations and experienced practitioners of the United Nations System, this work is the first to tackle the initiative and its implementation in Africa.Through the analysis and the guidelines it provides, this work of reference helps to better understand and measure the kinds of challenges this United Nations reform process seeks to address. It is also an instrument for the fine-tuning of public policies as well as the development of innovative partnerships.
United Nations
Reform in Africa:
“Delivering as One”
Babacar Cissé Luc-Joël Grégoire Christian Do Rosario Preface
Albert Toikeusse Mabri Minister of Foreign Affairs of Côte d’Ivoire
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R eforming
the United Nations in Africa: Strategic guidelines and new practices of cooperation
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Translation: Anne-Marie Brigham was responsible for overseeing and coordinating the translation of this book. Special thanks go to Julian Simpson for the very thorough proofreading of this work. The translation work was carried out by: Anne-Marie Brigham, Karena Keeley, Béatrice Murail, Julian Simpson, the ‘Word Up Traduction’ Team.
ISBN : 978-2-371630-02-4 © ÉDITIONS GRANDVAUX, 18410 Brinon-sur-Sauldre - France www.editionsgrandvaux.com All rights reserved. Any unauthorised reproduction or representation, whether partial or in full, using any known or as of yet unknown means, of the present publication, will constitute an infringement of copyright. Copyright © 2016 Editions Grandvaux.
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Reforming
the United Nations in Africa: Strategic guidelines and new practices of cooperation
Babacar Cissé Luc-Joël Grégoire Christian Do Rosario
Preface
Albert Toikeusse Mabri Minister of Foreign Affairs of Côte d’Ivoire
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Preface
M
oved by a fantastic spirit of solidarity and in a very proactive way, Africa endorsed the Sustainable Development Goals during the 70th session of the United Nations General Assembly, in New York, on 25 September 2015. This ambitious resolution had been sought after and even driven by several African countries, and Côte d’Ivoire in particular, as Africa as a whole aspires to peace, security and the wellbeing of its people. This unprecedented declaration of solidarity promotes the United Nations System’s strategic approach to enable countries to tackle their lack of revenue, the ever-present hunger, gender inequalities, the main social challenges as well as the degradation of the environment. We all know the extent to which public policies will need to carry on addressing inclusion and growth, greater valorisation of human capital as well as the diversification of modes of production and consumption, in order to promote the emergence of our continent. They will also need to target the most appropriate policy options to help consolidate the dynamics of governance, attract and finance sustainable structural investments, promote innovation and any necessary
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technological changes. We must also ensure the socioinstitutional capital of our continent – and its one billionplus inhabitants – is promoted by focusing on job and the social dimension of human development. We must be bold and creative in order to forge strategic partnerships and mobilise resources from both the public and the private sectors. Economic diplomacy also represents a formidable instrument for dialogue, exchange and solidarity. In that respect, the United Nations is an essential partner for Africa and for the World. Its capacity, but above all, its neutrality and the normative power of its action are welcomed time and again by its stakeholders and the beneficiaries of its cooperation. The “Delivering as One” initiative promotes reform that we welcome most enthusiastically, as it aims to consolidate the harmonisation and alignment of UN assistance, the rationalisation of cooperation efforts and development efficiency. The present publication, made possible thanks to the UNDP, underlines the challenges, potential and best practice, particularly for Africa, that will lead to a better governance of the United Nations System in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. This work advocates an integrated and multi-sectoral approach capable of promoting planned transformation strategies which are inclusive because they mobilise the continent’s driving forces. It also highlights the promotion of partnerships needed to carry out appropriate and enthusiastically supported reforms.
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Through the analysis and guidelines it provides, this work constitutes a framework of reference to better understand the challenges of UN reform. It is also an instrument to promote refined public policies as well as the development of innovative partnerships. The work and the advocacy of the United Nations System are essential in this respect and we salute its manifest contribution to the promotion of peace, safety and wellbeing, particularly in Africa. If it is true that the New National Development Plan for Côte d’Ivoire is based on priorities that stem from the sovereign people’s expectations, it is nevertheless obvious that it integrates the new world development agenda which is geared towards the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals. As such, it benefits from the unified assistance of the United Nations System which focuses on the implementation of sustainable human development action and its efficient and inclusive follow-up. In this respect, the Ivorian government welcomes the engagement of the Resident Coordinator (RC) of the United Nations System (UN System) and his leadership in the effort to align the planning of UN System activities with national development priorities. I also wish to acknowledge the support and remarkable mobilisation of the specialised agencies in the implementation of the “Delivering as One” approach and the implementation of their operational procedures, such as adopted on 16 July 2014 at the Council of Ministers of Côte d’Ivoire.
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I am equally delighted with the collaboration and support provided by the United Nations which has played a key role not only in the country’s transition from crisis to recovery but also by helping to elaborate and finalise guidelines for development and emergence. Finally, I would like to express my deepest gratitude, collectively but also on an individual basis, to the agencies and their representatives for the incredible sacrifices they have been willing to make in favour of peace and development in our country.
Albert Toikeusse Mabri Minister of Foreign Affairs of Côte d’Ivoire
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Foreword
During the United Nations General Assembly dedicated to the Post-2015 Agenda, the Secretary-General reminded those present how vital it was to have a UN which is “innovative, reactive and committed in a coherent way to assist countries, in particular African countries, on their road to dignity and in their fight against poverty”. This challenge is unanimously supported by the Continent’s Heads of State, because it promotes a global organisation at the service of humankind, which is the basis of the very Global Pact which resulted from the Millennium Declaration on Sustainable Development. The “Delivering as One” initiative seeks to address this issue, as one of the bedrocks of this engagement which came out of an intergovernmental decision regarding the operational activities of the United Nations System (UN System), particularly with regard to their multi-sectoral development dimensions. The Continent’s governments have, indeed, clearly expressed their support for the initial “One UN” approach during the United Nations General Assembly of September
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2006 and then again during the UNDP’s Executive Board meeting of 18 October 2007, held in New York. Since then, an ever-increasingly large number of African governments have confirmed their wish to subscribe to the “Delivering as One” initiative by announcing their commitment at national level. Thirty-one African countries, including Côte d’Ivoire, have now subscribed to this approach. This is the most significant continental buy-in to this UN reform process in the world. The challenge of this reform process consists in adopting an approach focused on results which more significantly values the coherence and performance of the UN System’s action through a rationale centred on strategic alignment of sustainable development priorities, joint and structured programming, rationalisation of resource management processes as well as the reduction of transaction costs for the benefit of the populations. African governments are and will carry on being the focal point of efforts to reduce poverty in their respective countries, as well as to face any challenges necessary to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The United Nations reform process will contribute to this and the United Nations system benefits from indisputable comparative advantages in this respect. Indeed, the UN System, through its moral authority, its political neutrality, its technical expertise and its ability to intervene in the poorest and most vulnerable zones, has all the necessary advantages to better support the Continent’s governments in their efforts to reach the goals they have set themselves in terms of sustainable development. By playing a counselling and technical support role, the UN System is a trustworthy partner which helps the Continent
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meet its international obligations through informed decisions and the support required for the conception and implementation of essentially more inclusive and endogenous national strategies. The experience of the pilot countries which have committed to the UN reform has proved that it is possible to achieve efficiency gains and cost savings which benefit these countries and their populations through more assertive dialogue regarding policy, practices of cooperation which are favourable to national enforcement, management of agencies which is better coordinated, as well as the promotion of inclusive partnerships. The UN reform process endows national leadership and the alignment of the response to cooperation programmes with more significance. We also feel that these two dimensions are fundamental as the UN assistance plans continue to aim to respond in a unified manner, in a more effective and coordinated way, to the priorities and objectives defined by national development plans. The UN System gains credibility, particularly in the countries that are committed to the reform process, through educational programmes to standardise the approaches and practices of cooperation it undertakes as well as through the progressive generalisation of simplified mechanisms to make the resources and coordination of support it promotes available. Civil society organisations and NGOs have also saluted the UN reform initiative for its potential and the opportunities it could provide in terms of strategic support and capacitybuilding.
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Lenders have also subscribed to the UN reform process as it fits into a context of global partnership working to ensure assistance is more effective, while fitting into the national consultation processes of the Technical and Financial Partners (TFP), several executives of whom have had the support of the UNDP. The “Delivering as One” initiative is a fantastic opportunity for Africa and the United Nations. The potential of the “Delivering as One” process is considerable because it must help to address the challenges of the Continent’s emergence which are linked to the Sustainable Development Goals, whilst working on the necessary changes in the modes of cooperation and governance of external assistance. The Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) of the United Nations reform which were produced by the United Nations Development Group (UNDG) – which is presided over by the UNPD Administrator – define the operating procedures of the reform with a certain degree of precision. However, the UN General Assembly resolutions advocate a certain amount of flexibility in the “Delivering as One” approach and insist on the need to adapt the basic model to national contexts. Indeed, there is no single standard model which is applicable everywhere. It is, therefore, at a national level that the methods needed to achieve the five main objectives of the reform will have to be defined, at least partly, following a specific and consensual roadmap, to be established by all the stakeholders involved in the development plan. This is what gives this reform leverage and credibility. It is also what justifies the publication of such a work of reference as this: the first of its kind regarding this strategy to reform the way the UN works and its implementation on the African Continent.
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The initial phase – carried out in the first eight pilot countries which voluntarily subscribed to the United Nations reform and who, since 2006, have wished to test the new method of coordination of operational activities – has enabled us to identify the strengths and potentials of this reform. The present work enables one to analyse, in a comparative manner and from a management perspective, the good practice that has come out of the processes which were implemented specifically in Africa. It also makes it possible to highlight some of the main ideas or recommendations concerning the Continent’s countries which – by committing to such an ambitious reform which is to be extremely beneficial to them – expect to see their population benefit from effective and efficient assistance based on the best international standards and, above all, which is aligned on the priorities and needs at national and local level. This is a work of reference which has been co-written by senior officials of African administrations and experimented practitioners in the United Nations System. It goes without saying that this reinforces the quality of the partnership and joint expertise shared by the United Nations System and the African countries working together to promote better practices of cooperation. Nialé Kaba
Minister for Planning and Development of Côte d’Ivoire
Babacar Cissé
Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations and United Nations Resident Coordinator in Côte d’Ivoire
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Contents Preface, Albert Toikeusse Mabri, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Côte d’Ivoire Foreword, Nialé Kaba, Minister for Planning and Development of Côte d’Ivoire Babacar Cissé, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations & United Nations Resident Coordinator in Côte d'Ivoire Introduction, Babacar Cissé, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations & United Nations Resident Coordinator in Côte d'Ivoire Prolegomena to United Nations Reform, Luc-Joël Grégoire, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Country Director, Côte d’Ivoire
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I – The United Nations Reform Initiative: goals and guidelines The United Nations Reform Initiative and the Rationalisation of Efforts to Align and Coordinate Assistance, Babacar Cissé, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations & United Nations Resident Coordinator in Côte d'Ivoire Luc-Joël Grégoire, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Country Director, Côte d’Ivoire Outline of the United Nations Reform Process, Frederik Matthys, Regional Advisor Africa, United Nations Development Group (UNDG) The Objectives of United Nations Reform, Fidèle Sarassoro, Chief of staff to the President of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire The Added Value of the United Nations System, Babacar Cissé, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations & United Nations Resident Coordinator in Côte d'Ivoire The Role of the National Players and the United Nations Reform Process in Meeting the Sustainable Development Goals in Africa, Lanciné Diaby, DirectorGeneral of Planning and the Fight Against Poverty at the Ministry for Planning and Development of Côte d’Ivoire Luc-Joël Grégoire, UNDP Country Director, Côte d’Ivoire Joint Involvement and Institutional Aspects of the “Delivering as One” Initiative, Lacina Kouakou Kouamé, Former Director-General in the Ministry for Planning and Development of Côte d’Ivoire Luc-Joël Grégoire, UNDP Country Director, Côte d’Ivoire
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II – Managing the United Nations Reform Process DaO and the Managerial Tools for Implementing the United Nations System Action Plan in African Countries, Christian Do Rosario, UNDP Operations Manager in Côte d’Ivoire Francisco Vieira, United Nations System Coordination Specialist in Côte d’Ivoire The Crucial Involvement of the Staff of the United Nations System’s Agencies, Pierre Carrel, International Consultant, Academic and United Nations Reform Process Specialist The System of Monitoring and Evaluation to Promote a Results-Driven Culture and the Accountability of the United Nations System, Adèle Khudr, UNICEF Representative in Côte d'Ivoire Christina De Bruin, Deputy Representative, UNICEF in Côte d'Ivoire The Challenges of Transformation, Christian Do Rosario, UNDP Operations Manager in Côte d’Ivoire Alina Aimée Mahouagbeu Ouattara, Deputy Director of the Strategic Coordination Unit within the Ministry for Planning and Development of Côte d’Ivoire Luc-Joël Grégoire, UNDP Country Director, Côte d’Ivoire
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The Roadmap: an Appropriate Tool for Guidance and Coordination, Prof. Benoît Patrick Gbakou, Director of the Strategic Coordination Unit of the Ministry for Planning and Development of Côte d’Ivoire Alina Aimée Mahouagbeu Ouattara, Deputy Director of the Strategic Coordination Unit of the Ministry for Planning and Development of Côte d’Ivoire Francisco Vieira, United Nations System Coordination Specialist in Côte d’Ivoire
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III – UN Reform in Practice in Côte d’Ivoire: experimenting whilst promoting development and consolidating peace. The “Delivering as One” Initiative in the Context of a Peacekeeping Operation, Fidèle Sarassoro, Chief of Staff to the President of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire The Peacebuilding Priority Plan in Côte d’Ivoire and the “Delivering as One” Initiative of the United Nations System, Marie Goreth Nizigama, Strategic Planning Advisor and Head of the Coordination Unit of the United Nations System Famoussa Coulibaly, Deputy Chief of Staff at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Côte d’Ivoire The Contribution of UNAIDS to United Nations Reform in Côte d’Ivoire, Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS Tamsir Sall, UNAIDS Country Director in Côte d’Ivoire The Joint Framework for the Improvement of Maternal Health in Côte d’Ivoire (MDG5), Suzanne Konaté Maïga, Public Health Doctor, Resident Representative of the UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) in Côte d’Ivoire, In collaboration with: Saidou Kaboré, Deputy Representative of the UNFPA Dr Pierre Konan Kacou, Programme Specialist, UNFPA The Implementation of the Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfers (HACT) Framework and the “Delivering as One” Initiative in Côte d’Ivoire, Christian Do Rosario, UNDP Operations Manager in Côte d’Ivoire Kobehi Guillaume Toutou, Member of the HACT Task Force Nehla Touré, ICT Analyst, UNDP in Côte d’Ivoire External Aid Coordination and the Joint Support Programme of the United Nations System in Côte d’Ivoire, Lacina Kouakou Kouamé, Former Director-General in the Planning and Development Ministry of Côte d'Ivoire Mahamoudou Traoré, Technical Advisor to the Prime Minister and Minister of the Economy, Finance and Budget Adama Sall, Special Advisor to the Minister Attached to the Prime Minister’s Office, with Responsibility for the Economy and Finance El Allassane Baguia, Programme Coordinator, SDG specialist at the UNDP
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IV – Compendium of Good Practices and Experiences of United Nations Reform in Africa The Tanzanian Experience with the Implementation and M&E Processes of United Nations Reform, Albéric Kacou, Vice President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), former Chief of Staff and Director of the Executive Office of the UNDP in New York The "One Leader" Concept in Mozambique, Christian Do Rosario, UNDP Operations Manager in Côte d’Ivoire Francisco Vieira, Expert, UN System coordination specialist in Côte d’Ivoire The Institutional Experience at National Level of United Nations Reform in Mali, Mbaranga Gasarabwe, Deputy Special Representative for the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) Luc Gnonlonfoun, UNDP Operations Director, Côte d’Ivoire
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The Rwandan Experience of Implementation and the M&E Processes of UN Reform, Aurélien Agbénonci, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Benin, former Deputy Special Representative for the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) The Strategic Articulation of a United Nations Framework: the Experience of Cabo Verde, Léon Mensah Aluka, Head of Secretariat, United Nations Development Group for Western and Central Africa (UNDG-WCA) and specialist in regional coordination and United Nations reform Analysis of the Gains Related to United Nations Reform in Mali and Côte d’Ivoire: Comparative Experiences, Pierre Carrel, International Consultant, Academic and United Nations Reform Process Specialist Luc-Joël Grégoire, UNDP Country Director, Côte d’Ivoire The Strategic Areas of Focus of the United Nations System of Communication as One: the Experiences of Zimbabwe and Ghana, Pierre Carrel, International Consultant, Academic and United Nations Reform Process Specialist Jenny-Christelle Debrimou, Communications Specialist, United Nations Resident Coordinator Office in Côte d’Ivoire Ethiopia and Lesotho: Experience of the Business Operations Strategy (BOS) in the “Delivering as One” Initiative, Christian Do Rosario, UNDP Operations Manager in Côte d’Ivoire Lassina Touré, Coordination Specialist and UNDAF M&E Specialist, Programme Coordination Unit of the UN System in Côte d’Ivoire Initiating Reform of the United Nations System in Guinea, Séraphine Wakana, Resident Coordinator of the United Nations System and Resident Representative of UNDP in Guinea The HACT Initiative and the Introduction of an Integrated Partnership Management System in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Adama Coulibaly, Chief of Staff of the Minister attached to the Prime Minister’s Office with Responsibility for the Economy and Finance in Côte d’Ivoire Amadou Sow, ICT specialist/Business Intelligence, UNDP in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Implementing the “Delivering as One” Initiative in Benin, Rosine Sori-Coulibaly, Minister of the Economy, Finance and Development in Burkina Faso, Former United Nations Resident Coordinator in Benin The “Delivering as One” Initiative: a Promising Process in Togo, Khardiata Lo N’Diaye, United Nations Resident Coordinator and Resident Representative of the UNDP in Togo Acceleration of UN Reforms in Rwanda: Moving from the Pilot Phase to the Second Generation of “Delivering as One” (DaO), Lamin M. Manneh, UN Resident Coordinator/UNDP Resident Representative, Rwanda Appendices
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Bibliography Biographies Acronyms Acknowledgements
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Introduction Babacar Cissé Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations and United Nations Resident Coordinator in Côte d’Ivoire
With a view to increasing the coherence of the United Nations System, the Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN) named a High-level Panel in 2006 to produce recommendations which would set out the ways and means in which the UN might respond more efficiently to the needs of countries which it supports in terms of development, peace and security. On the basis of these recommendations, as well as the preliminary reactions of the United Nations System Chief Executives Board, the Secretary-General initiated a reform of the United Nations System (UN System) which eight pilot countries first tested in order to experience this new approach to the coordination of operational activities at national level. The following step consisted in promoting a progressive extension of the “Delivering as One” initiative to all of the countries across the globe. The decision was then taken by the Secretary General to promote the immediate implementation of the experiences tested by these pilot countries to the rest of the world.This decision was confirmed by the Triennial Comprehensive Policy Review (TCPR) of Operational Activities of the United Nations and was adopted by the General Assembly in resolution A/RES/62/208 on 14 March 2008, to urge the UN System to reinforce the coherence and effectiveness of its activities, particularly at country level. It is in that same spirit that the Board of Executive Directors – chaired by the Secretary General and bringing together all of the Executive Directors of the Agencies, Funds and UN Programmes – 19
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The “Delivering as One” initiative
recommended that these efforts be inspired by the experiences carried out in the pilot countries. The “Delivering as One” approach, such as it was implemented in the pilot countries, showed significant progress was made particularly in terms of streamlined management of public development aid. Let’s not forget that the United Nations reform process comes within a context of reinforcement of initiatives to support renewed democratic and institutional governance, on the one hand, and that is it guided by the need to enhance development action efficiency as well as the performance of public development aid, on the other. At a time when there are more concerns than ever about the efficiency of development aid, the UN has pledged to improve the coordination of its action as part of new dynamics which will enable it to meet the countless challenges of the 21st century, starting with the one of achieving the Millennium Development Goals, and more specifically the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). The ambition of backing the emergence of Africa and the post-2015 SDG priorities represents the perfect opportunity for the UN System’s “Delivering as One” initiative to highlight the quality of its support in terms of sustainable human development in the countries of the African Continent. On this subject, during the work session of the General Assembly in September 2014, the UN Secretary-General had declared that the initial objective of reaching the Millennium Development Goals by 2015 was no longer achievable within the timeframe which had been set. Indeed, despite the progress observed in terms of economic growth and improvement of the Human Development Index in Africa, the difficulty in meeting the Development Goals set on at international level reinforced the idea that it was imperative to ensure there was improved effectiveness of actions on the ground, in order to contribute in the most efficient way possible to the achievement of SDGs by 2030. Conscious of this situation, the UN System Agencies committed to efficiently applying the guiding principles of United Nations reform at country level, in close cooperation with the individual national authorities. The reform process which is known as “Delivering as One” aims to clearly define the Agencies’ role in implementing their mandate with regard to the strategic objectives set by the United Nations 20
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Introduction
Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) in conjunction with the recipient government. Following an aligned approach of development cooperation, the UN System must contribute to concerted and responsible action.The United Nations Agencies must not, therefore, be grouped as a single entity but must instead share the tasks in a complementary manner and on a rational basis.This means each entity must be in charge of the sector in which it performs best. However, in the domains where joint action produces clear added value, the Agencies must endeavour to work together to provide greater efficiency in their assistance. The UN System welcomes the efforts of the Continent’s governments in accompanying the process of this “Delivering as One” initiative and especially in coordinating it and integrating it into the overall public development aid coordination and management dynamics. The United Nations reform process was initially promoted through four founding pillars: • The “One programme”: all of the United Nations Agencies are called upon to work together in order to implement one single and unique programme with expected results based on objectives defined by the UNDAF in its Action Plan and according to the roles and responsibilities agreed between agencies, through a single monitoring and evaluation system (M&E plan). The coordination structures which were set up to ensure adhesion to the single programme – which is aligned with national priorities (National Development Plan or Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategic Framework) – are called upon to play a major role in the alignment and the efficiency of development action. • The “One Budget or Common Budgetary Framework”: all of the United Nations Agencies ensure the mobilised funds are set up within a single unique budgetary framework and used according to guidelines and to the needs of the single programme. The responsibility of mobilising and allocating additional funds according to determined criteria lies with the Resident Coordinator who will be working with the Country Team and the government. • The “One Leader”: the United Nations Agencies recognise that the supreme supervisory body implementing UN reform is the joint framework of the Inter-Agency Coordination established at regional level with the Regional Directors Team (RDT) and at national level with the UN Country Team (UNCT). The Resident Coordinator running the UNCT has the responsibility of ensuring that the 21
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“Delivering as One” operation mode is applied following the principles set out in the reform guidelines. • “Operating as One”: the United Nations Agencies are called upon to make every effort to improve effectiveness and reduce operational costs, particularly by opting for shared facilities, by harmonising procedures and activity reporting as well as by moving into, where possible, shared offices, progressively, whilst taking the specific needs and logistical experience of certain agencies into account. The overall objective of the United Nations reform procedure is to reinforce coherence, the impact of results as well as the UN System’s position within the global framework of development cooperation to ensure that it is able to support governments more effectively, to help them meet the goals they have set themselves in terms of development, and particularly to meet their Millennium Development Goals. Over the past five years, the principles of the “Delivering as One” initiative have been implemented at country level and at the heart of the UN Country Teams, with remarkable success and strong determination, in order to increase effectiveness and the achievement of meaningful results in terms of sustainable development.
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Prolegomena to United Nations Reform Luc-Joël Grégoire United Nations Development Programme (UNPD) Country Director, Côte d’Ivoire
One cannot overemphasise the extent to which reforms are far from being an exact science for leaders, stakeholders and those responsible for governance. To say that it is an “art form” would be to rely on an overused phrase which does not do it justice. Reforming is complex work indeed. It is as much to do with willingness, state of mind, determination, method, discipline as it is to do with diplomacy and tactfulness in helping to drive change, manage resistance, provide support in transitions, and using good judgement to assess results, accept the possible disappointments, value the efforts made to adapt and promote the success stories. Three main dimensions are needed to create the conditions for a successful major reform such as the one planned by the United Nations, based on the initiatives and recommendations of 2006, 2008 and 2013. • Insisting on the need to understand the direction the reform is to take The efforts made to explain, repeatedly and with supporting arguments, should be considered as the main success factor in the “act of reforming”. There are never enough explanations. One never seizes “all” the opportunities available to share the aims of a reform every time there is a project to be developed, work which is coordinated and inclusive, exchanges between stakeholders and decision-makers or even external partners. 23
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• An ongoing concern with taking ownership of reform
Those involved should demonstrate how they integrate the reform in their thoughts, practices, choices and decisions. In order to succeed, the reform needs to inspire daily working habits, communication, problemsolving approaches. It is through purposeful experimentation that, progressively, each stakeholder can truly assimilate the sense of the reform and validate the effects to be assessed in a clear-sighted manner: “How will this take shape?”“What benefits will it bring us?” • Monitoring effective steering of the system as a whole
Staying on course, correcting, adjusting, consolidating, supporting and reviving are all essential management tools required to implement a reform and they rely on possessing one of the most sensitive human qualities there is, one which requires huge amounts of good judgement and foresight: the willingness and ability to coordinate.The United Nations has therefore, quite rightly, placed coordination efforts at the centre of its reform initiative. Management theories have widely underlined that the importance of collective effectiveness, group dynamics and team cohesion rely significantly on the existence of a coordination role, which is well understood, implemented and respected. The role of United Nations System Resident Coordinator has often been equated to, and with good reason, to that of a conductor. It is a thankless task but vital to ensure good harmony prevails in any action undertaken and in any project promoted.The Coordinator facilitates the transversality of exchanges, generates a wealth of interaction, encourages the flow of ideas and information, avoids “blunders” and duplication, offers reference points to manage working time and working efforts and updates deadlines. This role, however, needs to maintain its singularity and the inviolability of its responsibilities must preserve the Coordinator from other stakeholders. In order to succeed, the reform needs time, a rhythm and impetus.The Coordinator is its guarantor. But coordination must not remain the sole role of the Resident Coordinator who runs a Country Team.The spirit of coordination must infiltrate minds, reaching each individual stakeholder, each decision-maker so that they may learn to integrate coordination into their own working practices. The success of a reform is the fruit of effective “togetherness”. It is not about relying on others but rather about taking others into account.The 24
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quality of a contribution is invariably the sum of all the efforts produced, of the external contributions, which, when added together under good coordination should mean the desired results can be achieved. With this in mind, the five pillars of the United Nations reform which are based on an essential principle of “oneness” and unity (one programme, one budget, one leader, one office, communication as one) must provide the reform which has been implemented with necessary authority for changes to take place at the heart of the organisation, particularly if these are aimed at rationalisation, coherence of action and a strong desire for simplification. But, in the present case, it is the most virtuous definition of “authority” which must be applied: the reform’s authority should be faithful to the Latin etymology of the word auctoritas, defined as the act of “making grow”.This is the kind of “authority” which “authorises” decision-taking in a responsible way, which offers guarantees within a set of rules and a framework, in accordance with the aims of the reform. In other words, it is an authority which embodies the reform and which must assist the stakeholders who will implement it, favouring emancipation and preserving initiatives whilst ensuring trust and security, all of this, in a transparent manner. Do we really need to be reminded that what gives the spirit of this reform the impetus to be successful is the evidence of progress and improvement it generates? It is worth recalling that reform processes that fail or grind to a halt have usually allowed a consensus to form that “things are not what they used to be” since changes were brought in.That is why the spirit of the reform must focus on a culture of results and what goes with it: good practice in terms of monitoring and evaluating, whilst refraining from focusing on assessed results alone and the ensuing temptation to judge success by comparison (between countries, for instance). Evaluating is a very demanding discipline which implies taking into account the efforts made, the uniqueness of each problem and the solutions provided.The mere exercise of results comparison alone can be unfair, frustrating and demotivating.The amount of effort put in and the difficulties encountered must be taken into account in evaluations. Progress can be made without actually meeting objectives when considerable efforts have been identified and validated (therefore recognised). Reform periods compel us to give special recognition and pay particular attention to humanitarian principles (see the works of the philosopher T.Todorov). 25
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These practices, particularly during the implementation period of a reform, must become second nature and automatic, with every stakeholder contributing to them.This work of reference therefore pays particular attention to ongoing experiences in several countries and to any evaluations which have been carried out. It is important to bring them into the limelight and share them. In the act of reforming there should be, on the one hand, a lot of room for expression and a willingness to be self-critical and call oneself into question, and on the other, many lessons to be learned. • The willingness to call oneself into question Accepting change is essential: giving up certain habits or practices, changing references, paradigms, letting go of certain tools, calculation methods and processes.This re-evaluation process concerns groups as well as individuals and it should be supervised in order to manage any breakdowns as well as the transitions, as these often cause stress and concern or simply raise doubts. Dialogue is paramount at this stage: it is important to listen, provide support, encouragement, and if necessary, to come back to explanations in order to remember the direction the reform is to take. • The willingness to learn lessons from new practices In so doing, one makes stakeholders accountable whilst taking their efforts into account, better valuing the improvements made, and identifying resistances or difficulties encountered.This major concern with the way a reform should be conducted must enable experiences to be shared and the spirit of cooperation to be reinforced in order to overcome the inevitable tensions a process of change generates. Indeed, when a reform is successful, one observes a stimulating climate and effervescence resulting from the efforts deployed. The sharing of experiences is a sign of horizontal propagation of the reform’s effects through visible progress. All stand to gain from one another and thus the reform’s authority (auctoritas) makes everyone grow. In the case of certain major humanitarian, public health or social causes, the effects of shared experience and of a “promising” climate which both generate a taste for reform (progressing, moving forwards, achieving emancipation) constitute one of the greatest sources of satisfaction in tackling the willingness to improve matters.
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With regard to the state of mind, it goes without saying that reforming requires both the qualities of firmness and openness, being neither intransigent nor passive. This virtually constitutes an oxymoron: being firm yet open. This enables one to stay on track with the reform, guaranteeing that the new rules and provisions are followed, whilst remaining open to innovation and initiatives which are coherently evaluated in accordance with the five pillars of the reform. It is truly a test of maturity for the women and men of the United Nations institutions and agencies; one which truly gives the measure of the human dimension of any reform process. Haste, approximation, forcing decisions through, laissez-faire are all obstacles, even utter stumbling blocks that work against the will for collective change. It is by cleverly juggling between firmness and openness that one better manages the necessary transitions (see the thoughts of the psychologist D.Winnicott regarding transitions). This brings us to another sensitive phase in reforming: communication. Indeed, it can be a driving force in the reform process and, as such, can be its strong point as well as its downfall. If the decision to communicate as one (with one single voice), needs to be clearly explained to be fully understood, it is a vital condition for the success of a reform. In a media-saturated world where the proliferation and the immediacy of information have become the norm, we all know the damage that can be caused by discordant announcements, denials and above all by the poisonous effect of unsupported statements. Political leaders sometimes pay dearly for these kinds of hazards. Informing is a responsible act. It illustrates and gives an indication of the coherence of an organisation and of the authority of its leaders.The art of informing has become nothing short of a “science”: when, at which precise moment does one inform, broadcast a decision or a result, ask a question, publish a note, a report or an evaluation? During a period of reform, the need for coherence and consistency is essential.The organisation’s credibility relies on it. Every individual, within his own role, must be clear about one question: who will take the initiative of communicating? From that stem the real ethics of communication: – having agreed, internally, on what is to be said; – integrating the message’s proof of clarity; – accepting personal discipline and bringing “what I say, what I do or what I have decided” into line.
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Without a doubt, the spirit of reform requires that every stakeholder shows exemplary behaviour in terms of communication such as might be expected in the daily management of projects and work relations in general. Progressively, the idea comes together that the spirit of reform is a mix of a state of mind (commitment, conviction, determination), a method (rigour, discipline, preparation) and cooperation (shared experience, support, complementarity, solidarity). Reforming also means having to deal with the players and stakeholders on a daily basis and, in this sense, it should favour negotiation over injunction. Which is why it is important to have decision-makers, managers and players who are “well versed” in good management practices which can be summarised in a few essential skills: – investing in the preparation of dossiers or projects, encouraging consultation, listening, empathy; – developing the aptitude to create quality relations based on understanding, tolerance, trust; – knowing how to develop arguments and proposals, backed with facts, evidence; – anticipating room for manoeuvre in order to adjust proposals by juggling concessions and compensations; – having the sense of concretisation needed to carry out and finalise the road map which mobilised everyone and which was negociated1. Implementing the reform requires increased efforts on two fronts 2: • the will to optimise results with regard to allocation of resources; • concern with a good quality of buy-in of the stakeholders involved. The spirit of negotiation must be the “closest ally” of the will to reform, particularly when budget rigour is central to the reform: the idea of optimising, through cleverly conducted negotiations, must guide the stakeholders in order to favour appropriation, emphasise overall coherence, make the necessary savings and optimise budgets. Finally, the spirit of reform would be nothing without the renewed requirement for high-quality results. The value of any reform is to be found in its implementation and therefore is derived from the methodological discipline of those responsible for it and their determination to make it work. 28
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The reform must filter through into the daily practices that drive the project. This is the opportunity to standardise the good organisation management habits which were taught and to drive collective action, leading a multi-disciplinary team with external contributors towards an optimised end-goal aligned on the five pillars of reform: 1. in-depth clarification of the purpose of the reform;
2. 3. 4. 5.
gathering the motives: that which justifies the project; listing the objectives and expected results; evaluating and gathering the necessary resources; planning (deadlines, duration, progress reports) and providing guidelines; 6. defining the contributors’ roles; 7. evaluating the possible resistances (obstacles, forces); 8. anticipating probable adjustments (alternative plan); 9. planning communication around the reform project (before, during and after); 10. deciding on the mode of evaluation of results. Any project driven methodically and successfully following the lines of the reform – aiming for optimal results, favouring shared experiences, developing a spirit of cooperation – contributes to the legitimisation of the reforming efforts themselves and, in the end, to the quality of the implementation.3 The “Delivering as One” United Nations reform process in Africa shows that measures have been taken to aim for greater coherence, a concern for coordination, the achievement of results, following an essential spirit of cooperation and service to support the Continent’s development.
NOTES 1. Luc-Joël Grégoire, La réforme des Nations Unies et les instruments managériaux de la performance, Communication du PNUD aux assises nationales de l’évaluation, Abidjan, May 2015. 2. Lionel Bellenger, La négociation, Presses universitaires de France. 3. Lionel Bellenger, Piloter une équipe projet, des outils pour anticiper l’action et le futur, ESF éditeur.
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I The United Nations Reform Initiative: goals and guidelines
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The United Nations Reform Initiative and the Rationalisation of Efforts to Align and Coordinate Assistance Babacar Cissé Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations and United Nations Resident Coordinator in Côte d'Ivoire
Luc-Joël Grégoire United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Country Director, Côte d’Ivoire
International context and the UN reform process Significant efforts have been made over the past few years to make Official Development Assistance (ODA) more effective and better suited to current challenges. The 2000 Millennium Declaration which helped achieve international consensus around top development priorities, especially the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the 2002 Monterrey Declaration on Financing for Development, played a major part in promoting the policies of the global partnership for development. These political and cooperation pledges for development were followed by important resolutions to do with the quality and coherence of assistance (Rome and Paris declarations) as well as tangible commitments to increase ODA for the poorest countries (pledges made at the Gleneagles G8 summit on debt cancellation, the European Union's decision to raise ODA to 0.56% of GDP between 2010 and 2020, the Accra Declaration and pledges made in Busan and Mexico). 33
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In a 2005 report on security, development and human rights, the Secretary-General outlined the overarching strategic goals of UN reform and confirmed the promotion of development as one of the four pillars of the UN System (alongside security, human rights and humanitarian assistance).The main recommendations of the report were approved by the heads of states at the September 2005 World Summit which reaffirmed the key role played by the UN when it comes to development, especially through its standard-setting activities and thanks to its technical capabilities on the ground. The World Summit reaffirmed that the UN System played a key part towards action for development and it stressed that the current system cannot deliver the ambitious goals set out in the Millennium Declaration. The process to make the overall system coherent was launched at the 2005 World Summit. It has been about boosting the management and coordination of United Nations operational activities in three particular areas: action for development, humanitarian assistance and environmental protection. After the World Summit, Secretary-General Kofi Annan announced in February 2006 that a group of high-level experts was being set up to look into ways of improving the coherence and effectiveness of the UN System on the ground.The aim of their work was to lay the foundations for a major overhaul of the operational activities of the UN. It led to the publication of a report in November 2006 entitled “Delivering as One” (DaO). The process to make the overall UN System coherent is the result of three resolutions (2008, 2009 and 2010). Major boosts for this process were the official launch of the DaO initiative in 2008 and the setting up of UN Women in 2010. Setting up a new UN body dedicated to gender equality and women’s empowerment was one of the recommendations of the November 2006 DaO report.The General Assembly adopted in July 2010 the last resolution on the “overall coherence of the system” which has made a major contribution by leading to the setting up of UN Women, the result of the merging of four bodies, namely: • the UN Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW), a body reliant on the General Secretariat's Department of Economic and Social Affairs;
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• the Office of the Special Advisor on Gender Issues, a body reliant on the General Secretariat's Department of Economic and Social Affairs; • the International Institute for Research and Training for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW), a body set up in 1979 and reliant on the General Assembly; • the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), a body set up in 1976 and reliant on the General Assembly. A fifth mandate was added to those of the four above-mentioned bodies: boost the United Nations gender equality accountability tools. Michelle Bachelet, the former Chilean president, was appointed as the first Executive Director of UN Women by the Secretary-General. The body has been operational since September 2011. The first two reviews of the work done by UN Women were praised by UN Member States which stressed that the integration of gender equality into the operational activities of the agencies was major progress towards reform. The DaO report looked at ways of creating a UN System better able to meet the MDG challenge. It recommended reducing the fragmentation of the UN System, duplication and the excessive cost of general services. It highlighted the fact that the United Nations' efforts were spread too thin because of flawed coordination between its operations. The importance the international community gives to this issue has been reiterated on several occasions since the high-level panel evaluation on the coherence of the UN System and its role. Several former heads of states and incumbent prime ministers have supported this initiative on behalf of their peers. The General Assembly's 2014 resolutions mention the expected outcome of UN reform by the world's governments. In the UN Secretary-General's report for the post-2015 agenda, the expected contribution of the UN System is mentioned in connection with its reform towards an innovative and reactive UN that is committed in a coherent manner to supporting countries, especially those most in need, on their path to dignity and the fight against poverty. As for government pledges towards reform, as soon as the initiative was developed, there was a majority of African representatives within the core group of UN reform pilot countries. Of the eight countries which volunteered to be
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DaO pilot countries (Albania, Cabo Verde, Mozambique, Pakistan, Rwanda,Tanzania, Uruguay and Vietnam), four are on the Continent. According to the latest World Bank and UNDP rankings, two of the eight pilot countries are upper middle income countries (Albania and Uruguay) with an average Human Development Index (HDI), three are medium to low income countries (Cabo Verde, Pakistan and Vietnam) and three are low income countries (Mozambique, Rwanda and the United Republic of Tanzania) with a low HDI. The level of income of the countries in question and their HDI go some way towards explaining significant differences in terms of ODA, forms of cooperation towards UN development and forms of assistance provided in the framework of the DaO initiative. UN reform in Africa is taking place in the context of the world partnership for assistance effectiveness and within stronger systems to consult with Technical and Financial Partners (TFPs). Development partners have indeed decided to implement, together with and in collaboration with the Continent's governments, new cooperative practices based on commitments to carry out a coherent follow-up of assistance or common strategies for country cooperation. These new partner strategies are the result of the political will of the Continent's governments and TFPs to change both external assistance modalities and cooperative practices by developing an inclusive and innovative approach to finance and coordinate development assistance. Moreover, development partners have pledged to support the UN reform process, especially by making sure they give it integrated support, for instance through national assistance coordination systems.
The premises and key stages of the UN System DaO Initiative The DaO initiative was developed following an inclusive consultative process and an intergovernmental decision about the operational activities of the UN System, including their development aspects. In the three resolutions about the exhaustive three-year review of these activities (56/201, 59/250 and 62/208) adopted in 2001, 2004 and 2007, the UN General Assembly called for the strengthening of United Nations operational system potential, especially on the ground. 36
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In this respect, the UN General Assembly has promoted the DaO initiative and has aimed to set up pilots to that end. The 2005 World Summit on development and Resolution 60/1 of the UN General Assembly highlighted approaches and suggestions aimed at increasing the coherence, effectiveness and relevance of agencies and associated funds dealing with sustainable human development. In this regard, Member States have recommended operational reforms in a bid to improve the results of the activities led by the UN at country level through measures such as those to do with the hierarchical role of the highest ranking officer in recipient countries, whether they are called Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Resident Coordinator of Operational Activities or Humanitarian Operations Coordinator.They also encourage the setting up of a common management, programming and follow-up framework for the action of the UN. In the final document of the World Summit, the General Assembly urged the Secretary-General to improve the management and coordination of United Nations operational activities as well as the wording of suggestions to manage more carefully the bodies working in the development, humanitarian assistance and environment sectors. In order to fulfil this request, the UN Secretary-General has created the High-Level Panel on UN System-Wide Coherence, which published its report, entitled “Delivering as One�, in November 2006. In the report, which laid the foundations for reform, one of the high-level group's main recommendations was to promote, at national level and in agreement with recipient countries, an action by UN bodies based on five principles: one leader, one programme, joint communication, one budget and, when possible, joint operational services. The reform's policy report also included far-reaching proposals about the adoption of new measures in relation to governance and funding at central level so that they could be supported by the respective headquarters of agencies and associated funds and enjoy adequate funding. The DaO reform initiative of the UN System has been designed and developed in the context of a voluntary approach in an attempt to speed up progress towards achieving the MDGs and other development objectives adopted at international level. 37
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The main recommendations of the high-level group have been approved by Member States and have accelerated the adoption of resolutions to do with the coherence of the system in 2008, 2009 and 2010, including Resolutions 62/272, 63/311 and 64/289. In November 2006, the UN Secretary-General formalised the commitment of eight countries – half of them on the African continent – which have volunteered to act as pilot countries for the DaO initiative: Albania, Cabo Verde, Mozambique, Pakistan, the United Republic of Tanzania, Rwanda, Uruguay and Vietnam. The point of having pilot countries was to enable UN bodies – alongside the governments of host countries and with a view to supporting national development goals – to design strategies likely to improve the coherence, effectiveness and efficiency of the action carried out at national level by reducing the cost of interventions and by testing best practice in various national contexts. Activities falling within the scope of the DaO initiative really started in early 2007 with high-level international support. Government officials from the eight pilot countries and those of other countries which volunteered to support the initiative met on several occasions, in Maputo in 2008, in Kigali in 2009, in Hanoi in 2010 and in Montevideo in 2011 to share their experience, draw conclusions and suggest adjustments in an attempt to build on development cooperation achievements. In 2010, seven of these eight countries (Albania, Cabo Verde, Mozambique, the United Republic of Tanzania, Rwanda, Uruguay and Vietnam) took the initiative to carry out in-depth national evaluations. In July 2010, with its Resolution 64/289, the Assembly approved the terms of an independent evaluation suggested by the Secretary-General and chose a group of experts specialising in evaluations to lead it.The evaluation covered the period from 2006 (the year before the DaO initiative) to 2011. Its purpose was to evaluate: a) voluntary DaO initiatives in the eight pilot countries; b) progress achieved, implementation of rules and context as well as conclusions drawn from pilots; c) remaining obstacles as well as systemic issues raised by the initiative or connected with it at headquarters and regional 38
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directorate level to support and follow up on the UN reform process. The generally positive results of this evaluation were released in 2013 in New York. After seven years of pilot schemes and the release of the keenlyawaited independent evaluation, the UN General Assembly Resolution 67/226 on 22 January 2013 stated that “progress achieved and experience gained through the experimental implementation of the DaO initiative by pilot countries has made a significant contribution to the increased coherence, relevance, effectiveness and efficiency of the UN System for development in these countries.” The resolution also urged the headquarters of funds, programmes and UN specialised agencies to integrate and support the implementation of UN System reform. Through this resolution, UN Member States signalled the importance they place on the efforts the UN System must make to improve the coherence of its interventions at country level. In August 2013, the United Nations Development Group (UNDG) approved Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) of the DaO initiative, including an action plan. For the first time, the path was mapped out clearly and many countries decided to start the operationalisation of UN System reform, thus formalising the implementation of the new approach in a global and sustainable manner.
UN reform in Africa The governments of the Continent made it very clear that they adhered to the initial “One UN” approach at the UN General Assembly in September 2006 and, later, at the UNDP Executive Board meeting, on 18 October 2007 in New York. The governments of an increasing number of countries then confirmed that they wished to see their nations fit into the DaO reform scheme by making such a commitment at national level or by officially notifying United Nations headquarters. After the first eight pilot countries were identified in 2007 by the Secretary-General to test the United Nations reform process on the ground, it was decided that the experiment would be expanded to other countries. However, in the end, the SecretaryGeneral decided in 2009 not to continue with the pilot and instead to focus on the immediate implementation of the DaO reform process in all countries around the world. 39
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The first signs of change towards more concerted action by the UN System were felt in Africa through several initiatives which aimed to inform key development players about United Nations reform and, thus, to boost initial efforts towards joint programming. Various ways of increasing the effectiveness of UN institutions were experimented with quite enthusiastically at national level, including in countries on the Continent. Countries such as Mali, Senegal and Benin even wanted to join the pilot countries and said so. Since 2008, pilot countries have cooperated with the United Nations to make the programmes implemented on their territories more coherent and to reduce transaction costs, both for the UN System and the government of the recipient country. Several other countries then expressed an interest in the DaO initiative: 36 so-called “self-starter” countries, including 23 in Africa, joined the group of DaO volunteer countries at the end of 2015 (see table). From the point of view of volunteer countries, the conclusions of the DaO initiative are highly encouraging. Since its inception, five high-level conferences on the DaO initiative involving governments have taken place to evaluate the implementation and to review the reform process on a continual basis. In those follow-up meetings, the pilot countries and several “self-starter” countries said they wanted the initiative to continue and that they saw it as a first step towards a global reform of the way the United Nations provides development assistance. At ECOSOC (United Nations Economic and Social Council), volunteer countries reiterated their determination to continue. An independent evaluation of the initiative was ordered by the General Assembly through Resolution TCPR in 2007, then through the last resolution on the overall coherence of the system in 2010. Only pilot countries (not “self-starter” countries) were evaluated between 2008 and 2011, chiefly through qualitative methods (interviews). Results were presented to ECOSOC in July 2012.The review shows that teams on the ground and the governments of beneficiary countries believe the initiative has boosted national appropriation of United Nations development assistance.
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Outline of the United Nations Reform Process Frederik Matthys Regional Advisor Africa, United Nations Development Group (UNDG)
The objective of UN reform is to boost coherence, the impact of results and the position of the UN System in the global development cooperation framework in order to be able to support governments more effectively with a view to meeting the development objectives they have set for themselves, including the Millennium Development Goals and, more recently, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).The reform process is an extra incentive to have a UN System that is effective and able to meet the SDGs. Since they are multi-sectoral, they require a multidisciplinary and inter-agency response. The challenge of this reform is to adopt a results-based approach which would enhance more significantly the coherence and performance of the action of the UN System.Therefore, the reform guidelines build on the concept of joint programming, rationalisation of management and resource administration processes and a reduction in transaction costs. The UN reform initiative is originally based on four pillars (see diagram). The high-level group introduced the four principles concept: one programme, one leader, one budget and joint operational services (one office). These principles are the initial framework for the DaO initiative. 43
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The Key Aspects of UN Reform at National Level The original concept was based on four pillars but five pillars now guide the DaO reform process in most pilot countries and in countries which have applied to be part of the reform process.The emergence of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) modified the initial scheme on the basis of lessons learned in pilot countries. Several other countries piloted alternative approaches. Analysis of global evaluation also promoted better practice which led to the setting up of SOPs. These aspects are key, coherent and articulated elements of the UN reform process, especially at national level (see diagram). SOPs are the official recognition of the main strength of the DaO initiative, namely the ability to start with a reform which addresses head on all the components of the UN System intervention.
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One Programme: concept and programmatic basis of reform
The “One Programme� has been at the core of efforts to meet the needs and priorities of countries in which the DaO initiative was launched experimentally. The development of the programme was challenging because it was necessary to find the right balance between strategic targeting and inclusive participation. At the start of the DaO initiative, common programmes or joint programmes were the preferred modus operandi. Interventions were designed and developed by groups of agencies and associated funds. In some cases, existing programmes were adjusted, including in their form of management. These programming modes used for the programmes of the firstgeneration DaO reform process were gradually replaced with joint programming on the basis of an evaluation of the sectors in which UN bodies enjoyed comparative advantages, were better able to meet national priorities and needs, and could contribute to baseline common results in terms of sustainable human development. Common programmes are still being implemented in sectors in which the UN wants to – and can - work even more closely together. 45
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So-called “second-generation” programmes developed on the basis of joint programming have in many cases been better aligned with national or infra-national priorities and better articulated with donor programmes and activities. Significant results have been reported in the annual evaluation reports of country programmes and in national reviews of the various projects undertaken in the framework of the first generation of One Programmes, especially for cross-cutting issues such as gender equality, the promotion of human rights and the fight against HIV/AIDS.That being said, the mission in charge of the global evaluation of reform in pilot countries found it difficult and complex to identify significant evidence confirming that these results were very different from those of previous programmes which did not fall within the scope of the DaO initiative. One of the great advantages of joint programming, with the help of the joint annual work plans, is improved alignment and transparency within the UN as well as in relation to the government and the other national and international players. As a result, there is less overlapping between UN bodies, improved cooperation between them and less fragmentation thanks to a reduction in the number of small projects. On the whole, pilot countries have involved themselves fully in the improvement of the monitoring and evaluation systems for One Programmes.This undertaking, which proved very complex, did not yield any significant results even if the overall diagnosis remains satisfactory. One Budget: a coherent and unified budgetary programming tool
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The One Budget framework is an important innovation which enables the UN Country Team to present all expected activities and related costs in a single document, with existing and/or anticipated sources of funding, especially the DaO initiative fund. The One Budget framework has contributed to enhanced transparency with partners, especially the government. One Fund (a component of the One Budget framework pillar) Several donor countries have actively supported the DaO initiative and have pledged to back it.These technical and financial partners have not only contributed to the initiative fund but they have also had an impact at country level by providing resources and/or experts on secondment to the offices of Resident Coordinators. Financial resources from funds as well as from the DaO initiative expanded funding window and the MDG support fund, have played a significant part by encouraging cooperation between UN bodies. These new predictable funding mechanisms financed from contributions which are not earmarked, have made it possible to efficiently meet national needs and priorities, especially when it comes to crosscutting issues. One Leader: a strong, integrated and coherent leadership mechanism
Reform pilot countries have tried to strengthen the role of the Resident Coordinator as well as mutual obligations between the Resident Coordinator and the members of the UN Country Team. Despite the United Nations Development Group's significant efforts, vertical accountability between agency heads and their respective institutions still prevails over horizontal accountability at country level. Resident Coordinators are also considered as officials by Country Teams 47
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and by the UN System as a whole although they only have partial authority over the leading members of national teams within countries. Progress has been achieved, however, in terms of strengthening the accountability and leadership of the System's Resident Coordinators, especially in pilot countries, through the appointment of UNDP country directors. Since then, the members of Country Teams have gradually lifted the reservations they had as to the efficiency of the functional firewall between the Resident Coordinator – who acts on behalf of the UN System as a whole – and the UNDP resident representative. The leadership of the Resident Coordinator has been considerably increased thanks to the fact that Resident Coordinators are in a position to provide an evaluation of agency representatives and vice versa.This consolidates the mutual accountability system. Joint Communication (One Voice): a joint and unified UN System communication strategy
The implementation of the One Voice principle (joint communication) has led to improved coherence of advocacy, awareness-raising and political dialogue activities with regard to national authorities and development partners. The implementation of this principle has also made it possible to increase the credibility of the reform process and the visibility of joint actions. Moreover, it has helped with the engagement of UN personnel in this reform and fostered the feeling that they belong to a single entity and share the same institutional culture. The One Voice principle (joint communication) definitely plays a part in encouraging the adoption by the UN of a common position on fundamental questions or cross-cutting issues.
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Among other results from the implementation of this principle, it is worth mentioning the setting up of motivated teams of communicators and the creation of websites shared by agencies. Despite initial reticence, especially regarding the design of mixed logos for specific or particular products, UN bodies have pulled together to overcome their fears of seeing their identities and the substance of their respective messages being diluted. Joint Operational Services (One Office): a Rational Management and Administration System
The pilot countries experiment has demonstrated that it is possible to achieve efficiency gains by developing joint services, improving the management of agencies and simplifying their operating practices, especially when it comes to purchases and acquisitions, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and human resources management. In the latter case, recruitment processes, the creation of national expertise centralised files and the design of simplified rules for the transfer of personnel between UN agencies were significant achievements. The sharing of premises has been encouraged around the world. However, this option has had severe limitations as it is difficult to gather the UN System's agencies and associated funds in one same place and guarantee their safety. Thanks to the implementation of the joint operation strategy, many UN Country Teams have made tangible and measurable savings. A recent evaluation showed that every dollar invested yielded a five-dollar return.
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The Achievements and the key guidelines of UN reform In view of the in-depth analysis of pilot initiatives and the results they yielded between 2007 and 2012, especially when it comes to One Programme, One Leader and One Budget, a number of strengths of the reform initiative have been identified as well as weaknesses which are being tackled in many countries now involved in this process. The reform process and strategic alignment UN reform gives national leadership and the alignment of the response of cooperation programmes a lot of importance (see diagram).
The reform process places a strong emphasis on the alignment of the response of the UN System in relation to national visions set out by countries, including their national objectives and development targets. The United Nations Development Assistance Frameworks (UNDAF) must continue to try to respond in a unified, efficient and coordinated manner to the priorities and objectives of national development plans or Strategic Framework for Growth and Poverty Reduction (SFGPR). The reform process and the programmatic coherence of UN System action in Africa Efforts to attain programmatic coherence have been greatly enhanced in all countries thanks to greater involvement from governments. Crosscutting issues have been given more attention and the programmes have yielded significant results. The number of joint assistance programmes rose between 2010 and 2014 after African countries and the UN System set up between two and five joint programmes per country. 50
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The involvement of non-resident agencies and bodies has been substantially greater, depending on the needs expressed by countries. Thanks to lessons learned from the experiment, second-generation One Programmes have been better designed. First-generation One Programmes were mostly programmes based on existing projects which were re-articulated or reworded. Some joint or common programmes were established by aggregating contributions from many partners (agencies or associated funds), which weighed heavily on the effectiveness and efficiency of these systems (see table).
First-generation joint programmes set up in Africa included an average of seven or eight agencies. Since 2013-2014, the number of partners involved in a joint programme has decreased significantly down to a maximum of four or five partners, which makes it possible to better manage the strategic direction and the programming of the programme's activities as well as efforts to rationalise resources and monitoring and evaluation.
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The number of micro-activities has decreased significantly and transaction costs tend to go down although managerial rationalisation and economies of scale calculations are not yet systematic. However, in the macroeconomic area, transaction costs seem to be lower for governments thanks to rationalisation efforts from agencies and national authorities encouraging the implementation of initiatives favouring the programme approach and national execution. In more than a dozen countries on the Continent involved with the DaO reform process, the number of small projects has decreased by more than 25% between 2011 and 2014. National leadership and the unified responsibility of the UN System The joint communication strategy (One Voice) has made significant progress in Africa thanks to the clear leadership of Resident Coordinators and after Country Teams pulled together when they realised that inter-agency unity and One Voice could provide strong recommendations and credibility.The UN Country Teams became aware of their role as prime partners for technical cooperation in many strategic areas such as governance, human rights, gender equality and adaptation to climate change. Cooperation with governments was reinforced in the Continent's pilot countries but also in those countries getting involved with the DaO reform process.
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The UN System has also gained a lot of credibility, especially in countries which have started implementing this approach to reform through educational action – by pooling approaches and practices -, through the gradual generalisation of finance availability (HACT) and support for aid coordination. Credibility has been mentioned mostly by civil society organisations and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs). In that respect, more efforts should be made with development partners – but also with the private sector – as they have expressed a desire to better understand the UN reform process, its potential and opportunities which may arise in terms of partnerships. The roles of the Resident Coordinator and the UNDP Resident Representative have been better understood by Country Teams (functional firewall) and trust is growing. The offices of Resident Coordinators have provided effective support in many countries involved with reform to make sure that non-resident bodies and institutions can be informed and can play an active role in the DaO process.
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One Voice (joint communication) of the UN System in recipient countries The One Voice strategy has improved communication coherence, both within the UN Country Teams and externally, especially with governments but also in the role played by leaders appointed by the Resident Coordinator to head high-level task forces or panels. Agencies and associated funds have gradually acquired greater external visibility thanks to a critical threshold effect.The fact that people are able to express themselves in a concerted manner about issues of mutual interest, in view of the mandates of the UN bodies and their expertise, is usually considered as significant progress. The harmonised communication strategy and the sharing of internal responsibilities have contributed to a sense of ownership of the DaO initiative in a large number of countries on the Continent. In countries where UN peacekeeping missions are working alongside specialised agencies, a new relationship seems to have been developing since the advent of the DaO initiative.This new relationship seems to be based on better understanding and improved complementarity of mandates, increased trust and more coherent teamwork, especially when it comes to planning priorities, articulating programmes and advocating for peace, security and return to normality actions. For instance, the action of the UN System in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Côte d’Ivoire and Mali is clear in this respect. One Budget and institutionalisation of the UN One Fund The One Budget strategy was suggested by the United Nations reform initiative and implemented in several countries. On the whole, it has improved efforts to allocate resources and has led to a degree of transparency in the management of solicited resources for the whole of the UN System at country level, including when it comes to resources from a single or “One Fund”. Use of the One Budget framework has differed from one pilot country to another as well as in the new countries which are getting involved in this unified programming and budgetary management process. The One Budget framework makes it possible to quantify all development activities planned jointly by the government and UN agencies and institutions 54
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The institutionalisation of One Fund has been seen as an innovation, including in a number of pilot countries. Generally speaking, the One Fund has provided greater flexibility to governments and UN Country Teams given that resources were either partly earmarked or not earmarked at all, which allowed for adequate leeway. As a general rule, One Funds are still largely dependent on non-core resources. The share of One Programmes which is financed with the One Fund varies greatly from one pilot country to another.The size of One Funds varies significantly from one country to another, which has a major impact on the innovative capacity of One Programmes. In many instances, the One Fund has enabled non-resident bodies - or bodies with limited in-country presence - to get involved. Through this One Fund, governments have found it easier to resort to UN assistance in innovative areas, including the financing of some costs related to the UN System reform process itself. Finally, the ongoing long-term financing of the fund is not guaranteed, as development partners still tend to want to contribute to UN action through targeted efforts. One Office (joint operational services) Progress has been achieved in relation to joint services. A single or “One Office” allows for economies of scale and services have improved in a number of cases, as demonstrated by audits carried out in pilot countries and in those which have started with the reform process. The United Nations reform in pilot countries and in a number of socalled “self-starter” countries has made significant progress thanks to the remarkable work of Operation Management Teams (OMT). Joint purchases and acquisitions procedures, joint efforts to structure the computer, technological and communication systems of agencies, as well as the gradual generalisation of finance availability (HACT) for harmonised cash transfers to partners and beneficiaries, have been updated and rationalised. Inter-agency joint services have also improved
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and competitive long-term agreements with suppliers of good standing have been made. Joint recruitment systems have been set up and, in some cases, centralised competency files have been created, especially to identify the best national experts in specific areas or sectors. The analysis of competencies demonstrates that many agencies have conducted competitive and qualitative recruitment drives over the past few years in an attempt to best serve the expectations of governments and development stakeholders, and to reposition the UN as a credible and effective partner for peace, security and human development.
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The Objectives of United Nations Reform Fidèle Sarassoro Chief of Staff to the President of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire
The objectives of the UN reform initiative are to maximise the potential of the United Nations by promoting the coherence and coordination of its action and the repositioning of its structures. The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr Ban Ki-moon, said in September 2008 as he outlined his vision entitled “A Stronger UN for a better World“: "Delivering as One in each of our areas of intervention is essential for the United Nations to reach its full potential.The more coherent the UN System will be, the better it will be able to yield results." In tangible terms, the reform process aims to reinforce the capabilities of the system to: • support national players dealing with development priorities, and pursue strategic objectives: strong programming and monitoring and evaluation mechanisms should be set up in order to ensure results-based management guided by the objectives of the single programme which is aligned on UNDAF and national priorities, as opposed to opportunities to mobilise funds or vested interests; • intervene at the right level: the United Nations should continue to reinforce its capacity to take part in the political dialogue to define strategies and the planning of interventions in order to intervene upstream and in a strategic manner. The UN System is expected to focus even more on the strategic objectives of governments and major world challenges for peace, security and human development;
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• make the best use of resources: the selection of interventions and the allocation and distribution of resources should be based on refined planning processes as well as clear and transparent procedures to identify needs, asserted and mobilised capabilities, demonstrated comparative advantages and competitive opportunity costs. Such provisions should enable the UN System to best serve recipient countries and their peoples by minimising duplication and inter-agency competition, and by ensuring the coherence of national supporting efforts for the development objectives of countries to be met in the long term; • position itself so as to maximise the added value of the UN System: the positioning of the United Nations should enable it to maximise its added value in efforts to achieve the MDGs and the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by relying on the quality and diversity of its technical experts, by focusing on its priorities and by ensuring coherence between its normative, technical, political and humanitarian activities. On these aspects, see the two tables below:
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The Added Value of the United Nations System Babacar Cissé Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations and United Nations Resident Coordinator in Côte d'Ivoire
Introduction The UN System is in an ideal position to best support governments on the Continent in their efforts to meet the Development Goals they have set for themselves thanks to its exceptional mandate, moral authority and neutrality, technical expertise and ability to intervene in areas where the poorest and most vulnerable live. As an advisor and technical support provider, the UN System is a trustworthy partner. It assists the Continent as it meets its international commitments through an enlightened decision-making process, and it helps it devise and implement national and regional development strategies to meet the Millennium Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) challenge. The United Nations has, among other contributions, helped improve the impact and effectiveness of development assistance in the following areas: • advocacy for inclusive development policies and the promotion of new resource mobilisation approaches for predictable and sustainable development funding; • promotion of quality technical cooperation in line with capacity building objectives; • humanitarian assistance and disaster risk reduction. 61
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Promoting development policies and mobilising resources The United Nations' normative power is a major asset when it comes to influencing development policies upstream. Also, the UN System has a strategic position as it advises governments in terms of devising and implementing policies aligned with the SDGs as well as strategic planning issues and long-term forecasting. The United Nations also provides support to African governments when it comes to wording a common stance on world issues including climate change, international trade, development funding, etc. Finally, the United Nations plays a significant role by encouraging governments to fulfil international commitments on human rights and by advocating the mobilisation of resources for development.
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Technical cooperation and capacity building The various UN agencies have access to technical expertise that is available both at country and regional headquarter levels. In the framework of projects and programmes funded by the government or other development partners, the UN System sometimes contributes to the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of these programmes thanks to its technical expertise network. By working closely with the government and other national partners, the UN System plays a key role by enhancing skills transfer and national capacity building for improved national ownership.
Humanitarian and emergency assistance The United Nations plays a key role by reinforcing government capabilities in sensitive areas, for instance by providing support for electoral processes and governance, procurement procedures as well as assistance coordination mechanisms and development funding. The UN System also plays a vital part in crisis and post-crisis situations, including through humanitarian assistance and epidemiological risk management, community recovery and reconstruction.
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The Role of National Players and the United Nations Reform Process in Meeting the Sustainable Development Goals in Africa Lanciné Diaby Director-General of Planning and the Fight Against Poverty at the Ministry of State in the Ministry for Planning and Development in Côte d'Ivoire
Luc-Joël Grégoire United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Country Director, Côte d’Ivoire
Introduction Africa is forging ahead as an ambitious emerging continent and, therefore, it needs a sustained, multi-dimensional and participatory capacity building process for national and regional development and for dynamic integration into the world economy. The need to boost the public and private sectors, to give a voice to civil society and to rehabilitate teaching and research institutions is a top priority.The same goes for the reform of institutions, systems, methods, procedures and practices which underpin development efforts made by the public and private sectors as well as civil society. Countries need skills to establish and support good governance, to design and manage effective policies and programmes, to ensure adaptation to climate change, to combat poverty and call upon science and technology to ease development constraints. Skills are also necessary to speed up national and international funding and coordinate capital flows and Official 65
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Development Assistance (ODA). Africa also needs to integrate firmly into the world market in order to be part of the world economy as a credible partner alongside other major regions.
The role of the state in the reform process of the United Nations As a result of adjustment programmes and, more recently, povertyreduction strategies, the role of public authorities has been changing constantly in sub-Saharan Africa, over the past few years. An increasing number of governments have been elected democratically and enjoy more credibility both at home and abroad. Democratisation processes bring about change in the role played by the state as governments withdraw from state companies and other productive sectors and show more interest in development guideline options and resulting social, political and economic arbitrations. These states are beginning to focus on the provision of goods and services of public interest. Measures which need to be taken in order to eradicate poverty are better understood but no action can be successful in the long-term without genuine political will and strategic steering of reforms. Individuals and groups can do a lot to combat poverty but the effectiveness of their action depends on the environment created by public authorities. Therefore, the State has a key role to play through its own activities and through the influence it exerts on the other components of society, the fight against poverty and achievement of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Fortunately, many states can act - and are currently acting – in the common interest and in the interest of the poor by taking a number of measures which promote people's inclusion and resilience. Experience has shown that a strategy which aims to consolidate the foundations of growth and structural change calls for a vigorous and active state.This vigour needs to be used to reinforce the pillars that are growth and endogenous development, and to promote the creation of opportunities and new skills for the benefit of citizens, especially the most destitute. Following the repeated failures of downsizing policies which have proved ineffective to raise the standard of services, to improve the performance of remaining staff and to make significant budget savings, 66
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attempts to carry out more fundamental civil service reforms have been made in a number of countries although their implementation has been very slow.These new approaches are supported by the establishment of targets, standards and performance criteria as well as the adoption and implementation of institutional reforms. However, the substantial means these reforms required have failed to be fully mobilised. Yet Africa has no alternative but to restore both access to public services and the productivity of civil servants to stimulate or consolidate dynamic growth and boost its competitiveness. Basic healthcare, education and vocational training, water supply, agricultural extension and the upkeep of infrastructures are requirements for people to be able to be productive now and to increase their productivity in the future. Moreover, improving the way the public sector is managed remains a major objective for the future but this probably goes beyond what structural reforms can achieve on their own. Perhaps the biggest challenge will be to see countries establish a public service that is sufficiently effective centrally and that is decentralised in order to provide the elements that are required for a market economy to function correctly, including a macroeconomic and judicial framework and a social services system commensurate with the “growth with equity� objective. It is increasingly obvious that, as a result of efforts to contain drifts towards anti-democratic systems and public service costs, economic and social reform programmes have not been very successful in finding solutions to the fundamental problems the public sector faces. Hence the need to tackle, through a broader approach, the following difficult issues: reinforcing administrative structures, promoting university training and research activities, and creating the necessary conditions for improved development management, including decentralisation. Poor communities will benefit more from increased growth and development opportunities if, on the one hand, investments in the promotion of human resources are protected during democratic transition and adjustment periods and if, on the other hand, measures that are implemented play a part in eliminating distortions in the employment, land and product markets which are detrimental to them.
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One of the main challenges for the development of Africa is the improvement of the institutional capital and human resources which calls for more than a mere policy change. This priority requires sustained investment and institutional reinforcement efforts towards the consolidation of the governance framework, the promotion of public “meta management” and the development of benefits people can have access to, including those who are destitute. African governments should spearhead efforts to combat poverty in their respective countries and to take up relevant challenges to meet the MDGs.The United Nations reform process is part of this ambition and the UN System has undeniable comparative advantages as UN agencies, with their efforts towards joint programming, are one of the top three development partners responsible for supporting technical cooperation programmes in Africa. In order to boost the capacity of public authorities to plan and implement measures conducive to a sustainable human development dynamic, it would be appropriate to give particular attention to the reinforcement of a number of new practices and capabilities: • consolidation of good governance frameworks which include key elements such as government officials’ accountability, transparent procedures and decision-making processes, the development of guidelines and the predictability of public administration actions, the transparent release of reliable information and the rule of law which enables economic actors to conduct their activities without being at risk of becoming victims of arbitrary action by the state; • establishment of coherent and targeted policies and strategies to combat poverty, within which actions to mobilise resources and institutional means are especially consolidated; • the institutionalisation of effective systems to observe poverty and the various dimensions of human development and to determine development policies and strategies. In many African countries, this capacity is still limited despite recent initiatives undertaken by the World Bank, UNDP, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Africa and the African Development Bank to boost statistical mechanisms and national observatories for poverty and human development; • consolidation of the ability of public authorities to plan and implement targeted programmes aiming to eliminate specific difficulties encountered by some of the most vulnerable groups whilst making sure they are involved in the process of designing and 68
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implementing programmes and projects. Participatory analysis, which takes into account the views of poor communities themselves, can provide useful information about the way they perceive changes to their lifestyle and about services and programmes designed to assist them; • the development of institutions expected to provide services to the poorest regions and communities and, within these communities, to reach specific social groups (defined by gender, income, age, ethnic group or other factors) and to do so in accordance with modalities which meet the needs and priorities of poor communities. In this regard, it is important to decentralise the actual management of services such as healthcare, education, water distribution and sanitation, as well as agricultural extension, so that decisions can be made in a participatory manner and on the basis of local priorities.The experience of the UN System is remarkable in that respect; • the reinforcement of marketing and international negotiation capabilities to improve the position of countries – and Africa in general – on issues to do with bilateral and multilateral agreements, mobilisation of external funding, rescheduling of foreign debt, consultation and supply contracts, negotiations with foreign investors and external financing conditionalities. All these types of negotiations require competencies, institutional support and appropriate mechanisms which the “Delivering as One” process can allow; • capabilities to carry out emergency or crisis recovery programmes also need to be developed, even at a time of relative security, given the susceptibility of less advanced countries to external factors.This recommendation applies especially to countries in crisis in which there are no crisis prevention or management tools and difficulties to graft into decaying administrations the structures and mechanisms likely to work towards the development of national reconciliation, rehabilitation and economic and social reconstruction programmes.
The role of the private sector and the United Nations reform process One of the general objectives of the Millennium Declaration was to encourage the fight against poverty through economic growth by promoting the development of the private sector and job opportunities. 69
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Now, in the post-2015 sustainable development dynamic, it seems essential to support private initiative that creates decent jobs and added value. Therefore, it is key to establish an appropriate legislative and financial framework with a view to improving the business framework and attracting foreign investments as well as to develop entrepreneurship through improved access to micro financing and targeted capacity building with a view to the economic promotion of new entrepreneurs, including women. In this regard, the “Delivering as One” initiative has gained exemplary experience. At the beginning of the 1970s, the world economic sphere looked like a set of disjointed concentric circles. The 2010-2020 economic era is quite different. Technical and financial networks increasingly ignore borders. Intra-industry trade has a growing share in exchanges. Direct investments abroad – which, over the past decade, have grown twice as fast as exchanges – and intra-sector exchanges are actually increasing more within the major areas of the economic world than between one area and another. Internationalisation brings about the need to be informed about what is happening in all areas. For all companies, globalisation imposes on management a new “vision” for the future: it is necessary to motivate teams of entrepreneurs, generate an innovation spirit, promote change every time that seems necessary, come up with evolutionary forms of organisation whilst keeping in mind the spirit and culture of the company and looking after shareholders who have become fully-fledged partners. In these respects, a lot needs to be done by, and for, the private sector. Providing policies and actions likely to reinforce and support the role of the private sector and the upgrading of companies in less advanced countries is a key stage to meet the new Sustainable Development Goals. Moreover, national economic policies and strategies are based on the premise that the private sector encompasses the majority of poor communities, including small farmers and the informal sector. Many of these small farmers need credit for their productive activities.This need is particularly acute for women who are involved in many different types of agricultural and handicraft work or who manage small trade and services companies. It is generally accepted that loans, however small, are a vital way to stimulate the private sector and contribute to growth and the fight against poverty. Over the past ten years, experts in company funding and the banking sector have found new ways to involve poor communities in the private 70
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sector in efforts to combat poverty, underemployment and social exclusion.The core idea is to promote broadened groups of borrowers who will make it possible to reduce the cost of micro transactions for the benefit of poor communities who are self-employed. These experiences are proof that it is possible to find solutions on a large scale to expand the participation of poor communities in the economy of their respective countries. Investing in self-sufficient institutions which fund poor communities is a relatively beneficial use of meagre subsidies. By lowering information costs through specialisation and by helping poor communities trigger the renovation of delivery systems, banks and credit institutions can operate profitably in markets with small transactions and less well-off customers. The objective promoted by the joint action of the UN System is to capitalise on economic reforms in order to take advantage of capital on African markets and diversify production sectors. Main activities are expected to include the following: • support trade associations, investment promotion bodies, capital market authorities and other private sector groups (brokerage firms, innovation centres, business centres, long-distance learning centres, etc.); • support efforts by countries to develop programmes for the benefit of the private sector, especially those aiming to integrate small and medium-sized companies into the formal economy as well as to facilitate greater integration of African countries into the world economy; • create entrepreneurial networks that can act as a catalyst in order to, on the one hand, promote private initiative, stimulate the desire to work in this field and disseminate regional experiences and, on the other hand, attract foreign and national investments; • support bodies promoting investment as well as national and regional marketing strategies. These actions should make it possible to ensure more relevant technical cooperation and training, particularly through the establishment of regional databases about entrepreneurs on the Continent, the establishment of links between small and medium-sized companies, and between them and the transnational company sector. In this area, the guidelines recommended by the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) and the UN System, especially the Economic Commission for Africa, are essential and in agreement. 71
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The role of civil society and community organisations in promoting the United Nations reform process In the framework of processes to spread democracy and development opportunities in general a major role has been assigned to civil society, especially the development and review of priorities and actions in the form of policies and programmes that are to be enshrined in human development and the fight against poverty. As such, the role and contribution of civil society is essential to spearhead the United Nations “Delivering as One” initiative but also to mobilise all development stakeholders. Civil society in sub-Saharan Africa may be dynamic but it needs skills and support to be able to contribute effectively to the planning and the monitoring and evaluation of development policies and programmes. For this purpose, it is necessary to encourage capacity building to find policies and analyse them independently as well as reinforce non-governmental organisations and their networks so that they can make suggestions and act as a counter power. In this area, the adoption of an initiative from the UN System to assist civil society should aim to seriously empower local players and enable them to acquire a true intervention potential for development. Whatever efforts they may make, poor communities are hardly in a position to solve single-handedly and simultaneously any environment restoration and development promotion issues. In this respect, foreign assistance – financial and technical expertise resources – and the involvement of non-governmental organisations remain essential. Efforts to combat poverty cannot produce results if they are developed in purely technocratic terms. Poverty does not happen in a social vacuum. Cultural factors should be taken into account, as well as the way social relations evolve and the involvement of communities to lead appropriate and inclusive initiatives to combat poverty. Despite the fact that a democratisation process is taking place in many African countries, most poor communities still have little influence on decisions with an impact on their lives. People often talk of empowerment to describe the complex process which helps poor communities have a say. The process involves increasing the socio-economic and political opportunities of the most destitute so that their opinions and concerns can be taken seriously by their interlocutors, especially public authorities. Given that social demand is 72
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growing, governments are – and will be increasingly – obliged to meet the needs of their constituents, including the most destitute, with available resources, which are often limited. This is the democratic dilemma facing any country that is keen to give equity and social justice considerations their rightful place. Governments need to acknowledge, in this respect, the fundamental importance of democratic and contradictory debates, access to information for all and the right of groups and communities to collective organisation. These are determining factors to promote the advent of consultations on gender differences, inter-generational connections and equilibrium, and to make it possible to come up with a consensual vision for societies in the long term. As for poor communities, the most useful way of serving their interests is to give them active support by encouraging local authorities to express their concerns and establish self-help organisations that bring them closer to local authorities, service providers – public authorities and development partner NGOs – and available financial resources. In order to promote a governance framework conducive to the fight against poverty and greater community empowerment, it is necessary to: • consolidate national initiatives for human development likely to promote the education of the general public and broaden debates, especially about the causes of poverty and bad governance; • give close attention to ways of ensuring greater devolution of state power at local level and allow for true and active participation from communities by encouraging them to set up civic and self-help organisations which are a dynamic and essential grass roots counterpart for public authorities; • encourage local authorities and community groups to take part in decentralisation processes to design grass roots development policies and strategies. Strong institutions working for poor people and led by them allow rural and urban communities to help themselves and implement measures aimed at solving problems and removing obstacles they believe must be dealt with as a matter of priority in order to meet Millennium Goals. The sustained mobilisation of civil society and communities can contribute to: 73
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• increase production and productivity through more efficient use of available human and material resources; • boost the availability of, and accessibility to basic social services and support the development of social infrastructures at community level; • promote the mobilisation of resources and their rationalised management at decentralised level; • improve community resilience, the sustainability of ecosystems and the sustainable management of natural resources through participatory planning; • provide a framework of concerted action to establish local platforms making it possible to promote solidarity initiatives and restore the socio-cultural dynamic of care for vulnerable households and individuals.
The United Nations and the process to support Sustainable Development Goals for Africa The United Nations, under the aegis of the Secretary-General, has launched a millennium initiative and an international action plan with a very precise activities timetable, mobilising all agencies, including the UNDP, in order to support follow-up of the MDGs at national level.The UN reform process underpins its policy to support its teams, especially at national level, by promoting advocacy and awareness-raising among national players as well as the development of campaigns and workshops dedicated to post-2015 priorities and the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Reports on human development and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are meant to provide frequent country-by-country updates on the achievement of the various objectives and progress made. With assistance from the UN System, they are expected to be reference tools to analyse trends and record successes, difficulties and obstacles. International involvement in the Global Partnership for Effective Development and efforts to coordinate and rationalise external assistance are supported by the UN System in an attempt to promote the mobilisation of international funding.
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National and international assistance systems receive support from UNDP and a precious contribution from UN System agencies. The “Delivering as One� initiative is an integral part of these national systems and it enhances them by making sure it promotes the alignment of external contributions with national priorities as well as the rationalisation and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of resource allocations.
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Joint Involvement and Institutional Aspects of the “Delivering as One” Initiative Lacina Kouakou Kouamé Former Director-General in the Ministry for Planning and Development of Côte d'Ivoire
Luc-Joël Grégoire United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Country Director, Côte d’Ivoire
Government Leadership National ownership and the close and fruitful partnership between governments and the United Nations are essential for the “Delivering as One” initiative. The ideal which is naturally promoted by the reform initiative is that governments should truly lead the implementation process of this ambitious reform process, just as they are expected, more generally, to coordinate external aid in its entirety. One needs to bear in mind that the UN System supports efforts by governments to promote development. As such, governments are the partners of the UN System who stand to gain most from a coherent, cohesive and more effective United Nations in their countries. As governments implement reform at national level, they need to be active and focused and to assert their leadership, especially within bodies set up to operationalise the reform process, including Steering Committees and Management Committees. For this to happen, coordination ministries, namely Planning and Development Ministries, Foreign and International Cooperation Ministries 77
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as well as Ministries of Economy and Finance need to lead these committees which are the institutional follow-up beacon for the United Nations reform process in accordance with systems agreed at national level.
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In parallel with the determination of the national leadership, the UN System has pledged to support governments through capacity building so they can carry out the reform process, including by sharing information and new procedures defined by the United Nations and partner countries, by promoting best practice and exchanges between countries – Global South countries, among others – and by involving government structures in relevant training modules.
The specific responsibilities of the United Nations System The high panel in charge of the United Nations reform guidelines made a precise diagnosis from the outset and stressed that “without ambitious and far-reaching reforms, the UN System will not be able to keep its promises and maintain its legitimate position within the multilateral system”. This international committee has promoted a major new direction for the way the System operates and fostered gradual implementation in line with expectations and with specific objectives identified by national players and which will bring positive results in the medium and long term in the collective interest of the Organisation. The UN System in Africa seems to want to lead by example by showing determination and responsibility as it backs the United Nations reform process and supports the government. Moreover, the UN System strives in some countries to back – through the UNDP, among others – the dynamic fostered by those countries to coordinate assistance for effective development. This option is essential to integrate the “Delivering as One” initiative into the global framework of alignment, of joint programmes and of coordination of external assistance, in accordance with the Paris, Accra and Busan declarations as well as, more recently, the Mexico Declaration. In this respect, it should be noted that a common African stance to promote external assistance coordination and development funding mobilisation was agreed in 2014. This initiative – the follow-up of which is coordinated by Côte d'Ivoire with support from NEPAD, the African Union and the UNDP – will undoubtedly bring added value to the initiative to expand the United Nations reform process in the countries of the Continent. 79
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The lines of action of the United Nations reform process The One Programme, the One Leader, the joint Communication (One Voice), the Common Budgetary Framework and joint operational services (One Office) strategies have been implemented in all the pilot countries. The One Programme strategy has been implemented differently in each pilot country. One of the main strategic novelties concerned the creation of joint programmes. Although all first-generation programmes were set up along those lines – with major management and implementation differences – discrepancies appeared in secondgeneration programmes. In some countries, the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) action plan has been replaced by the UN Development Assistance Plan (UNDAP). Similarly, joint programmes have been supplemented by joint programming. Further discrepancies have appeared in connection with overall control and management, including the formal involvement of governments for programme development and resource allocation, the use of thematic coordination groups as well as evaluations carried out by the countries themselves (see tables about the basic elements of the One Programme and about stages, results and timetable). The One Leader strategy has made it possible for the United Nations Country Teams to work together on programme development and resource allocation issues. The role of the Resident Coordinator, in an overwhelming majority of countries where UN bodies operate, is obviously very important and, in those countries where the “Delivering as One” initiative is being implemented, its role has become major and essential. In view of this development, which has been observed in several pilot countries, bodies which are members of the United Nations Country Team have agreed on a voluntary basis to observe a code of conduct that governs relations between the interests of each body and those of the country team as a whole.The creation of Country Director posts by the UNDP has made it possible to reinforce the partitioning between the duties of Resident Coordinators and those of Resident Representatives, and to alleviate concerns expressed by the various heads of agencies of the UN System. The joint communication strategy (One Voice), considered as distinct from the One Leader strategy, is now implemented in most of the 80
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countries that have started implementing United Nations reform. Although the joint communication strategy is not officially part of the “Delivering as One” initiative, it has been adopted at one stage or another in all pilot countries.The new national teams joining the initiative pay particular attention to the development of a joint communication strategy. Some states saw it as a mere component of the One Leader strategy but other countries saw it as a completely distinct strategy. Nowadays, all consider the adoption of common positions as an integral part of the joint communication strategy, including for general policy issues. This approach has given rise in a number of countries to the development of joint communication strategies. In some countries, the purpose of the strategy has been to promote the creation of mixed communication teams and joint websites. The Common Budgetary Framework, which aims to ensure the transparency of activities and the achievement of results expected through the refined identification of necessary resources and an actual survey of funding gaps, has been adopted by all pilot countries and a large number of new countries which have applied to implement reform have expressed an interest in it. One of the main innovations, particularly in pilot countries, has been the joint mobilisation of resources, an ambition that is necessary to achieve conclusive results agreed upon in the framework of single or “One Programmes”. The One Fund has acted as a catalyst in the initiative which aims to promote inclusive cooperation with the UN System by making it easier for a larger number of institutions and associated funds to take part, including those with a presence in recipient countries and those which are non-resident. The One Fund is a joint reserve of additional resources used in some countries to complement financing earmarked for the One Programme, preferably with multi-year and non-earmarked resources.The size of the fund may vary substantially, which has a considerable impact on the One Programme.Thanks to these funds, governments have more leeway to use United Nations assistance in new areas which are not covered by the former development assistance framework plans. Originally, 15 major donors (Australia, Austria, Canada, Spain, Finland, France, Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway, New Zealand,The Netherlands, The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Sweden, 81
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Switzerland and The European Union) financed the fund and the expanded funding window of the “Delivering as One” initiative by investing 585 million dollars over the 2008-2011 trial period. The allocation of funds to the various institutions, agencies and associated funds was done on the basis of agreements governing the roles and responsibilities of each participant in the One Programme, of established UNDAF funding needs and results expected from operational assistance programmes. In most pilot countries, One Programmes were closely aligned on the previous UNDAF plans and were predominantly dedicated to funds and programmes. In all pilot countries, 67% of resources have been allocated to funds and programmes, 29% to specialised institutions and 4% to nonresident bodies. The joint operational services (One Office) strategy has focused on promoting, on the one hand, the sharing of premises by various United Nations bodies and, on the other hand, the implementation of common procedures in an attempt to reduce transaction costs. The One Office strategy has not been implemented evenly in pilot countries although simplification and harmonisation of operating practices has continued in a proactive way. Areas favoured by Country Teams have been mostly purchases and acquisitions, recruitment drives and human resources management as well as computer and communication systems. The “Delivering as One” initiative was initiated in the framework of a more global process of reform of international organisations and, in particular, the UN System. The quest for programmatic coherence, strategic alignment on development priorities, promotion of decentralisation of policy centres and the implementation of Results-Based Management (RBM) principles at all levels, have been the premise of the “Delivering as One” reform initiative. Capacity building at regional and national level, the development of strategic plans in the medium term and simplification and harmonisation of operating practices have buttressed this ambitious reform. The implementation of pilot programmes in the framework of the “Delivering as One” initiative has contributed to the reform process, both at the higher levels of the system (especially the UN Development Group) and within the various UN institutions, funds and programmes. A 82
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harmonised management and responsibilisation framework was set up in 2008 by the UN Development Group. Based on previous interinstitution agreements, the framework provided the UN System with a more coherent and stronger management model. One of its purposes has been to reconcile the principle of mutual accountability between the Resident Coordinator and the United Nations Country Team (horizontal accountability) and the principle of direct accountability between each representative and their own organisation (vertical accountability). Guidelines and templates for Joint Work Plans The United Nations Country Teams are expected to establish Joint Work Plans for programmatic management.These Joint Work Plans are typically instruments which make the UNDAF operational by translating its results in a concrete and measurable way, by providing clear links and by making it possible for the United Nations and its partners to attribute and share responsibilities between the UN agencies, institutions and associated funds in accordance with agreed national priorities. The Joint Work Plans relate to one or more UNDAF results that come under the remit of an Outcome Group and define a Common Budgetary Framework and specific activities.To facilitate follow-up and programmatic reporting, the Joint Work Plan has performance indicators with specific objectives, verification capabilities and periodical follow-up reports on implementation. Joint Work Plans can be annual, biennial or multi-annual depending on the context in the country. In the wording of Joint Work Plans, the following points apply: • Joint Work Plans are developed, negotiated and signed by institutions and agencies taking part in the UN development action; • the actual duration of Joint Work Plans may be flexible depending on the context in the country. These plans should be aligned with the UNDAF in accordance with the national planning cycle; • Joint Work Plans explain in detail the expected results and corresponding means that have been budgeted for with key activities, selected indicators, reference data, targets and key partners; • tables with expected results from Joint Work Plans will be multiannual, if necessary, but examined and revised on a continual basis as the case may be; • the Common Budgetary Framework is established annually and is an integral part of Joint Work Plans. Expected results and related 83
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means should be quantified in detail, with available resources clearly defined and, possibly, a clearly stated funding gap for which resources will need to be mobilised; • Joint Work Plans should specify implementing rules, namely rules in relation to the action of each institution and agency as well as those governing the management of joint programmes; • all Joint Work Plans are developed and implemented along UN Development Group recommendations in accordance with the five UNDAF programming principles and the guidelines of the UNDG management manual which stipulate the implementation and follow-up modes and tools which are results-oriented. In countries with an integrated United Nations presence, it is suggested that the mission's objectives and priorities should be aligned with those of the United Nations Country Team (UNCT) in order to ensure the coherent implementation of the mission's priorities in terms of peace consolidation and to promote action synergies between the mission and the UNCT. One or more simple programming operational documents may be established and translated into Joint Work Plans with concrete and specific results as well as indicative budgetary programming. The follow-up and implementation of the One Programme The follow-up and overseeing of the implementation of the One Programme calls for a baseline qualitative effort to meet identified challenges to do with development, rationalise the operational and managerial use of resources and highlight achieved results and impacts. To do this, the United Nations should make sure this responsibility is backed up by effective and sustained functional systems and mechanisms (see tables). Therefore, it is important to: • capitalise on existing national follow-up systems and mechanisms, whenever possible; • support priority assistance areas for which reinforcing national systems is required; • refrain from getting the partner country to carry the additional burden of capacity building needs, including in the case of specific requirements of the One Programme in connection with monitoring and evaluation (M&E);
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• put in place necessary technical and financial means in order to carry out (M&E) actions successfully. UN System agencies are expected to design a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) plan to promote the One Programme which needs to have joint mechanisms and modalities to follow up on actions and results as stipulated in the UNDAF Results Matrix and Joint Work Plans. The results of the UNDAF Matrix are a strategic United Nations tool in that they are based on a number of performance, reference and Corresponding Means of Verification indicators. At the operational level, Joint Work Plans that are results-oriented underpin the implementation, follow up, reporting and evaluation of the One Programme. The Joint Work Plan is expected to describe the results of the objectives to be achieved by UN System participating agencies. The follow-up of results planned in the UNDAF and Joint Work Plans will be based on recommendations and tools mentioned in the UNDG management manual.The manual on evaluation and integrated planning developed by the United Nations leadership sets out evaluation modalities. As far as possible, all data on UNDAF indicators, baselines and targets, the Results Matrix and Joint Work Plans should be broken down according to gender, minority or indigenous status, in terms of aspects of disability, social, geographic and demographic inequalities, among others. As the monitoring and evaluation (M&E) plan is being prepared, the United Nations needs to identify the main shortcomings or inconsistencies in terms of data which need to be rectified.The M&E plan should spell out how these gaps can be filled.The follow-up of the One Programme needs to be aligned on the national information, statistics and M&E system. Such measures should make it possible to improve national ownership, to support effective and efficient use of national resources, to make sure mutual accountability principles are complied with when it comes to the results of the United Nations One Programme and the quest for development effectiveness.
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As far as possible, monitoring and implementation and follow-up reports should be based on data from - and broken down from – national systems in accordance with credible standards that can be compared internationally. When data from national systems are not available, the United Nations may initiate or support surveys and/or specific or complementary benchmark studies. The M&E plan should specify all key evaluations, including compulsory evaluation of the One Programme, evaluations of joint programmes and other strategic or thematic evaluations so that UN agencies pledge collectively or individually to contribute to the global evaluation of the One Programme and the UNDAF. The M&E plan should also describe the process, with a timetable, for the preparation of the results of the United Nations Country Team report, draw up a commitment report with coordination groups on the various pillars of the “Delivering as One” initiative, including an operating report for “joint” communication that adds value. The United Nations should also help partners and the various stakeholders be accountable for their commitments and their mobilisation as well as development cooperation effectiveness. In countries with an integrated United Nations presence, analysis and planning capabilities should be considered and supported to share and promote United Nations expertise, undertake evaluations and relevant analysis and thus contribute to the updating, monitoring and relevance of integrated planning frameworks. In this regard, the mission of the Country Team is essential, given its know-how and its long-term commitment to national multisectoral capacity building. The specific provisions of the evaluation A compulsory final evaluation is recommended by the United Nations and partners in the second half of the implementation period (usually at the end of the penultimate year of the programme's duration), which enables national authorities and the United Nations to integrate the evaluation provisions and recommendations into the design and planning of the next One Programme, to promote training needs and lessons learned from joint action. The evaluation process of a One Programme should be credible, independent, impartial and transparent. It should include an inclusive 88
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approach involving a large range of stakeholders and partners. The process should start by mapping out development stakeholders in order to identify the various players and partners, including those who do not work directly with the Country Team yet who play a key role in the national context. The evaluation of such a programme will need to identify the main achievements, lessons learned and best practice as well as the constraints and challenges encountered during the implementation of the One Programme. The evaluation of the One Programme will also assess: • the relevance, efficiency and sustainability of the results of the One Programme and its contribution to the achievement of national priorities, including impacts on the achievement of human rights for the most destitute and vulnerable persons; • the integration of United Nations programming principles and other relevant cross-cutting issues into the One Programme, including contributions to the process of fair, inclusive, transparent, participatory and responsible development; • the coherence of the UN System in the face of national priorities and its contributions to enlightened decision making and knowledge production. The Country Team, with support from the Coordination Office and contributions from the Resident Coordinator's outcome group, will need to define the terms of the evaluation for a baseline programme in accordance with the normative and technical recommendations of the United Nations Evaluation Group (UNEG). The mixed Steering Committee or Management Committee will approve the terms of the evaluation for a baseline programme, while the office of the Resident Coordinator will order the evaluation on behalf of the United Nations (see the website of the United Nations Evaluation Group – www.uneval.org – for normative and technical guidelines on evaluations). As far as possible, the evaluation of a One Programme will take advantage of national expertise and will contribute to the development of national evaluation capabilities. The management and responsibilisation framework that has been set up has been underpinned by the determination of UN bodies to reinforce the responsibilisation and evaluation features inherent to the system.The evaluation of Resident Coordinators and Country Teams and 89
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the descriptions of their duties and mandates have been revised, as has the inter-agency reporting system. Templates have been designed and implemented for codes of ethics and annual evaluation reports. The “Delivering as One” initiative has also had repercussions on efforts to simplify and harmonise operating practices and to reduce transaction costs. Originally, work undertaken at inter-institution level focused on operating practices and joint services. The joint financing and management activities network of the United Nations Development Group (UNDG) and the high-level committee on management of the UN System designed a number of powerful tools and directives in areas to do with information and communication technologies, management of joint services and purchases, as well as in terms of multi-partner management of trust funds. A diagram illustrates the “Delivering as One” initiative at national level: expected results and impacts (see appendix).
Institutional mechanisms The United Nations reform process requires the creation – under the authority of the government and the Resident Coordinator – of a structured and functional institutional system to drive, lead, implement and follow up the “Delivering as One” process. Several systems are possible and depend on political determination at national level. Institutional anchoring is usually defined by the ministry in charge of coordinating the actions of the UN System. Three bodies are usually put in place: A United Nations reform Steering Committee or Management Committee This committee is the highest reform steering body at national level. Its mandate is to guide the implementation of UN Reform and ensure it is implemented in accordance with the directives and adaptations agreed between the various development stakeholders.The committee may be presided over by the Planning and Development Ministry, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation or the Ministry of Economy and Finance, depending on national choices. The committee includes high-level representatives from the various reform stakeholders: the government, UN agencies, technical and financial partners, civil society and the private sector.
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Two bodies support the committee: • a joint UNDAF/UNDAP committee tasked with designing the One Programme; • a secretariat or a technical cell. The roles and responsibilities of the UN Resident Coordinator and the United Nations Country Team are precise: • the UN Resident Coordinator is the leader and coordinator of the One Programme; • the UN Resident Coordinator coordinates the implementation of the UNDAF and supervises the implementation of the One Programme. Designated agencies are responsible for the specific results of the UNDAF; • the UN Resident Coordinator is tasked with coordinating the mobilisation of funds for the One Programme and allocating mobilised resources in accordance with jointly defined criteria; • the UN Resident Coordinator supervises the monitoring and evaluation of the One Programme; • the UN Resident Coordinator evaluates the members of the Country Team while heads of agencies give an opinion on the evaluation of the UN Resident Coordinator; • heads of agencies are expected to promote close, sincere and constructive cooperation within the Country Team. The government and the Resident Coordinator – who is supported by the Country Team – are responsible for mobilising resources at country level. The government organises an annual review of global external assistance commitments, evaluates the contribution of agencies and associated funds and promotes advocacy for resource mobilisation for the United Nations. Under the leadership of the Resident Coordinator, the Country Team works together to mobilise through donors the funding gap of the One Programme.These resources are paid into a joint fund. In order to avoid parallel resource mobilisation strategies, agencies have deemed it essential that sufficient funding should be allocated to the joint fund in order to achieve the strategic objectives defined in the One Programme. In return, agencies pledge not to mobilise funds independently at national level.
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With the exception of: • humanitarian emergency situations which require a tailored response through appropriate mechanisms; • resources which cannot – or are not meant to – be mobilised jointly with the other agencies. These specific resources include various funds such as vertical funds (for instance the national committees of UNICEF, Friends of the World Food Programme, some thematic trust funds, etc.). On the whole, agencies need to ensure such sources of funding are also aligned on the UNDAF programmatic framework. This is another important aspect. Resources which have been mobilised jointly contribute to a joint fund. The funding gap in the One Programme is supposed to receive support from development partners and to be covered by this joint fund which donors pay into at national level.The One Fund plays a major part in the achievement of the “Delivering as One” initiative because it guarantees a coherent policy and an effective strategy centred around the results of the UNDAF. This fund is designed in such a way as to encourage agencies to work in the framework of the One Programme. As a result, in order to be effective, the fund needs, on the one hand, to give real advantages to agencies which enshrine their actions in the One Programme and, on the other hand, to finance activities which play an effective part in the achievement of desired results. One of the main challenges UN reform faces is to make sure this joint fund is financed when necessary and becomes the main funding mechanism for the operational activities of the UN System. The allocation of the resources from the joint fund should be done in a transparent manner on the basis of criteria decided by mutual agreement by the technical committee for the UN reform process and validated by the Steering Committee. These criteria are expected to promote the objectives of UN reform (impact, coherence, effectiveness and strategic outcomes) and international pledges (assistance effectiveness and harmonisation, alignment on national priorities, etc.). The fund distribution mechanism promotes programmes which meet predefined criteria and help the UN System to “Deliver as One”. The Resident Coordinator is solely responsible for this and is required to 92
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submit a fund distribution proposal that reflects criteria based on performance and needs. UN agencies have a dual reporting obligation. On the one hand, they continue to contribute reports to their headquarters about administrative issues and the use of financial and human resources and, on the other hand, they send activity reports to the Resident Coordinator and report to the Country Team on the results of the programme (about the effectiveness of implementation in relation to performance criteria) and on progress in terms of specific UNDAF results for which they were made accountable. The UN Resident Coordinator submits a yearly report to the Steering Committee on behalf of the Country Team about the outcomes of the One Programme on the basis of agency reports and objective evaluations. The UN Resident Coordinator adds a new annual funding allocation proposal to this annual evaluation report and, as leader of the Country Team, makes sure this proposal is a true reflection of the needs, performance and capabilities of the UN System agencies.
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II Managing the United Nations Reform Process
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DaO and the Managerial Tools for Implementing the United Nations System Action Plan in African Countries Christian Do Rosario UNDP Operations Manager in Côte d’Ivoire
Francisco Vieira UN System Coordination Specialist in Côte d’Ivoire
Introduction The challenges posed by the United Nations reform process involve adopting an approach focused on achieving the results that will most significantly enhance the consistency and performance of UN System action in the countries that we are supporting.To this end, the reform guidelines promote a policy based on joint planning, streamlining the processes of management and the managing of resources, and reducing transaction costs. United Nations reform was originally based on four principles: One Programme, One Leader, One Budgetary Framework and joint operational services (One Office), which formed the original framework of the ‘Delivering as One’ initiative. Other strategic parameters have acquired importance, however, during the implementation of this reform, notably that of joint communication (One Voice), which was distinct from the concept of “One Leader”. 97
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The standard reform procedures established in 2014 took into account the lessons learnt from the processes already initiated by the pilot countries, the question of data recording and analysis of the overall assessment. The experience of the pilot countries proved that it is possible to make efficiency savings by developing joint services, by improving the administrative management of the agencies and by simplifying their working practices, particularly in the areas of purchasing and acquisitions, information and communication technologies, and the management of human resources. In this latter area, the recruitment processes, the creation of centralised files of national expertise and the designing of simplified methods for the transfer of staff between UN System agencies represent significant progress. Sharing of joint premises has been encouraged worldwide. However, this option has come up against serious limitations linked to the difficulty in basing the UN System agencies and associated funds in a single location and guaranteeing their security. Innovation efforts aimed at improving efficiency and reducing transaction costs with the help of the One Office strategy have encountered some problems. In certain countries, the implementation of the “Delivering as One” initiative has led to considerably higher costs in terms of human and financial resources. In others, it appears that United Nations reform will produce considerable savings over the long term (for example in Mali and Côte d’Ivoire).These gains can be reinvested in development action, resulting in benefits for the countries and for the UN System capabilities.
The achievements and reference guidelines of the United Nations reform initiative Following an in-depth analysis of the pilot initiatives and the results achieved during the 2007-2012 period in relation to the One Programme, the One Leader, the One Budgetary Framework (One Budget) and the One Fund, a certain number of key strengths of the reform initiative were highlighted as well as certain weaknesses that are currently being remedied in a number of countries that are engaged in this process today.
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Reform and strategic alignment The United Nations reform initiative assigns a key role to national leadership and alignment of the cooperation programmes response. The reform process lays emphasis on the alignment of the UN System response with the national vision as defined by the countries concerned and, in particular, their National Development Goals. The United Nations Development Assistance Plan/Framework (UNDAP/UNDAF) must continue to devote itself to responding in a unified, effective, coordinated manner to the priorities and plans of the national development goals and the Strategic Frameworks for Growth and Poverty Reduction (SFGPR).
Reform and the programmatic coherence of the UN System action Efforts to achieve programme coherence have improved considerably throughout the countries of the Continent, thanks to greater involvement on the part of the governments. Cross-cutting issues have been better taken into account and the programmes have produced significant results, even though first-generation joint programme planning has not proved very effective. Joint assistance programmes were more widespread over the 20102014 period, the African countries and the UN System having established two to five joint programmes per country. The part played by non-resident agencies and bodies was considerably greater, in accordance with the needs expressed by the countries. The first-generation “One Programmes� were to a large extent programmes that had been reconstructed on the basis of existing projects which were refocused or reformulated. Certain joint or common programmes had been put in place by combining contributions from too many partners (agencies or associated funds), which impaired the effectiveness and efficiency of these services. The first-generation joint programmes implemented in Africa involved seven to eight agencies on average. Since 2013-2014, the number of partners participating in a joint programme has been considerably 99
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reduced, to a maximum of around four or five partners, enabling better management of the strategic orientation and planning of the programme activities and efforts to streamline resources and monitoring and evaluation. As a result of the lessons learnt from the experience, the secondgeneration One Programmes have been better designed. The number of small-scale development projects has been considerably reduced and there is a downward trend in transaction costs, even though the managerial streamlining calculations and economies of scale are not yet being systematically applied. On the macro-economic front, however, transaction costs for governments seem to be lower thanks to the agencies’ own streamlining efforts and encouragement for the national authorities to implement initiatives favouring the programme-based approach and national implementation. In more than 10 African countries engaged in the “Delivering as One” initiative, the number of small projects has been reduced by more than 25% over the 2011-2014 period. The One Budgetary Framework strategy was suggested by the United Nations reform initiative and implemented in several countries. Generally speaking, it improved the standard of the allocation of resources and a certain transparency in the management of resources. The use of the One Budgetary Framework has been unevenly applied from one pilot country to another and the new countries that commit to this One Programme and One Budgetary Framework plan are doing so cautiously. The One Budgetary Framework makes it possible to cost out all of the development activities planned jointly by the government and the United Nations agencies and institutions.
Reform and management of the UN System joint services action Progress has been made in the management of the joint operational services in Africa.
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The One Office or virtual office has enabled economies of scale to be achieved and services have improved in a certain number of cases, as is borne out by the progress in audits conducted in the pilot countries and in countries applying the reform initiative. The United Nations reform process in the pilot countries and in a certain number of “self-starter” countries has resulted in significant progress thanks to the excellent work of the inter-agency committees with responsibility for operations (OMT) (Operations Management Team). The joint purchasing and acquisitions procedures, joint efforts for the restructuring of the agencies’ IT, technological and communications systems, as well as the HACT – the Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfers to partners and beneficiaries – have been updated and streamlined, notably during the 2013-2015 period. Joint inter-agency services have also improved and competitive longterm agreements have been reached with high-quality suppliers. Joint recruitment systems have been instituted and in certain cases centralised files cataloguing competencies have been put in place, notably to keep a record of leading national experts by subject or by specific sector. Analysis of the competencies shows that many agencies have demonstrated competitive and high-quality recruiting during the past few years, with the goal of best serving the expectations expressed by the governments and partners involved in development action.This has made it possible to reposition the United Nations as a credible and effective partner working for peace, security and human development. In this regard, the World Bank, the African Development Bank and the bilateral cooperation partners have recruited extensively from among the executives and managers of the UN System agencies.
United Nations reform and managerial and management priorities in Africa The United Nations reform process has given a fresh impetus to cooperation action and made it possible to modernise methods of programme planning, financial management, monitoring and audit, which enhance the credibility and capabilities of the UN System in working for development action. 101
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Important initiatives need to be undertaken or continued: • national partners should be assisted in establishing development priorities and pursuing strategic cooperation goals. The Global partnership to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and also the effectiveness of development present a key challenge. Humanitarian crisis and disaster prevention and management are also a priority, to be able to deploy rapid response and humanitarian assistance resources; • reliable planning, monitoring and evaluation mechanisms need to be put in place to guarantee results-led management, guided by the One Programme goals. This programme must itself be in keeping with the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) Action Plan and the national priorities, not fund-raising opportunities or special interests; • adequately-planned operations, in keeping with the United Nations agencies’ mandates, must be initiated.The United Nations must continue to enhance its capacity to play a role in the political dialogue in relation to the drawing up of strategies and planning of operations, to be able to intervene strategically upstream. To this end, the UN System is called upon to focus still more closely on the strategic goals of developing nations and the great international issues concerning peace, security and human development; • through this reform the United Nations is required to make optimal use of resources. Decisions concerning operations, the allocation and distribution of resources must all be based on carefully designed planning processes, on clear and transparent procedures for identifying needs, on consolidated and mobilised capabilities, on demonstrable comparative advantages and competitive opportunity costs. These measures should enable the UN System to serve the recipient countries and their people to the best of its ability, by minimising duplication and inter-agency competition while guaranteeing consistency in efforts to provide country-based support to help achieve the countries’ long-term development goals; • the United Nations specialised agencies must continue to position themselves in such a way as to maximise the added value provided by their cooperation. The United Nations’ positioning must enable it to maximise its added value in efforts aimed at achieving the new SDGs, based on the quality and versatility of its technical expertise, by concentrating on its priorities and guaranteeing consistency between its normative, technical, political and humanitarian activities;
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• the pooling of operational services improves the managerial efficiency of the agencies as well as the results and impact of cooperation action. Promoting standards of competitive management, developing managerial performance tools, notably purchasing and procurement processes, fostering competitive recruitment standards, promoting national implementation and the continuing effort to stimulate competition between service providers are methods likely to enable the UN System to achieve significant operational gains.
Conclusion and future prospects The opportunities offered by the United Nations reform initiative are considerable, for beneficiary governments and populations alike. The action implemented across the African Continent, which has purposefully set out upon the path to emergence, represents a tremendous opportunity to enhance national capabilities and improve governance guidelines and practices, as well as systems of management and monitoring and evaluation. The “Delivering as One� approach also enables the UN System to give a fresh impetus to its strategic support potential, to capitalise on its comparative advantages and to promote its brand image, these being vital elements of its development cooperation work.
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The Crucial Involvement of the Staff of the United Nations System’s Agencies Pierre Carrel International Consultant, Academic and United Nations Reform Process Specialist
Introduction Reforming the UN System is a process that is ambitious to say the least, due to the fact that it stimulates a change in organisational culture at the very heart of the United Nations agencies themselves. The key factors for the success of this reform process naturally lie in the national leadership and involvement of the United Nations Country Team. However, there is sometimes a tendency to overlook another category of player which is, however, the backbone of this innovative process at country level: the staff of the United Nations agencies. These international and national members of staff are working on the front line of this reform initiative which they are implementing, guided by principles they attempt to apply on a daily basis. As such they are directly confronted with technical feasibility issues affecting the success of the desired changes. So, the launch of any process to reform the UN System must go hand in hand with capacity-building measures for staff and in-depth consultations with the agencies as a whole.The commitment of the staff and their support of the process are fundamental to guaranteeing success. In Mali, Côte d’Ivoire,Togo and Guinea, right from the planning and concept stage of the reform process at national level, a series of consultations and surveys were conducted to gauge the human resources response. 105
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To begin with, we will outline the different mechanisms for training and informing staff and involving them in the UN System reform process.We will then present a comparative analysis of staff perceptions of reform in Mali, Côte d’Ivoire,Togo and Guinea.
The involvement of the UN System agencies staff: an asset for reform This challenge is essential to the performance and success of the “Delivering as One” approach. How do we inspire the commitment of the staff of the UN System agencies? How do we inspire the support and full engagement of the United Nations human capital? Taking into account the diverse profiles of the UN System staff The UN System agencies human resources incorporate different categories of staff with different but complementary skills.Traditionally, the staff within each agency, whether national or international, fall into two major categories: “experts attached to the programme” and “operations specialists”. On the programme side, you naturally find programme managers working in their respective fields, experts in monitoring and evaluation and specialists in communication. The operations side incorporates administrative and financial staff working in accounts, procurement and contracting, human resources, logistics, IT and transport. In each agency there is a fairly similar structure in terms of the make-up of staff. On the other hand, there are considerable differences in terms of the size of staff resources in the field.The varied capacities of the agencies and the balance between their mandates and national priorities are other factors that affect staffing. Certain resident agencies may have only two or three members of staff on the ground, while at the same time, in the same country, other agencies may have hundreds.The staffing size of such agencies as the World Food Programme, the UNHCR, UNICEF and the World Health Organization may also fluctuate considerably at country level, depending on the severity of humanitarian needs. There is no typical profile for a United Nations official on the ground. There is a range of competencies and diverse qualifications among the agencies staff who operate on extremely varied technical and strategic fronts.The main added value of the UN System lies within this pool of expertise, in other words, in the promotion of country-based 106
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implementation and the technical expertise brought to the country.The agencies possess real assets in terms of human resources.While working for the United Nations, members of staff, notably those from the country concerned, benefit from regular training sessions and a unique form of work experience. In certain countries, these nationals working for the UN System therefore rapidly become valuable human resources, sought after on the labour market by other international institutions and private sector organisations. The implementation of UN System reform requires a collaborative effort underpinned by the involvement of all agency members of staff, whatever their profile. All of the human resources must therefore be mobilised to achieve the common goals established by the “Delivering as One” initiative. Finding appropriate consultation mechanisms It is recommended that country-based staff be consulted on a continuous basis throughout the “Delivering as One” process.This consultation effort must be sustained, particularly at the beginning of the process, because this is a sensitive stage.The initial stage of the reform process is usually marked by a lack of familiarity with the concepts, because they are relatively new even to those working for the United Nations.At the same time, it is at this point that the broad lines of the process of reform are drawn up and undertakings are given by the Country Team to the country concerned and partners. The staff and their representatives therefore wish to be involved in this crucial phase during which actions that are important to the future are undertaken. On the other hand, it should be noted that any failure to keep staff informed and prepared inevitably leads to damaging rumours circulating, which can impair or even paralyse the “Delivering as One” process. It is therefore imperative to conduct a sound strategy of internal communication, in which the representatives of the staff associations should be involved. Several kinds of methods can be adopted to keep staff informed and to earn their support: • Holding briefings within the agencies: his involves convening a meeting of all of an agency’s members of staff for a presentation on the concepts underpinning the “Delivering as One” approach, and their role in its implementation. Following this presentation, it is important to let the assembled staff express their thoughts by allowing them to put questions to the speaker or just to make comments and observations. The meeting can be held in the following format: a 30-minute presentation, followed by an hour107
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long debate. This type of briefing can then be held on a regular basis (biannually or annually) in a shor ter format to keep staff informed of the state of progress of reform; • Holding general meetings: this involves assembling all of the staff working for the UN System in a country for a general meeting chaired by a Resident Coordinator, accompanied by all of the agency heads.The resident coordinator can then put across the vision and key messages on behalf of the Country Team. These (biannual or annual) general meetings have the advantage of demonstrating the official status of the Country Team’s involvement.They also enable all members of staff to be kept equally well informed. On the other hand, in view of the large number of participants, they are not the appropriate framework for an exchange of views with staff, nor can the presentation be adapted to the specific context and expectations of a particular agency. (This can be done in agencybased meetings); • Creating communication tools: in addition to the briefings, it is worth being able to issue regular information updates through suitable tools of communication such as a newsletter (electronic or otherwise), a handout, a handbook or an instructional tool (such as a PowerPoint presentation). The UN System country website can also be used as a means of issuing updates on the reform process. Country-specific analyses carried out by the United Nations Communications Group (UNCG) will help to determine the most appropriate tools for communicating with staff. Investing in staff capacity building While it has been proved that the “Delivering as One” approach enables financial and qualitative gains to be made, it is nevertheless still clear that achieving these gains is subject to certain initial investments. Capacity-building and training of staff are precisely specific areas in which the UN System needs to make considerable investment. In addition to promoting familiarity with the concepts of this reform, it is necessary to enhance the technical abilities of members of staff to enable them to carry out their work in line with the new guidelines. Generally speaking, this involves training agency members of staff, particularly in the field of inter-agency coordination, joint programme planning, strategic planning, monitoring and evaluation (M&E) and developing partnerships. Capacity building must of course be adapted to the different categories of personnel so that each agency member of staff, whatever their level, is enabled to deal with the challenges of the reform process. For example, certain members of staff within the operations section have to be 108
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trained in the appropriate operational areas so that they are able to design and implement the “Business Operation Strategy”.This strategy, which is part of the reform SOPs, is aimed at maximising the pooling and harmonisation of operational services. Delivering clear guidelines Even the most thorough briefing and training processes will serve no purpose unless members of staff perceive a strong commitment on the part of their agency chief, reflected in clear guidelines being issued and investments of adequate resources being made. In fact the staff are condemned to a state of suspense and inertia unless they are given clear directives by the management of the agency in the country concerned. The technical involvement of the staff is therefore directly determined by the strategic involvement of the Country Team. So it is important that the office of the Resident Coordinator should not be the sole source of all of the information and instructions concerning the reform process. In the countries in which “Delivering as One” has achieved results, it has been noted that the agency heads played their part by motivating their staff and by positively evaluating the relevant contribution made by their agents towards the coordination efforts. It should however be remembered that the local agency managers are themselves complying with instructions from their headquarters. So, this chain of command highlights the importance of seeing the headquarters take up this reform, so that they can issue general and strategic guidelines for UN System funds, programmes and specialised institutions.
Comparative analysis of staff perceptions in Mali, Côte d’Ivoire,Togo and Guinea The relevance of a comparative analysis of Mali, Côte d’Ivoire,Togo and Guinea stems from the fact that identical procedures have been used in these four countries to survey members of staff of the UN System regarding their opinions on the reform initiative. Context and nature of the consultations Staff consultation was carried out in these four countries at an identical point in the process: the planning stages of the UN System reform initiative. Two mechanisms were used to assess the perceptions of members of the agencies staff: open discussions and questionnaires. 109
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Open discussions were organised during briefing meetings. It should be noted that these debates are always preceded by a presentation of the reform concepts to ensure that participants are updated. Ideally, the person responsible for presenting the concepts and leading the debate should be an expert on the topic or at least experienced in this matter: in light of the questions posed and the comments made, this type of meeting makes it possible to gauge staff “feelings”. This is a preliminary method of assessing perceptions regarding reform at country level. An anonymous survey of opinions was undertaken in each of these four countries. In order to be able to measure staff perceptions statistically, it is important to further the analysis using an anonymous questionnaire. Some members of staff do not dare to express their opinion on such an important matter publicly, so this is why it is crucial to give them the opportunity to express their opinion anonymously. Furthermore, general support can often be seen to be expressed at plenary meetings, whereas analysis of anonymous individual questionnaires can produce rather more mixed results! In order to guarantee the validity of the survey results, certain prerequisites must be taken into consideration: • Care must be taken to ensure that the people responding to the survey have a broad grasp of the concepts of the reform initiative. So it is important to present the “Delivering as One” approach before distributing the questionnaires; • The survey should be based on a representative sample of the staff, striking a balance between the funds, the programmes and the specialised institutions, between members of the programme and operations, and finally between national and international staff; • A reasonable percentage of staff should be surveyed (no less than 3%)
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The questionnaire distributed was essentially virtually identical in all four countries. It naturally referred to the five key elements of “Delivering as One”. Only a few adjustments making provision for the national context resulted in the number of questions varying between 15 and 22, depending on the country. A choice of five answers was offered in response to each question. These were some of the most important questions: • Do you feel that your agency would retain its specific character (in terms of role, expertise, influence) if its operations fall under a single programme?
• What do you think of the idea of the One Leader to coordinate the UN System in the country?
• Do you believe that the pooling of general services between UN agencies is a constructive initiative?
• Do you think it is possible for the UN System to implement a joint communications strategy while maintaining the visibility of the agencies?
• Do you believe it is necessary to reform the way in which the UN System works in the country?
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Real United Nations staff motivation on the ground The general results of consultations with the staff in Mali, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo and Guinea clearly show that, on the whole, the staff take a positive view of the implementation of UN System reform in the country. Surveys show that staff are enthusiastic or clearly in favour by 50 to 75%, depending on the country surveyed. 20 to 30% of staff adopt a neutral position, while being generally in favour. On the other hand, 5 to 20%, depending on the country concerned, appear to be reticent or clearly opposed to the implementation of reform (5% in Mali and Guinea, 13% in Togo, 20% in Côte d’Ivoire). A clear majority of members of staff are aware of the need to refine the operating methods and coordination of the UN System.Thus, 85 to 95% of those surveyed believe, to varying degrees, that it is necessary and indeed crucial to reform the way in which the UN System works. It should be noted that they had been familiarised with the concepts in previous briefing sessions and so fears and reservations generally linked to a lack of familiarity with the reform initiative had been cleared up. In the four countries targeted, employees understood that maximising the mechanisms of coordination did not mean that their agency would lose its specificity or would disappear. On the contrary, an effective distribution of work and the agencies’ renewed focus on the added value they provide has enabled the agencies’ specific role regarding the contribution they make to the United Nations’ goals in the country to be defined more clearly. Between 80 and 97% of the people surveyed believe that their agency would retain its specific character within the framework of the One Programme, while 72 to 93% of members of staff believe that implementing the One Programme concept would enable their agency to be more efficient. It was also be noted that the staff (91 to 97%) firmly believe that the implementation of the “Delivering as One” initiative would help to enhance the United Nations credibility with its technical and financial partners and the government. Similarly, 93 to 100% of staff believe, to varying degrees and also depending on the country concerned, that the agencies would benefit financially and technically from pooling operational services. Finally, 82 to 88% of members of staff feel that it is possible to implement joint communication while retaining the visibility of their agency.
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The crucial question of employment One of the recurrent questions which members of staff legitimately raise pertains to the impact of UN System reform on employment.This question features in the opinion survey, enabling this issue to be better pinned down. The results of the surveys are relatively positive in this regard, as 70% of staff have no fears for their job, or at least no more than usual.This means that the staff have taken on board that the “Delivering as One” initiative does not aim to cut jobs. Furthermore, none of the pilot countries implementing the “Delivering as One” approach (One UN or DaO) has experienced cuts in staff numbers as a result of an employment policy stemming from the UN System reform process.The watchword of the “Delivering as One” approach remains complementarity between the stakeholders concerned rather than a reduction in their capacities. The fact that on average a residual 9% of members of staff fear for their 113
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jobs confirms the importance of tirelessly informing, communicating and involving members of staff in the decisions taken concerning this reform process at country level.
Conclusion Consultations with United Nations staff in Mali, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo and Guinea clearly show that staff support will not be a major issue in the implementation of the “Delivering as One” approach. However, staff commitment to the implementation of reform is not a foregone conclusion. On the one hand it is still heavily dependent on the efficiency of the mechanisms aimed at training, informing and involving staff in the policies adopted on the matter. On the other hand, the commitment of 114
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UN staff is directly linked to the instructions given to them by the agencies’ leadership at country level. In the event that these conditions are in place, it is evident that the “Delivering as One� initiative can create oppor tunities for the staff due to the benefit they can gain from the building of their capacities but also the prospects for inter-agency mobility that open up for them. The United Nations reform initiative represents a tremendous operational management challenge and an opportunity to enhance the expertise and experience acquired by the United Nations in the countries concerned.
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The System of Monitoring and Evaluation to Promote a Results-Driven Culture and the Accountability of the United Nations System Adèle Khudr UNICEF Representative in Côte d'Ivoire
Christina De Bruin Deputy Representative, UNICEF in CĂ´te d'Ivoire
Introduction The UN System seeks to enhance political dialogue and to promote the drafting of planned strategies to achieve the global Development Goals. This demands the consensus-based definition of goals, targets and detailed guidelines, which was achieved with the commitment of the Millennium Declaration, and more recently, the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The United Nations reform initiative also promotes improved consistency and coordination of development action and the enhancement of national monitoring and evaluation (M&E) procedures.To this end, it is helping to promote reliable results-driven programme planning, coordination and management mechanisms. The choice of operations, the allocation of resources and their distribution are vital parameters and issues that need to be monitored carefully to assess the efficiency of the development action and international cooperation.
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To begin with, the United Nations, under the aegis of the SecretaryGeneral, launched a millennium initiative and an international plan of action with a very precise timetable of activities drawing on all of the agencies, and the UNDP in particular, to support monitoring at national level of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).Today the Global Compact for Sustainable Development is working to combine the national visions and efforts to achieve the SDGs. To this end, the United Nations reform initiative,“Delivering as One”, seeks to enhance the United Nations teams’ support efforts particularly at national level, promoting, in particular, advocacy and raising the awareness of national stakeholders, promoting the organisation of campaigns and workshops devoted to the post-2015 priorities and the new SDGs. National reports on human development and on the Millennium Goals for Sustainable Development are required to provide frequent country by country updates on achievement of the different goals and on progress noted.Thanks to the assistance of the UN System they should become reference tools for analysing trends and identifying successes, difficulties and obstacles and assessing the impact of development cooperation. The United Nations Country Teams (UNCTs) are tasked with drawing up joint work plans for programmatic management.These joint work plans are normally tools for making the UNDAF (United Nations Development Assistance Framework) operational and translating its results in a concrete, measurable way, providing clear linkage and enabling the United Nations and its partners to determine the allocation and distribution of responsibilities between UN agencies, institutions and associated funds, in accordance with agreed national priorities. The joint work plan of the UN System agencies relates to one or more UNDAF results falling under the remit of an Outcome Group and establishes a Common Budgetary Framework and specific activities. To facilitate programmatic monitoring and reporting, the joint work plan incorporates performance indicators with specific goals, means of verification and periodic reports on monitoring of implementation. Joint work plans may be annual, biannual or multi-annual, depending on the country context. The following points apply when formulating joint work plans: • Joint work plans are drawn up, negotiated and signed by the institutions and agencies participating in United Nations development action.
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• The actual duration of the joint work plans may be flexible depending on the country context.These plans must be aligned with the UNDAF, working on the principle of alignment matching the national planning cycle. • The joint work plans must explain precisely what results are expected and the corresponding budgeted means, along with the key activities, the indicators selected, the reference data, the targets and the key partners. • The tables of results expected, derived from the joint work plans, will be multi-annual, if necessary, but will be examined and reviewed on a continuous basis, in accordance with the needs established by the Common Programmatic Framework (CPF). • The Common Budgetary Framework is established annually and forms an integral part of the joint work plans.The results expected and the relevant means must be costed in detail, with the available resources clearly defined and any funding deficit clearly explained, for which resources must be mobilised. • The joint work plans must specify the means of implementation, in other words those required for the action of each institution and agency and also those that apply to the management of the common programmes. All of the joint work plans are developed and implemented with reference to the United Nations Development Group (UNDG) guidelines, in accordance with the five Programming Principles of the UNDAF and following the UNDG management manual guidelines, which stipulate the means and tools for results-driven implementation and monitoring. In countries with an integrated Untied Nations presence, it is suggested that the goals pursued and the mission priorities be aligned with those of the Country Team to guarantee consistency in implementing the mission priorities in terms of peace consolidation and enhancement of synergy of action between the mission and the UNCT.
Monitoring of the One Programme implementation Monitoring and tracking of One Programme implementation requires a benchmark qualitative effort in order to meet the challenges identified for development, to streamline the operational management and managerial administration of resources and highlight the outcomes and impacts achieved. The countries are engaged in consolidating the means 119
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of monitoring implementation of the national development plans. The “Delivering as One” initiative seeks to support the ministers for coordination in the integrated monitoring of the cooperation frameworks.To this end, the United Nations is working to support the monitoring and evaluation (M&E) dimension of the national plans and strategic monitoring to ensure that this duty is carried out using functional, efficient means and mechanisms. It is therefore important to: • make use of existing national means and mechanisms of M&E, wherever possible; • support priority aid areas for which improvement of the national systems is needed; • avoid leaving the partner country to bear the additional burden of capacity building needs, notably in the event of specific One Programme M&E requirements; • put in place the technical and financial means needed to complete the M&E process. The agencies of the UN System are required to draw up an M&E plan for the One Programme, which must incorporate joint mechanisms and means for monitoring actions and results as set out in the UNDAF results matrix and joint work plans. The UNDAF results matrix is a strategic tool of the United Nations in that it is based on a combination of performance and reference indicators and corresponding means of verification. At an operational level, the results-driven joint work plans underpin the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the One Programme. Whenever possible, all of the data relating to the UNDAF and Results Matrix indicators, references and targets must be broken down by gender, by minority or native status of populations, disability-related aspects and by social, geographic, demographic or other forms of disparity. During the preparation of the monitoring and evaluation plan, the UN agencies must establish the main data-related deficiencies or inconsistencies requiring correction.The monitoring and evaluation plan should specify how these shortcomings can be corrected. Monitoring of the Common Programmatic Framework must be aligned with the national information, statistics, monitoring and evaluation system. 120
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These measures should help to improve national ownership, to support the effective and efficient use of national resources and to uphold the principles of shared responsibility for the results of the United Nations One Programme and the pursuit of effective development. As far as possible, tracking and reports on implementation and monitoring should be based on disaggregated data compiled from national sources in accordance with credible and internationally comparable standards. When data from national sources is not available, the UN agencies may create or back studies and/or specific or complementary reference surveys. The M&E plan should set out all of the key evaluations, including the compulsory One Programme evaluation, the joint programme evaluations and other strategic or thematic evaluations so that all of the UN agencies are engaged collectively or individually in contributing to the overall evaluation of the One Programme and the United Nations Development Assistance Plan (UNDAP). The M&E plan should also describe the process, including the timetable, for preparing the results of the UNCT report, draw up a report on engagement with the coordination groups concerning the various cornerstones of the “Delivering as One” initiative, including an operations report on effectively “Communicating as One”. The UN agencies should also help partners and various national stakeholders in reporting on their endeavours and on the efficiency of their programmatic mobilisation and development cooperation effectiveness. International efforts for the global partnership for effective development and efforts to coordinate and streamline external assistance are supported by the UN System with the aim of promoting international fundraising. National measures for coordinating aid benefit from the assistance of the UNDP and a valuable contribution from the UN System agencies. The “Delivering as One” initiative is entirely in keeping with these national measures and enhances them by seeking to promote the alignment of external contributions with national priorities, the streamlining of resource allocation and monitoring and evaluation of them.
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In the countries in which there is an integrated United Nations presence, joint analysis and planning capacities must be considered and supported to share and enhance best practice, undertake appropriate evaluations and analyses and thus contribute to the updating, monitoring and relevance of the integrated planning frameworks.The Country Team mission is crucial in this regard in view of its expertise and its long-term commitment to national multi-sector capacity building.
Specific evaluation measures The United Nations and partners recommend a compulsory final evaluation during the second half of the implementation cycle of the Common Programmatic Framework (CPF), usually at the end of the penultimate year of the programme’s cycle, which enables the national authorities and the United Nations to incorporate evaluation measures and recommendations within the design and planning of the next One Programme and to highlight the learning needs and the joint action lessons learnt. The process for evaluating any One Programme must of course be credible, independent, impartial and transparent. It should be marked by an inclusive approach, involving a broad range of development action stakeholders to identify the different players and partners, including those not directly involved in working with the Country Team but who nevertheless play a key role in the national context. The evaluation of a programme of this type must identify the main achievements, lessons learnt and best practices as well as the problems and challenges encountered during implementation of the One Programme. The evaluation of the One Programme will also assess: • the relevance, efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability of the results of the One Programme and its contribution to the realisation of national priorities, including the impact on the realisation of human rights for the most seriously disadvantaged and vulnerable people; • the incorporation of the United Nations programming principles and other relevant cross-cutting issues within the One Programme, including contributions to the process of fair, inclusive, transparent, participatory, responsible development; 122
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• the consistency of the UN System in its approach to the national priorities and its contributions to informed decision-making and knowledge creation. The UNCT, with the support of the Coordination Office, must draw up the evaluation terms for a reference programme, following the normative and technical guidelines of the United Nations Evaluation Group (UNEG). A Joint National Steering Committee or the UNDAF Steering Committee must be instituted and tasked with monitoring the implementation of the CPF in line with the National Development Plan. This committee will approve the evaluation criteria for a reference programme, while the office of the Resident Coordinator will commission the evaluation on behalf of the United Nations: see the UNEG website (http://www.uneval.org) for the norms and standards on evaluations. As far as possible, the evaluation of a One Programme will make use of national expertise and will contribute to the development of national evaluation capabilities. In Côte d’Ivoire, the management and accountability framework implemented has been underpinned by the stated determination of the United Nations bodies to consolidate the system’s internal evaluation and accountability measures. Thus, there has been a review of the evaluation of Resident Coordinators and Country Teams, along with descriptions of their role and mandate, including the inter-agency reporting system. Code of conduct models and annual evaluation report models have been designed and implemented. The United Nations reform process has given a fresh impetus to cooperation action and has enabled the methods of programming, financial management, monitoring and audit to be modernised, enhancing the credibility and capacity of the UN System to work for development action. Important initiatives must be implemented or pursued within the framework of monitoring and evaluation priorities. These include, in particular: • supporting national players in defining development priorities and in the pursuit of strategic cooperation goals. The global partnership for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and development effectiveness represent a key challenge.The prevention and management of humanitarian crises 123
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and disasters are also a priority, when it comes to putting rapid response and humanitarian aid services into effect; • reliable mechanisms for programming, monitoring and evaluation need to be put in place to guarantee results-led management, guided by the goals of the One Programme, which is itself aligned with the UNDAF plan and with national priorities rather than on fundraising opportunities or special interests. To this end, the UN System in Côte d’Ivoire has established a monitoring and evaluation group, incorporating experts from different agencies. The group supports the UN System in drawing up and implementing the UNDAF M&E framework – or evaluation matrices – and carries out quality control of the UNDAF Annual Reviews and Action Plans. It also supports the government in the drafting of its National Development Plan for 2016-2020 and the monitoring framework pertaining to it. In Côte d’Ivoire, the M&E group also provides support to the government with the drafting of M&E tools for the National Development Plan and with core data generation by means of surveys which allow all of the indicators pertaining to women and children in the social sectors to be updated and which illustrate the situation of vulnerable groups. This data has, in many respects, made it possible to feed into and inform the drafting and formulation of the new National Development Plan for 2016-2020; • properly-planned operations, in keeping with the United Nations agencies mandates, must be initiated. The United Nations must continue to enhance its capacity to play a role in the political dialogue in relation to the drawing up of strategies and planning of operations, to be able to intervene strategically upstream. To this end, the UN System is called upon to focus still more closely on the strategic goals of developing nations and the great international issues concerning peace, security and human development; • the United Nations are called upon to make optimal use of resources by means of this reform. Decisions concerning operations and the allocation and distribution of resources must be based on carefully devised planning processes, clear and transparent procedures for identifying needs, confirmed capabilities that have been mobilised, demonstrable comparative advantages and competitive opportunity costs.These measures should enable the UN System to serve the recipient countries and their people to the best of its ability, by minimising duplication and inter-agency competition while guaranteeing consistency in efforts to provide country-based support to help achieve the countries’ long-term development goals; 124
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• the United Nations specialised agencies must continue to position themselves in such a way as to maximise the added value provided by their cooperation. The United Nations positioning must enable it to maximise its added value in efforts aimed at achieving the new SDGs, based on the quality and versatility of its technical expertise, by concentrating on its priorities and guaranteeing consistency between its normative, technical, political and humanitarian activities; • the pooling of operational services improves the managerial efficiency of the agencies as well as the results and impact of cooperation action. Promoting standards of competitive management, developing managerial performance tools, notably purchasing and procurement processes, fostering competitive recruitment standards, promoting national implementation and the continuing effort to stimulate competition between service providers are methods likely to enable the UN System to achieve significant operational gains.
Conclusion and Future Prospects The opportunities offered by the United Nations reform process are considerable, for both beneficiary governments and populations. The management of monitoring and evaluation is fundamental to the United Nations reform process. Today it has great resonance for the national authorities but also civil society and the private sector. It is also a condition that is vital to the success of results-driven management and to the impact of national action for development. The actions implemented across the African Continent, which has purposefully set upon the path to emergence, represent a tremendous opportunity to enhance national capabilities and improve governance guidelines and practices, as well as systems of management and monitoring and evaluation. The “Delivering as One” initiative also enables the UN System to give a fresh impetus to its strategic support potential, to capitalise on its comparative advantages and to promote its brand image, these being vital elements of its development cooperation work.
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The Challenges of Transformation Christian Do Rosario UNDP Operations Manager in Côte d’Ivoire
Alina Aimée Mahouagbeu Ouattara Deputy Director of the Strategic Coordination Unit within the Ministry for Planning and Development of Côte d’Ivoire
Luc-Joël Grégoire United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Country Director, Côte d’Ivoire
Introduction In 2014, General Assembly resolutions referred to the results expected by the world’s governments from United Nations reform: in other words, a more innovative, responsive, effective United Nations, capable of being better coordinated and more consistently engaged, therefore, better able to support countries, and particularly the most deprived, in achieving the progress necessary for human development. When the “Delivering as One” report was published in 2006, it established four key principles (One Leader, One Programme, One Budgetary Framework and if possible Operating as One) and presented major proposals for new measures to be adopted in the spheres of governance and finance. This required reform to be seen as a transformation and not merely a restructuring operation.To achieve the success of a reform process, all of the players involved must therefore truly see it as a real and ambitious transformation. This is the primary condition in order for all of the changes identified to become part of the everyday reality of UN missions. 127
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A transformation is planned out on several fronts: • local-level reorganisation to test the changes, draw conclusions and evaluate, before disseminating the results. Successful tests thus become the most powerful motivating force in mobilising all of the stakeholders; • a commitment to introducing periods of transition to help facilitate transformation tests. The periods of transition call for experience in flexible thinking on the part of those officials whose task it is to manage the teams; • careful and diligent steering by dedicated officials and teams to ensure that co-construction of the transformation proceeds as it should. There can be no successful transformation without a coordination mission liaising between the reform stakeholders and governance; • investment in training to ensure that the officials and the main stakeholders in the reform process become managers who are “transformers”, capable of handling the transitions, of dealing with any tensions and stimulating drive. It means encouraging the acquisition or consolidation of a mixture of “knowing how to be” and “knowing what to do”, in other words, an approach combining both empathy and firmness, the capacity to be both adaptable and rigorous and to have both a close-up perspective and a broad overview. Training in developing these “soft skills” has become a priority of the training programmes for managers called upon to launch and support transformations.
The purpose of the transformation The ambition of the reform initiative is to create enhanced conditions for concerted, responsible and consistent action within the framework of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The whole idea of transformation is driven by the quest for greater efficiency to serve the reiterated goal of United Nations action: development aid coordinated with the countries themselves. Steering Committees in the countries, Resident Coordinators and agency heads have a vital role to play in passing on and explaining the thrust of the reform initiative. It is not just about passing information down. Every opportunity to meet and talk to explain the reform process is part of the process of transformation. Explaining should not exclude reciprocity, however: it involves presenting the principles of reform, but 128
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also and above all, paying heed to reactions, taking comments and suggestions into account and identifying tensions and possible opposition on the ground. The key asset of successful “transformers” lies in their collaborative working skills.“Delivering as One” is meaningful only when enacted by all, together. The ability to explain is based on: • clear words and arguments to describe and illustrate the reform process; • the ability to question and consult, to collect opinions, wishes, doubts, and possible refusals or rebuffs; • the capacity to hear what is being said, to be able to bridge the gap between views in a spirit of understanding and openmindedness; • the conviction necessary to “put across” the purpose behind and the need for the transformation which is under way, in the name of progress and with the required consistency, efficiency and consensus. Explaining reform is about displaying courage, patience and frankness. Taking on the task of talking about it in order to be able to implement and enact it better is to recognise the strong human dimension of voluntary change. The transformation can only move forward and succeed based on mutual understanding. As has already been proven in tests and experiments in certain countries, the process of informing and enlightening civil society stakeholders, business networks, NGOs and representatives of international institutions and social partners must be meticulous, regular and monitored, and take place in a spirit of openness and dialogue. When training the protagonists of the transformation, these will need to be given the tools to be good listeners, as per the advice of the philosopher Plutarch1. 2,000 years ago the latter already advocated “rules of good listening” for the good of democracy, because listening cannot be taken for granted: it is a matter of state of mind and also a discipline. In order to be comfortable telling others what is right and necessary, one must first have done a certain amount of critical thinking oneself, in other words, to have done some in-depth thinking about the changes in policy concerned. In order to promote the reform initiative, one needs to believe in it oneself: this is the first step towards succeeding in explaining the idea with some chance of success. Absorbing it in all humility means working to exemplify it truly, in other words to accept its 129
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spirit, its strengths and its weaknesses, no doubt, and even certain shortcomings perhaps.Thinking about all this is to prepare oneself and to learn to deal with and withstand the kind of events and negative reactions that any form of change may generate. The process of transformation is a test of maturity for an institution, its leaders and its stakeholders. It is a matter of learning to avoid confusion or being overcome with crippling emotions. Talking about reform is a good test of “plain speaking” or “parrhesia”. For there to be plain speaking and openness when talking about the “Delivering as One” reform initiative, the words used by reform stakeholders must express what they are really thinking. Parrhesia is therefore the courage of the person talking to speak the truth and to take the risk of expressing it 2.Yes, it is in the countries of sub-Saharan Africa that the development problems are the most serious and where development has fallen furthest behind. Yes, efforts need to be less diffuse, the actions which are to be taken must be streamlined, results must be better evaluated and there must be cooperation with the countries concerned in mutual understanding, free from all forms of rivalry or harmful cupidity. With reform, it is a matter of being “present to the world”, of speaking but also and above all of challenging. For the protagonists of the transformation, being “present to the world” means taking on board the words, gestures, comments and interpretations of others, setting oneself on the path to mutual understanding: it is not a matter of either submitting or subjecting, but of building something together.The success of the reform initiative will lie in the concept of “what we share between us”, provided this “between us” proves to be “for one another”. This is how philosopher Emmanuel Levinas3 defines the nature of ethical relationships between a person and their fellow human being: otherness must come first. Explaining is not persuading. Persuasion4 can be counter-productive if it is poorly used. Explaining reform is saying why the change was seen as necessary, who decided on it, how it is to be implemented, what it is going to change for the parties concerned, what their role in this process will be, what results are expected and how it is going to be guided, monitored and evaluated. While reform means transformation, this transformation is a process with participants and stages. If the chrysalis turns into a butterfly, it is the result of a process of progressive change, with alterations and innovations. It is a trial (sometimes a battle) for progress, for life. In any case, it is a 130
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step forward to overcome contradictions, paradoxes and inconsistencies, and perhaps a way of drawing other ones out into the open. For physicist and Nobel Prize laureate Pierre-Gilles de Gennes,“Making progress means making new mistakes”. A demonstration of humility at its best as the scientist takes on the mantle of a philosopher! It would be a mistake to “sell by hype” (and no doubt poorly) the “Delivering as One” initiative, cannot be a panacea. It is taking place in the context of a world in motion, marked by deep inequalities, great demands, uncertainty and strong concerns. It is a matter of doing things better and often doing things differently, because as the diagnosis has demonstrated, consistency of action can significantly be improved. In conclusion, it is by the force of their convictions, the example they give, their capacity for listening and asking questions and their frank speaking that the stakeholders in the “Delivering as One” initiative will be able to continue to mobilise and bring together the communities’ drive and determination, working with the parties concerned to secure the success of the transformation under way, which is underpinned by the following five pillars: One direction, One aid Programme, One Common Budgetary Framework, Communicating as One and common operational services (Operating as One - One Office).
Evaluating the tests Over the past 10 years, change management theorists have been preoccupied by many debates, pondering the effectiveness of different models. They all begin with the idea that change and particularly profound change (transformation) does not come about without resistance in every form possible: dissension, partisan, violent, latent, cunning, litigious, transgressive… often multifaceted and therefore cumulative and consequently difficult to understand and corrosive to say the least. When barely acknowledged, these forms of resistance proliferate and grow, often due to error on the part of the executors of change, who push things through, become more rigid and as a result feed the opposition or alternatively act hypocritically by behaving “as if ” everything is going well, displaying a tactical deafness and in this way fuelling the worst misunderstandings.
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In any case, this has a very negative effect on ownership of change and reform as a whole. Over the past few years many specialists have pointed out serious failures: certain transformations deemed necessary (if not unavoidable) have not progressed beyond vague intentions. Big private groups have experienced such situations, as is also the case with reforms in sensitive areas (education, health 5, taxation, etc.) or sectors concerned with state or institutional governance. Four ideas have succeeded in establishing themselves to describe both the process of change itself and its nature: • starting with a clean slate, in other words, making a complete and clean break with the past, with no going back. In the 1990s, this was the concept of reengineering promoted by American theorists James Champy and Michael Hammer. Strongly opposed to reformism and “patching things up”, they propose unpicking organisations, advocating an approach of radical change: things are rethought in depth, destroyed in order to be created afresh on new foundations, rebuilt.This idea of “all-out” change is a difficult route. Its advocates themselves agree: they acknowledge that 7 out of 10 cases are doomed to failure. Later they were to admit that they had greatly underestimated the human factor. If it fails on the management side and if there is too much resistance on the side of the players concerned, then change fails; • promoting gradual change by means of a succession of “small” reforms. This very evolutionary concept has at times become a policy in itself, reformism, sealed with a stamp of caution as if to avoid alarming those adopting conservative stances or different forms of corporatism. This concept of change is often lacking in ambition, goals, a guiding principle or even meaning. The small reforms sometimes have problems taking root because they come up against specific sector-based resistance, leaving all population groups in a state of doubt.They sometimes concern the modalities (ratios, categories, achievements, advantages, etc.) and the idea of change becomes diluted in a succession of “mini-reforms” 6 that has little impact beyond certain spheres.When the economic conditions for them are right, reform policies of this type emerge to satisfy specific client groups or to make necessary adjustments. This evolutionary approach suffers from organisational tinkering, often leading to amendments which complicate the texts and laws, a situation which pleases certain governing bodies accompanied by hordes of experts. It is from within this context that more focused policies for change have emerged, making the goal of simplification 132
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one of the keys for change. A climate of continuous consultation over successive reforms, even if it respects dialogue and inclusiveness, consultation and participation, can lead to doubt and concern with regard to poorly expressed ambitions, purpose and choices. The project concept seems to be lacking. In fact, it is contingent upon the idea of transformation; • seeking to achieve transformation by devising processes of transition. It is this route that will be described in more depth in the next paragraph. A much more promising option, it embodies the principle of ownership of the change process and makes the protagonists the true instigators of change from the perspective of “co-construction”. It differs from the evolutionary process in that it clarifies the framework of the transformation and goals right from the start (by involving the parties concerned either directly or indirectly in setting the goals). Finally, it involves them in the change tests as early as possible; • daring to opt for testing prior to a generalised pragmatic application of successful experiences. The national stakeholders and decision makers involved in the “Delivering as One” initiative value this concept, which strives for local-level testing implementation based on an idea, a project, a goal, with the involvement of willing participants. It then becomes a validation “laboratory” and starting point for a shared experience to be generally implemented following adaptation and improvement. This approach comes into focus thanks to a Steering Committee for Tests that is able to monitor, take advantage of and formalise the lessons learnt, communicate the benefits to other bodies, which should also save time in this way and be encouraged to attempt the transformation themselves. Sometimes, as these bodies have not experienced the “pioneering effect” that the original experimenters themselves endured, they may adopt a wait and see attitude.They need to be “won over” and should not be “sold” ready-made turnkey solutions. For an important transformation project like “Delivering as One”, the advantage of this pragmatic path to change is to be able to implement certain well-defined aspects of the reform initiative and focus on its new priorities, rather than seeking to implement every aspect immediately, but crudely. Several specific conclusions has emerged from testing which have already been completed or is in progress and make it possible to validate and inform the key principles of UN reform: 133
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• the concept of One Leader in Mozambique and the role of the Country Team as well as the clarification of the responsibilities of the agency heads under the new system have attracted constructive feedback.This demonstrates that the spirit of reform has been taken on board and the ability to make suggestions has developed, confirming the feeling of participating in a “co-construction” (which helps to define management performance and internal operational indicators); • in Mali, it is worth noting that a Steering Committee intended to play a key role in the phase of preparation and testing of reform tools has been established. It is accompanied by a readiness to view reform as a process whose operational guidance must be carried out rigorously.There are already plans to ensure the Steering Committee evolves, as the process of change progresses, to take on a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) role.These measures had been taken before the serious crisis in Mali could affect the consultation system put in place; • in Rwanda, consultations with the stakeholders on the issue of M&E implementation of the reform initiative produced a wealth of valuable information; • in Cabo Verde, a joint office regrouping the agencies (One Office), established in 2006, characterised the commitment to the key “Delivering as One” principle of harmonisation to ensure the conditions required to simplify United Nations operations were present.This led to the adoption of a common programme known as the “One UN Programme”, approved by the Cabo Verdean government and participating agencies, which work together to set the strategic priorities of Cabo Verde’s One Programme. An M&E system reports on the progress observed; • Côte d’Ivoire’s experience, set in the context of a peacekeeping operation, is also very informative.The United Nations priority goals were the subject of close consultations with the Ivorian government, thus reinforcing the principle of consistency and alignment with national priorities. What could possibly be more tangible and convincing in confirming the relevance of a transformation than successful partial testing at local level, producing a variety of conclusions to be drawn and confirming the validity of the founding principles of the reform process?
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Managing the process of transition Transitions are periods of time during which a new relationship with the future is created.The philosopher Pascal Chabot observes in his book “The Age of Transitions” that “transition is change that is sought”. In the processes of transformation, oversight or failure to recognise the phases of transition are the most frequent explanations for failure in the sphere of change. British psychologist Donald Winnicott was able to demonstrate the essential meaning of the transitional times and spaces at certain stages in a child’s development. By extension, it seems clear that intentional actions to bring about change and in particular transformation, where it applies to human action, require phases of transition to be devised. This means perceiving change not so much as a radical shift, much less as steady, progressive evolution, but rather as a three-stage process.
You define a Situation B, which is sought, anticipated and if possible timetabled in stages, characterised by goals, principles and values that more or less represent a departure from a past/present situation (a radical departure, if you are dealing with a transformation). You leave behind Situation A, the past/present, whose background, strengths, weaknesses, content, rules and practices you are familiar with, while taking into account the risks of resentment, fear and impatience that you incur in doing so. You imagine a transitional Situation T, which is no longer entirely A, but is still imbued with and marked by the patterns and practices of A, with progression towards anticipated Situation B, desired, promising or worrying, to varying degrees, and not yet completely established. The period of transition is inevitably a time of fairly high tensions, made up of: • mourning for the habits of Situation A, whether easier or harder, and shared to a greater or lesser degree; 135
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• fears of the unknown in Situation B, which has been theorised, thought out, expressed with more or less clarity and conviction, but is not yet a reality; • frustrations and aspirations: fear of loss as much as a wish to experience the new practices rapidly; • recurrent doubts about the change itself. Hence, for the leaders, officials and actors of change who managed the projects, a talent for deft handling reminiscent of “driving on a slippery road” or the art of being a good skipper. Resistance management and the boldness to exploit opportunities, the capacity to mobilise and support the teams are the keys to this art of people management. The qualities required are easy to identify: • strengthening the strategic culture and enhancing the acumen of the stakeholders, in other words, their clear-sightedness in taking action; • promoting their negotiating skills to achieve constructive solutions to problems encountered; • heightening their capacity to view things with perspective, while maintaining a certain distance, in order to keep their focus on transformation, adopting a “meta” approach, which enables them to see where they stand at all times, what is at stake in the situations they are managing and how they are positioning themselves in dealing with the resistance they are meeting. These transition leaders are making a success of the transformations, by means of tact, empathy and patience. The obstacles are: too much haste, trepidation, damaging emotions, laxness or impulsiveness, rigidity and normative formalism. The goal of the training is to help the stakeholders to examine their conscience, question things and understand the requirements in terms of behavioural competencies in order to manage the phases of transition to the best of their abilities. Incorporated within these transitional phases are partial, local-level trial periods which are intended to give recognition, momentum and drive to the work of transformation. It is also a period of intensive communication. It must be organised and coordinated in conjunction with the project stakeholders. It must be 136
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done in the right amount, neither too much nor too little. It must avoid inappropriate hype and promote feedback practices to encourage horizontal sharing of experience with regard to both successes and problems encountered. During the periods of transition, discretion must not work against the commitment to transparency. It is a matter of learning to communicate the right way, sticking with what is worthwhile and what makes sense, because periods of transition are marked by rumours and interpretations, which act as factors of resistance to change. The transition leaders are not exempt from a patient effort to promote awareness, to reiterate – if necessary, as is often the case – the purpose of reform, its goals, its principles and progress made. Meetings, contact and assemblies present good opportunities to consolidate the foundations of the transformation under way, because experience shows that: • the starting point of any transition is the conviction that things could be different; • any transition begins with the shaking up of ordinary beliefs (customs and time-honoured rationales). In short, transition7 must be perceived and experienced as a step in the transformation that is well thought-out, mature, consensus-based and pragmatic. Transition is a concept that retains a certain notion of fatalism, because it launches a process and gives rise to inaction and inertia. It takes a certain amount of courage to seek to pursue transition, in the etymological sense of the Latin word “transire”, which means “above and beyond”. To attempt transition is to add something more to life. We know what the present owes to the past and how conservative attitudes have the ability to halt and to protect; with transitions we learn how the future can influence the present. It is indeed a paradigm shift8: the transition will seek out resources in a different manner of being and doing things, in order to reshape the present. It propels us into the midst of situations that are sometimes paradoxical and therefore disconcerting, and spurs us to shed fresh light on them. This can be particularly worthwhile for the protagonists of the “Delivering as One” initiative, who have to tackle the contradictions and inconsistencies of certain practices that have crept in.
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Investment in training While experience, skills, seeking to challenge oneself and commitment to the transformation are and will continue to be the attributes of the protagonists of the “Delivering as One” initiative, training can nevertheless facilitate and rapidly enhance the competencies of the officials involved at all levels. Training is a high point for: • sharing experiences; • comparing theory and practice; • clearly defining strategies for change, particularly during phases of transition; • instilling the desire to forge ahead; • improving the calibre of responses to the problems encountered; • setting targets for self-improvement. Supporting a process of transformation is always a test, a journey, a challenge for the teams on the ground and for those with management responsibilities. The topic of transition management9 attracted many candidates seeking self-improvement from within both the private and public sectors or institutions dealing with change. As previously noted, leading a team requires great dexterity. Nothing can be achieved without good self-knowledge, an aptitude for challenging oneself and undeniable human relations skills, along with clarification of the positions concerning the exercise of authority. With this in mind, training programmes, for the purpose of guidance, have been proposed for groups of 15 to 20 protagonists of the “Delivering as One” initiative responsible for implementing the transformation project. Simulation exercises to illustrate managerial good practice are also welcome.They provide an additional training dimension which complements and beneficially reinforces the exercises in focused thinking. In this way, concrete situations can be chosen and the simulation exercise enables the instincts that have been developed to be tested. Communicating, negotiating, coordinating, consulting, managing tensions and even conflicts takes on new meaning beyond that of past experiences when one takes a step back and uses them to draw up benchmarks in terms of: 138
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• the most appropriate forms of behaviour; • methods and techniques; • advice on remaining in control of situations; • tools for evaluating failures and results. Training must be devised and presented as an investment which embodies the commitment to transformation at all levels and above all that of the executives who lead the teams. For a process of transformation to be credible, it must prove to the protagonists that it is being equipped with the specific means required to implement the change process. Good transition management requires consistency (between what we do, what is decided and what is said) and resolute engagement (mobilising, fostering dynamism, injecting an impetus). Being agents of the transformation means being “entrepreneurs of change”, each with their own role, in their own way, but displaying rigour and boldness. So, seeking change means taking on the challenge of confronting a certain potential risk, the unexpected and possible discomfort.Training should provide the conditions required to prepare for this, free from any fatalism or self-deception. Skills of good judgment are particularly useful in managing periods of transition most effectively. Optimism and realism cannot be ordered: the experience and its benefits must be lived.The goal of transition management training is to demonstrate this.
Conclusion The “Delivering as One” initiative provides a key opportunity for Africa and the United Nations. This reform process must continue to be implemented in a manner that is in keeping with local contexts and national development priorities, working closely with United Nations assistance. The potential offered by the “Delivering as One” process is considerable, as it needs to help meet the challenges of the emergence of the Continent while working for the necessary transformation of methods of cooperation. The close and fruitful partnership between Africa and the various United Nations bodies helps to enhance the following undeniable achievements: 139
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• improving the consistency, the relevance and the effectiveness of the UN System (Resolution 67/226); • the significant impact on development of the pilot countries’ experience in implementing UN reform (Resolution 67/226); • the strategic positioning of the UN System and its credibility with governments and development partners represents a key challenge; • strengthening national leadership (particularly national ownership of the development support provided by the United Nations).This leadership is progressing right across the Continent and the United Nations has been the most committed protagonist in promoting it; • improved efficiency in tackling cross-cutting issues (human rights, gender rights, HIV-AIDS and promoting sustainable development in particular) is one of the major contributions of the UN System; • better visibility and clarity of the UN System’s actions (Communicating as One) represent a major challenge in terms of the efficiency and credibility of development action; • access to greater financial resources and expertise for pilot countries and newcomers to the “Delivering as One” initiative is undoubtedly a condition for the success of the reform process; • qualitative and financial gains from the “Delivering as One” initiative from both an operational and programmatic perspective and from the point of view of savings made, thanks to the One Office and the pooling of services, are fundamental in guaranteeing better alignment and a more flexible response to national priorities. The five pillars of the UN reform initiative represent an essential point of reference, as they are interrelated: • The One Programme, drafted on the basis of the UNDAF, which is itself aligned with national priorities, forms a programmatic operational document broken down into annual action plans and work plans which clearly define the role of each of the agencies in relation to each of the strategic results expected from the UNDAF, in a costed matrix. The One Programme is underpinned by a common system of monitoring and evaluation (one framework for results and harmonised mechanisms of evaluation). • A Common Budgetary Framework (not to be confused with One Budget).This is a framework combining all of the contributions of the agencies, made up of two types of resources:
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a) Funds that are the agencies’ own, which remain under their control and which are used to help realise the achievements of the One Programme ; b) Funds raised in accordance with a common UN System fundraising strategy, which feed into a joint fund, which itself pays out to the agencies.There are however two exceptions to the principle of joint fundraising: emergency humanitarian situations and certain specific funds which are not intended to be raised jointly (national funding committees and trust funds). • One Leader : the action of the UN System is overseen, led and supported by a coherent structure of governance, with a clear hierarchy and a defined decision-making mechanism, which ensures that the system is guided by common goals.The UN System, under the aegis of the Resident Coordinator, must be capable of speaking with One Voice, of working for political dialogue and of working to promote the United Nations action in the country concerned. • Common operational services – Operating as One – (including the concept of One Office, or failing that, a virtual office). Generally speaking, the UN agencies do everything they possibly can to pool operational services, to harmonise their procedures and to create work and discussion platforms in the event that they cannot all be housed together for the purpose of improving efficiency and reducing the cost of operations. In certain countries, the vast majority of the agencies and associated funds of the UN System share their premises. • Communicating as One: operating on the basis of a common communications strategy, the UN System establishes basic rules enabling it to define and put across relevant and consistent key messages shared by the whole of the Country Team, notably by harmonising the communications tools, mediums and products.The communications strategy helps to forge a common identity for the UN System and helps it to speak with one voice on strategic matters of key importance. The Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) of the UN reform process produced by the United Nations Development Group (UNDG) define the operating modes of this reform very precisely. However, United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 67/226 of January 2013 advocates a certain flexibility to the “Delivering as One” initiative and emphasises the need to adapt the basic model to the national context.
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In fact, there is no universally applicable standard model and the extent and means of achieving the five basic goals of the reform initiative must therefore in part be determined at national level in accordance with a specific, consensus-based road map, drawn up with the agreement of all of the participants in the development action. The trial conducted in the eight pilot countries which chose to engage in reform and wished to test the new method of coordinating operational activities, beginning in 2006, helped to highlight the benefits and potential of this UN System reform initiative, particularly for the countries receiving external aid. UNGA Resolution 67/226 of January 2013 notes that “the progress achieved and the experience acquired during the trial implementation of the “Delivering as One” initiative by the pilot countries helps, notably, to improve the consistency, relevance, effectiveness and efficiency of the UN System in working for development in these countries”. Through this resolution, the UN member states highlight the importance they give to the efforts to be made by the UN System to improve the consistency of its operations at country level. Independent evaluation of the “Delivering as One” initiative10, carried out in the pilot countries during the 2011-2012 period, helped to highlight the difficulties and limitations experienced in carrying out the reform process as well as the potential for progress. This current study enabled a comparative analysis to be made, from a managerial perspective, of the examples of good practice that came out of the processes put in place specifically in Africa. It also helped to highlight certain key ideas or recommendations with regard to the countries of the Continent. By engaging in an ambitious reform process that is highly beneficial for them, they may expect to see their people benefit from effective and efficient aid, based on the best international standards and, above all, aligned with the priorities and needs agreed at national and local level.
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NOTES 1. Plutarch, Comment écouter (How to listen), trans. P. Maréchaux, coll. Rivages Poche, Paris, 1995. 2. Michel Foucault, Le courage de la vérité, le gouvernement de soi et des autres, 1984, Gallimard, Paris. 3. Emmanuel Levinas, Entre-nous, essai sur le penser-à-l’autre, Paris, Grasset, 1991. 4. Lionel Bellenger, La force de persuasion, ESF publisher, 4th edition, 2011. 5. See the difficulties experienced by B. Obama over healthcare reform in the United States. 6. Pejorative description for reforms that make little sense. 7. See the ideas of the Briton Rob Hopkins, author of the Transition Handbook : from oil dependency to local resilience. Ecosociété, 2010, Montreal. 8. See the ideas developed by the British Psychologist, Michael J. Apter, concerning the theory of reverse psychology. InterÉditions, Paris, 2015. 9. See the book, Comment manager demain, Lionel Bellenger, ESF, Paris, 2014. 10. http://www.un.org/en/ga/deliveringasone/pdf/summaryreportweb.pdf
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The Roadmap: an Appropriate Tool for Guidance and Coordination Prof. Benoît Patrick Gbakou Director of the Strategic Coordination Unit of the Ministry for Planning and Development of Côte d’Ivoire
Alina Aimée Mahouagbeu Ouattara Deputy Director of the Strategic Coordination Unit of the Ministry of Planning and Development of Côte d’Ivoire
Francisco Vieira United Nations System Coordination Specialist in Côte d’Ivoire
Introduction In the context of preparing for the “Delivering as One” (DaO) initiative, the UN System agencies are called upon to conduct several initiatives – at strategic, institutional, programmatic and operational level – inspired by the reform process itself. For example: • at institutional level: the UN Country Team (UNCT) is called upon to define the directives concerning the working relationship between the Resident Coordinator and the Country Team. • at a strategic level: the United Nations Development Aid Framework (UNDAF) action plan is established and/or simplified.1 This unifying document sets out the support priorities of the UN System along with the common work tools (consolidated/common UNDAF work plan, common monitoring and evaluation (M&E) plan, inter-agency thematic groups, etc.) appropriate to them; 145
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• at programme level: the UNCT is conducting joint programming exercises in relation to the UNDAF products, such as thematic or sector-based common programmes; • at operational level: common inter-agency services are established, in particular the setting up of shared offices, the launch of the DaO ICT intercom project and reform of the mechanisms for the transfer of cash to partners (HACT) (Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfers). So, many assets for the implementation of the “Delivering as One” initiative can already be seen on the African Continent and enable its foundations to be laid. Following the publication (in July 2014) of new Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in relation to the “Delivering as One” initiative, the UN System agencies have needed to put in place roadmaps for better coordination to implement the five pillars of this reform process, in accordance with the new international directives. This note sets out, for reference purposes, a simplified roadmap model, including the main stages agreed for each pillar, and the bodies/entities which are responsible.This model must also include a budget, support bodies and timetables for implementation. Wherever possible this roadmap will also contain performance indicators. The orders for implementation of the activities falling within the framework of the pillars can be changed in accordance with the needs of the reform process and Country Team disparities. In this regard, the interrelationship and links between the different pillars must be taken into account, because an activity often has consequences for or even links to several other elements of other pillars. In fact, the five pillars of the “Delivering as One” project are interconnected in several ways. Certain actions, viewed as preparatory, have not been included in this description, with the aim of setting out a more general and simplified view of the process.
The preliminary stages in the implementation of the “Delivering as One” initiative The stages prior to the engagement of the participants, including the stages concerning the establishment of a One Leader framework, are key. 146
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It is a matter of creating a close-knit Country Team led by a Resident Coordinator with enhanced powers, who follows a collective, coherent approach to working and who has clearly defined responsibilities. This team must strive to collaborate in a close and inclusive way with the national partner.
“One programme” The stages specifically involving the United Nations programme of support for the country’s development are of vital importance and must be based on a planning process that has been formulated.This document incorporates three key elements: a strategic results Matrix, a joint plan of action (shared by the agencies) and a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system (standardised with the national partner, if possible). This programme must be aligned with the national priorities established on the basis of the national reference document (the plan or the national development policy) and analysed in light of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In this context, the actions planned are established in close relation to prior (or parallel) work in support of the development of the strategic document setting out national priorities. To simplify understanding of this process, we have laid emphasis on the stages recommended for the final year of the current programme (or UNDAF). Other stages, such as those in relation to the UNDAF’s annual monitoring and/or evaluation exercises, will not be dealt with.
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“One Budgetary framework” The Common Budgetary Framework makes strategic use of the UN System resources, along with those provided by donors, in a planned, transparent way. Depending on the country and the Country Team concerned, this pillar may also support the establishment of a “Delivering as One” common fund and associated mechanisms. The budgetary framework presents the data concerning the funds available - existing funds and funds raised – funds used and funding shortfalls.The framework must be used as a One Programme monitoring tool, because it is an important element in the contribution to the dialogue between the government and the UN System. With this in mind, it should be updated as frequently as possible. To do this, it is 149
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necessary to make provision for a robust M&E mechanism, which may take different forms and make use of different methods .2 Its main purpose will be to monitor implementation of the One Programme, including budgetary aspects, notably by means of joint implementation, monitoring and evaluation plans. At the conclusion of this process of change, the UN System must have the ability to present information and data regarding its operations in the country on a regular basis. In this regard, the UN System must present a single annual report to the government summarising the results of its programmatic activities as well as activities in the spheres of communications, managerial support (for operations) and financial and associated data.
Common operational services: “Operating as One” This concerns the establishment of common operational services, which support the joint programme of the UN System agencies, with the purpose of achieving greater efficiency and effectiveness. These services will be identified and established in accordance with the directives of the Business Operations Strategy (BOS) issued by the Operations Management Team (OMT), for the period concerned.This strategy often incorporates an effort to harmonise methods of transferring cash to implementation partners (HACT).3 At the conclusion of this process of change, we will see an Operations Management Team (OMT), enhanced and empowered by the UNCT, in its role of support for the One Programme.This team will be served by 150
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several thematic working groups – at operational level – which will be responsible for different areas of the BOS (such as procurement, human resources management, IT and communications management, etc.).
“Communicating as one” This is a matter of establishing strategic, harmonised communication of the UN System’s outcomes, with the ability to present a holistic, transparent view of the UN System’s work in the countries concerned. This form of communication, particularly in the preliminary stages of the process, operates by conveying information concerning the “Delivering as One” initiative to key national stakeholders and UN staff for them to take ownership of it. The UNCG (United Nations Communications Group) is the body with responsibility for preparing aspects and tools of communication. Reference frameworks and tools of communication must be used by all members of the United Nations.The role of each body, broken down by spheres of action, is set out in the communications strategy.
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NOTES 1. In an effort to simplify strategic framework results and products as well as indicators (SMART criteria) used in the process of monitoring and evaluation. 2. It is often a mixed (government and UN System) group of specialists in monitoring and evaluation (M&E).The M&E element may be linked to the “One Programme” pillar or the “Common Budgetary Framework”, depending on preference. 3. This component may be incorporated within the Programme pillar or the common operational services/”Operating as One” pillar or within a mechanism common to both elements.
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III UN Reform in Practice in Côte d’Ivoire: experimenting whilst promoting development and consolidating peace
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The “Delivering as One” Initiative in the Context of a Peacekeeping Operation Fidèle Sarassoro Chief of Staff to the President of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire
Introduction The United Nations structure in Côte d’Ivoire has specific characteristics that derive from the presence of the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI) peacekeeping operation that works alongside UN System agencies on the basis of clearly established and distinctive mandates. Since 2012, the UNOCI and the Country Team (UNCT) have agreed on three priorities for the United Nations in the country: • the safety of civilians, • national reconciliation and restoring the authority of the State, • economic recovery and post-conflict development. This process is the product of a close partnership with the Ivorian government which supports this aim to be coherent and aligned with national priorities
The agreed strategic priorities for cooperation Although they share common strategic objectives, the UNOCI and the United Nations System agencies operate in different ways.This makes it hard to coordinate efforts and achieve results through joint efforts. 155
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Coordinating the actions of UN missions with those of the country team (UNCT) is a constant challenge which affects not just Côte d’Ivoire but all countries involved in peacekeeping missions. However the Ivorian experience is of particular interest for a number of reasons: • The “good offices” efforts of the UN Special Representative in Côte d’Ivoire, unanimously welcomed by local politicians, provide a structure and support the governance of interventions promoting peace, security and development.They therefore facilitate the joint action of agencies specialised in governance, infrastructure rehabilitation and social resilience. • Security Council resolution 2062 (2012) recommends that the UNOCI and the UNCT should work more closely together to support the Ivorian authorities. With a view to, in future, reducing the UNOCI’s staffing levels and eventually to handing over responsibility for certain tasks that are delivered with UNCT support, significant efforts have been made to strengthen UNOCIUNCT cooperation, particularly in 2013 and 2014. • Joint UNOCI-UNCT initiatives have been successfully developed following the Standard Operating Procedures – SOPs 1 recommended as part of the “Delivering as One” approach. Although the UNOCI is not a signatory to the UNDAF 2013-15, efforts are underway to coordinate support and promote operational synergies when it comes to information sharing, strategic planning, joint follow-up/evaluation and the pooling of field office space throughout the country. At the initiative of the Special Representative of the SecretaryGeneral of the UN in Côte d’Ivoire, joint actions have been undertaken, in a very reactive way, in order to support political dialogue, social cohesion and acts of reconciliation at a regional level as well as more locally. An exercise aimed at identifying UNOCI-UNCT comparative advantages has been carried out in areas where there is an overlap between the mission and the United Nations System agencies. Moreover, joint efforts were made in the context of the United Nations integrated action plan for the western sector covering the period from January to June 2013.The UNOCI-UNCT missions that focused on the regions and that were initiated in the course of 2014 and 2015 were also helpful in a transitional context and raised the profile of joint action.
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Operational synergies and results The joint interventions of the UNOCI and the UN agencies based in the country are characterised by overall coherence, exemplary synergies and an ongoing dialogue. In 2015, the joint support offered by the UNOCI and the specialised UNS agencies in the context of the electoral process (i.e. the presidential election) was priceless and much appreciated by the international community and Côte d’Ivoire’s CEI (Commission Electorale Indépendante/Independent Electoral Commission). Under the guidance of the Special Representative of the SecretaryGeneral of the UN and with the input of the United Nations System’s coordinator for operational activities, the UNOCI and the UNCT played a key support role. They helped to ensure that voting took place peacefully in all parts of the country and contributed to the organisation of a fair contest that took place with appropriate levels of transparency and participation. It is also noteworthy that work has already been carried out to prepare the ground for the transfer of a number of UNOCI-led interventions that will need to continue in the UNDAF 2016-2020. In 2014 and 2015, essential activities were carried out by the UNOCI and the United Nations System agencies: • The process of Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) of ex-combatants has cost the UNOCI 22 million dollars a year between 2011 and 2015, in addition to which agencies have contributed 5 million dollars annually. The results have been excellent: nearly 57,000 ex-combatants have benefited from a programme of economic and social reinsertion/reintegration. The support of the UNOCI and of the specialised agencies of the United Nations System has been lauded by the government, the national body responsible for DDR and the development stakeholder community. • The RSS (réforme du secteur de la sécurité/Reform of the Security Sector) process has also benefited from significant joint support from the UNOCI and the specialised UN System agencies. This programme received support estimated at 550,000 dollars a year on average from the UNOCI and the UN System agencies have contributed on average 300,000 a year. The Conseil national de securité (the National Council for Security) has, in this context, acknowledged the contributions that the UNOCI and the UNDP have made to efforts to support reform in the field of security in Côte d’Ivoire. 157
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• Giving renewed impetus to the restoration of the authority of the State constitutes a strategic priority for the country and this aim has received appropriate support from the UN System.The UNOCI and the specialised agencies of the United Nations System have contributed to the rehabilitation of prefectural infrastructure, police stations and the devolved structures of the State.Together, they have also offered welcome and much appreciated support to efforts aimed at promoting social cohesion, transitional justice and national reconciliation. • Preventative action against the Ebola virus also provides an excellent example of successful collaboration when it comes to prevention and public information. • The fight against HIV/AIDS and action on gender issues and children’s rights have also been initiated through collaborative measures taken both by the UNOCI and the specialised agencies.
The success of the programme supported by the UNOCI and the United Nations System agencies aimed at supporting democracy and participatory governance On 25 October 2015, polling stations opened and a presidential election took place in Côte d’Ivoire. 3,780,085 people were able to freely cast their vote – a figure which represents 52.86% of the 6,300,142 registered voters. This process received a remarkable level of support from the UNOCI, the UNDP and a number of UN System specialised agencies. In order to ensure that the election took place in a suitable institutional environment, a new CEI (Independent Electoral Commission) had been set up as provided for by law number 14-335 of 18 June 2014, and a new electoral code had been approved (law number 2015-216 of 2 April 2015). Responding to the government’s invitation, the United Nations and development stakeholders involved in this programme supported the CEI to ensure that the 2015 election was transparent, credible and inclusive. The aim of the programme of support to consolidate democracy and participatory governance was to help build the capacity of the main actors of the electoral process in order to enable them to efficiently organise an election that was transparent, inclusive and credible, thus ensuring the result would be recognised and that the outcome of this 158
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vote aimed at promoting peace would have national and international legitimacy. Drawing on funds principally obtained from Japan and the WAEMU (West African Economic Monetary Union), the programme tackled the following issues: • the prevention of conflict and of election-related violence; • encouraging greater involvement of women and young people in politics and in the electoral process; • building the capacity of the actors of the electoral process, and in particular of the CEI and the bodies responsible for law and order, to ensure that the electoral process would be peaceful; • acquiring equipment and materials necessary to hold an election. One of the main priorities of the programme was to build the capacity of the CEI at a national and local level and to renew electoral materials that were damaged and/or looted during the post-electoral crisis and the votes that immediately followed the crisis. A particular emphasis was placed on activities aimed at promoting gender equality in the electoral process, with one of the main aims being to ensure better representation of women. The participation of citizens, and more specifically of younger citizens, was encouraged and taken into consideration when developing communication strategies targeted at young people that addressed their expectations and concerns.The UNDP and the United Nations Electoral Assistance Division ensured the expertise necessary to coordinate this project was available.The electoral experts worked closely with the CEI, the UNOCI, various UN agencies and other bodies involved in supporting the electoral process. Collaborating closely with national institutions and the apparatus of the State (CEI, the Ministry of Solidarity, Family, Women and Children), the UNOCI, the UNPD and the other UN System agencies worked together to define a programme aimed at capacity building, awareness-raising and training, risk prevention, and supporting efforts made to ensure the election was peaceful. On the basis of the information contained in the final electoral register of 2015, a plan to deploy material in 19,706 polling stations was successfully drawn up. The 1st deployment phase supported by the UNOCI, from the centre to the administrative hubs of departments and 159
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sub-prefectures, took place from 16 October for the more remote areas up to 24 October in Abidjan.The 2nd deployment phase, supported by the UNDP, which reached the voting locations and polling stations, took place between 23 and 26 October using 2,255 4x4 vehicles, 600 motorbikes and 19 motorboats. Awareness raising and advocacy initiatives helped to create an electoral climate that was inclusive, safe and peaceful.The activities involved, for instance, holding training workshops with community leaders, traditional chiefs and the administrative authorities. These interventions received vital support from the CEI, the UNOCI, the UNDP, UN Women and UNESCO when it came to raising awareness amongst the population as a whole, women, young people, the media, political actors and the administration. A monitoring system was put in place on 7 and 8 October 2015 as a result of an initiative taken by Ivorian Civil Society, with the support of the United Nations and specialised input from the Gorée Institute. The aim was to bring together women and children to encourage them to take part actively, peacefully and democratically in the electoral process but also to involve them in ensuring the vote went as planned. The main actors who supported this early alert and rapid response system are the Network on Peace and Security for Women in the ECOWAS Region (NOPSWECO), the AJFI (Association des femmes juristes de Côte d’Ivoire, the Association of women legal practitioners of Côte d’Ivoire), the RIJLI (Réseau ivoirien des jeunes leaders pour l’intégrité, the Ivorian network of young leaders for honesty) and the AESA-CI (Association des étudiants en sociologie et en anthropologie de Côte d’Ivoire, the Association of Sociology and Anthropology students of Côte d’Ivoire). 116 CCEs (comités consultatifs d’éthique: Consultative Ethics Committees) were established and supported in the context of the wider process of helping to develop an ongoing dialogue on social and security issues. Each CCE, made up of 20 to 25 members, offered a space for discussion and information sharing between police officers and representatives of civil society and of communities. Joint workshops bringing the police and the population together and a range of public forums held in each of the 116 sites, with attendance ranging from 100 to 400 per event, offered an additional opportunity to 160
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enhance the representation and participation of the public in discussions around social and security issues. Training on holding peaceful elections was offered to the police force – including superintendents, officers and junior officers – in the 116 public security stations established in 11 districts and 12 police prefectures. The so-called “good offices” efforts of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the UN (SRSG) have made it possible to bring about a climate that is peaceful, that fosters dialogue and that encourages debates that are open and inclusive.They have also supported efforts to prevent the risk of conflict and to protect civilians, to raise awareness amongst young people, political movements and parties as well as religious leaders in a context where security and peace were promoted. The government made a remarkable contribution to this agenda and appropriate recourse was made to the expertise of law enforcement bodies.
Conclusion The UNOCI and the United Nations System agencies are working to consolidate the efforts made jointly and successfully in Côte d’Ivoire.This remarkable experience is a model of good practice when it comes to cooperation between a peacekeeping operation and the specialised agencies of the United Nations System. The results obtained between 2012 and 2015 have led to the mechanisms for coordination between the UNOCI and the UN System agencies being reinforced. The Standard Operating Procedures 2 of the “Delivering as One” initiative that were produced by the United Nations Development Group (UNDG) address the issue of implementing reform of the United Nations system in the context of an integrated peacekeeping operation, which is extremely welcome. The “Delivering as One” initiative recommends maximum coordination with a degree of integration to be agreed at country level between the mission and the UN System agencies. This has been done and was facilitated by a joint annual work plan (mission-agencies) and a sharing of responsibilities promoted by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General with responsibility for implementation being notably taken on by her deputies, including the Resident Coordinator for operational activities of the United Nations System. 161
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Other important factors were the consideration of opportunities arising from funds for the consolidation of peace (common mobilisation funds), and the elaboration of a strategy for harmonisation of operational services, which affects both the agencies and the mission. The establishment of a common communications strategy, involving all UN bodies, including the country’s peacekeeping operation, also made a key contribution.
NOTES 1. The Standard Operating Procedures of the mission differ from the SOPs of the “Delivering as One” initiative. However, efforts have been made to promote convergence with a view to ensuring a coherent running of the field offices of the United Nations in Côte d’Ivoire. Development partners have also used certain of its directives and recommendations as models, particularly when it comes to allowances, travel and living expenses, and pay scales for national staff, consultants etc. 2. The SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) were agreed by the UNDG in August 2013 with a view to the implementation of the “Delivering as One” initiative. They are guidelines produced at global level whose function is to steer the operationalisation of the initiative in the countries that are implementing the reforms.
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The Peacebuilding Priority Plan in Côte d’Ivoire and the “Delivering as One” Initiative of the United Nations System Marie Goreth Nizigama Strategic Planning Advisor and Head of the Coordination Unit of the United Nations System
Famoussa Coulibaly Deputy Chief of Staff at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Côte d’Ivoire
Introduction Côte d’Ivoire is emerging from a decade of crises which caused a great deal of instability and had a lasting impact on the State as well as from a social and economic point of view.The post-electoral crisis, following the second round of the presidential election, led to the death of over 3,000 people in 2010-2011; public assets and infrastructure were destroyed and the ability of the administration, law enforcement bodies and the justice system to function effectively was seriously undermined. This series of crises had a profound effect on community relations and caused a great deal of trauma amongst the population. Of all the areas affected by the conflict, the west of the country was the worst hit. Since the end of the crisis, significant steps have been taken by the Ivorian government, in particular through the PPU (programme présidentiel d’urgence: the emergency presidential plan) and the 2012-2015 PND (plan national de développement: the national development plan) 163
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which highlights the fact that “social cohesion, national reconciliation and the normalisation of political life are essential to the consolidation of a climate of peace that is sustainable and conducive to economic development”. With a view to supporting the emergency presidential plan and the national development plan, the Ivorian government, with the help of the United Nations System, has drawn up a Peacebuilding Priority Plan. It has two key aims: to bring back basic services for local people who have returned or been repatriated, and to promote national reconciliation. Costs are covered by the Peacebuilding Fund. The plan is built around several strategic priorities: • restoring the authority of the State and community security • supporting national reconciliation, social cohesion and measures to reduce the risk of conflict • helping to identify vulnerable populations
A number of components of the plan have been financed by the United Nations Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO) through the “Immediate Response Facility” (IRF) and “Peacebuilding and Recovery Facility” (PRF) pots.The total amount invested is 11.15 million dollars. The projects which have been funded are structured around four DPs (domaines prioritaires: priority areas) which are focused on helping to restore the authority of the State and community security, supporting 164
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national reconciliation, social cohesion and measures to reduce the risk of conflict, helping to identify vulnerable populations and finally the coordination of all initiatives (technical secretariat of the joint Priority Plan steering group). Reflections on the work carried out by the United Nations System in western Côte d’Ivoire, stimulated by the results of the final evaluation of the Priority Plan carried out in June 2014, have highlighted a number of key factors that contributed to the success of the joint actions that were undertaken by the UN System. Enhancements to safety, reforms in the field of security and the territorial reorganisation of security functions (police and gendarmerie) were carried out simultaneously and benefited from the combined efforts of the UN System agencies and of the existing UN peacekeeping operation (namely UNOCI). They were also boosted by civil efforts made by a consortium working on different themes: physical reconstruction (UNPOL/UNDP) and building the behavioural and ethical capacity of the uniformed services (OHCHR with the support of UNICEF, UNFPA and UN Women).
Complementary interventions outlined in one government document, namely the Peacebuilding Priority Plan, have been implemented through a common programme which makes it possible to both identify and prioritise the most pressing needs, limit lead-in times when it comes to 165
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responding, oversee the redeployment of the legitimate law and order enforcement bodies and finally to ensure that their behaviour enables them to regain the trust of populations that were simply “abandoned” for many years. The work and the mandates of several UN System agencies have made it possible to “criss-cross” economic reinsertion spaces in order to offer support to a range of economic entities in the form of inputs and basic equipment that can help restart agricultural activity, forestry or small-scale livestock farming and thus heal the social fracture. It is also the case that the United Nations agencies, whose mandates are based on an approach founded on rights, naturally found common ground when it comes to working to restore these in a post-crisis context. In Côte d’Ivoire, UNICEF’s argument that children (and by extension all adults without identity documents) are entitled to have a national identity chimes with the work the UNHRC does on the administrative and civil reintegration of populations that have returned or have been repatriated. The establishment of common goals when it comes to legal issues and assistance to populations whose destinies overlap – and are undoubtedly complementary – shows it is possible to work together and develop common discourses in a post-conflict period where recovery is gaining pace. The joint work carried out by the peacekeeping mission, namely the UNOCI, and the United Nations Human Rights Council alongside the UNDP shows how efforts to promote truth telling (e.g. the public sessions of the CDVR – commission Dialogue, Vérité et Réconciliation: the Dialogue,Truth and Reconciliation commission) can also be carried out in parallel with a fight against impunity or prosecutions for human rights violations. Another major dimension of this methodical and inclusive approach is that the UN System has sought to develop spaces where different agencies can share ideas and discuss implementation in a postconflict context with civil society organisations playing an important role alongside them.The latter play a strategic role in the reestablishment of social, economic and civil relationships between national and international public administrations and the international organisations whose role it is to support them. In practice, the United Nations agencies in Côte d’Ivoire have, alongside the UNOCI, embarked upon an exemplary process of cooperation 166
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and delivered the Peacebuilding Priority Plan, which the Ivorian government, and in particular the Minister of State with responsibility for Planning and Development, is wholly responsible for. It has yielded significant results which have been universally welcomed.
The main characteristics of the Peacebuilding Priority Plan in Côte d’Ivoire Approved in October 2011, the Peacebuilding Priority plan for Côte d’Ivoire has several dimensions, mostly financed by the Peace Building Support Office (PBSO) through the “Immediate Response Facility” (IRF) and “Peacebuilding and Recovery Facility” (PRF) pots up to a total of 11.15 million dollars.The projects which have been financed cover four DPs (domaines prioritaires: priority areas) which are: Priority area 1: supporting the restoration of the authority of the State and community security • The “PBF/CIV/B-2” project, Support for the restoration of public order and the authority of the State, principally aims: a) to enable law enforcement bodies to carry out their duties when it comes to prevention and maintaining law and order ; b) to ensure that the prefectoral administration is functioning adequately and fulfils its role of representing the central State and controlling and coordinating public action; c) to rekindle the population’s trust in the State apparatus. • The “PBF/CIV/IRF-44” project, Support for the reestablishment of security, State authority and social cohesion in Côte d’Ivoire, aims to: a) support the rehabilitation of administrative infrastructure; b) promote peaceful coexistence and the non-violent resolution of conflicts; c) create opportunities for economic recovery and bring about immediate peace dividends in order to build up universal trust in the process of national reconciliation. • The “PBF/CIV/IRF-60” project, Support for the development of a national strategy for RSS (réforme du secteur de la sécurité: reform of the security sector) in Côte d’Ivoire, seeks to: a) support the implementation of the peace accord and political dialogue as well as the strengthening of national institutions; b) build the government’s capacity to develop and implement an effective policy on RSS in order to accelerate the peacebuilding process in Côte d’Ivoire through an approach based on South-South cooperation.
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Priority area 2: supporting national reconciliation, social cohesion and the reduction of the risk of conflicts • The “PBF/CIV-A-I” project, Support for activities associated with the launch of the CDVR (commission Dialogue,Vérité et Reconciliation: Dialogue,Truth and Reconciliation Commission), sets out to facilitate national reconciliation and social cohesion in addition to reducing the risks of conflicts by: a) raising the awareness of the State authorities and of the population when it comes to the challenges of a process of transitional justice; b) establishing local commissions; c) ensuring that victims and/or witnesses can benefit from CDVR protection schemes; d) developing a coherent and widely supported CDVR action plan. • The “PBF/CIV/A-2” project is focused on carrying out a study of the dynamics and capacities to manage conflicts in western Côte d’Ivoire, using a participatory research approach. The aim is to promote harmonious coexistence and the peaceful resolution of conflicts by helping to understand risks, factors and mechanisms which lead to crises in western Côte d’Ivoire. Priority area 3: support to identify vulnerable populations The “PBF/CIV/C-1” project, Support to civil registration – Promoting the timely registration of births and of unregistered people, by: a) building the capacity of government offices to deliver a quality service in accordance with regulations; b) promoting the establishment of new mechanisms to record births; c) supporting the registration of 105,000 children who were not registered in accordance with legal deadlines as well as that of refugees and internally displaced persons. Priority area 4: supporting the coordination of initiatives The “PBF/CIV/E-I” project, RCSTCPC (renforcement des capacités du secretariat technique du comité de pilotage conjoint du plan prioritaire: building the capacity of the Technical Secretariat of the Joint Priority Plan Steering Group), seeks to build the capacity of the technical secretariat in order to offer effective support to the CPCPP (comité de pilotage conjoint du plan prioritaire: Joint Steering Group of the Priority Plan) when it comes to implementing, following up and evaluating projects financed in the context of the Peacebuilding Priority Plan in Côte d’Ivoire.
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The results of peacebuilding activities in the priority areas and synergies in the United Nations System interventions. The strategic priorities and the thinking behind interagency interventions In the global context of support offered to the Ivorian government following the post-electoral crisis of 2011, the initial funding received by the United Nations System in Côte d’Ivoire was of three million dollars, a sum which was used to develop the project “Support for the reestablishment of security, State authority and social cohesion”.The aims of the project were to: a) build the capacity of institutions responsible for security and of the prefectoral administration which were badly affected in the aftermath of the crisis; b) contribute to strengthening the process of reconciliation and building social cohesion, at both national and local levels; c) enable a sustainable reintegration of people who were internally displaced or who have been repatriated and support host communities in order to boost social cohesion and the peace process. As a wide range of interventions was under consideration, it was necessary to involve numerous UN System agencies in the delivery of the diverse objectives, although the UNOCI remained at the front line to ensure work could be done safely and to offer support when it came to delivery. Leaving aside its role in maintaining security, the most significant input of the UNOCI was in the UNPOL and Civil Affairs sections.These two sections deal respectively with work alongside the police and local government bodies as well as with civil society 169
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organisations.The UNOCI’s human rights section also played a key role not least as it was representing the interests of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and was located within the mission itself.The other agencies involved in the joint delivery process were the UNDP, UNICEF, the FAO, the UNFPA, the UNHCR and UN Women. UNESCO, which wanted to support interventions to promote national reconciliation but was not directly involved in the first phase of the priority plan, worked in partnership with the Ivorian Government to give formal recognition to the Dozos. The latter are traditional hunters who played an important part in ensuring the safety of populations and of certain “stateless” areas, particularly in zones in the west of the country which were of crucial importance in the context of the Priority Plan.1 In each priority area, two agencies or sections of the UNOCI were nominated with a view to coordinating working groups bringing together all of the UN System actors and relevant key partners. At a national level, a joint steering group of the Fonds de consolidation de la paix en Côte d’Ivoire (the Fund for the Consolidation of Peace in Côte d’Ivoire) was jointly presided over by the Minister of State with responsibility for Planning and Development and the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations and Resident Coordinator for Operational Activities of the United Nations System. It was the lead organisation for overall coordination of the Priority Plan and as such, was responsible for approving the content of the Priority Plan, strategic direction and project implementation. From the outset, the Priority Plan stipulated that “in order to reinforce the coherence of UN System interventions, the Fund for the consolidation of peace in Côte d’Ivoire would prioritise giving financial support to joint programmes bringing together two or three agencies” and that the implementation of the plan would take place in the context of a “fully integrated approach between the UNOCI and UN System agencies when it comes to the planning and delivery of projects”.2 The coordination of operations between the Government and the United Nations System took place at two different levels. At the first level, a project steering group, made up of representatives of the Ministries for Planning and Development and of Home Affairs and Security as well as of representatives of each agency taking part, was responsible for overall operational coordination and for managing the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF). At a strategic level, a joint Priority Plan steering group (jointly presided over by the Minister of State with responsibility 170
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for Planning and Development and the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations System) oversees and guides the joint planning process. Alongside these two entities responsible for oversight and for modifications to suggested priorities and activities were the DGAT (direction générale de l’administration du territoire: General Directorate for Territorial Administration), in charge of reestablishing security and the CDVR (commission Dialogue, Vérité et Réconciliation: Dialogue, Truth and Reconciliation commission) which was given an important role to play when it comes to promoting social cohesion and national reconciliation. Coordination and cooperation between all of these parties was therefore essential to ensure that aims and delivery plans were respected and to foster the synergies necessary to ensure that the project met all its targets.The nature of these links and the coordination efforts were not exclusive as they also involved a close collaboration with a number of other organisations and grassroots groups, be they NGOs connected to the community rehabilitation agenda, or representatives of religious organisations and traditional authorities involved in territorial entities and in efforts to mobilise the population. Support for the restoration of security, law and order and of the State’s authority The first aim of the Peacebuilding Priority Plan in Côte d’Ivoire in the “post electoral crisis” context has been to reestablish the power and authority of the devolved bodies of the State, be they responsible for administration (prefectoral bodies) or security.The PBF made it possible to provide immediate assistance to the recovery process and reestablish the rule of the prefectoral and sub-prefectoral officials in a large number of regions. Damaged prefecture building were repaired, the working conditions of officials in prefectures were restored or even improved, security committees were reestablished, efforts were made to build the functional capacities of prefectoral services and to help civil servants return to work etc. All of this was necessary to reestablish the organic link between populations who had returned home and the sovereign administrative authorities who have been rehabilitated with the help of the UN System agencies in the Guiglo, Man, Toulepleu regions and in other areas people have returned to. In all, thirty-four administrative infrastructures and 24 security infrastructures have been restored and provided with equipment: prefectures, sub-prefectures, and buildings for law enforcement agencies. In addition to this, over 170 prefectoral authorities and 53 traditional chiefs were 171
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trained in the use of tools and techniques for the participatory management of conflict and approximately 1,168 security agents have been given human rights training (rights of children, ethics, human rights and gender, etc.). It is this dimension of the Priority Plan which gave rise to the greatest number of interactions between the different components of the UN System at the beginning of the recovery process: • joint evaluation and planning work between the UNOCI and UNPOL facilitated the establishment of a procurement process that made it possible to rethink the professional and administrative roles of the uniformed services. Left with nothing after the electoral crisis, they were able to return to their workplaces and have access to basic equipment which made it possible for them to regain control of law and order and protect the population: “When we came back in 2011, just after the post-electoral crisis, my colleagues and myself would just be sitting on benches in offices that had been looted: that is how we would work and how we held meetings. When we had to produce documents, we’d go to a cybercafé in town, which wasn’t very convenient when you work for a prefectoral administration. But now, thanks to the support of the UNDP and the UNOCI, my office has been renovated and equipped.”3 As a result, “on numerous occasions, the authorities and trained chiefs were able to put the rehabilitated infrastructure to use in order to deal with burgeoning conflicts and mediate” 4; • interactions between the UNOCI, the UNDP and the DGAT (direction génerale d’administration du territoire: General Directorate for Territorial Administration) to hold and run seminars on the participatory management of conflicts for the benefit of traditional chiefs and of the prefectoral authorities.These sessions seem to have played a major role in the reintegration of public authorities in the management of conflicts in communities and in asserting the role of civil servants as arbiters of civil disputes. As the authors of an independent evaluation reported following a field visit in 2014: “To give an example, the sub-prefect of the Blolequin department confirmed that it was important to be able to have input on a daily basis into the management of local conflicts, 95% of which are linked to issues concerning real estate (ownership, succession, registration, land boundaries in rural areas). In 2013, no fewer than 1,200 cases of this type were brought to the attention of this official, after families and village chiefs failed to find an amicable solution at a local level”5; 172
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• complementary interactions between the UNOCI (Civil Affairs), the UNDP, UNICEF (children’s rights), UN Women (taking gender into account when seeking to establish a climate of peace and security) and the UNFPA (gender-based violence or GBV), working in partnership with the AFJCI (Association des femmes juristes de Côte d’Ivoire: the Association of women legal practitioners of Côte d’Ivoire), made it possible to organise training sessions on dealing with GBV, in the areas at the heart of the political troubles, Duékoué and Guiglo. These sessions provided training for trainers (police officers, gendarmes and members of the republican forces) focused on ethical practices as well as legal procedures related to GBV – including rape. The evaluation of the Priority Plan noted that “in most of the structures we visited, the police forces – who had been encouraged to do so by the central authorities – sought to promote ‘trained trainers’”. It also underscored the fact that senior police officials – both at a local and national level – appeared strongly committed to implementing these new ethical approaches. It is also noteworthy that actions undertaken by the AFJCI in the west of the country were linked to the development of legal clinics aimed at making up for the deficiencies of the legal system in the area affected by the crisis. More than 50% of those attending the clinics in Guiglo and Man 6 were women. They were either looking for individual legal advice or for assistance in accessing the legal system: “Another noteworthy point is that the legal clinics were strategically located next to social services delivery structures, which made it possible to direct clients, where appropriate, towards local social services, or if necessary to refer the victims of violence to protection programmes (GBV and child protection)”. In the case of children’s rights, UNICEF is also involved, through the work of its regional representative responsible for support to the devolved services of the State in the west of the country. The capacity for national reconciliation, social cohesion and the reintegration of vulnerable groups in order to promote an inclusive culture and the peaceful resolution of conflicts The strategic priority on the building of capacity for national reconciliation and social cohesion resulted in the implementation, in the context of the Priority Plan, of several strategic initiatives which are directly connected to issues of inter-community reconciliation (Dialogue, Truth and Reconciliation Commission - CDVR) and to the strengthening of local capacity in terms of dealing with local conflicts. In order to formulate policies that are appropriate and reflect social realities, it is 173
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essential to have a detailed understanding of the complex local dynamics and motivations which affected social cohesion and the ability of people to live peacefully side by side.The complementary interventions of the different components of the UNOCI and the UN System specialised agencies made it possible to exploit synergies in a coherent way with a view to obtaining the desired outcomes. a) The priority aimed at “bringing out” the truth The human rights division of the UNOCI and the UNPD were the lead bodies, not only in terms of funding and implementation, but also when it came to policy formulation and technical support with a view to launching the activities of the CDVR (Dialogue,Truth and Reconciliation Commission). In the context of the process of political, social and community reconciliation embarked upon in Côte d’Ivoire from 2011, the CDVR played a crucial role in “bringing out” the voice of ordinary people, in organising sessions and public debates, and in encouraging forgiveness without ruling out recourse to the more traditional means that the State has at its disposal to defend truth and justice. National consultations held by the CDVR took place in a sensitive environment where those who were on opposing sides of the conflict were learning to live alongside each other as neighbours.The planning and delivery of the Commission’s strategy for national consultations was done with the support of experts in traditional justice from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).The mobilisation and advocacy activity brought about by UN partners also benefited from exemplary collaborative synergies from other partners associated with the transitional justice process such as USAID/OTI, the International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ), Search for Common Ground (SFCG) and Interpeace. The Priority Plan steering group was the first to note that there were a number of serious problems within the CDVR: “conflicts related to leadership between the CDVR and relevant government departments; multiplication and lack of coordination of initiatives and mechanisms relevant to notions of transitional justice; lack of a law on the identification and protection of victims and witnesses”. 7 However, it was clear at a local level that the key lessons resided elsewhere….“We were approached by 1,000 people during the course of the week of hearings we held - and we were only able in practice to hold meetings with and listen to 250 of them; we had to convince those who could not be seen to return at a later date” 8 reported Father Ahouré, who is based in Duékoué, at the epicentre of the crisis - evidence of the strong interest in this truthseeking process. 174
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As a result, the two entities decided, with the support of relevant stakeholders from civil society, to argue for the renewal of the mandate of the CDVR in 2014 in order to bring to a conclusion the series of public hearings which enabled Ivorians to better understand what really happened in the course of their recent history. b) Action aimed at understanding the underlying causes of conflicts A number of joint United Nations (UNDP/Interpeace and UNFPA) initiatives have focused on research into the underlying causes of conflict in order to draw lessons that can be used to develop a joint programme based on an enhanced understanding of relevant dynamics and how they might be shaped.The UNFPA conducted a socio-anthropological study on the “roots of community conflicts and the development of participatory dialogue” in five Departments and concluded that there were “a number of factors which inevitably undermine efforts to establish participatory dialogue and thus the prevention and peaceful management of conflicts (…), amongst others, insecurity, rumours, poor governance, the impar tiality of community leaders and political interventions”.9 Another study was just as important, as much for its approach using participatory research as for the significance of its results. It was conducted by Interpeace (with the financial support of the UNDP) and its remit was “Conflict Dynamics and Conflict Management Capacities in Western Côte d’Ivoire:The case of the Cavally and Guémon regions”.10 By drawing on participatory action research, the study was able to show that “real estate, often mentioned as the main cause of violence in the west of the country, was not for participants the sole cause of the violence” and that it was also necessary to take into consideration “ethnicity and its political instrumentalisation, the weakness of the State, the triggering of the 2002 crisis and the post-electoral crisis of 2011.” 11 These two studies did not make up for the fact that the work of the different agencies did not from the outset seek to prioritise the development of a methodological approach aiming to conduct qualitative analysis of the perceptions of the populations affected by the conflict as well as focusing on the views of people who benefited from the UN System’s peacebuilding initiatives. However, they do bring to the fore, for those involved in front-line delivery, an outline of the underlying causes of the conflict which can inform future interventions in the fields of reconciliation and inter-community dialogue.
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c) Interventions aimed at strengthening monitoring systems Learning about the causes of a conflict can help better prepare those who will be responsible for monitoring peace.The UNOCI – Civil Affairs – and the UNPD have supported the CSVs (comités de sensibilisation et de veille: monitoring and awareness raising committees) which are bodies embedded in their immediate environment and focused on awareness raising, prevention and early detection. The CSVs were not the only instruments used to monitor and manage inter-community clashes in a “post-crisis” climate where committees on “peace” or other topics proliferated. Their salient characteristics are that they offer a uniform standard in a space patrolled and supported by the UNOCI and that they instigated a highly relevant dialogue and exchange between security and civil affairs stakeholders. Thus, the CSVs gave the authorities and communities renewed confidence in their ability to find new ways of managing local and inter-community conflicts in an environment that was rendered “safe” as a result of the deployment of the United Nations mission. d) Support for economic regeneration The work of the CSVs complemented the economic stimulus initiatives undertaken on behalf of the same communities by several UN System agencies. Four agencies, the UNFPA, UN Women, the UNDP and the FAO defined a common approach and emphasised from the outset the need to prioritise the economic rebirth of the west of the country.They concentrated their complementary interventions on support for the agricultural and economic activities of women’s economic groups or vulnerable economic groups in the west of the country, each of them contributing their expertise and experience whilst ensuring that their interventions were complementary and providing support to suitable local bodies and community organisations. In partnership with a range of local actors involved in the post-crisis regeneration effort and working in the worst affected areas (Guiglo, Duékoué, Toulepleu and Danané), the UNFPA handed out agricultural and commercial packs to women and young people in order to encourage the establishment of microprojects that can be classed as Revenue Generating Activities (RGAs).The UNDP has signed a partnership with the Danish Refugee Committee (DRC) to support a socioeconomic stimulus targeted at vulnerable groups in a dozen local authority areas in the Cavally region. UN Women has worked with representative groups of women identified by a local NGO, with the 176
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support of a national agency responsible for rural development, the ANADER (Agence Nationale d'Appui au Développement Rural: National Agency for Rural Development), to ensure the availability of seed, inputs, tools, agricultural equipment and small stock, whilst at the same time acquiring farmland.The FAO formulated an intervention project aimed at groups and households in order to stimulate agricultural activities that were badly affected in the course of the post-electoral crisis. These initiatives were put in place at the very beginning of the priority plan and were welcome as they took place in a context where local agencies had few resources to draw on and where international NGOs had little impact.The geographical “meshing” of the interventions led by the UN System agencies in 2011-2012 thus offered a prompt and complementary response which can be used as an example of good practice in similar post-conflict situations in rural areas. This approach based on fostering closer inter-community links and social cohesion has been exemplary because it has made it possible to bring together communities with different allegiances to work on economic activities and be productive, thus contributing to inter-community dialogue and bridging the social divide.
Civil registration in Côte d’Ivoire and the fight against the consequences of the deficit in registered births and statelessness With the input of UNICEF, the UNHRC and the UNFPA, joined-up, integrated and quality support was provided by the United Nations System to promote civil registration and citizenship rights, to fight against statelessness and to facilitate reintegration into the school system. The fight against the consequences of the deficit in registered births is without a doubt one of the major initiatives launched by the UN System to deal with the medium and long-term consequences of the fact that there are hundreds of thousands of children and adults who do not appear on official registers. Ignoring this sensitive issue would have resulted in a potentially explosive situation when these “war children”, of whom there are an estimated 750,000, reach adulthood. In total, it is estimated that there are “more than 3,500,000 children aged under seventeen who have no legal status in Côte d’Ivoire and there are major disparities between the North and the South.”12 The lack of identity documents was a direct obstacle to the lasting reintegration of internally 177
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displaced people and Ivorian former refugees. Population movements that followed the crisis only made things worse, particularly in the west of the country.The inability of these populations to be fully recognised before the law can contribute to strengthening people’s sense of exclusion and marginalisation and lead to the development of “fertile ground for identity-based conflicts”. A major challenge to peacebuilding in Côte d’Ivoire, the “large-scale exclusion of ‘tomorrow’s adults’ could potentially have presented a serious threat to peace and therefore to the political stability of the country”.13 Thus the joint and joined-up work done by UNICEF, the UNHCR and the UNFPA is significant – and symbolic – because of the value and reach of the messages transmitted to all the targeted groups (children, parents, local administration, traditional chiefdoms, populations in rural areas, those who have been repatriated, people who have returned etc.) and because of the scale of the multidirectional effort that was deployed. The challenges overcome in the context of the implementation of a national policy on civil registration are considerable: lack of single administrative documents that provide evidence of identity and nationality, registers that cannot be located, registers that have not been signed, lack of training of officials responsible for civil registration, lack of IT equipment, the fact that births and deaths are not declared within legal timescales, poor storage and insufficient archiving of registers, lack of printed registers, difficulties when it comes to cooperation between sub-prefects and the justice system to manage civil registration.14 In this context, the work accomplished by the different partners in terms of building capacity to ensure an efficient and sustainable management of civil registration benefited from the coming together of the agendas of a range of specialised national partners who collaborated with the agencies of the United Nations System. The multi-layered interventions of the different actors of the UN System with respect to managing this social crisis made it possible to present an argument to the State authorities, to structure the response of the relevant ministry so that it could support civil registration centres at local authority and department level, to deliver large scale interventions aimed at registering children who had no legal status and to establish a rogatory process for the registration of births. In the context of its mandate to provide assistance to people who have been repatriated or who have returned, the UNHCR has for its part 178
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provided information about the process to those who have been repatriated to ensure refugees are not penalised and are able to obtain identity documents that facilitate their civic and social reintegration. In the face of resistance based on customs and social norms, community mobilisation, supported by the UN System, also made it possible for local civil society actors to become involved as committed citizens and raise the awareness of parents, young people (whether they are in the school system or not), and traditional authorities. Driven forward by UNICEF, large-scale “catch-up” campaigns to register unregistered children, particularly in the west of the country, organised in partnership with the Ministry of National Education, enabled tens of thousands of children to go to school or to sit primary school leaving exams in order to continue their education. Efficient cooperation with the legal surgeries supported by the UNDP and the UNOCI made it possible to offer several thousand advice sessions on recording births to families who had returned or had been displaced. The computerisation of the civil registration system and the setting up of a centralised civil registration archive, in order to remedy the central State’s “memory loss” and ensure that data pertaining to civil registration is securely stored, is currently being undertaken in the context of phase 2 of the PBF, which started in 2015.
Lessons learned on models of interagency cooperation when managing a priority peacebuilding plan The reflections that follow seek to build on a number of practices that UNOCI and United Nations System actors were seen to deploy when working together, in order to identify strengths, synergies and good practice models for joint interventions in post-conflict contexts when attempting to emerge from a crisis and promote regeneration. Reestablishing law and order, reform of the security sector and the territorial reorganisation of security functions The commitment to territorial management of security, guaranteed by the Security Council and the international community, delivered by the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI), is obviously a key 179
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factor when it comes to ensuring communities have the confidence to return home, ensuring the police and gendarmerie are able to regain control of the “monopoly” of public violence in a space given over to local militias and making it possible for actors who will contribute to socio-economic regeneration to operate in territories they were “excluded” from following the post-electoral crisis. The mandate given to the peacekeeping mission made it possible for those providing humanitarian assistance and to actors involved in kickstarting development action to complement efforts to pacify or control the local population’s living areas and exchange zones (roads, crossroads, borders). In support of this mandate, work to rebuild the infrastructure and facilities of the legal forces, undertaken jointly by the UNOCI, UNPOL and the UNDP, has essentially demonstrated the value of integrated and coordinated interventions working jointly towards regaining the sovereignty of the State when it comes to territorial security and responsibility for human mobility.This action complemented the efforts of the peace mission, and those of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and of the UN System agencies, aimed at reinforcing technical knowledge, ethics and behaviour in the face of GBV and when it comes to protecting the most vulnerable populations and groups. In an ideal world, the key actors in the UN System would also – admittedly it can be difficult to reconcile timelines – work to support interventions aimed at supporting the justice and penal systems. At a time of “emergency”, legal surgeries set up in western Côte d’Ivoire – which constitute another excellent model of cooperation between agencies and between technical and financial partners (European Union and Japan) – made it possible to respond, in the short term, to the population’s needs when it comes to legalisation, registration, mediation and advice, at a time when there is an institutional legal void which will most likely only be filled over a period of years.15 Improving the population’s economic conditions, an essential component of the return of social cohesion, and the action of the United Nations agencies in Côte d’Ivoire What is more difficult to demonstrate is that the actions undertaken by different actors promoting development for the benefit of local populations helped in organising the response to the return of displaced populations and people who had been repatriated. In western Côte d’Ivoire, distinctive interventions from the FAO, the UNDP, UN Women 180
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and the UNFPA were all concerned with ensuring the gradual socioeconomic reintegration of groups of producers, of women or of villagers organised around land, low-lying ground, and forests that are essential to their economic survival. The distinctive nature of the model that emerged in western Côte d’Ivoire resides less, in actual fact, in the range of UN System actors involved than in their responsiveness and their ability to support local actors who were always present on the ground and able to get through to the population. The apparent complementarity of the aims of the different United Nations Agencies translated into a practical response heavily reliant on offering inputs and agricultural equipment to the most vulnerable groups. Evaluations that were carried out highlighted the fact that rebuilding territorial structures supporting economic activity was the best way of fostering social cohesion. For example, in Duékoué, it is when the structure of the traditional market was renovated that Yacouba and Guéré traders finally agreed to reintegrate a space where commercial exchanges took place and which was central to kick-starting social and community dialogue at the heart of the town and in the surrounding areas. The United Nations agencies whose mandate is to promote human rights-based approaches seek to work together to defend rights to citizenship, the rights of women and children and the fight against statelessness. Developing an approach with human rights at its heart was and remains a central principle and priority of the joint United Nations System programme. UNICEF, UN Women, the UNFPA and the High Commissioner for Refugees are essentially agencies whose mandate consists in promoting and protecting the rights of those they are set up to serve, namely women and children on one hand, refugees and people who have been displaced, repatriated or who have returned on the other. In this respect, Côte d’Ivoire is like a community of interest seeking to reclaim a common fundamental right, namely the right to a shared citizenship, which entails the right to education, healthcare, political freedoms etc. Thus, inter-agency cooperation can take several forms which focus on a) advocacy and awareness raising which are targeted at the central State but also at local authorities and relevant families; b) organising a civil and administrative response to the restoration of civil registration services; c) registering students at all administrative and school levels; d) support for the reorganisation of the State’s sovereign administrative function when it comes to civil registration. 181
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The fact that it is possible to formulate shared legal objectives for a range of populations and to offer support to all of them shows what can be achieved through joint action and by speaking with one voice in a post-conflict period. The capacity to pool expertise around shared priorities and joint actions, at the invitation of national authorities and with the support of the targeted populations, gives added value to the exemplary actions of the United Nations agencies in this context. Memory work is key to helping individuals and communities move on and to the emergence of renewed social cohesion Memory work is at the heart of work that promotes reconciliation and seeks out truth and justice. It would be difficult to coordinate a coherent, ongoing and inclusive programme of support for a national policy on memory and reconciliation independently from a “Delivering as One” approach structured around a Security Council mandate with different priorities.The efforts made by the human rights division and the UNDP in Côte d’Ivoire have shown that it is difficult to leave to one side local dynamics and political contingencies when drawing up plans for dialogue, truth and reconciliation.These are hard to finalise as they need to factor in demands for justice, the absence of forgiveness in some cases, and the desire for reconciliation in spite of the acts that were committed. Nonetheless, support for the CDVR, in the Ivorian context, is also key to the continuation of the work done by civil organisations and local human rights groups to defend and promote human rights. The holding of public hearings to encourage the emergence of truth, the fight against impunity and proceedings against those responsible for human rights violations go hand in hand, in a spirit of determined engagement of the national authorities and of joint working between the UNOCI (and particularly the human rights division) and the UNDP. A two-step approach to the implementation of programmes and projects supported by the United Nations System The implementation of programmes and projects that are jointly agreed upon and deliberately inclusive, in areas affected by the conflict in Côte d’Ivoire, illustrates the impor tance of a two-step approach which makes it possible to formulate strategic priorities centrally and to then mobilise governments, local authorities and field units to refine responses according to local challenges, constraints and opportunities. 182
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The UNICEF-UNOCI (Civil Affairs and Information and Communication) collaboration with the UNHCR provides an illustration of practice based on a detailed understanding of local context and of the need for awareness raising and buy-in from local actors. Thus, the involvement of civil society organisations, as is the case in a number of peacebuilding processes, remains an essential component of the success of processes of transitional justice, inter-community reconciliation and promoting economic recovery at a community level.These organisations can act as levers – or catalysts – and, by adopting an integrated or coordinated approach, UN System agencies can give them a significant boost. The involvement of the private sector, par ticularly in local contexts, is also essential to give fresh impetus to the development of basic and community infrastructure and to provide decent and productive jobs for the benefit in particular of young people, women and vulnerable groups.
Conclusion The analysis of work carried out by UN System agencies and the UNOCI in the context of the implementation of the Peacebuilding Priority Plan (Phase 1) in Côte d’Ivoire, has shown that the delivery strategies present in the early planning stages (two agencies at least per priority area) were not purely a symbolic tick-box exercise, but rather an illustration of professional synergies which built on the mandates, capacities and resources of all the agencies involved. There are three pivotal mechanisms that are particularly difficult to negotiate when setting up a network supporting mutual interests and, in spite of this, Côte d’Ivoire offers an example of best practice in this area: • the first involves the particular nature of the relationship that must exist between a peacekeeping mission and the specialised agencies of the United Nations System. The peacekeeping mission has a mandate from the Security Council and it must be possible to develop the Priority Peacebuilding Plan which supports the country’s renewal whilst linking it strategically and operationally to the demands of the mission’s mandate and the specific mandates of UN System agencies; • the second instance of good practice is related to the joint effort undertaken to manage and negotiate milestones in the context of strategic planning and delivery as the peacebuilding mission and the agencies operate to different timescales. 183
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• the third is connected to the coordination efforts made with respect to the policies and projects which were integral to the work of the joint steering group, in order to identify the best political, financial and operational levers to support the delivery of the mandate (mission) and help meet the key aims of the Peacebuilding Plan. Irrespective of the obstacles that were encountered, it seems that the adoption of a “Delivering as One” approach has been fruitful in Côte d’Ivoire.
NOTES 1. In 2015, UNESCO worked to support the consolidation of a lasting peace and peaceful coexistence in the north, west and south-west of Côte d’Ivoire by taking measures to support the country’s intangible cultural heritage and recognition of the Dozos’ identity, under the aegis of the Ministries of the Interior and Security, of Education and of Culture. 2. Plan prioritaire, p. 24. 3. Rapport narratif sur le programme, Fonds pour la consolidation de la paix, période du 7 octobre 2011 au 31 décembre 2013, p. 16. 4. Ibidem, p. 5. 5. Évaluation externe du plan prioritaire pour la consolidation de la paix en Côte d’ivoire, rapport final, juin 2014, p.13. 6. Ibidem, p. 14. 7. Rapport annuel du comité de pilotage, 2013, pp. 12-13. 8. Évaluation externe, op. cit., p. 19. 9. Analyse sur les sources des conflits communautaires et développements du dialogue participatif dans les départements de Duékoué, Guiglo, Bloléquin, Man, Zouan-Hounien et Danané à l’ouest de la Côte d’Ivoire, FNUAP, 2012, p. 8. 10. Dynamiques et capacités de gestion des conflits à l’ouest de la Côte d’Ivoire – le cas des régions du Cavally et du Guémon. 11. Ibidem, p. 10. 12. Plan prioritaire, p. 12. 13. Ibidem. 14. Rapport de mission d’évaluation de la DGAT, du MEMPD, de l’ONUCI et du PNUD, août 2013, p. 2. 15.To illustrate this, in the spring of 2014, there were no lawyers operating in the Man area to defend the interest of individuals.
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The Contribution of UNAIDS to United Nations Reform in Côte d’Ivoire Michel Sidibé Executive Director of UNAIDS
Tamsir Sall UNAIDS Country Director in Côte d’Ivoire
Introduction Our integrated and multidimensional vision to put an end to the AIDS epidemic by 2030 seeks to promote an approach based around human rights and equality whilst ensuring that no one is left behind.This implies: voluntary screening and treatment available for all everywhere; viral loads down to undetectable levels in all people living with HIV/AIDS; no more people dying from AIDS-related conditions; no more children born with HIV and no more infants being infected, people with HIV being able to live with dignity, protected by the law and free to travel and to live anywhere in the world. Côte d’Ivoire reported its first AIDS cases to the WHO in 1985. Monitoring of the dynamics of the epidemic started in earnest in 1997 when the national programme against AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases and tuberculosis started conducting annual HIV sentinel serosurveys among pregnant women. This was done in collaboration with the WHO and the CDC/RETRO-CI (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/Retrovirus Côte d’Ivoire). According to the EDS-CI (Enquête Démographique et de Santé Côte d’Ivoire; Study on Demographics and Health in Côte d’Ivoire) for 2011-2012 the national prevalence is 3.7%. 185
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On the world stage, the response to AIDS has made it possible to avoid 10 million new infections since 2002 and over 7 million deaths.1 Nearly 16.2 million people are now receiving antiretroviral therapy.What a fabulous collective success! However, we cannot ignore the paediatric AIDS crisis, because we must ensure that all children living with HIV are able to access treatment. 186
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We cannot ignore the epidemic of tuberculosis among people living with HIV. We must not forget adolescents. HIV is the leading cause of mortality in this population in Africa, in particular amongst young women. This constitutes a moral injustice. We call upon young people to take part in the new “All In” initiative alongside UNICEF and UNAIDS to put an end to the AIDS epidemic among adolescents. In Côte d’Ivoire, three quarters of the population is under thirty-five, and young people aged between ten and twenty-four make up more than 30% of the population. HIV prevalence among young people aged between fifteen and twenty-four is of 1.3% (2.2% among girls).2 The “All In” initiative was launched in October 2015 in Côte d’Ivoire. It seeks to reduce new HIV infections by 75% and AIDS-related deaths among young people and adolescents by 50%.
Since 2009, new HIV infections among adolescents have gone up and the number of HIV-related deaths continues to increase. Only 15% of girls and 21% of boys have all the information they need about HIV. However, young people have high levels of exposure to the media (62% for girls, 73% for boys) so it is important to promote the dissemination of information through new information and communication technologies. We cannot ignore the damage caused by criminal sanctions that affect particular populations. In Côte d’Ivoire, the law relating to preventative measures, protection and repression in the fight against HIV/AIDS provides for the respect of the rights of people affected by or living with 187
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HIV and explicitly mentions women, girls, children and the penal population. We cannot accept the high cost of second and third line treatments, of drugs to treat hepatitis C and of viral load tests.These products are out of reach and their prices out of control. As a result, we desperately need an easy to use viral load test that costs at most five US dollars. Now more than ever, we must concentrate our limited resources on countries with the greatest number of infections and deaths, and in particular on African countries. A new “catch-up” plan is needed for the fifteen countries which account for 75% of new HIV infections 3 and AIDS-related deaths. Côte d’Ivoire, which is one of the worst affected countries in the world, has been able to make some progress (decrease in prevalence, PMTCT - prevention of mother-to-child transmission - provision has improved) but continues to face a number of challenges, notably its marked financial dependency on overseas support (86%) and shortcomings in the provision of Antiretroviral Treatment (ART) (31%). We owe a debt of gratitude to the directors of the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) for the work they have done, particularly in the fields of public health and human rights. PEPFAR, the Global Fund and UNAIDS work closely together. We are therefore optimistic that ever-increasing efforts will be made to put an end to this epidemic. The contributions made by PEPFAR and the Global Fund to the national response account for respectively 76% and 6% of total funds (REDES, 2013). PEPFAR’s COP (Country Operational Plan) 15 and COP 16 are based around the 90-90-90 target but many gaps persist and we need to think carefully about managing the transition.The Ivorian State only contributed 14% of the total budget. We therefore need to make the best use of existing resources (the preliminary results of the study will help with this) and to do more to draw on national resources, as has been done with the tax on tobacco which is managed by the FNLS (Fonds national de la lutte contre le sida: National Fund to combat AIDS).
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Source PEPFAR - mars 2016.
Tests for HIV are free: between 2012 and 2014, the number of people screened for HIV having received their result nearly doubled from around 1 million to 2 million. The provision of Antiretroviral therapy (ART) remains patchy – as is the case elsewhere in West Africa (currently 31% amongst people living with HIV/AIDS) – and presents a significant challenge. If we act intelligently and promptly redouble our efforts between now and 2020, we will be well placed to put an end to the epidemic between now and 2030. This is why we are asking the international community to sign up to and support this new and ambitious target: 90% of all people living with HIV will know their HIV status, 90% of people diagnosed with HIV infection will be receiving treatment and 90% of those being treated will have viral suppression.The 90-90-90 initiative is not just about numbers. It is rooted in moral and economic imperatives. We must do our best to ensure people living with HIV remain alive and in good health and to protect future generations from infection; it is essential and to our advantage in the long term from an economic and social point of view to consign AIDS to the history books.
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The targets included in the national strategic plan for 2016-2020 are slightly lower than they should be but realistic in light of financial constraints which lead to greater reliance on new actors whose role had so far been “peripheral” to the national response (local authorities, the private sector etc.). In this respect, our return on investment will amount to millions of lives saved.
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Challenges and issues at stake in the fight against HIV/AIDS Analysis of UNAIDS data shows that the global plan to tackle the epidemic has met with considerable success. Eighty-five countries have come close to eradicating the transmission of HIV to children: they have fewer than fifty new cases of infection in infants each year. Only five years ago, over 400,000 children were being born each year with HIV. The figure is now of less than 270,000. If we can eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Nigeria, South Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and in three other badly-affected countries, we will be close to achieving our global target. Côte d’Ivoire has taken steps towards ending mother-to-child transmission: the number of new infections among children went down by 26% between 2009 and 2014. Nevertheless, there were still 4,700 new 191
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infections among children in 2013 – nearly 13 a day. Currently, 16% of children living with HIV have access to Antiretroviral Treatment. At a global level, the figure is of 31%. Our work is therefore far from being done. We cannot just abandon these children. In December 2014, the First Lady of Côte d’Ivoire was awarded the title of UNAIDS Special Ambassador for the Elimination of Mother-to-Child Transmission (EMCT). The number of new HIV infections among children (aged 0-14) has gone down since 2009.The percentage of children (aged 0-14) living with HIV and having access to Antiretroviral Treatment had increased from 9% (2009) to 16% (2014). Available figures point to improvements in PMTCT (Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission) in recent years but a lot remains to be done. In spite of what has been an unprecedented response to an equally unprecedented threat to public health, challenges remain, particularly when it comes to certain populations. According to estimates, 2.1 million people became infected with HIV in 2013-2014. In the same year, 1.5 million people died of AIDS. In 19 African countries and in Haiti, AIDS accounts for the greatest number of years of life lost. More than ten million people are now awaiting treatment and 19 million do not know they are HIV positive. It is their lives that are at stake. In Côte d’Ivoire, it is estimated that over 300,000 people living with HIV/AIDS are not receiving any treatment. And as we move towards “screen-and-treat” strategies and the implementation of the WHO’s 2015 directives, we will need to find another 100 billion CFA francs a year. AIDS remains the main cause of death among women of child-bearing age. In Southern and Eastern Africa, adolescent girls become infected on average five or seven years earlier than their male counterparts. In Côte d’Ivoire, the burden of the epidemic weighs heavier on women among whom prevalence is at 4.6% as compared to 2.7% in men (EDS 2011-2012 – Enquête Démographique et de Santé: Demographic and Health Survey). Since 2009 the number of women aged between 15 and 49 becoming infected with HIV has remained constant at around 11,000. Moreover, HIV prevalence can be up to five times higher among girls than among boys. It is important to highlight the causes of this disparity. Intimate partner violence and the abuse and exploitation that adolescents and young women face contribute to the spread of HIV. In 192
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some contexts, up to 45% of adolescents report that their first sexual experience involved coercion. In Côte d’Ivoire, Gender-Based Violence takes different forms - it can be physical, sexual, verbal, psychological and economic. It is mainly directed at women. In 2008, in 66.7% of the cases of Gender-Based Violence recorded in the Abidjan département, women were the targets - most incidents took place in the context of intimate relationships (physical, sexual and verbal violence) and in the family environment (mainly verbal violence).There are also cultural forms of violence such as genital mutilation. Sexual violence remains a significant problem. It accounted for 39% of all cases in 2011, 25% in 2012 and over 30% in 2013. From a general point of view, not starting school or dropping out makes young girls more vulnerable to HIV. The vulnerability of adolescents aged 15 to 19 has increased, particularly amongst girls (+31%).
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Many young people remain unaware of the risks they face and of how to prevent the transmission of the virus. Household surveys show that 65% of young men and 72% of young women do not have all the information they need concerning HIV.We do know however that keeping young people in the school system results in them adopting safer practices. A study carried out in rural parts of South Africa showed that each additional year in school was associated with a 7% decrease in the risk of being infected with HIV. Around a quarter of young women first had intercourse when they were under fifteen and slightly more than two thirds first had intercourse before the age of eighteen. The average age at which men have intercourse for the first time is often higher. In broad terms, it has increased slightly between 2005 and 2011-2012. Just over half of all young men and women have been sexually active over the previous twelve months.Young people aged between twenty and twenty-four are more sexually active. If women aged between twenty and twenty-four are taken out of the equation, one notes a slight decrease in early sexual activity between 2005 and 2011-2012.
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Joint strategic priorities in the fight against HIV/AIDS When it comes to implementing our strategy for an enhanced response to HIV/AIDS, we must bear in mind a number of guiding principles and some of the key elements of our joint action plan: • The updated and broadened strategy must take into consideration the links that exist between AIDS, health, human rights and social, economic and political wellbeing and focus at every level on the social and underlying causes of the marginalisation and exclusion of fragile communities. This strategy is taken into consideration in Côte d’Ivoire’s strategic and political documents: the PND (plan national de développement: National Development Plan) 2016-2020, the PNDS (plan national de développement sanitaire: National Public Health Development Plan) 2016-2020 and the PSN 2016-2020 (plan stratégique national), a National Strategic Plan (NSP) to fight HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections. UNAIDS, the United Nations’ first joint programme is a success and should serve as a model for the “Delivering as One” initiative: it produces a common report and now has a shared budget. Initially established by three organisations, UNAIDS now brings eleven of them together as cosponsors (UNFPA,WFP,WHO, UNDP, UNOPS, UNODC, UNESCO, UNICEF, World Bank, UNHRC, ILO, UN Women). The joint United Nations team for Côte d’Ivoire, set up in 2007 and headed up by the UNAIDS Country Director, is a point of convergence for the agencies that are its cosponsors and others who are not (FAO, IOM, OCHA, UNOPS, UNIDO) as well as the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI). The aim of the joint United Nations team on AIDS is to promote coherent and effective United Nations actions that support the national response to HIV. It coordinates, implements and follows up the United Nations Joint Programme of Support (UN-JPS) which takes into account the UNDAF and the National Strategic Plan. The forthcoming UN-JPS for 2017-2020 will draw on the UNAIDS “FastTrack” strategy. The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) is a wonderful achievement, but as resources become more scarce, we need to think about different ways of working. UN agencies are affected by the crisis. UNAIDS is receiving less funding and this will no doubt have an impact on the distribution of UBRAF (Unified Budget, Results and Accountability Framework) funds. 195
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• The joint United Nations team on AIDS will need to adopt a regional approach, with aims and accountability mechanisms that produce results for individuals.This will involve agreeing on a set of priority populations and geographical areas. It will therefore be necessary to draw on the means that cities have at their disposal and their capacity to reach a large population to enable them to drive change. From an economic point of view, Côte d’Ivoire has since 2012 had one of the ten highest growth rates in the world. This attracts a range of people from different countries and socio-economic backgrounds (close to one third of the population is of foreign extraction) and explains in part why the prevalence of HIV in Côte d’Ivoire is high compared to many other West African countries. • In order to ensure that the fight against AIDS gathers pace, we must continue to invest in research and innovation. We urgently need new studies of implementation strategies, with a particular focus on sexuality, education, behaviour modification, human rights and structural factors.We must continue to encourage innovation in the field of therapeutic protocols in order to put together treatment plans that only involve injections once every two or three months. We must redouble our research efforts and invest more in prevention mechanisms that are under the control of women as well as in vaccines against HIV and treatments that provide a cure. Research and innovation remain major priorities and are essential to gaining a better understanding of the factors behind the epidemic and in order to inform policies, in particular those targeted at adolescents and young people.The lack of progress in respect of this section of the population should encourage us to have recourse to innovative communications strategies aimed at vulnerable groups (low level of understanding of issues around HIV, too few programmes aimed at them). • As we enter the new era of Sustainable Development Goals, our strategy must be based around human rights. We want a people-centred approach with social justice, dignity, equality and inclusion at its heart. No-one should be left behind. We must promote the “zero discrimination” component of the UNAIDS vision because we know that emphasising the importance of human rights can help shape policy formulation, trigger strategic debates and reduce stigma and discrimination which is inherent in repressive laws and policies. Even more crucially, it can help to save lives and reduce suffering. 196
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The decade-long sociopolitical crisis has had a negative effect on school attendance, youth unemployment and poverty. It has left young people vulnerable to the temptation to get rich quick – for instance through recourse to violence.The Ivorian government has established a Ministry with responsibility for Youth and Youth Employment with a view to developing a response to these issues. In the same vein, the DAA (district autonome d’Abidjan:Abidjan autonomous district) is committed to putting an end to the AIDS epidemic by 2030 by, inter alia, encouraging young people to set up businesses in order to help tackle poverty among young people.
Global Budget for the PSN 2010-2015
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In Abidjan alone there are 132 deprived neighbourhoods with two million inhabitants (nearly half of the total population of the city) according to a study commissioned by the UNDP, the World Bank, and the UVICOCI (Union des villes et communes de Côte d’Ivoire:The Union of Côte d’Ivoire Local Government Bodies).To these, we must add those who have had to leave certain neighbourhoods (Gobelet, Attiécoubé…), internally displaced people and refugees. Many people are thus living cheek by jowl, in precarious conditions that leave them vulnerable. As a result they are at greater risk of becoming infected with HIV. • Prevention must be at the heart of our efforts. At least a quarter of funds committed to the response to AIDS should be earmarked for prevention. We need to completely rethink our approach and set ourselves ambitious targets - for instance by aiming to ensure that all human beings should have the right to be born without HIV and to remain HIV negative.This will involve interventions targeting both biomedical and structural dimensions and providing continuity of care and support, thus ensuring that, in all locations, everyone has access to all relevant services and treatments. We must also keep our promise to put an end to mother-to-child transmission of HIV and ensure that the mothers remain alive. Efforts are ongoing to redesign the PMA (paquet minimum d’activités/Minimum Set of Activities) for sex workers; the Ivorian State has received the joint support of the World Bank, USAID and UNAIDS with a view to improving the quality of services aimed at preventing and managing HIV/AIDS. In spite of notable progress when it comes to PMTCT with ART availability reaching 80% (2014), challenges remain: for instance 40% of healthcare providers that offer antenatal care (ANC) do not offer PMTCT services and the rate of Mother-to-Child-Transmission remains very high (21%). Practical steps are being taken to meet these challenges, in the shape for instance of the 2012-2015 EMCT plan, the award of the title of UNAIDS Ambassador to the First Lady of Côte d’Ivoire, the adoption of task delegation and of the B+ option. • We must also work even harder to address issues around violence against women and gender equality by placing adolescents at the centre of our strategy. An integrated approach to the prevention of violence and fighting HIV within the context of existing settings (micro-finance, social protection, education) has many advantages and it would make our interventions more sustainable and effective if we were to work towards even greater integration.
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• Reliable access to medicines is key with a view to achieving the 90-90-90 target. If availability becomes an issue, the chain will be broken and we will be faced with a treatment crisis. Millions of people are currently receiving first line treatments but when there is a shortage of medicine, people with HIV/AIDS miss doses and can develop resistance, meaning that they need second- and third-line treatments which are more expensive and even harder to obtain. Moreover, in many regions there are shortages of HIV screening kits. It is important to avoid running out of equipment by implementing better purchasing systems. PEPFAR and the Global Fund are working closely with the government in this area. • International solidarity must keep playing a part and continued overseas funding must be secured. We must work with the relevant countries, PEPFAR, and the Global Fund to develop plans for a transition towards sustainability. • Rigorous management of resources, a painstaking approach to defining priorities and prudent measures can all help to contain costs and improve the cost/benefit ratio, but they will not be sufficient to eliminate the deficit. The majority of resources allocated to AIDS (nearly 19 billion US dollars on average between 2012 and 2014) now comes from domestic sources particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Côte d’Ivoire, which aspires to be an emerging nation by 2020, must join the group of countries who are leading the way in terms of mobilising internal and external resources. The report on the intensification of the response to HIV in Côte d’Ivoire and the Optima study, which were carried out at the demand of the Ivorian authorities with the support of UNAIDS and the World Bank, outline a number of possible strategies for the optimal allocation of available funding with a view to meeting the aims of the 2016-2020 PSN. If Côte d’Ivoire is to achieve a 25% reduction in deaths and new infections, 33.9 million dollars will be needed according to Optima’s projections; ART expenditure would be the priority of this budget (including for sex workers and men who have sex with men) as ART helps prevent infections and deaths.This would represent an increase of 38% on the existing budget. Optimal allocation of funds available under the current budget would enable Côte d’Ivoire to reduce future expenditure on people living with HIV/AIDS by 4.5%. In order to bridge the treatment gap, it will be necessary to: 199
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• introduce better management (management costs will need to come down by 14% which means that a 25% drop in planning, coordinating and management costs will be required). • reduce indirect expenditure and improve management (the additional funds released could help avoid 27% of new infections and 43% of deaths by 2030).
On the Fast-Track to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030 The Fast-Track response will involve putting even more effort into implementing programmes that tackle the epidemic, enhance targeting and promote change at a national and regional level but also in provinces, districts and towns that are affected. It will entail ambitious targets and doing more to deploy high-impact HIV prevention and treatment services. It requires innovative approaches so that we can broaden services, be more responsive to people’s views and needs, and target specific geographical areas as well as the worst affected populations. It will tackle social and legal issues and promote human rights and gender equality. Thanks to the support of financial partners (principally PEPFAR and the Global Fund), those providing specialised support (United Nations System, bilateral cooperation), and a range of actors (local authorities, civil society, the private sector…), this new deal is reflected in the new National Strategic Plan for 2016-2020, PEPFAR’s cooperation strategy, the revised programme for the Global Fund’s grant, and the United Nations System joint support programme. Its implementation is followed up through a range of available mechanisms (Country Coordinating Mechanism – CCM, consultations with Technical and Financial Partners – TFP, sector meetings…). Is is essential that we meet the 90-90-90 targets to ensure that by 2020, 90% of all people living with HIV will know their HIV status, 90% of people diagnosed with HIV infection are receiving treatment and 90% of those being treated have viral suppression (in other words their immune system remains strong and the risk of passing on the infection is greatly reduced). The Fast-Track initiative also has ambitious targets when it comes to HIV prevention and eliminating discrimination – it seeks to substantially reduce the number of new HIV infections, particularly among the worst-affected populations, argues for the repeal of discriminatory laws and an end to discrimination in healthcare settings. 200
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The implementation of high-impact targeted screening; fast-tracking HIV screening, treatment and continuity of care; anti-discrimination programmes and a resolute commitment to respect, gender equality and to protecting and promoting human rights: together these measures can help reduce the number of new HIV infections in adults, from 2.1 million in 2010 to fewer than 500,000 in 2020 and fewer than 200,000 in 2030. This would mean the end of the AIDS epidemic as a threat to public health. Fast-tracking the fight against HIV involves building far-sighted partnerships at all levels to develop, harmonise, finance and support the response. Grants from overseas will remain key for most countries but responses to AIDS which are currently planned and managed centrally, and very dependent on this form of financial support, will need to gradually transform themselves into local responses with stronger local governance and a higher level of national investment.The support of the United Nations System agencies is crucial in this respect and I would like to thank the Joint United Nations System Team for Côte d’Ivoire for their contribution: they have offered strategic support and obtained remarkable results, particularly over the course of the last five years.
The legacy of the “Agenda for Zero Discrimination” strategy We have practically halved the number of new infections among children over the last five years.This is spectacular progress, achieved in a short space of time in some of the worst-affected countries: in South Africa, the number of new infections among children went down by 76% in only four years; in Uganda and in Mozambique the figure is of 69%. It is no exaggeration to call this a major achievement. The cost of medicines is at its lowest level ever, first-line treatments using generic drugs cost between ninety-five and 158 US dollars per patient per year - a drop of between 60 and 70% between 2007 and 2014. Effective new treatments have been developed to treat coinfections, particularly those involving the hepatitis C virus. The treatments are less toxic, more effective and involve taking fewer pills per day - thus not only are the treatments better but patients’ quality of life is enhanced. Tests for diagnosing HIV are less costly and their price continues to drop. At the instigation of UNAIDS, and with the support of the partners 201
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involved in the Diagnostics Access Initiative - including the Clinton Health Access Initiative, PEPFAR, the Global Fund and UNITAID - it has been possible to achieve a 35% drop in the cost of an early HIV diagnosis test for children in low- and middle-income countries. We must fast-track our investments and our action over the next five years in order to achieve a significant decrease in the number of HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths by 2020. If we do not immediately fast-track our response, the cost of the epidemic – both in human and financial terms – will amount to a debt that we will never be able to repay. We would not be able to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal concerned with ending the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat, and AIDS would be on the rise again. In Côte d’Ivoire, new infections connected to HIV and AIDS-related deaths were down by 51.9% and 40.5% respectively between 2000 and 2014. PMTCT interventions are much more widely available with coverage reaching 80% in 2014 - however, 13 HIV-positive children are born every day.The availability of ART on the other hand remains poor (31% for all people living with HIV/AIDS and less than 18% for children in 2014). If ART coverage does not improve, new infections will be on the increase from 2016.
A new strategy for a new era of development The UNAIDS strategy for 2016-2021 places the emphasis on an area where we need to do more, namely the reduction of new HIV infections in order to shape the epidemic’s trajectory. It is a call for bold action to fast-track the response and to reach those who have been left behind. The future of the response to AIDS will depend on our capacity to bring about joint action which is inclusive and multi-sectoral in order to achieve a substantial reduction in the number of new infections. Unfortunately, investment in efficient HIV prevention measures has hit a ceiling. We must give fresh impetus to prevention.This is why we have put forward the “a quarter for prevention” principle: one quarter of the entire budget of a response to HIV should be devoted to effective combination prevention interventions, with a view to further decreasing the number of new infections. We are proud to be able to announce that 119 local authority bodies in west and central Africa are committed to making full use of their assets 202
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in terms of community mobilisation in order to increase rates of screening, treatment and suppression of the viral load.Ten of them have put together action plans and four major cities have identified “hotspots” where services will be made available to sex workers.
Since December 2014, eighty-eight local authorities in Côte d’Ivoire have signed the Paris Declaration and with the support of UNAIDS, Abidjan, which on its own accounts for nearly a quarter of all people living with HIV/AIDS in the country, is working on drawing up and implementing action plans. The UNAIDS strategy for 2016-2021 endorses the view that individuals should not be subjected to development initiatives but rather that they must be agents of change and of the promotion of social justice in the countries that they live in.This means that civil society needs access to substantial and reliable sources of funding, a political space and the ability to act freely. With this in mind, it is important to empower individuals so that they know their rights, and to mobilise them to defend those rights.
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Conclusion The United Nations General Assembly unanimously decided to hold a high-level meeting on AIDS in 2016.This offers a unique opportunity to highlight achievements, particularly in Africa, to redouble our efforts on the joint delivery of programmes (“Delivering as One”) and to foster inclusive and inspiring partnerships. We now have a unique window of opportunity where we can fasttrack our response and deliver on our target to control the epidemic – Africa and indeed all of humanity is willing us to succeed. Working together on programmes made it possible to boost cooperation efforts, rationalise processes involving high-level political dialogue and negotiation, and highlight inclusive processes for sharing best practice. The United Nations agencies, through the joint experience of UNAIDS, have formulated a multidimensional response, which is integrated and chimes with the aims of the “Delivering as One” initiative to work towards peace and security.The multi-sectoral response also contributed to rationalisation and greater efficiency in the fields of public expenditure and public health, because investing in the response to AIDS strengthens health systems, encourages scientific innovation and community development, leads to the integration of services and increases pressure to move towards universal healthcare coverage. The end of the AIDS epidemic will lead to the emancipation of women and girls. It will bring social justice and equality before the law. It will free up the funds necessary to provide universal access to quality healthcare provision. It will provide solutions to serious structural problems that impede development and will thus make a significant contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goal concerning the reduction of extreme poverty. Finally, it will be the catalyst of a “great convergence” in global healthcare. This is what Côte d’Ivoire is seeking to do with the help of its partners, including the United Nations System.
NOTES 1. In 2014 (The Last Climb speech) 2. EDS-CI 2011-2012. 3. Gap Report has 15 countries representing 75 % of all people living with HIV, rather than new infections.
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The Joint Framework for the Improvement of Maternal Health in Côte d’Ivoire (MDG5) Suzanne Konaté Maïga Public Health Doctor, Resident Representative of the UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) in Côte d’Ivoire In collaboration with:
Saidou Kaboré, Deputy Representative of the UNFPA Dr Pierre Konan Kacou, Programme Specialist, UNFPA
General Introduction The key role played by Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) programmes in accelerating the demographic transition and the need to implement robust policies and programmes that meet the needs of populations in terms of education, health and employment, as has been done in South-East Asia, are essential elements of the promotion of human development and the emergence of the Continent. The African Union (AU) and the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) have recommended that African countries should embed demographic considerations into all development programmes and strengthen links between the demographic dividend and economic growth, for instance by promoting inclusive sustainable development (Economic Commission for Africa/African Union, 2015). The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), recognised for its experience when it comes to mainstreaming issues concerning population and defending the right to reproductive health and to equality of opportunity for men, women and children, has played a leading role in 207
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the development of the joint programme of the United Nations System in Côte d’Ivoire. It has offered a remarkable level of support to the elaboration of policies and programmes aimed at ensuring that all pregnancies are wanted and that all births are safe; that young people manage their sexuality in a responsible way and are protected from HIV, and are thus treated with dignity and respect. The UNFPA has strategically restructured its activities in the field of Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) and of Family Planning (FP) in Côte d’Ivoire and more broadly, in Africa. The various monitoring reports on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) have highlighted the slow rate of progress towards achieving some of the agreed targets. It is in this context that the United Nations has approved the MDGs Acceleration Framework (MAF) in Côte d’Ivoire. The aim of this joint framework for United Nations programmes is to develop high-impact rapid response interventions in order to reverse the trend. In Côte d’Ivoire, the military and political crisis which lasted from 1999 until 2010 and the post-electoral crisis of 2011 made it harder to achieve the MDGs. Maternal and child health has significantly deteriorated: the maternal mortality rate went from 543 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2005 to 614 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2012, thus taking us even further away from our target. In response, the Government has pledged to improve maternal health by adopting the fast-track framework for the MDG5 (MAF5), which outlines the current national approach to the reduction of maternal mortality. Drawing up this programme involved reflecting on the nature of existing obstacles and formulating appropriate strategies and interventions capable of having a high-quality and speedy impact in order to reduce the maternal mortality rate in Côte d’Ivoire. The agencies, funds and programmes of the United Nations System are committed to the gradual implementation of the “Delivering as One” initiative in Côte d’Ivoire.The aim is to enable the United Nations System to respond with greater effectiveness, efficiency and coherence to the Ivorian Government’s expectations. It is in this spirit that in June 2013, under the joint leadership of the Government and the UNFPA, a group of United Nations System agencies (UNFPA, UNICEF, UNAIDS, UN Women) came together to form the “H4+ Partnership”. This initiative seeks to contribute to reducing maternal, neonatal and child mortality by improving the 208
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availability, accessibility, quality and take-up of provision targeted at mothers, newborn babies and children, particularly among the most deprived populations in eight health authority areas in the Centre-Nord and the Nord-Ouest départements. The H4+ Partnership action plan is built around 6 key areas: (I) leadership and governance; (II) human resources; (III) public health information systems and monitoring and evaluation; (IV) essential medical products and technology; (V) the service offer ; and (VI) community involvement.The agreed interventions are high-impact and aligned with national strategic documents (the PND, the PNDS, and the strategic plans for SRH, FP (Family Planning), child health, nutrition, etc.). In Côte d’Ivoire, the H4+ Partnership contributes to supporting the implementation of the national plan, which is already boosted by existing grants (Muskoka Fund and the AFD – Agence Française de Développement: the French Development Agency; the C2D, contrat de désendettement et de développement: Development and Debt Reduction Contract; the MCC, the Millennium Challenge Corporation etc.), in order to accelerate the reduction of maternal, neonatal and child mortality.
The challenges faced by Côte d’Ivoire in terms of reproductive health The demographic context in Côte d’Ivoire is one of rapid population growth which could well continue over coming years if appropriate measures are not taken.This growth is the product of a high birth rate allied to a falling death rate and, to a degree, to international migration. This demographic pressure is such that it is increasingly difficult for the Government to satisfy the basic needs of the population in terms of education, health, employment, housing etc. High rates of population growth tend to cancel out the effects of economic progress, put downward pressure on household income and have a deleterious effect on quality of life. Up until the 1980s, Côte d’Ivoire had a pro-natalist policy which resulted in strong population growth with a synthetic fertility rate of 7.2 children per woman (Enquête ivoirienne de fécondité, 1981). In 2,000, the figure was of 5.2 children per woman. This relatively high fertility rate is attributable in part to weak take-up of modern contraceptive methods (13.9% in 2012 compared to 7% in 209
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1998 and 4% in 1994) which translates into early pregnancies among adolescents and young women. According to Ministry of National Education figures, 5,076 cases of pregnancies among schoolgirls were thus recorded in 2012-2013, with 27% of these being in primary schools (which children are meant to attend between the ages of eight and twelve). Take-up of modern contraceptive methods is lower in rural areas: only 9.8% in 2012 compared with 10.2% in 1998 and 2.2% in 1994. There is however a great deal of unmet demand for family planning in the country – nearly 27% of women report that they would like more services (Institut national de la statistique, l’enquête démographique et de santé (EDS) and ICF International, 2012). Moreover, approximately 40% of women continue to give birth without any help from healthcare workers and only 7% of first contact health facilities and 22% of major centres are able to offer quality Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care Services (EmONC). Health indicators, particularly those concerning maternal mortality, paint an alarming picture: there is a long way to go to achieve the SDGs. The most recent EDS (Enquête démographique et de santé: Demographics and Health Survey), conducted in 2012, puts the maternal mortality rate at 614 deaths per 100,000 births (equivalent to twenty deaths a day) when it was of respectively 597 and 543 deaths per 100,000 births in 1998 and 2005. When the Government promised to reduce the rate, in accordance with the fifth Millennium Development Goal (MDG5), it was envisaged that by 2015 the figure would be 149 deaths per 100,000 live births. The rise in maternal mortality coincides with a high prevalence of antepartum and postpartum hemorrhages (36%), of obstructed labour (20%), hypertension (18%), complications linked to abortions (15%) and puerperal infections (5%). This upsurge is closely connected to the lack of provision of obstetric care and insufficient prevention and monitoring of complications occurring during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum. It is estimated that only 40% of Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care Services (EmONC) needs are met (Enquête SONU, 2010).These shortcomings are in turn connected to the relatively poor take-up of services offered by healthcare institutions as a result of the obstacles encountered by many patients – for instance when it comes to the cost of healthcare and its quality (both from an objective and a subjective point of view).
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The number of first contact health facilities per head of population has evolved over the past five years. The ESPC (Établissement sanitaire de premier contact: First Contact Health Facilities) to head of population ratio went from one ESPC per 11,934 inhabitants in 2009 to one ESPC per 10,994 inhabitants in 2011. Estimates of healthcare coverage suggest that 44% of the population lives within five kilometres of a healthcare facility, 27% live between five and ten kilometres from one and a further 29% live more than ten kilometres away from their nearest provider. The high levels of maternal mortality are also due to a very low takeup of contraception (13.9%) allied to early sexual activity among adolescents and young people. According to the EDS-MICS (Enquête démographique et de santé et à indicateurs multiples en Côte d’Ivoire:The Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey of Demographics and Health in Côte d’Ivoire) 2012, 30% of young girls aged between fifteen and nineteen were either already mothers or about to enter motherhood: 23% had already given birth and a further 7% were pregnant for the first time. In spite of the efforts made over the course of the last ten years, there are a number of threats to the health of adolescents and young people: sexually transmitted infections, HIV/AIDS, early and unwanted pregnancies which lead to risky abortions that can result in maternal deaths. Moreover, violence against women, particularly sexual violence and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), which was already common in Côte d’Ivoire, has worsened in certain regions as a result of the crisis and of inter-community conflicts. As for health outcomes concerning children under five, health indicators in the EDS-MICS 2012 show neonatal mortality rates of 38 per thousand and child mortality of 68 per thousand. The main causes of death are malaria, acute respiratory infection and diarrhoea. The decade of sociopolitical crisis and the weakness of investment over the past ten years has resulted in a deterioration and in some cases in a destruction of infrastructure, facilities and equipment at all levels of healthcare provision. According to the 2010 SONU (soins obstetricaux et néonatals d’urgence: Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care Services) study, only 7% of first contact health facilities and 22% of major centres are able to offer quality Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care Services (EmONC). It is worth noting in respect of this that during the last crisis in 2011, 42% of healthcare facilities were destroyed, notably in the west of the country. 211
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As far as human resources in healthcare are concerned, there were 3,220 doctors, 7,361 nurses and 2,353 midwives in 2011. In 2012, the Government agreed to make a substantial investment to recruit 4,000 staff across the board.The healthcare worker ratios were as follows in 2012: one doctor per 5,695 inhabitants, one nurse per 2,331 inhabitants, one midwife per 3,717 women of child-bearing age. Irrespective of the numbers of healthcare workers, the issue of human resources remains problematic in terms of distribution and meeting needs.The distribution of healthcare professionals is extremely uneven with many being located in the southern regions of the country, Abidjan being particularly attractive. More than 40% of all healthcare staff work in the Lagunes region (Abidjan) which accounts for only 24% of the country’s population. As far as medicines and other strategic inputs are concerned, their availability in healthcare establishments has been unpredictable over recent years: there have been shortages of drugs and other consumables and healthcare programmes have suffered (UNFPA, 2014). Reform of the pharmaceutical sector with the advent of the NPSP (nouvelle pharmacie de santé publique: New Public Health Pharmacy) and the implementation of a meaningful policy on essential medicines will involve addressing issues around the management of medicines and enabling healthcare organisations to provide quality services that have access to medicines and contraceptives. Many development partners work alongside the Ivorian authorities in the fields of population and reproductive health by providing financial support to Ivorian structures (projects and/or grants), offering technical assistance and services or through specific interventions.These partners are the United Nations System Agencies (WHO, UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF), the World Bank, bilateral organisations (USAID, the AFD – Agence française de développement: French Development Agency, the German development policy institution KfW), intergovernmental agencies and special funds such as the European Union (EU) delegation, the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Global Fund.
Implementing the DaO principles: a degree of success The “Delivering as One” – or DaO – initiative, at a global level, calls for United Nations System activities to be reshaped around five principles. These principles have been adapted to Côte d’Ivoire and implemented 212
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in the specific context of the country and it is to them that we owe most of the programme’s success: 1. “One Leader” Under the joint leadership of the Government of Côte d’Ivoire and of the United Nations System, the MDG fast-tracking project was put together and signed off. It took national priorities into consideration – with particular attention being paid to the PNDS (plan national de développement sanitaire: National Plan for the Development of Health) – in order to deal with high levels of maternal, neonatal and child mortality. 2. “One programme” The joint programme has a number of specific characteristics (I) it is put together on the basis of a “division of labour” within the UN System according to precise criteria and with a view to exploiting comparative advantages (mandate, resources, technical know-how, presence); (II) it is focused on a strategic context (UNDAF) which is itself aligned with national priorities; (III) it is backed up by work plans and a joint strategy for monitoring and evaluation; (IV) it is a document that places the emphasis on operations and delivery (attention shifts from shared planning to joint delivery) and it clearly defines the role to be taken on by each of the lead agencies in respect of each of the strategic results in a quantitative matrix. The fast-track framework for the MDG5 is in this respect a document which offers a national reference point in terms of the reduction of maternal mortality. It is also a tool which can support action. Drawing up this programme involved reflecting on the nature of existing obstacles and formulating appropriate strategies and interventions capable of having a significant and swift impact in order to reduce the maternal mortality rate in Côte d’Ivoire. Moreover, the strategic priorities of the H4+ Partnership made a significant contribution to the operationalisation of strategies identified in MAF 5: making SRH/FP services more widely available, improving the quality of services and increasing take-up of services by populations in target zones. In practical terms this has involved the implementation: (I) of integrated coordination (Government-United Nations System), headed up by UNFPA, in order to formulate and agree on a joint plan and joined-up work plans; (II) of joint monitoring of the implementation of interventions through monthly meetings and monitoring visits at agency level, including 213
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quarterly monitoring and coordination missions and an annual joint review; and (III) the production of a joint, integrated and unique implementation report, which can be used as an advocacy tool to push for further resources. The delivery of these different elements made it possible to meet a high proportion of the project targets both when it comes to physical progress (78%) and in financial terms (83%).The results obtained show the value of the best practices in this area in an African context. 3. The principal elements of success In the intervention zones there is growing recourse to services which is reflected in (see graphs 1 and 2) the indicators: contraceptive prevalence increased from 3% to 10% between 2012 and 2014 and the same applies to CPN1 (consultations prénatales primaires: Initial Antenanal Care Consultations) which have gone from 63% to 70% as well as CPN4+ (consultations prénatales de niveau 4: Level 4 Antenanal Care, i.e. women who have benefited from antenatal care on at least four occasions) which has risen from 21% to 24%. Graph 1: progress made in terms of contraceptive prevalence, CPN1 and CPN4+
Source: Ministère de la Santé, données nationales, 2012-2014.
The growing take-up of services also translates into an increase in the number of births attended by skilled staff (from 46% to 49%) and in postnatal care consultations (which have risen from 11% to 22%).
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Source: Ministère de la Santé, données nationales, 2012-2014.
It is also noteworthy that a good relationship between the Agencies on one hand and the Government on the other is an essential ingredient of success. This good relationship has been strengthened by specific activities, in particular: • joint monitoring missions (Ministry of Health and United Nations Agencies) have been organised in order to enable all partners to reflect on the implementation of interventions in each district and in each region, to appreciate the extent to which performance targets are being met, identify strengths, weaknesses, challenges and opportunities and having done this, make recommendations to deal with obstacles so that performance targets can be met. •monthly monitoring meetings involving virtually all partners. This signals real buy-in, ownership and involvement from all of the agencies, and the World Bank, working together with a view to creating synergies among the different actions that are undertaken, bearing in mind the comparative advantages of the said organisations. In addition to this, working and monitoring visits have been held within each agency and national body involved in order to gain a sense of what progress has been made on implementation, to identify constraints and put forward solutions.
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The innovative strategies in the field of reproductive health initiated with the support of the United Nations System As a growing number of women die each day from complications linked to pregnancy or childbirth, often from causes that could be avoided or treated, the UNFPA assistance programme, in response to national priorities, has placed a particular emphasis on the provision and demand for quality sexual and reproductive health services and on the promotion of family planning. Reflections undertaken in this domain led to a number of structural reforms and the formulation of programmes aimed at repositioning SRH/FP, supporting innovative quality improvement strategies aimed at improving provision (service reorganisation, more investment in SRH/FP outreach approaches) and at increasing demand for reproductive health services (community-based access, involvement of men through “husbands’ schools” and social franchises). The operationalisation of the primary healthcare strategy involved the establishment of public health districts through a decree from the Ministry of Health which reorganised services and the definition of a minimum action pack for all levels of the healthcare pyramid.This shift in emphasis was further reinforced in national strategic documents on health, particularly the PNDS (plan national de développement sanitaire: National Plan for the Enhancement of Public Health) 2012-2015 whose aim was to improve the health of the population through a better alignment of the healthcare offer with the fundamental needs of the population, while providing a framework to fast-track efforts to meet the MDG5 (MAF5) which aims to reduce maternal mortality. 1.The reorganisation of reproductive healthcare services The conceptual and operational framework: this reorganisation is a dynamic process whose aim is to ensure that an effective and good quality Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) service is available in healthcare establishments. It requires the involvement of health and social care staff in the organisational reform process and buy-in from the political and administrative authorities as well as from communities. It is based on a three-layered inclusive approach: • the availability of SRH/FP services, either on a permanent or parttime basis 216
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• the spatial and temporal integration of service provision through a process of formal consultation and ongoing reflection within Agencies. • the provision of quality services by drawing on norms and procedures that have been defined at a national level. It is entirely implemented in workplaces (healthcare institutions) through sequential steps ranging from an organisational audit to the signing off and implementation of a global action plan to be delivered at a unit level, targeting known problems, management training followed by the introduction of work norms and procedures and the physical redistribution of services thus enabling the provision of comprehensive care, the establishment of an integrated network and the redeployment of staff. The decision to adopt this strategy was made because it places an emphasis on: • aligning provision with local conditions and the realities of the area, ensuring techniques are standardised and that practitioners respect norms and procedures, hence the concept of quality, improving the integration of activities in the context of a healthcare/treatment package: ”each contact with the mother or her child is an opportunity to provide a service package”. • strengthening organisational capacity and developing staff skills to better manage activities, work schedules, material, stock-taking… on a practical basis attuned to realities and daily lived experience (practical training in workplaces). • meeting needs that are not explicitly articulated but identified through the integration of services, the establishment of formal consultation processes, by ensuring activities are flexible and integrated and that practitioners are multi-skilled, thus allowing the service offer to be further enhanced. The results obtained through the implementation of this strategy: this strategy, implemented in fifteen integrated public health areas across the country, produced striking operational results through the improvement of provision and recourse to integrated SRH/FP/HIV services in 160 healthcare organisations founded on an optimal spatial and temporal integration of reproductive health services, better quality and more accessible services, higher satisfaction levels among providers and service users and finally tangible results measured with reference to indicators of use of reproductive health services within the institutions concerned. In practical terms, this has led to services such as family 217
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planning, antenatal and postnatal care and vaccination, where take-up was poor, being available all day and every day of the week, making it easier for women to access care.This has translated into an increase in the retention rate of women from CPN1 to CPN4 from 20% to 99%; a twelvefold increase in take-up of postnatal care, a 12.8% increase in the inclusion of new female adopters of contraceptive methods.There are six times more births in healthcare institutions and the rate of detection of obstetric complications has increased by 25%. In addition to improvements that can be measured through indicators related to attendance and use of services, the service reorganisation strategy helped to strengthen the healthcare system at district level notably in relation to human resources (staff training, redeployment), material resources, infrastructure and the coordination and monitoring of activities. 2. Outreach consultations The conceptual and operational framework: outreach consultations involve offering, for a limited amount of time (three to five days) and on an intensive basis, a package of integrated reproductive health services outside of healthcare institutions, in a venue that is as close as possible to the target populations. Population density is a key determinant of the choice of delivery site. In the course of outreach programmes, a team of several healthcare professionals is deployed with the relevant materials and equipment needed to support this intensive service offer. Outreach consultations have two main objectives namely: (I) meeting population demand for SRH/FP services and (II) training healthcare staff in order to ensure the ongoing availability of healthcare services focused on reproductive health and contraceptive methods. Indeed, during the outreach consultation, providers are offered on-site training and support in order to enhance: (I) their capacity to provide five contraceptive methods within community-based healthcare settings; (II) their ability to take responsibility for an ongoing systematic provision of services once the outreach sessions have come to an end. The package of services on offer includes family planning, antenatal and postnatal care, counselling and early detection of HIV and of cervical cancer.
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The approach involves a multimedia information campaign and raising awareness of the event amongst the public, using community radio, community-based healthcare workers and community leaders. The services provided are free and are delivered over a period of three to five days – depending on the specific nature of the area (target population, level of deprivation, number of providers and of community-based workers, etc.). This strategy was adopted because it makes it possible to: • build service provider capacity in a cost-effective way • make five family planning methods available in the course of outreach consultations: condoms, the pill, the contraceptive implant, the contraceptive injection and the intrauterine device (IUD) • recruit a maximum of staff as the interventions are based on a population approach (the choice of site is predicated on the density of the population) • at a particular moment in time harness the skills of all the actors involved in FP on the ground: providers, community distribution agents, community leaders, community radios. The results of the implementation of the strategy: analysis of the 203 instances of outreach consultations reveals that this approach resulted in: • a strengthening of the capacities of 517 health services providers to offer integrated SRH/FP/HIV provision packages, involving in particular the insertion of intrauterine devices (IUDs) and implants, as well as screening for HIV and screening for cervical cancer using the VIA method. • the recruitment of 21,377 women to family planning programmes. The contraceptive injection is the most popular method (44%), followed by implants (33%) and oral contraceptives (22%). In total, over the course of 293 outreach days, an average of 73 women a day (90% of whom were new patients) were provided with a contraceptive method • the additional recruitment, for the purposes of HIV screening, of 16,718 people, 2.5% of whom tested positive; and with a view to screening for precancerous cervical lesions, 9,749 women, 3% of whom tested positive. • a comparative analysis of take-up of FP services through usual routes in the healthcare system and take-up noted during outreach sessions in the public health districts of Toumodi and Yamoussoukro 219
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shows that the outreach sessions held over three to five days during the fourth quarter of 2012 succeeded in recruiting as many clients as were recruited in three months by the district healthcare providers in the course of their usual activities. All of these results confirm that demand is high and that access to family planning services, as they are currently organised and delivered by healthcare bodies, is poor. Outreach consultations raised awareness of the availability of services, removed geographical and financial barriers and improved the quality of services, notably by offering different services simultaneously, thus reducing waiting times. 3. Community-based Distribution (CBD) The conceptual and operational framework: Community-based Distribution (CBD), which complements provision delivered by healthcare institutions, is an approach based on increasing access to and uptake of FP services and ensuring that services are available on an ongoing basis by intervening to shape community skills, attitudes and practices. It involves delegating tasks to people who are not healthcare professionals, who are part of the community and have received appropriate training.They take responsibility for sourcing contraceptives, the monitoring of women using them, and managing the supply of products. A number of conditions need to be in place before such an approach can be taken: (I) basic information must be available, outlining the extent to which the population is appreciative of and receptive to the strategy and identifying potential obstacles to the development of an appropriate intervention; (II) the production of training and management tools, (III) communication and social mobilisation; (IV) the selection of Community-based Distribution Agents (CBDAs) by communities on the basis of criteria that they have themselves approved; (V) the training of trainers and of CBD agents (healthcare workers who offer FP services within healthcare institutions); (VI) training CBD agents and providing them with equipment and finally (VII) the launch of the strategy. The strategic orientations: Community-based Distribution (CBD) tackles the issue of limited access to SRH/FP services which remains a major problem for Côte d’Ivoire and the UNFPA under the terms of its mandate concerned with universal access to sexual and reproductive healthcare, the promotion of rights in this area and the reduction of maternal mortality. 220
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This approach confirms that there is strong demand for contraception in Côte d’Ivoire and that people are prepared to use services provided by staff who are part of their community. Interpersonal communication informed by the cultural beliefs, attitudes and practices of communities (which are key to family planning) is essential. The results obtained: thanks to awareness raising activities, domiciliary visits (DVs), counselling, and the monitoring of women who had started to use modern contraceptive methods, the CBDAs have facilitated the involvement of close to half (48.6%) of the new adopters of FP one year after implementation in the public area districts of Toumodi and Yamoussoukro. The outcome of this approach confirms, on one hand, that there is strong unmet demand for FP in Côte d’Ivoire (an estimated 27%) and on the other hand, that communities are prepared to use the services provided by community contact points provided that appropriate training and support is available to them. However, 28% of women who were referred to health centres were not able to attend in order to start using a contraceptive method for the first time, which made it necessary to contemplate the possibility of developing an additional strand to the strategy, involving community agents themselves being responsible for the initiation of oral and/or injectable contraceptives. 4.The EdM (École des Maris: Husbands’ Schools) The conceptual and operational framework: the EdM (école des maris: Husbands’ Schools) strategy seeks to involve men, who are the decisionmakers within families and communities, with a view to increasing takeup of family planning by using a participatory approach to community involvement with reorganised healthcare services complementing community-based distribution. Innovative approaches to communication are employed in this context to encourage behaviour change and recourse to modern methods of contraception. They involve the establishment, within villages, of a group made up of eight to ten “model husbands” who benefit from capacity building in order to help them take on the role of raising the awareness of their peers on issues surrounding SRH/FP by encouraging discussions aimed at 221
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leading to greater autonomy for women when it comes to their rights to healthcare in general and to reproductive health in particular. The EdM is thus a hub where accurate and comprehensive information can be shared, a space where discussions can take place, where decisions are made and action is taken. It is underpinned by an ethos of voluntary involvement and community agency and aims to encourage men to responsibly drive the development of their community. More specifically, it sets out to: (I) encourage men to adopt behaviours and practices that are conducive to the use of SRH/FP services; (II) build on ongoing efforts to empower women and increase the proportion of young girls attending school; and (III) bring about community action to do away with early marriage and female circumcision. It was appropriate to employ this strategy because: • men brought together in “model husband classes” feel empowered to contribute to the improvement of maternal health; • EdM offers a platform for decision-making and action that creates an environment favourable to the adoption by men of FP-friendly practices; • it makes it possible to tackle indirect causes of maternal mortality such as female circumcision, early marriage etc. The results obtained: launched in July 2012, it supported the establishment of thirty-six schools in thirty-six villages with a view to encouraging a behavioural shift in men towards attitudes and practices conducive to the use of SRH/FP services. In all, 350 “model husbands” were given training in the basic principles of reproductive health (ANC/PNC, births attended by skilled healthcare staff, vaccination, FP), on group dynamics, on communication and advocacy techniques, on STIs and HIV, obstetric fistula, issues around gender and gender equality, early marriage and early pregnancy, the elaboration of action plans and the management of activities. The advocacy and awareness raising of “model husbands” at a community level has had an impact on maternal health indicators in the Toumodi district. Figures for CPN1 and CPN4 increased respectively from 56.2 to 79.5% and from 20.7 to 43.9% in the villages concerned. The proportion of births attended by a skilled health professional also went up from 48.3 to 55.4% over the same period. Finally, contraceptive prevalence, which was of 12.4% in 2011 reached 38.8% in 2013.
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5. Social Franchises The conceptual and operational framework: the low level of household income, and particularly of women’s income, is recognised as one of the main obstacles to the take-up of healthcare provision.The fact that women are at a disadvantage from a socio-economic point of view gives additional weight to other social factors which limit their ability to make their own decisions and to use healthcare services, particularly those pertaining to reproductive health (including family planning). Drawn from social marketing, the idea behind social franchises is to replicate a successful commercial strategy by strictly controlling the quality of products or services that are sold and ensuring that each franchisee respects the rules they have agreed to abide by, in order to ensure that quality standards are adhered to at the point of delivery of reproductive healthcare services. It is therefore an approach which links the need to raise income levels and women’s ability to contribute to expenditure on healthcare, particularly when it comes to the purchase of contraceptive products and SRH services. In the long term, this approach promotes inclusive and sustainable economic empowerment, with greater involvement of women, young people and CBDAs and an increase in demand for and recourse to family planning services. The implementation of the strategy was based around four strategic priorities: • the development of partnerships; with an NGO to encourage community mobilisation on issues around FP; with a rural development agency to provide training and support on agricultural techniques; with an institution specialising in microfinance to help with simplified accounting techniques; with the healthcare and political and administrative authorities when it comes to financial intermediation and savings; with the CBDAs and women’s groups to set up a committee responsible for monitoring and sustainability. • support in the form of microcredit and building capacity to promote self-employment are effective means of initiating community engagement.This also involves identifying needs when it comes to the development of self-employment using a participatory approach and building capacity when it comes to savings, the voluntary and community sector, simplified accounting, commercial and cultivation techniques, animal husbandry, the practicalities of starting up in self-employment and performance monitoring. 223
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• incentivising Community-based Distribution Agents of contraceptive products, through the availability of microcredit and by making self-employment a reality with a view to increasing returns as measured through communications activities, recruitment and monitoring of women using modern family planning methods. • mobilising the healthcare and administrative authorities to develop a mechanism to ensure the sustainability of the social franchise, by establishing a committee responsible for monitoring and local sustainability drawing on the “revolving funds” system for the management of microcredit and to facilitate self-employment. The thinking behind this strategy: • In the context of the repositioning of family planning, offering groups of women and young people a way into self-employment is a first step towards increasing demand for and take-up of FP services; • the coordination by the public health district of all interventions including: (i) the Community-based Distribution of contraceptive products by CBDAs; (ii) the provision, by the public health district, of reproductive healthcare services and of family planning; (iii) the delivery of interventions aimed at preventing and managing genderbased violence (GBV); (iv) the involvement of NGOs, of local banks and of the ANADER (Agence nationale de développement rural: National Agency for Rural Development), who provide microcredit and farming toolkits to build capacity in the voluntary and community sector, in simplified accounting, in cultivation techniques and in savings, in order to support revenue generating activities (RGAs); • the enthusiasm of women for microcredit and the development of collective self-employment is a positive first step towards mobilising a community around SRH/FP activities; • increasing the motivation of Community-based Distribution Agents of contraceptive products and in the long term encouraging the pooling of resources within the beneficiary groups in order to meet expenditure on reproductive health. The results obtained in the course of the implementation of the strategy: remarkable progress has been made in the three years since the establishment of the social franchise (August 2012-July 2015), women have become increasingly independent from a socio-economic perspective but more importantly, they are more involved in activities 224
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promoting SRH/FP. Indeed, 61% of women of child-bearing age are selfemployed and have an income which enables them to meet one-off costs connected to the use of SRH/FP services and to contribute to supporting access to healthcare within their group.Women’s groups who have been involved in this strategy now make a significant contribution. Contraceptive usage has more than doubled in the health areas that the groups are based in, from 18% in 2012 to 39% in 2015. At least nineteen women’s groups and groups of young people who have been able to access microcredit have built their capacity and created opportunities for collective and remunerated self-employment. Their members are involved in promoting family planning. Community mobilisation in a social franchising context leads to the recruitment of new users, to the retention of existing users and to increased take-up of family planning services in the intervention zone. 6.The multi-sectoral campaign to combat adolescent pregnancy An action plan has been put together to promote Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) education for schoolchildren, through a “Zero Pregnancy in School” campaign based on a participative and consultative strategy involving all of the actors in the fields of education, healthcare, family and children and young people. This action plan combines class-based teaching with work by clubs and school associations to promote peer education on SRH in order to reduce pregnancies in schools. This initiative seeks to place young people and particularly schoolgirls at the heart of interventions and to encourage them to take responsibility for the management of their sexual and reproductive health needs. Seven key strategies were agreed upon and are delivered through the following key actions: • creating, at a range of levels, a favourable environment that allows the Zero Pregnancy in School campaign to flourish; • informing, educating and communicating with students on SRH to encourage changes in behaviour; • recourse to the arts, culture and sports (theatre, choirs, poetry, traditional dancing, drawing, painting and sculpture, school and university sports competitions) to promote SRH in schools; • recourse to information and communication technology (ICT) to raise awareness of sexual and reproductive healthcare provision for young people;
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• strengthening SRH services in schools by: (I) extending family planning provision to all SSSUs (structures de santé scolaires et universitaires: school and university healthcare structures) and school infirmaries; (II) supplying contraceptive products to SSSUs; • reducing the vulnerability of young schoolgirls through advocacy, information and awareness raising targeted at the political authorities, local authorities, and development partners involved in the construction, renovation and management of educational infrastructure; • delivering the coordination, monitoring and evaluation of the Zero Pregnancy in School campaign through the creation of an information and activity monitoring hub 1; the production of quarterly, biannual and annual progress reports, and the establishment of a distinction and reward system for establishments which have significantly contributed to the Zero Pregnancy in School campaign by drastically reducing the number of pregnancies, or even recording zero pregnancies. The results obtained through the implementation of the strategy: one year into the rolling out of the Zero Pregnancy in School campaign, figures showed that there were 1,041 fewer cases than in the 2012-2013 school year – a decrease of around 20.5%. Overall, all levels showed a decrease with the exception of the first year of secondary school (sixième).The most marked decreases were in primary school (CE2, CM1 and CM2), followed by the final three years of secondary school (seconde, première, terminale) with respective drops of 75% and 13.3%. In the first four years of secondary school there was a very modest drop of 1.3%. Around a third of pregnancies occur before the age of fifteen and three quarters of them occur before the age of eighteen. Rates are higher in rural and peri-urban areas which account for 71% of cases. It was possible to obtain these very encouraging results because of the synergy between different actors involved in the education system, in health and the fight against AIDS, in youth welfare, solidarity and social affairs and NGOs. The actions undertaken made it possible to reach students and all of the relevant actors in the education system thanks to a multi-sectoral approach: • the involvement of the Government in the fight against pregnancies in the school system, under the leadership of the MENET (Ministère 226
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de l’Éducation Nationale et de l’Enseignement Technique: Ministry of National Education and Technical Teaching) with a view to achieving a greater mobilisation of all national and international actors and in particular partners in the fields of education, health and the protection of human rights; • sex education through an approach based on sharing life lessons was delivered by 83.3% of DRENETs (directions regionales de l’Éducation nationale et de l’Enseignement technique: Regional Directorates of National Education and Technical Training), reaching 17% of secondary schools and 8.8% of students; • access to quality information through a multimedia campaign using ICT (websites, social networks, free helpline) and messages aimed at particular target groups that were developed with a view to educating and raising awareness and disseminated through a range of means (six posters, one leaflet on early pregnancy and ways of avoiding it, five audio adverts, three video ads, hundreds of text messages etc.); • involving school associations in awareness raising enabled students to obtain more information from peers and to engage in local action in schools.These interventions were made possible by building the SRH capacity of approximately 209 school association supervisors (teachers, educators…) and 779 student leaders/educators which represents a total of 988 facilitators in school associations in nine DRENET regions where the prevalence of pregnancy is high; • during the FENACS-MIS(Festival des arts et cultures en milieu scolaire: Festival of Art and Culture in Schools), some 3,217 students from 400 school associations and troupes were directly involved in the activities involving theatre, poetry and traditional story-telling focused on the theme of “Zero Pregnancy in School”. • the provision of an integrated package of SRH services enabled young people to take steps to prevent HIV/AIDS, STIs and unwanted pregnancies, partly through improved access to modern contraceptive methods. FP/HIV integration is in place in 88% of school and university healthcare structures. As a result, in 2014, 81,272 students were able to access a modern method of contraception.The contraceptive methods used are mainly the pill (59.8%) and the contraceptive injection (39.8%) with implants playing a much smaller part (0.4%). HIV prevention and screening services are being delivered, with 32,277 people being screened, alongside the diagnosis and treatment of STIs (5, 867), and screening for cervical cancer in 294 young girls. In order to reach young people from different backgrounds and socio-economic groups, a holiday 227
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roadshow christened “Jeunesse saine, protège-toi” (Healthy Youth, Protect Yourself) toured 14 major locations where the prevalence of early pregnancies is high. This campaign reached 207,235 adolescents and young people, of whom 40.8% were girls, disseminating informative and educational messages that raised awareness of issues surrounding sexual and reproductive health. Naturally, it remains the case that this effort must be maintained and even intensified with a view to achieving a 50% reduction in the number of pregnancies amongst schoolgirls between 2015 and 2020.
Conclusion In Côte d’Ivoire, 2016 saw the elaboration of a new national policy on development (PND, 2016-2000) which addresses these challenges directly. A new national policy on population has been agreed, drawing inspiration from the concept of “population and development integration” which will enable Côte d’Ivoire to ensure that the conditions are right for it to draw down its demographic dividend and fully exploit the opportunities it presents. The Ivorian Government intends to drive forward: • the drawing up of new national medium-term population projections using the figures from the 2014 RGPH (recensement général de la population et de l’habitat: General Population and Accommodation Census) and those of the EDS 2015-2016 with different hypotheses highlighting the importance of the population variable in decision-making related to development in the fields of health, education, employment, agriculture and urban and rural planning; • the integration of the results of demographic projections into new sectoral policies (e.g. population, national healthcare development plan etc.). The new sectoral documents, once drawn up, will therefore integrate demographic dynamics, taking into consideration both rapid population change and the gap that needs to be bridged in terms of family planning; • the elaboration of new advocacy tools in “population and development” that are connected to the “demographic dividend” in order to ensure there is greater understanding: (i) of the need for a fertility transition in Côte d’Ivoire and to avoid jeopardising the twin 228
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aims of sustainable development and economic emergence and (ii) of the need to reduce the number of high-risk pregnancies which place a high burden on the State and on families; • the establishment of a national population observatory in order to facilitate the harmonisation of data and targets when formulating future policies and drawing up sectoral and local development plans; • an increase in service provision aimed at women from deprived backgrounds and the distribution of modern methods of contraception, including in remote villages, in public and/or community healthcare settings. Contraceptive products will be available in sufficient quantities to ensure that all needs can be met. The lowest possible price will be achieved as a result of an inclusive policy founded on the ability to purchase, store and distribute products in satisfactory conditions. The aim is in fact to build on and significantly scale up the innovative strategies introduced by the UNFPA, whilst ensuring that family planning is integrated particularly through social franchises, husbands’ schools, and the Community-based Distribution of contraceptive products, particularly in rural areas where the contraceptive revolution is in its infancy. The H4+ Partnership both in terms of its establishment and the implementation of the MDG5 Acceleration Framework, provides a platform for genuine collaboration and for seeking out synergies between the different UN System agencies (UNFPA, WHO, UNICEF, UNAIDS, UN Women) taking action on maternal, neonatal and child health.This initiative shows that the Government and the United Nations System agencies are determined to translate the principles of DaO into reality in Côte d’Ivoire through concrete action that delivers results.This has been demonstrated through the implementation of interventions, the frequency at which coordination meetings were held, the joint monitoring missions and especially the high-quality results obtained. The renewed interest in family planning, apparent at an African level through the Ouagadougou partnership and the project on women’s empowerment and the demographic dividend in the Sahel (Government - World Bank - UNFPA partnership), allied to the progress made through the joint programmatic work of the United Nations System, signifies that there are now excellent opportunities waiting to be seized. Indeed, studies on health and demography that have been carried out thus far have underscored the positive changes in behaviours and 229
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attitudes in respect of family planning. As a result, in Côte d’Ivoire, significant increases have been noted when it comes to awareness of means of contraception but also in contraceptive prevalence both in rural and urban areas. Levels of recourse to modern contraceptive methods are significantly higher among women who live in urban areas or are educated at least to secondary school level. Similarly, women who have been the beneficiaries of a combination of innovative strategies have higher levels of awareness of contraceptive methods and are more likely to use them. The provision of an adequate response to the strong demand for family planning that has been expressed by women, placing an emphasis on factors which are conducive to the use of modern contraceptive methods, is essential if we are to meet the challenges of human development in Côte d’Ivoire. These policy choices and the good practice and results they led to are a beacon for future joint programming in Africa.
NOTES 1. A Technical Working Group (TWP) has been established, with members representing different ministries and authorities.The DPFC (direction de la pédagogie et de la formation continue: Pedagogy and Lifelong Learning Authority) is responsible for administration and coordination.
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The Implementation of the Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfers (HACT) Framework and the “Delivering as One” Initiative in Côte d’Ivoire Christian Do Rosario UNDP Operations Manager in Côte d’Ivoire
Kobehi Guillaume Toutou Member of the HACT Task Force
Nehla Touré ICT Analyst, UNDP in Côte d’Ivoire
Introduction Adopted in the course of the Triennial comprehensive policy review of the operational activities for development of the United Nations System by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 22 December 2001, resolution 56/201 reflects the desire of the United Nations Agencies to embark upon a simplification and harmonisation of the roles and procedures used in the context of partnerships with countries. The complexity and multiplicity of conditions that needed to be met to enable programmatic and financial resources to be transferred to beneficiary states was a heavy burden for these countries because of the high transaction costs they incurred.The simplification and harmonisation of procedures and the decentralisation of the transfer process for programmatic and financial resources therefore aimed, according to the resolution, to bring about greater organisational efficiency in respect of the contributions of the United Nations System to the needs of beneficiary countries. 231
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According to the letter launching the Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfers (HACT) framework, which was signed in April 2005 by the Executive Directors of four agencies (UNICEF, UNDP,WFP and UNFPA), this approach was due to be implemented at a global level between 2005 and 2007 and was also to be introduced at a national level. The United Nations Country Team (UNCT) in Côte d’Ivoire has taken this recommendation on board and the prompt implementation of HACT has always been seen as a priority. However, the troubled social and political context that prevailed between 2002 and 2011 was not conducive to making progress towards embedding this reform in everyday practice. The process of public finance reform started by the Côte d’Ivoire Government in the context of the HIPC initiative on debt reduction, the rolling out of the PEMFAR programme of financial reform, and the elaboration and implementation of the PRSP and the UNDAF which are all taking place simultaneously, as well as the efforts made to emerge from the crisis and build peace, all contributed to putting the HACT implementation project back on the agenda in Côte d’Ivoire. This led to the UNCT taking practical steps to making progress on the HACT Framework from June 2010, in particular through the establishment of a HACT Task Force. This group was given specific tasks which were included in its terms of reference.
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Following HACT procedures, the Government and the United Nations System began to implement the programme of activities that the framework involves whilst working to raise awareness of the nature of cash transfer systems and seeking to ensure that more is done to identify risks before partnerships are established. In order to achieve these aims, the Ivorian Government and the United Nations System Agencies have built the development and implementation of this strategy around four key stages: • assessment of the national public finances system (Macro Assessment) • assessment of risk associated with each partner (Micro Assessment) • a capacity building plan that draws on the results of these exercises • a programme of activities to manage and reduce the identified risks (assurance)
A process that begins with Macro Assessment
Prior to starting the actual process of implementing the HACT Framework, the United Nations System worked to closely involve the Ivorian Government in the assessment process. The letter sent to the Ministry for Planning and Development by the United Nations System Resident Coordinator, in August 2010, made it clear to the Ivorian Government that the Macro Assessment was not aimed at formulating new conclusions or carrying out an audit of public finances but rather an exercise aimed at analysing management systems and reviewing existing studies and assessments carried out by relevant Government services and by development partners, notably the IMF, the World Bank and the UNDP. This exercise consisted in analysing and gaining a better understanding of budgetary procedures (planning, execution, internal and external oversight) and of practices and procedures related to public sector procurement. This process of assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the management and oversight system for public finances was intended to lead to the drawing up and implementation of a national capacity building plan aimed at minimising the risks surrounding the management of 233
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resources made available to national partners. The technical documentation related to Macro Assessment (note on the HACT Framework, terms of reference of the Macro Assessment etc.) was widely shared with the relevant services of the Ministry of Planning and Development which took on the role of coordinating United Nations System operational activities within the Government. In response to this, the Ministry of Planning nominated one of its relevant technical services to act as a contact point between the Ministry and the United Nations System, in particular in connection with the HACT initiative. Once agreement was reached on joint terms of reference, specialised consultants were recruited and a timetable of meetings between relevant Government structures and Non-Governmental Organisations (both national and international) was adopted, the Macro Assessment started on 28 September 2012.This exercise concluded on 18 October of the same year and provided a more complete picture of the overall risks that existed at a national level and that it would be necessary to take into consideration in the context of partnerships with the United Nations System. More specifically, and as had already been noted by other joint evaluation missions focused on the management of public finances and the procurement system, the Macro Assessment brought to the fore a number of weaknesses affecting key dimensions of the State’s financial system (see box on opposite page).These weaknesses have the capacity to alter the cash transfer process and directly affect partnerships with United Nations System Agencies. Always keen to build consensus, the UNDP shared the Macro Assessment with the Government, with a view to ensuring the conclusions were jointly endorsed and accepted by the Ivorian authorities. In October 2013, the Government officially accepted the conclusions, observations and recommendations of the Macro Assessment and launched a series of radical reforms of financial and budgetary governance. This led to an improvement in the business environment which enabled Côte d’Ivoire to be ranked among the top ten countries in the world for progress made on business reforms and to access international financial markets by issuing bonds.
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The different stages of the Micro Assessment Once the government had agreed in principle, and while formal approval was pending, the United Nations System received the go-ahead to proceed with the Micro Evaluation exercise which is also a major milestone of the HACT process.
An inter-agency HACT Task Force, on which the Government was also represented, was set up and proceeded to agree on the Micro Assessment terms of reference. A selection process followed which involved choosing between six bids that were made to carry out this exercise. An audit firm won the contract following a selection process using objective criteria involving skills, experience and past successful involvement in similar types of work. 235
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Whilst the selection process was ongoing, the Agencies set about drawing up a list of delivery structures which needed to go through an assessment process. This work was done jointly within the Task Force which was headed up by UNICEF and the UNDP. The first criterion for inclusion in the preliminary list of HACT Framework partners was whether organisations had received, or were expecting to receive, at least 100,000 dollars. This criterion was insufficient on its own as it did not produce a manageable number of organisations. As a result of the crisis, the number of bodies having received this amount of support had increased, particularly as far as NGOs were concerned (both national and international). The United Nations System therefore prioritised the inclusion on the preliminary HACT list of partners who had worked with at least two Agencies or who were likely to do so in the current cycle. It was also decided to prioritise, ahead of vertical programmes based within ministries, a number of more central services such as DAFs (directions administratives et financières: Financial and Administrative Directorates). A final list of sixty-five partners was drawn up using these criteria.The group of bodies to be assessed included a range of different partners: • Sixteen national NGOs (25%) • Fifteen international NGOs (23%) • Thirty-four governmental (or government-affiliated) organisations (52%) The launch of the Micro Evaluation took place in May 2013 during an information-sharing meeting bringing together representatives of all the chosen organisations.This meeting was jointly chaired by the Director of the National Plan and the UNDP Director (representing the United Nations System partners).The actual process of information gathering within the selected bodies took place between May and September 2013 and was overseen by the audit firm.The actual participation rate that was recorded was a highly satisfactory 92%: sixty out of sixty-five partners took part. Of the six organisations that could not be assessed, two raised issues around “sovereignty” (the National Assembly and the Ministry of Finance and of the Budget); three invoked logistical issues, the sixth reported that it had not worked in partnership with UN System Agencies for a number of years. The consultants shared the results of the Micro Evaluation with each body that had been assessed and invited comments. It was only after feedback was received that the individual reports were finalised and submitted to the United Nations System. A meeting with all the partners 236
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to share the main observations and recommendations of the Micro Evaluation was held in order to highlight the final conclusions and at the same time acknowledge the contribution that everyone had made to the success of this important exercise. The analysis of these results gave us an idea of the robustness of the various bodies that the United Nations System was working with or was about to start working with. Several key figures stand out: • only 15% of the organisations that the United Nations System works with are categorised as “low risk” and 12% are judged to be “high risk”; •just over one out of three of the bodies were assessed as presenting a “moderate risk”;
• of the organisations judged to be “high risk”, 71% are Governmental bodies; • two out of three bodies in the group of partners classed as “low risk” are NGOs;
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• overall, the bodies that were assessed were found to present a “high risk” in four areas: internal audit (70%); information systems (45%); external audit (42%) and policies and procedures (27%). The following factors help to explain these findings: • three out of four of the delivery partners do not have an internal audit department and are not aware of the benefits of having a system of internal oversight; • the Government bodies and national NGOs which make up 77% of the study sample do not have reliable information systems; • virtually no Government organisation commissions an audit of projects that have been carried out. Even the State General Inspectorate refrains from looking into projects that are implemented with funds obtained from the agencies. With the exception of the international NGOs, the bodies that were assessed do not take on board the recommendations of the rare audits that are carried out by including them in an action plan that makes it easier to monitor implementation; • when it comes to policies and procedures, it was noted that the management of the resources of external partners was very often not done separately from the management of State resources within Government organisations.The study also revealed an absence of policy and procedures handbooks and shortcomings in managing assets and allocating responsibilities.
The capacity building plan In light of this assessment, the Ivorian authorities and the United Nations System Agencies worked together to draw up a capacity building plan.
In response to the findings of the Micro Assessment, the United Nations System drew up a plan addressing the capacity building needs that had been identified. It provides for a programme of gradual change, beginning with interventions focused primarily on training around HACT procedures, and more specifically, the use of the Funding Authorisation and Certificate of Expenditures (FACE) form. 238
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Procedures surrounding disbursements and their programmatic and operational implications were also discussed as were questions surrounding assurance. In July 2012, the United Nations System set up a team of “champions” in the course of a five day residential workshop in Grand-Bassam. The aim was to ensure that there was a critical mass of internal trainers within the United Nations System who could help incubate the HACT Framework within the Agencies and then share their expertise with delivery partners. This workshop gave this front-line team the opportunity to familiarise itself with HACT procedures and to develop a shared understanding of the concepts that underpin it and the tools that support delivery. Training was organised in the different agencies according to an internal timetable. Delivery tools and exercises were pooled between agencies in order to encourage the sharing of experiences and help develop training that mimicked real-life conditions. Following this process, the HACT Task Force team held a workshop in September 2013 which brought together around sixty national partners. It provided an opportunity to prepare for the actual implementation of the HACT procedures from January 2014. Other training sessions were held during annual reviews and annual planning activities in the different agencies between September and December 2013. The other capacity building needs that were identified relate to more fundamental structural changes and therefore involve strategic choices being made within each organisation, in particular in bodies such as NGOs where there is a certain amount of managerial autonomy.These choices involve, amongst other things: • acquiring accounting software • regular bank reconciliation • cash count sheets • internal audits • segregation of internal oversight • external audits • organisational audit • establishing a self-accounting unit • recruitment of staff to key posts that are not filled • funding training for managers • establishing a project coordination unit • establishing a dual signature system 239
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• drafting an internal policies and procedures handbook • opening a dedicated bank account • formulating a training policy As far as Government structures are concerned, the United Nations System has had discussions with the Ministry of Planning and the Ministry for the Budget to work towards the opening of a single account at the Treasury which would be reserved for partnership activities involving the Government and United Nations Agencies. The Ivorian Government has formally agreed to this and has begun the process of implementing this change which will support its efforts to enhance the traceability of public funds.
The assurance and risk management plan The United Nations System Country Team has paid close attention to risk management in the context of the implementation of the HACT Framework.
The assurance plan was drawn up in December 2013 in order to anticipate identified risks and put in place appropriate mitigation measures. More specifically, it set out to provide information to United Nations System staff and delivery partners about what steps needed to be taken in terms of assurance, with a view to ensuring that United Nations System funds are used effectively and in an efficient manner in order to obtain convincing results. With the help of a decision tree and in order to build on the findings of the Micro Assessment, a choice was made concerning the different “modalities” offered by the HACT Framework. Following this initial phase concerned with modalities, a decision was made regarding the “frequency of assurance activities”. It was based on a multifactorial analysis that took into consideration the “amount required” and also the “overall risk” associated with the body according to the Micro Evaluation. 240
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A rating scale was set up with six categories which define, on an objective basis, the frequency of assurance activities that is appropriate to the partner’s risk level. This classification system based on six categories takes account of the need to avoid a loss of focus and ensure that activities remain appropriate and effective. This compromise was made in order to avoid a rapid increase in assurance activities which would result in them becoming a burden for United Nations Systems agencies whilst at the same time bearing in mind that insufficient monitoring could result in programme activities being run inefficiently or in the tacit renewal of programmes and projects which deliver few if any tangible results for the target groups of the United Nations System agencies. The latter reached agreement on the following categories which were deemed to be appropriate: • over 1,000,000 dollars (USD) • between 100,000 and 250,000 dollars • between 750,000 and 1,000,000 dollars • between 50,000 and 100,000 dollars • between 500,000 and 750,000 dollars • less than 50,000 dollars • between 250,000 and 500,000 dollars
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Within these categories, the frequency of assurance activities varies:
Work is now ongoing to adapt the initial assurance plan in order to align it with the revised UNDG handbook. One of the recurring themes in this context is that UNDG directives constitute a minimum requirement in terms of activity levels. Each agency has discretion to engage in other activities if necessary, drawing on the information it has about specific partners and the particular field in which it operates.
Factors that contributed to the progress made In spite of the delayed implementation of this approach in Africa, the HACT Framework was finally implemented in Côte d’Ivoire in January 2014. Since then, all of the agencies involved in the initiative (WFP, UNDP, UNFPA and UNICEF) have started to use tools such as FACE and conduct assurance activities as provided for in the agreed internal plan. A complementary Micro Assessment is ongoing and Long Term Agreements (LTAs) have been concluded with private sector organisations in order to conduct on-site inspections: spot checks, special audits if necessary and, of course, planned statutory audits. Over 500 partners have now undergone training and make up a key network. In terms of the number of partners that agencies work with, this represents one of the highest rates on the Continent. All of the documents related to the implementation of the HACT Framework are available on the online interagency network “Teamworks”. An evaluation of the HACT Framework implementation, which involves all of the partners, is currently being conducted and should yield 242
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information concerning the measures taken by each entity to respond to the recommendations of the Micro Evaluation. Another exercise is also ongoing to establish how comfortable users are with the underlying procedures and to put forward proposals for improvement from a user perspective. This national process is the product of a number of factors of which six can be considered key. Priorities and shared responsibilities in respect of the HACT process and United Nations reform
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Conclusions and future prospects The Ivorian Government and the United Nations System agencies have launched a joint process aimed at bringing about a Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfers to support development activities. This initiative supports exemplary partnerships based on better oversight of resources as well as delivering greater predictability and efficiency in technical cooperation programmes. The systematic implementation of the HACT roadmap is one of the main priorities of the “Delivering as One” programme for 2015-2016. This agenda draws on our achievements and sets out ambitious shortand medium-term aims. Aside from routine activities, the Country Team, and in particular the interagency Committee for Operations, will mainly be focusing on the following interventions: • continued efforts to widen the group of agencies involved in the HACT Framework, approaching those who have not been involved from the outset; • building on discussions with the Government to deliver the aim of creating a unique account; • undertaking joint assurance activities (spot checks and programmatic visits) at least once every quarter; • reporting on the implementation of the HACT initiative both on a six-monthly and on an annual basis; • the implementation and regular review of the annual capacity building plan. The experience of implementing the Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfers made to partners is an instance of good practice in relation to the “Delivering as One” initiative in Côte d’Ivoire and should serve as an example to African countries who are determined to implement the reforms.
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NOTES 1. http://www.un.org/french/documents/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/56/201&Lang=F 2. HIPC: debt reduction initiative for Heavily Indebted Poor Countries 3. Public Expenditure Management and Financial Accountability Review (World Bank) 4. PRSP: Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper 5. UNDAF: United Nations Development Assistance Framework
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External Aid Coordination and the Joint Support Programme of the United Nations System in Côte d’Ivoire Lacina Kouakou Kouamé Former Director-General in the Ministry for Planning and Development of Côte d'Ivoire
Mahamoudou Traoré Technical Advisor to the Prime Minister and Minister of the Economy, Finance and Budget
Adama Sall Special Advisor to the Minister Attached to the Prime Minister’s Office, with Responsibility for the Economy and Finance
El Allassane Baguia Programme Coordinator, SDG specialist at the UNDP
Introduction Since 2012, the country has been experiencing a period of renewed social and economic stability and has taken steps to improve the governance of public finances. The strong economic growth we are experiencing naturally leads to increasing demands for investment, with Côte d’Ivoire having the ambition to become an emerging country in the relatively near future. The transformations that are needed to meet this aim and the strong social demands we face require innovative and reliable partnerships, good management, transparent public finances and the availability of considerable and reliable resources. 247
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The Ivorian Government, with the support of the United Nations System, has gained international recognition for the significant advances it has made in the coordination and management of aid. It is however now necessary to make additional efforts in terms of strategic coordination, partnership promotion and monitoring of the effectiveness of development initiatives. As agreed at the December 2012 gathering of the advisory group on the funding of the PND (plan national de développement: National Development Plan), and in alignment with the context of the implementation of the Paris Declaration and of the Agendas for Action outlined in Accra, Busan and Mexico, the Ivorian Government has sought to establish a national structure for the coordination and management of aid with operational mechanisms and coordination tools. This structure seeks to facilitate a political dialogue around the need for effective development measures and to mobilise resources to fund development in Côte d’Ivoire. The integrated inter-ministerial process brings together the main national structures (Office of the Prime Minister ; MEMAE – ministère d’État, ministère des Affaires étrangères: Ministry of State, Ministry for Foreign Affairs; MEMPD – ministère d’État, ministère du Plan et du Développement: Ministry of State with responsibility for Planning and Development; MPMEF – ministère auprès du Premier ministre chargé de l’Économie et des Finances: Ministry attached to the Prime Minister’s Office with responsibility for the Economy and Finance) involved in strategic planning, developing programmes and setting budgets. It sets out to attract external aid, particularly in the form of development funding.This approach also contributed to strengthening the capacity to monitor disbursements and measure the results and the impact of Official Development Assistance (ODA) in Côte d’Ivoire. The Government’s vision is that, in the long-term, external aid will make a significant contribution to the financing of development and will act as an additional lever.This involves going beyond traditional forms of aid to mobilise other innovative types of funding that support development. The Ivorian Government has formulated a national policy on partnerships and the effectiveness of aid which is one of the most detailed in Africa. It is innovative, not only because it takes into consideration partnership dimensions but also because it seeks to ensure not just that aid is effective but also that that the same can be said of the funding of the various aspects of support for development. Another innovation, the 248
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national policy to promote partnerships and the management of aid, takes a targeted and integrated approach to engaging with the United Nations System initiative on the coordination of aid, following on from Côte d’Ivoire’s adoption of the “Delivering as One” approach in early 2014.
The aims and strategic priorities of the national policy on partnerships and effective aid The national policy on partnerships and effective aid was drawn up principally to foster stronger relationships between different parties and to stimulate and shape a strategic dialogue on the issue of effective development cooperation. More specifically it seeks to: • establish an operational system for the coordination of development aid • put in place a proactive system to attract innovative types of funding • increase the proportion of funding that directly benefits the target populations The national policy’s guiding principles The national policy on partnerships and effective aid is an attempt to respond to the challenges underscored by the assessment of the current mechanisms for the coordination and management of development assistance, by reinforcing national leadership and creating a better context for the coordination and management of aid. The Government is keen to strengthen national systems for the management of public finances in order to encourage development partners to make more use of them. It is also working to make improvements to the aid management platform that was set up in 2014. In order to ensure that more systematic use is made of the national procurement system, the Government intends to carry out evaluations and to lead a joint reform programme focused on the terms of agreements with development partners. In a similar vein, partners are strongly encouraged to harmonise their procedures, notably through an increased recourse to joint interventions with other partners. The Government is also engaged in ongoing discussions with development partners, local authorities and civil society organisations in order to 249
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build up an accurate picture of the financing and development of partnership programmes. In order to increase the predictability of aid, consultations have been held, under the auspices of the Prime Minister, with the assistance of the Ministers with responsibility for coordination (Planning, Economy and Finance, Foreign Affairs, Budget), and at all levels, in order to find ways of ensuring there is more systematic recourse to national procedures, including joint assessments. All is done to foster complementarity to ensure that the division of delivery responsibilities between partners is done in an efficient way, taking into consideration the comparative advantages of the various parties. Through ongoing dialogue with partners, the Government is rationalising partnership initiatives on development and gradually introducing a system for allocating roles and responsibilities to different technical and financial partners. In terms of capacity building, greater emphasis is placed on interdepartmental cooperation and the coordination of the work of national bodies in order to manage requests rationally and make optimal use of the support obtained from development partners. The Government has worked resolutely to set up, within organisations that are development partners, shared coordination systems linked to the national system for the management of external resources and to encourage partners to simplify their procedures. Finally, the Government has strengthened the mechanisms for monitoring national policies and programmes and made the various agents of the State more accountable. Significant amounts have been set aside to help deliver on this front and there will be even more investment in this in the future. Moreover, the Government intends to reinforce mutual accountability by systematising joint field evaluations, involving if necessary several partners whose interventions are focused on the same sector. With respect to this, the Ivorian Government will each year carry out follow-up studies on the implementation of international commitments on the effectiveness of aid and the funding of aid, in conformity with the recommendations of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda (July 2015). When it comes to strengthening South-South and tripartite cooperation, the example set by the Government will be followed and built on 250
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both through the Ivorian diplomatic network and the regional and African organisations of which Côte d’Ivoire is a member. With regard to stimulating greater involvement of actors who are not part of the State apparatus, the State is encouraging the proliferation of spaces for exchange and collaboration that bring together ministerial departments, civil society and the private sector by helping to build their capacity to manage programmes and projects. In respect of local authorities, the Government has set up, with the support of its partners, a major capacity building project to enable them to formulate, coordinate and implement decentralised development programmes. Finally, in order to improve the monitoring of funds allocated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women, the gathering of data that can be broken down by gender will be gradually mainstreamed. The commitments made by the Ivorian State In order to ensure that the targets set by the national policy on partnerships and the effectiveness of aid are met, the State is committed to taking the following measures: • enhanced consultation on policies and programmes concerned with development with particular attention being paid not just to the quality of dialogue with development partners but also with others who have a stake in development action; • formalising the institutional context of the coordination and management of development assistance; • the publication of an official government statement on the issue of the effectiveness of aid, to be followed by regular updates concerning progress made on the formulation of policies and on programmes which are receiving support; • the gradual transfer towards local authorities of regional programmes and projects which is to take place alongside an important programme aimed at building their capacity; • enhancing the ability of civil society groups and private sector organisations to become more involved and establishing a programme to build their capacity; • development of a framework for consultation with the private sector in order to look into public-private partnerships and access innovative forms of support; 251
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• rationalisation of interventions involving external assistance and ensuring there is a balanced distribution of roles amongst partners that promotes effectiveness; • coordination of capacity building activities supported by the Government and development partners; • working to constantly improve national systems for management and accountability; • strengthen the national system for gathering information on and managing partnerships, coordination and accessing funding for development.
The national system of implementation and coordination of partnerships for effective development In order to achieve the requisite level of effectiveness when it comes to partnerships in the context of aid for development, the Government of Côte d’Ivoire has set up a system based on strategic guidance and the coordination of external assistance. This system seeks to bring about high-level political dialogue, outlines the remits of different Government departments on national issues and promotes recourse to robust tools and procedures for the management of aid and external funding. The key actors of the coordination of external assistance and the reform of the United Nations System a) High-level political dialogue and interdepartmental coordination Political dialogue is taking on an increasingly important role in the context of the new approach to development aid founded on “partnership, ownership, access to external funding and mutual accountability”. At a strategic level, in particular with respect to issues around human security, the rule of law and governance, given what is as stake when it comes to international cooperation and regional integration, high-level political dialogue of the type that the Prime Minister has called for requires regular exchanges of views with influential stakeholders. The principle of holding a quarterly meeting chaired by the Prime Minister alongside the PAD (partenaires au développement: Development Partners) was agreed on 12 February 2013.This regular gathering1 is structured around plenary sessions aimed at obtaining the views of 252
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delegates on themes put forward both by the Government and Development Partners. The involvement of Development Partners in the high-level dialogue called for by the Government meets several aims, related notably to the agreements reached at the Paris Consultative Group gathering. This proactive approach build on a commitment to partnership development seeks to: • create a context for high-level debate and discussion around relevant issues and priorities in the field of development and on challenges in the realm of international cooperation; • involving the Prime Minister in making key decisions particularly on matters that have wide-ranging implications where little progress is being made or demanding an in-depth understanding of problems that affect a range of sectors and are multidimensional; • ensure that agreements, and in particular those reached in the context of the Consultative Group and of joint initiatives undertaken in the context of partnerships, are monitored at the highest level. In January 2013, the Prime Minister set up the COMOREX (comité de mobilisation des resources extérieures: Committee on Access to Overseas Funding). Its principal aims are to increase the efficiency of national bodies with responsibility for projects and programmes, build the country’s capacity to take receipt of funding and make appropriate use of it and follow-up on commitments made during the Consultative Group gathering and in the course of consultations when it comes to financing development. The COMOREX also has the authority to commission audits and ask for supervision missions to be undertaken in the context of partnerships. This Committee on Access to Overseas Funding is made up of three key bodies: • the Interdepartmental Committee, responsible for strategic direction and decision-making, which is chaired by the Prime Minister himself; • A Technical Committee chaired by the Minister for the Economy and Finance and the Minister of State, Minister for Planning and Development; • A permanent secretariat.
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This structure is designed to facilitate coordination and interdepartmental monitoring of the coordination of external aid in relation to the PND. Finally the Office of the Prime Minister, with the support of the Ministries for Planning and Development, of Foreign Affairs and for the Economy and Finance, has worked on formulating a national policy on partnerships and the effectiveness of aid.
The role of the main ministries involved in the coordination process and the management of ODA. Several ministries play a key part in the process of coordinating and managing external assistance: • The Ministry of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MEMAE) is responsible for drawing up and monitoring partnership agreements. This department takes on a key role when it comes to particular types of cooperation, notably those involving a number of Asian countries (China, Republic of Korea and Japan) and major international NGOs. It also plays a key part in economic diplomacy and regional cooperation. • The Ministry of State, Ministry for Planning and Development (MEMPD), which has a strategic coordination unit responsible for the development of tools and operational instruments to facilitate the strategic coordination of development aid.This department is responsible for monitoring the implementation of the National Development Plan and the programmatic commitments of development partner interventions.The Ministry for Planning and Development coordinates all of the interventions of the United Nations System agencies and of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB). It is in this capacity that the department is responsible for the United Nations “Delivering as One” initiative in Côte d’Ivoire. It is important for there to be a division of responsibilities between the Ministry for Planning and Development, which intervenes at the beginning of the planning stage and towards the end of the planning and aid management (monitoring) stage, and the Ministry of the Economy and Finance which is responsible for the oversight of external assistance funds. The Ministry for Planning and Development also provides technical advice on programmes and projects before they obtain funding and is involved in assessing the effectiveness of aid, a role which involves 255
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monitoring the implementation of commitments made by the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire in the context of the Paris/Accra/Busan and Mexico agreements. • The Ministry attached to the Prime Minister’s Office with responsibility for the Economy and Finance (MPMEF) is at the heart of this process, even if does not initiate all of the preliminary sectoral negotiations, because it is the only department with the authority to make financial commitments in the name of the Ivorian State. It is also the main contact point when it comes to signing agreements on loans and grants which mainly come from the World Bank, the IMF, the AfDB, the European Union, the WADB and the major bilateral (France, United States) and multilateral partners. The MPMEF seeks to ensure that external funding is traceable in the different national information systems (TOFE, laws on finance, SIGFIP, COMOREX etc.) and works with other ministerial departments in order to optimise access to the funds that are needed for development. It is also responsible for overseeing the competitive allocation of funds (thus accessing the best market rates) and ensuring that they are efficiently managed. The MPMEF has responsibility for national finances and external resources and must therefore work to enhance the country’s ability to process external assistance and manage expenditure. It is closely involved in the targeted intervention on the management of budgetary support which is rising as a consequence of the commitments made by the main development partners. • The sector-specific ministries are the main beneficiaries of ODA. They are responsible for the financial and physical implementation of programmes and projects although they may need support when it comes to planning, programme development, drawing up budgets and monitoring. • Finally, it would be remiss not to mention the local authorities who are taking on a significant number of new responsibilities.They are therefore able to access ODA. However, although powers have been officially devolved, the sector-specific departments continue to provide support and it is difficult to transfer resources as local authorities are hampered by the low level of their financial resources, the governing principles of the unified structure of government bank accounts, and at times, their technical shortcomings. See box on opposite page.
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The tools and procedures for the management of ODA in Côte d’Ivoire: priorities and ongoing initiatives The Ivorian Government has sought to define a new strategy for coordination, partnership building and the funding of development in order to meet the challenges associated with an effective implementation of the National Development Plan and to access funding which is predictable, competitive and sustainable. In order to deliver on this aim, it has set up the PCCA (Joint Programme for the Coordination of Aid), with the support in particular of the UNDP and in consultation with development partners.The PCCA has sought to promote a national policy on partnerships and aid effectiveness.This policy is aimed at providing a general framework of coordination and management of financial and technical cooperation and of the funding of aid. The conduct of annual participatory reviews The conduct of yearly reviews or of assessments at the halfway stage of the National Development Plan and the joint budgetary reviews provides crucial frameworks for political dialogue in Côte d’Ivoire.The 257
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organisation of joint reviews involving the Government, Parliament, Development Partners, civil society organisations and the private sector (annual reviews of the implementation of the National Development Plan and specific assessment of budgetary support, PEFA etc.) is conducted on the basis of agreed criteria for assessing performance and disbursements.These exercises are conducted to enable adjustments to be made to the national strategy on the funding of development (medium-term funding framework and arrangements for the provision of development aid). The production of an annual report on development partnerships The production of reliable and up-to-date information on ODA is essential to effectively coordinate and guide interventions aimed at promoting development and combatting poverty.The Ivorian Government has therefore decided to publish an annual report on Official Development Assistance showing all of the external aid received by the country (information on types of aid flows, sources of funding and conditions attached and on the nature and location of interventions), how it was used, outcomes achieved and progress in the implementation of measures on aid effectiveness.This report is destined to become a key document for the national authorities and for all Development Partners. A computerised management and monitoring system for ODA operations The Ministry of the Economy and Finance decided in 2012 to set up a computerised ODA management system. The UNDP helped in delivering this. The Ivorian authorities decided to entrust Development Gateway with the development of this system.The conception and development of an integrated management system for Official Aid to Development made it possible to strengthen procedures for formulating programmes and drawing up budgets using public funds by creating linkages between different existing information systems (SYNAPSE, SIGFIP, SIGMAP, ASTER, etc.) and ensuring that the information obtained is coherent and reliable. The administration of this information is delivered through the establishment of a monitoring system for external aid and development funds (trend charts and performance indicator charts), mapping programmes and projects (indicators, delays, implementation rates) and thorough record keeping and archiving. 258
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It is worth underscoring the fact that Côte d’Ivoire benefited from external funding totalling an average of 2.5 billion dollars a year and from external assistance that also rose continuously between 2011 and 2015, accounting for nearly 12.5% of GDP (see diagram). Côte d’Ivoire is now host to 327 programmes and ongoing projects which account for 83.4% of the funds made available by development partners with matched funding from the State estimated at 16.6%. A significant number of these projects are run according to management procedures that meet the national implementation process guidelines. Assistance from the United Nations System, although relatively modest in financial terms (around 4.1% on average between 2012 and 2015), is highly rated in qualitative terms, studies of the perceptions of partners and beneficiaries showing satisfaction rates of over 85%. The annual implementation rates for programmes and projects delivered with the support of the United Nations System are remarkable as they average over 91% over the 2012-2015 programme cycle.
Strengthening the coordination of assistance with emerging countries and the development of South-South cooperation The Ivorian Government has expressed an interest in drawing on the potential of so-called “non-traditional” partners (i.e. new donors, in particular those who are considered to be emerging countries) and to learn from relevant experiences when it comes to the coordination and management of development, particularly in the context of South-South cooperation. 259
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The Ministry for Planning and Development, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the United Nations System in Côte d’Ivoire have agreed that it would be particularly fruitful to embark upon a South-South partnership initiative, with a view in particular to building capacity with respect to the management of development and the coordination of Official Development Aid.
Promoting United Nations Reform in Côte d’Ivoire The Ivorian Government has clearly stated its commitment to the “Delivering as One” initiative which seeks to reshape partnerships with the United Nations with a view to boosting the complementarity of United Nations agencies.The latter are able to work more effectively to support development whilst preserving their identity. This drive to ensure a better alignment of the interventions of the United Nations System with national priorities and to be clearer about what the United Nations is aiming to achieve and working on in the country is key to greater effectiveness and to reducing transaction costs. It also makes it possible for United Nations System agencies to strengthen their joint programmes, pool services and expertise and work together to ensure their partnership work has an even greater joint impact on their target populations.
The consultation mechanisms for development partners and the contribution of the United Nations System in Côte d’Ivoire The development partners have worked with the national authorities to gradually establish a consultation system involving funders which is overseen by a committee of Ambassadors and Heads of Diplomatic Missions and facilitated by a committee made up of senior officials with responsibility for aid.The system works in the following way. The United Nations System is central to the functioning of these two bodies that play a vital part in facilitating political dialogue and coordinating aid as the Ambassadors’ Committee is jointly chaired by the French ambassador and the Deputy Special Representative of the United Nations in Côte d’Ivoire and the Committee of Senior Aid Executives is jointly chaired by the director of the AFD (Agence Française de Développement: French Development Agency) and the UNDP Country Director. 260
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The United Nations System, by simultaneously supporting the general coordination of external assistance at the level of the national authorities and the ongoing UN reforms, is contributing, at the highest level, to furthering international commitments and aspirations (SDGs-MDGs, development priorities, following-up on major conferences etc.) and to supporting operational programmes and projects. It works to prepare the ground for the “Delivering as One” initiative and to embed its spirit in actions undertaken to promote the partnership for effective development (in terms of sole and shared leadership, strategic positioning, shared programmes, seeking out comparative advantages and accessing resources). In order to achieve these aims, it is working within the senior aid officials group to define the strategic orientations of the political group and to facilitate or even improve the functioning of the twelve GTS (groupes de travail sectorial: Sectoral Working Groups). The United Nations System Agencies, which are well represented in these sectoral coordination groups, take on the following roles: • the leadership and running of the GTS (aims, terms of reference, etc.) as well as taking responsibility for sectoral dialogue with relevant Government departments; • preparing agendas and the GTS roadmap; • mapping out PAD/Government involvement in relevant sectors; • conducting joint studies and joint field visits; • preparing annual sectoral or programmatic reviews; • a sectoral action plan for dialogue with stakeholders, focused on results (actions, responsibilities, timetable for implementation).
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In addition to these major contributions of the United Nations System Agencies to creating a framework for dialogue and the coordination of policies and strategies, the United Nations System Resident Coordinator and the heads of the agencies are involved in activities aimed at coordinating aid and promoting partnerships: • contribution of the United Nations System to national policy on aid and partnerships for effective aid (“Delivering as One” initiative); • database of national programmes and projects (Development Gateway) working with the COMOREX unit and the joint programme for the coordination of aid in the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire (mapping of United Nations System interventions); • annual report on the coordination of aid (contribution of the United Nations System).
Conclusion The Ivorian Government, with the support of the United Nations System, has made significant progress in respect of the coordination and management of aid - achievements which are now recognised on the international stage. Delivering on the commitments made in the Paris Declaration and the Accra, Busan and Mexico Agendas for Action, the Ivorian authorities have sought to establish a national framework for the coordination and management of aid with appropriate mechanisms and operational coordination tools. 262
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International commitments with respect to aid effectiveness and development create new obligations in terms of accountability both at a national and international level. Making these commitments a reality involves the intervention of new actors, namely: a) Parliament whose role of monitoring public action and international commitments takes on a new dimension in this context; b) civil society organisations which, in addition to taking on their usual role of voicing ordinary citizen’s concerns are playing a part in delivering aid programmes; c) the private sector which is finding new ways of taking part in the elaboration and implementation of development policies and programmes; d) local authorities which should in time be called upon to play an increasingly important part in actions promoting development in order to support the ongoing process of devolution and local development. The United Nations, through a joint programme of strategic support, delivered by the UNDP, is keen to provide the Government and development action stakeholders with world-class technical assistance which itself serves to create a sense of ownership of the “Delivering as One” initiative which has now been internalised in Côte d’Ivoire. The national policy on partnerships and aid effectiveness will no doubt enable Côte d’Ivoire to improve its strategy for the funding of development and rationalise the governance of its resources – and in particular public resources.The country will as a result be better placed to achieve the sustainable development aims that it has set itself and its legitimate aspiration to join the ranks of emerging nations.
NOTE 1. The Prime Minister suggested, in the course of his meeting with development partners in mid-July 2015, that these consultation meetings with ambassadors and heads of mission should take place on a six-monthly basis.
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IV Compendium of Good Practices and Experiences of United Nations Reform in Africa
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The Tanzanian Experience with the Implementation and M&E Processes of United Nations Reform AlbĂŠric Kacou Vice-President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), former Chief of Staff and Director of the Executive Office of the UNDP in New York
Introduction Over the last decade, Tanzania has gained unique experience in coordinating aid and promoting the reform of the United Nations System. Often held up as a model country having tested and implemented the reform project, Tanzania stands out as one of the countries that showed great commitment in managing the experience of reform by developing its national leadership, its will for internal appropriation and its willingness to establish an efficient monitoring and evaluation process.
Decisive national leadership During the pilot country selection phase,Tanzania's national leadership was a decisive factor. The government's commitment was the main reason why the United Republic of Tanzania was selected as one of the eight pilot countries in 2007.The Tanzanian government has subsequently been pro-active and determined, not sparing any effort in managing, driving and monitoring the reform of the UN System.
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With the support of the Resident Coordinator responsible for the UN System's operational activities, the Government has guided the reform process to ensure better alignment of the agencies' actions with national priorities.These were clearly defined by Tanzania, particularly through its Development Vision known as "MKUKUTA and MKUZA".The lobbying for United Nations reform was in fact linked to the potential gains of this initiative for Tanzania's two governments – the Continental government and the Zanzibar government. Whilst certain major sovereign authority services such as finance and security are run by the main government – known as the Union government – other areas such as health and education come under the aegis of joint decisions made by both governments. At the most senior levels of government, the UN System reform initiative was perceived as a means of guaranteeing the application of the principles of the Paris Declaration within the United Nations agencies, principles that Tanzania was and is particularly aware of and attached to. Through the institutional mechanisms for monitoring the process of reform, the government was therefore involved at technical, strategic and political level to ensure the success of the "Delivering as One" process and to deliver the expected results in terms of the efficiency of the UN’s action in the country. The Tanzanian experience is probably the most symbolic demonstration of the determining role that national leadership can play in the success of this reform. The diagram on the opposite page presents an overview of the key stages of the "Delivering as One" (DaO) approach since 2006, date at which Tanzania first expressed an interest in becoming a pilot country. The actions taken during the stages of the reform process illustrate the intention to gradually construct reform and implement it in Tanzania.They are evidence of the possibilities for analysis and exchange of experiences that result from implementing the "Delivering as One" initiative. This reform process was consensual, analytical and inspired by progress observed by other "pilot countries". The five High-Level Intergovernmental Conferences dedicated to this reform initiative resulted in key resolutions on the direction to be followed, new practices to be promoted and tools to be designed.
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The reform initiative was also fed by continually evolving practice, as well as openness and freedom of innovation. Codification work was carried out to prepare the SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures), to which the UN System in Tanzania made a significant contribution (see diagram on next page). As part of inter-agency coordination, a code of conduct was proposed, based on guidelines suggested by the United Nations department tasked with overseeing reform, the United Nations Development Group (UNDG), particularly through a training guidance note regarding the working relationships between the Resident Coordinator (RC) and the Country Team (UNCT). On this basis, the United Nations Country Team made a full, joint commitment to its Resident Coordinator to respond to the needs expressed by the national authorities. From the outset, the principles of alignment were highlighted by the national authorities and institutions, agencies and funds associated with the United Nations System.These key stakeholders were pro-active and determined in their commitment through their support for the National Development Vision, "MKUKUTA and MKUZA".
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The United Nations Country Team, consisting of 19 United Nations agencies, 14 of which are resident, agreed that the overall objective of United Nations reform was to simplify the planning process and harmonise the principles and methods of cooperation in order to obtain more effective, measurable results. United Nations reform is therefore keen to demonstrate its relevance to the system as a whole, in line with national priorities, by working more effectively in partnership with the government and other key stakeholders (civil society, the private sector, donors and NGOs, international financial institutions, social partners and decentralised authorities), while relying on systems already in place at national level. At the same time, the willingness of the Resident Coordinator and the agencies has been a determining factor in building the knowledge and capacity of the Country Team, the United Nations personnel, the national counterpart, civil society and the private sector, to ensure that all these stakeholders understand the concepts and planning tools underlying the "Delivering as One" approach.
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The UN System committee responsible for communication has played a central role by developing quality internal and external communication for development stakeholders and partners. The "Delivering as One" initiative has enabled Tanzania to modernise and rationalise its communication actions and also to lobby strongly for the quality support and solutions provided by the UN System agencies via their programmes and projects. Under the leadership of the Resident Coordinator and the Head of the UNCT Communication Group, the Country Team has endeavoured to speak with One Voice to deliver relevant key messages shared by the whole Country Team.
Strong alignment with national priorities The government of the United Republic of Tanzania believed that ownership and national leadership, plus a better alignment of assistance action with the country's national priorities, was essential.The Tanzanian government and the United Nations were committed to this pilot reform initiative very early on and have worked together to develop the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) action plan in a relatively favourable context, having benefited from basic resources that have enabled them to make the necessary adjustments to agency coordination. The government expressed its wish to benefit from increased predictability in terms of finance, reduced transaction costs and better access to the expertise of the whole United Nations System, in particular on complex cross-sectoral and multi-dimensional topics (human safety and social protection, gender and inclusive governance, sustainable development and adaptation to climate change, etc.). The international development partners focused on more efficient use of resources from financial backers, better coordination of public development aid and the increased, visible impact of development policies on the well-being of populations. The United Nations System and its Resident Coordinator have benefited from attentive relationships with the national authorities and were keen to move forward by initiating aligned, appropriate and mobilising strategies following shared guidelines and releasing the resources needed to facilitate joint implementation of programmes.The 271
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Tanzanian government and the United Nations System agencies focused on giving specific priority to the development of inter-agency synergies. The strategic positioning of the agencies was also supported by a more structured political dialogue with the national players and the technical and financial partners.The goals achieved through the "Delivering as One" initiative in Tanzania consisted in better national ownership of the development process and stronger coordination of the action of development partners, including the United Nations System. The Country Team was also involved in a complex, yet essential division of work based on an evaluation of comparative advantages.This exercise, defined before the “One Programme” was drawn up, was essential for the agencies to position themselves as leading partners and to divide up the sectors of intervention according to objective positioning criteria, such as the agency's mandate, the available resources and the available technical expertise. Naturally, particular attention was paid to the monitoring and evaluation annual review process of the effects and impacts of the UN System's action in the country.
The managerial gains of United Nations reform in Tanzania The implementation of reform had a significant impact on reducing the costs of United Nations intervention in Tanzania. The most important financial gains were achieved thanks to a more rational and joint scheduling of the UN System's operational activities. By increasing the financial volume allocated to joint programmes and reducing the number of small projects, genuine gains were made on programmes. From a specifically operational point of view, the United Nations System’s process in Tanzania was used as a benchmark country for going even further in terms of harmonisation and pooling of services. This helped to reduce the UN System's operational costs thanks to economies of scale and negotiation of preferential rates applicable to all the agencies. The amounts saved by the "Delivering as One" approach, despite a general context of aid reduction, made it possible to maintain or even increase the amount of financial and technical resources intended for United Nations assistance in Tanzania.Thanks to this new approach and 272
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the managerial results stemming from the reform process, the United Nations' credibility with financial backers was improved, which was essential in mobilising resources. In terms of operational management, the initiatives conducted by the UN System have led to the pooling of services, a very important premise for preparing and implementing a Business Operation Strategy, under the responsibility of the Operations Management Team (OMT). The financial gains of reform were estimated at 12 million US dollars between 2008 and 2015, which is a significant sum, given that these gains were indirectly reinvested in building national capacity and implementing programmes.
The determining impact of reform on development actions The various assessments of the impact of United Nations System reform in Tanzania have clearly shown positive results in terms of efficiency and consistency of UN System agency support for government efforts to promote development. The reform initiative has enabled maximum use of the agencies' comparative advantages and increased their complementarity. Each agency has concentrated its interventions and its technical, human and financial resources in specific areas in which the capacities and added value of the agency were known. Joint planning has reduced duplication and programme overlaps between the agencies' various interventions. There was also a better alignment with national priorities, thanks to the setting up of a High-Level Steering Committee and ongoing dialogue between the UNDAF themed groups and the national partners. Clear identification of the role of the team leaders has considerably simplified relations between the government and the United Nations System and has emphasised the United Nations' duty of accountability with regard to its commitments to the government and to donors. In this respect, the confidence of financial backers of the United Nations System in Tanzania has been clearly strengthened by the increased efficiency and visibility of the specialist agencies' action. Tanzania's pilot experience shows that the most significant results of the "Delivering as One" approach have been achieved in the area of communication. The independent assessment carried out in 2010 and 273
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2011 considered that the "One Voice" joint communication strategy was particularly effective, relevant and sustainable. The reform process therefore helped to promote better visibility and understanding of the United Nations System's interventions in Tanzania. The reform initiative was keen to promote a common culture within the United Nations family, as evidenced by the closer collaboration between the resident and non-resident agencies. The agencies were entirely focused on the sectors of activity for which they had recognised leadership and known comparative advantages within the One Programme.They therefore endeavoured to align all their activities in these sectors, in which sometimes they did not have enough personnel. The agencies were therefore forced to adapt in terms of recruitment and promotion of expertise, particularly national expertise, by carrying out internal capacity building or by allowing agents to be transferred from one agency to another. Another challenge was overcoming the diversity of the agencies' cooperation practices, in terms of procedures but also in terms of freedom of action and responsiveness. All the agencies must ideally progress at the same rate in implementing this reform. However, the Country Team decided that it would be risky to slow down the whole process if one agency or a small minority of agencies could not keep up with the pace and the dynamic of reform (whether they were resident agencies or not).The inclusive leadership therefore tried to encourage these agencies to become more strongly involved in the joint planning process.The non-resident agencies tried to be represented at important Country Team meetings in order to participate in strategic retreats and joint scheduling exercises.
Setting up the Common Budgetary Framework and mobilising resources The United Nations reform Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) now offer the Common Budgetary Framework (One Fund) as an option for Country Teams involved in the reform process.This mechanism is in fact strongly recommended, as it was deemed particularly effective in the independent assessments carried out in the pilot countries. However, it is quite complex and ambitious to set up. Tanzania successfully experimented with setting up a joint-funding mechanism called the “One UN Fund”.This mechanism was designed to 274
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fund the One Programme by complementing the financial resources held by the United Nations agencies. It is worth noting that the agencies' own funds remained under their control, but that the agencies were invited to align them with the One Programme.The One Fund was backed by the agencies' own resources but also by resources mobilised jointly by the Country Team, in accordance with a pre-determined strategy. We should remember that the reform initiative encourages the United Nations System to implement a joint resource mobilisation strategy at country level. Through the One Fund, the resources mobilised jointly by the Country Team have been redistributed to the agencies based on their positioning and their involvement in the One Programme. The One Fund has naturally been used, as a priority, to finance the areas in which the agencies' resources do not adequately meet national development needs. The objective criteria for allocating the One Fund have been drawn up in total transparency by the Country Team with advice from the Programme, Planning and Oversight Committee. Over the 20112014 period, over 80% of the joint fund resources were used to promote joint intervention by two or more agencies, thus promoting the spirit of "Delivering as One". The resource allocation criteria were designed firstly to promote the objectives of reform (research on impact, consistency, efficiency and strategic results) and secondly to ensure compliance with international commitments (efficiency and harmonisation of aid, alignment with national priorities). The mechanism for distributing the funds favoured programmes that met the pre-determined criteria and that helped to make the United Nations System consistent, responsive and effective.
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The Resident Coordinator played a key role here, as he had final responsibility for deciding on the allocation of resources from the One Fund based on jointly defined criteria, at national level. Thanks to its status as a pilot country – on its territory –Tanzania enabled the United Nations to obtain continued support from financial backers, in particular Norway, Sweden, Canada and Great Britain. When it was set up, the One Fund was therefore considerably boosted by financial contributions from donors, which significantly helped to promote application of the rules and principles to improve the managerial efficiency of UN System actions.The financial contributions from backers were not allocated to a specific sector, thus avoiding the direct "signposting" of cooperation commitments by United Nations agencies.Their contributions were paid into a general fund, and allocation of resources was determined by the analysis of National Development Priorities, an interesting innovation. The Tanzania One Fund turned out to be an extremely encouraging mechanism for promoting joint programming and developing interagency programme synergies.The United Nations agencies, being firmly committed to the joint dynamic of reform, were in fact granted a specific allocation from the One Fund.The fund therefore gave real advantages to the agencies whose actions were part of the One Programme, enabling better alignment and a more flexible response to national needs and priorities.
Conclusion After nearly a decade of pilot experience in Tanzania, the United Nations System reform process has clearly been a success.The United Nations agencies have strengthened their alignment and their internal coordination. Under the impetus of the Resident Coordinator responsible for the UN System's operational activities, they have also improved their capacity for political dialogue, strategic advice and promotion of partnerships. Significant results have been achieved and the fears expressed by the agencies at the beginning of the "One UN" process (in 2007) proved to be unfounded. No agencies have suffered from the implementation of this important reform initiative. On the contrary, some previously reticent agencies have greatly benefited from the One Fund allocations and have since initiated leading programmes, in accordance with their mandate. 276
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Whilst respecting the identity of each agency, the United Nations System in Tanzania has managed to make the assistance it provides more consistent and efficient, to the benefit of everyone, in particular the most deprived populations. The gradual introduction of the reform initiative has achieved significant results both in terms of leadership and joint coordination of the UN System, and in terms of the four pillars of the "Delivering as One" initiative: I) the One Programme; II) the Common Budgetary Framework (One Fund); III) Operating as One and IV) Communicating as One.
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The "One Leader" Concept in Mozambique Christian Do Rosario UNDP Operations Manager in Côte d’Ivoire
Francisco Viera Expert, UN System coordination specialist in Côte d’Ivoire
Introduction Since 2009, thanks to exemplary efforts by the United Nations Country Team (UNCT), the reform of the United Nations in Mozambique has focused on re-examining the United Nations System reference documents, in particular: • the definition of the United Nations Country Team's mandate, the role of the Country Team, the responsibilities of the Resident Coordinator, who is a humanitarian coordinator, as well as that of the agency heads; • the basic management principles and code of conduct that have been drawn up; • the United Nations coordination groups and the involvement of technical and financial partners in the different consultation frameworks responsible for development cooperation matters. This exercise was considered essential by the Resident Coordinator and the UNCT, even though the reform experience of the "pilot" countries had not yet been established and the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) had not yet been defined. 279
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The key principles of responsibility Joint strategic discussions and inter-agency consultations were undertaken to establish the key principles and responsibilities of conducting the United Nations "Delivering as One" initiative: • the structure of governance adopted by the United Nations Country Team in Mozambique was based on a "Council of Ministers" model, with the Coordinator having equal standing with the Prime Minister. The members of the Country Team – consisting of representatives of all the United Nations bodies in Mozambique – were identified as being equivalent to ministers in charge of specific portfolios; • the Resident Coordinator is the team leader and is consulted on the choice of Chairs for the themed or sectoral groups, to be led by members of the Country Team; • the Resident Coordinator is responsible for providing constructive feedback on the performance of the Country Team members and their participation in discussions; • the Country Team is tasked with establishing its priority actions and measuring their impacts against the management performance indicators, examined as part of the overall performance review of the Country Team. This annual review proposes priorities, operating procedures and mutual commitments to improve the Country Team's performance; • in 2007, the Country Team even expressed a wish to examine the possibility of contributing to the Resident Coordinator selection procedure.
The key stages of reform in Mozambique • The "firewall" between the UNDP and the role of the Resident Coordinator has been reinforced in practice, and the roles and responsibilities of the agency heads in relation to the Resident Coordinator have been clarified within a code of conduct. • The so-called 360° performance appraisal system has been refined and must be updated and continually put into practice. Depending on the Country Team, this should strengthen the role of the Resident Coordinator in terms of arbitration and conflict resolution. • The Country Team wanted to receive explicit recommendations on the implementation of guidelines relating to the financial and programmatic responsibility of United Nations System joint action in the country. 280
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• The Country Team suggested investing in the definition of performance, management and internal operating indicators.
The lessons of reform in Mozambique in terms of leadership In Mozambique, the United Nations Country Team made a full, joint commitment to its Resident Coordinator in order to respond to the needs expressed by the national authorities. From the outset, the principles of alignment were highlighted by the national authorities and institutions, agencies and funds associated with the United Nations System, under the leadership of the UN System Resident Coordinator. The Country Team members recommended setting up a One Programme from the outset, to improve implementation of the UNDAF action plan and to achieve the agreed national goals, by mobilising their strengths, skills and personnel in a mutually cohesive and coherent effort. Under the authority of the Resident Coordinator, the agency heads expressed a wish to improve transparency and responsibility in decision making, both within the organisations and in relation to the UNDAF commitments. The Country Team was keen to create a respectful, encouraging environment in which United Nations System personnel could express their opinions on the "Delivering as One" initiative, without fear of reprisals. Generally, the UNCT wanted the decisions to be taken in a collegiate manner, to improve consensus building and promote a participative and genuinely inclusive environment. Insofar as possible, it also wanted any dispute between the Country Team members to be resolved locally and solely within the group of United Nations agencies, through discussions held in good faith and, in the last resort, through arbitration by the development group at regional level (RDT-UNDG). By specifically representing the United Nations, as agreed in the division of work among the development partners, and conducting the High 281
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Level Consultation led by the Resident Coordinator, the members of the UNCT were invited to consult each other before all full meetings of technical and financial partners, in order to reach a common position and provide immediate feedback for the benefit of the whole Country Team.
Conclusion Mozambique's experience in terms of recognised, confirmed and valued leadership, serving the whole of the United Nations System, has been praised. The code of conduct which was tested and implemented has enabled significant progress in the practice of United Nations reform in certain "pilot" countries, but also in so-called "self-starter" countries, at a time when the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) were still being drawn up and the 360° assessments were being prepared by the Country Team and the Resident Coordinator. Today, the responsibility for leadership, assumed by the Resident Coordinator, is essential and unanimously recognised. It is fully supported by the United Nations Development Group.
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The Institutional Experience at National Level of United Nations Reform in Mali Mbaranga Gasarabwe Deputy Special Representative for the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA)
Luc Gnonlonfoun UNDP Operations Director, Côte d’Ivoire
Introduction In order to implement the ambitious United Nations reform initiative in Mali, in particular by setting up a One Programme, with One Budgetary Framework and One Leader within a centralised office, a Steering Committee was created in 2012 to lead UN reform in the country. Its work was supported by a national working group and a Technical Committee for United Nations reform in Mali. This system was set up and implemented before a severe crisis affected the system of consultation and coordination led by the Mali government, in particular its Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation. Although the coup d'état and the post-electoral crisis undermined this approach, Mali's institutional experience is still interesting in several respects. 283
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Steering Committee for United Nations reform in Mali The Joint Steering Committee was keen to establish a highly inclusive, mobilising partnership process.This committee was invited to play a key role, firstly in the preparation and setting up of reform instruments (by guiding the design of the One Programme and the mechanisms underlying it) and secondly in the operational phase of reform (by monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the One Programme according to the agreed terms). To this end, the Steering Committee's mandate took on the following roles: In the preparatory phase, it endeavoured to: • reach a common understanding of United Nations reform and an agreement on definition of the operating mechanisms of the One Programme and Common Budgetary Framework, and establish a detailed roadmap for drawing them up; • define the main directions that the process of reform should follow, examine the difficulties that might pose an obstacle to its implementation and propose ways of overcoming these obstacles; • ensure, during its preparation, that the One Programme is properly aligned with national priorities such as the Strategic Framework for Growth and Poverty Reduction (CSCRP) and the Mali 2025 vision, plus the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs); • validate the documents submitted to it by the national working group and the Technical Committee for United Nations reform in Mali; • ensure links to the UN headquarters and in particular the bodies responsible for monitoring the progress of United Nations reform worldwide. In the operational phase, the purpose of the joint system was to: • review the One Programme to ensure that the programme is effectively developed to achieve the specific results of the UNDAF action plan; • examine the One Programme's annual report and to serve as a forum within which the Resident Coordinator reports to the government and the financial backers on the progress of the One Programme and the results achieved; • validate the annual budgetary allocation proposed by the Resident Coordinator; 284
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• continually monitor the progress of the implementation of the One Programme and propose guidelines if readjustments are needed. As the reform process progressed, the role of the Steering Committee developed into a control and monitoring body. A forum for discussion was set up so that, every year, the process of United Nations reform could be reviewed by the government and the Country Team, and be presented to the Head of State as well as the Prime Minister. The composition of the Steering Committee was fundamental, from very early on.The Steering Committee for reform in Mali was chaired by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. The composition of the Steering Committee was limited to 18 representatives of the stakeholders involved in reform: • Seven representatives of the Mali government, including: – the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation who chairs the Steering Committee; – the Chairman of the national working group; – five technical ministries (Ministry of the Economy and Finance, Ministry of Basic Education, Ministry of Health, Ministry of the Environment, Ministry of Agriculture). • Seven representatives of the United Nations System in Mali: – the Resident Coordinator (Vice-Chair of the Steering Committee); – the Chairman of the Technical Committee for United Nations reform; – five United Nations agencies. • Added to this are: – a representative of civil society; – a representative of the private sector; – two representatives of technical and financial partners including: * one bilateral technical and financial partner; * one multilateral technical and financial partner. It is important to note that the members of the Steering Committee represent their respective institutions at a high level, due to the importance and sensitivity of the matters discussed. To this end, the members of the Steering Committee, through the Resident Coordinator and the representatives of the UN System agencies, are responsible for communicating and sharing information with the rest of the United 285
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Nations personnel involved in and concerned by the reform, in particular the different bodies such as the themed groups and the UNDAF task force. The organisation of the meetings on reform of the United Nations is precisely established: • the Steering Committee meetings are called by the Chair of the Steering Committee in consultation with the Resident Coordinator; • the Steering Committee is convened on a quarterly basis with the possibility of calling ad hoc meetings if necessary; • the Steering Committee takes decisions by consensus; • a coordination unit within the cooperation department serves as a secretarial office for the Steering Committee and supports it by organising and preparing the meetings and following them up.
The mandate and responsibilities of the national working group for United Nations reform The national working group's mandate for United Nations reform consists in undertaking discussions on the main directions of the reform process, in order to advise the government and support the work of the Steering Committee. This group works under the umbrella of the Steering Committee, chaired by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and co-led by the Resident Coordinator. The specific responsibilities of the national working group consist in: 1. Examining the documents and instruments of reform drawn up by the Technical Committee for United Nations reform prior to their submission for validation by the Steering Committee. 2. Advising the government on the directions reform should take. 3. Participating in regular meetings with the Technical Committee for United Nations reform. 4. Participating in exchange missions with certain "pilot" and "selfstarter" countries. 5. Working jointly with the United Nations System on drawing up the One Programme and its monitoring and evaluation framework. The national working group for United Nations reform is made up of representatives from all the technical ministries, civil society and the 286
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private sector. It is chaired by the Director of International Cooperation, assisted by the Chair of the Technical Committee.They link up with the Steering Committee. A coordination unit within the Department of International Cooperation acts as the secretarial office for the national working group. Mali's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation is responsible for creating the national working group and deciding on its composition. A national coordination unit has been set up, which is responsible for ensuring the correct operation of the Steering Committee and the national working group and performing its secretarial work. It organises meetings, monitors them and supports all the work carried out.The unit also acts as a daily interface between the national structures and the United Nations System (United Nations Technical Committee and Resident Coordinator's office). The national coordination unit is a flexible structure consisting of several officials from the Department of International Cooperation, assisted by experts or specialist consultants if necessary.
The mandate and responsibilities of the United Nations Technical Committee for reform in Mali The Technical Committee for United Nations reform in Africa plays a major role in preparing and drawing up the mechanisms for operational implementation of reform. It is responsible for defining all the operational mechanisms designed to implement the One Programme, the Common Budgetary Framework, the One Leader and the common operational services (the One Office). It is a driving force for the reform Steering Committee, which defines the directions to be taken. It works in close collaboration with the national working group, put in place by the government of Mali to prepare and monitor this process. These two working groups (Government and United Nations) have been invited to work together under the umbrella of the Steering Committee, chaired by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. The synergy and close collaboration between the UN System Steering Committee for United Nations reform and the national working group are guaranteed primarily through regular meetings between the two bodies. 287
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The Technical Committee works in close collaboration with the UNDAF task force and the Operation Management Team (OMT), from which it receives support and contributions.The specific responsibilities of the Technical Committee consist in: • defining the operating procedures of the One Programme and Common Budgetary Framework; • drawing up a code of conduct governing relations between the Resident Coordinator and the Country Team, specifically including a description of the roles and responsibilities of the inter-agency structures and the political advisers; • drawing up a detailed timetable of the formulation process for the One Programme; • establishing skills mapping for the UN System and identifying capacity building needs for UN System personnel (Support & Advice); • defining and proposing new methods in accordance with Standard Operating Procedures and of course the "Delivering as One" initiative, to be trialled during the second half of the current UNDAF; • supporting the UNDAF task force in the process of drawing up the One Programme; • working in consultation with the Operation Management Team (OMT) to explore new possibilities of Operating as One; • reporting to the Country Team and the reform Steering Committee on proposals for technical reforms and Monitoring & Evaluation. The Technical Committee for reform is the backbone of the Steering Committee: 1. The Technical Committee for United Nations reform consists of a representative from each UN System agency and is led by an Executive Director within the group who is appointed by the Country Team.The appointment of members takes account of several criteria: • their level of expertise and/or experience in coordinating programmes; • their knowledge of the programmes and procedures of the United Nations System; • their interest in United Nations reform; • their commitment and availability.
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2. The Technical Committee for United Nations reform works under the direction of the Resident Coordinator and reports to the United Nations Country Team on a quarterly basis. 3. In agreement with the Country Team, the Resident Coordinator appoints an Executive Director of the Technical Committee for United Nations reform, who manages the priority activities of reform, assisted by the head of the UNCT's Coordination Unit. 4. The office of the Resident Coordinator, through one of its members within the group, acts as the secretarial office for the Technical Committee and supports it by organising meetings and following them up.
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The Rwandan Experience of Implementation and the M&E Processes of UN Reform AurĂŠlien AgbĂŠnonci Minister of Foreign Affairs of Benin, former Deputy Special Representative for the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA)
Introduction Over nearly ten years, Rwanda has built up remarkable and solid experience in United Nations System reform. Often held up as a "One UN"1 model country, it has been a genuine laboratory for the "Delivering as One" reform process. Rwanda was in fact one of the very first countries that volunteered to conduct the reform experience, by highlighting its national leadership, internal ownership and the harmonisation of interventions by development partners, including the United Nations System agencies.
Decisive national leadership During the pilot country selection phase, Rwanda's national leadership was a decisive factor. The government's commitment was the main reason why Rwanda was selected as one of the eight pilot countries in 2007.The Rwandan government has subsequently been proactive and determined, not sparing any effort in managing, driving and monitoring the reform of the UN System.Through the personal commitment of the 291
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successive ministers of Finance and Economic Planning, the government has guided the process to ensure better alignment of the agencies' interventions with national priorities. These priorities were clearly defined by Rwanda, in particular through its 2020 vision and its 20132018 Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy, which had at its heart the aim of "Shaping our Development". At senior levels of government, it was also noted that reforming the UN System was a means of guaranteeing the application of the principles of the Paris Declaration within the United Nations agencies, principles that Rwanda was and is particularly aware of and attached to.Through the institutional mechanisms for monitoring the reform process, the government was therefore involved at a technical, strategic and political level to ensure the success of the "Delivering as One" process and to deliver the expected results in terms of United Nations efficiency of action in the country. The Rwandan experience is probably the most symbolic demonstration of the determining role that national leadership can play in the success of this reform.
The determining impact of reform on development The various assessments of the impact of United Nations System reform in Rwanda have clearly shown positive results in terms of efficiency and consistency of UN System agency support for government efforts to promote development. The new approach has enabled maximum use of the agencies' comparative advantages and increased their complementarity. Each agency has concentrated its interventions and its technical, human and financial resources in specific areas in which the capacities and added value of the agency were known. Joint planning has reduced duplication and programme overlaps between the agencies' various interventions. Better alignment with national priorities has also been observed, thanks to the setting up of a High-Level Steering Committee 2 and continued dialogue between the UNDAF themed groups and the national partners.The fact that the Team Leaders and their roles have been clearly identified has considerably simplified relations between the government and the United Nations System and has emphasised the United Nations' duty of accountability with regard to its commitments to the government and to donors. In this respect, the confidence of financial backers in the United Nations System in Rwanda has been clearly strengthened by the increased efficiency and visibility of the specialist agencies' action. Rwanda's pilot experience shows that the most significant results of the "One UN" reform process 292
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have been achieved in the area of communication. The independent assessment carried out in 2010 and 2011 considered that the "One Voice" joint communication strategy was particularly effective, relevant and sustainable.The reform process therefore helped to promote better visibility and understanding of the United Nations System's interventions in Rwanda. Finally, with regard to the general internal sustainability of the "Delivering as One" initiative in Rwanda, it seems that a common culture has been established and is now firmly rooted in the United Nations family, as evidenced by closer collaboration between the resident and non-resident agencies.
Capacity to overcome the challenges of harmonisation As in the other "pilot" countries involved in the reform process, the United Nations System in Rwanda faced significant challenges, particularly in the early years of the process. At the start of the process in 2008, "there was always someone saying it wasn't possible!", as an agency head recalled recently. It should be remembered that all the pilot countries had to deal directly with the discrepancy between the relative inertia of the agency head office and the significant advances made on the ground. In the early years, the United Nations agencies in Rwanda therefore suffered from low-level support from their head office. Although to date, a limited number of areas have been harmonised at head office level, it must nevertheless be stated that the general dynamic has certainly changed. In September 2014, the agencies officially signed up to the Standard Operating Procedures in the "Delivering as One" initiative, which considerably facilitated their involvement on the ground. In any event, the Rwandan experience has shown in the long term that solutions could always be found at a local level to overcome or bypass structural difficulties, such as procedural differences between agencies. This is probably one of the most important lessons to learn from the pilot phase in Rwanda. A lack of adequate human resources was also noted. Successfully implementing reform requires the UN System to have certain skills that it did not have before. In the context of reform, the Country Team endeavoured to be proactive early on, by defining standards and policies and building national capacity. At the same time, the United Nations System tried to reduce the implementation of direct execution projects 293
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in order to simplify its position further down the line.This required the agencies to have UN Policy Advisors, which had not always been the case for all of them previously. Likewise, the Rwandan agencies did not have the necessary skills in terms of monitoring and evaluation, gender or human rights among their personnel. Another example is that the agencies were entirely focused on the sectors of activity for which they had leadership within the One Programme.They therefore endeavoured to align all their activities within these sectors, in which sometimes they did not have enough personnel.The agencies were therefore forced to adapt in terms of staffing, either by carrying out capacity building or by allowing agents to be transferred from one agency to another. Another challenge was overcoming the diversity of the agencies' cooperation practices, in terms of procedures but also in terms of freedom of action and responsiveness. All the agencies must ideally progress at the same rate in implementing this reform. However, the Country Team decided that it would be risky to slow down the whole process if one agency or a small minority of agencies could not keep up with the pace and the dynamic of reform (whether they were resident agencies or not). Rwanda has always had around fifteen resident agencies, meaning that many agencies were not represented in the country.These non-resident agencies sometimes found it difficult to make their contributions in time, particularly during the preparation of the One Programme. However, the "Delivering as One" process seems to have gradually encouraged these agencies to become more closely involved in the joint planning process.The non-resident agencies therefore tried to be represented at important meetings, through representatives who made the effort to come to Kigali on the dates or for the periods selected for the programming exercises. Finally, although for various reasons, the United Nations System in Rwanda did not manage to set up a “One Office”, this did not prevent it from succeeding in sharing a certain number of services: dispensary, banking services, human resources and recruitment administration unit, agreements on safety and security issues. Other initiatives are currently in progress, proving that much can be done in terms of harmonisation and sharing of operational services, even when it is not possible to physically locate all the agencies in one office.
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Setting up the “One fund” The Standard Operating Procedures for the United Nations reform initiative offer the “One Fund” as an option for Country Teams involved in the reform process.This mechanism is in fact strongly recommended, as it was judged particularly effective in the independent assessments carried out in the pilot countries. However, it is quite complex to set up and requires ambition. Rwanda has successfully experimented with setting up this fund, which it calls the "One UN Fund". This mechanism was designed to fund the One Programme by complementing the financial resources held by the United Nations agencies in Rwanda. It is worth noting that the agencies' own funds remained under their control, but that the agencies were invited to align them with the One Programme. The One Fund was therefore not financed by the agencies' own resources but by resources mobilised jointly by the Country Team, in accordance with a predetermined strategy. We should remember that the reform process encourages the United Nations System to implement a joint resource mobilisation strategy at country level. Strategies carried out individually by agencies are therefore not recommended, although individual fundraising may be carried out in two specific cases: a) emergency humanitarian situations for which fundraising complies with certain specific mechanisms and b) certain special funds closely linked to the agencies, which are not intended to be mobilised jointly. Through the One Fund, the resources mobilised jointly by the Country Team are then redistributed to the agencies based on their positioning and their involvement in the One Programme. In Rwanda, the One Fund has naturally been used, as a priority, to finance the areas in which the agencies' resources do not adequately meet national development needs. However, other objective criteria for allocating the One Fund have been drawn up in total transparency by the Country Team with advice from the Programme, Planning and Oversight Committee.These criteria make specific reference to the technical and financial capacities and comparative advantages of the agencies at national level, and to the performances of each agency in implementing joint work plans. Up to 2011, it was noted that 80% of the One Fund had been used to promote joint interventions by two or more agencies, thus promoting the spirit of "Delivering as One". Furthermore, the supreme criterion for allocation of the One Fund ultimately consisted in accurately directing the resources to national development priorities, as defined by the government.To sum up, the allocation criteria were therefore intended firstly to promote the 295
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objectives of reform (impact, consistency, efficiency and strategic results) and secondly international commitments (efficiency and harmonisation of aid, alignment with national priorities).The mechanism for distributing the fund favours programmes that meet the pre-determined criteria and therefore help to make the United Nations System consistent. The Resident Coordinator is responsible for deciding on the allocation of the One Fund, based on the criteria defined at country level. The One Fund in Rwanda has been improved since 2008, by focusing even more accurately on the national development priorities whilst ensuring rapid use of the fund. It is worth noting that before 2008 there was some delay in making the resources of the One Fund available to the agencies, which hindered the overall implementation of the One Programme by the government and the partners. The joint planning phase was also long, delaying the finalisation of the action plans on which the fund allocations were based. But these imperfections have gradually been corrected over time. Thanks to its status as a pilot country, the United Nations System in Rwanda has received consistent support from financial backers.The One Fund has therefore been considerably boosted by financial contributions from donors, who have generally accepted to “play by the rules”. It was in fact agreed that the financial contributions from donors should not be conditionally allocated to a specific sector.The donor therefore pays their contribution into a general fund, and the allocation of the resources is determined through analysis of the national development priorities. Several financial backers have contributed to the Rwandan One Fund, in particular Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden, Spain and Great Britain. The One Fund in Rwanda has proved to be an extremely encouraging mechanism for joint collaboration. In fact, by being firmly committed to the joint dynamic of reform, the United Nations agencies had more chance of receiving an allocation from the One Fund.The fund therefore provided real advantages to the agencies whose actions formed part of the One Programme.The fund also enabled better alignment and a more flexible response to national priorities. One of the major challenges of the "Delivering as One" initiative, in the countries where this mechanism has been introduced, was to make sure that the One Fund is funded as needed, and that in time it becomes the main funding mechanism for the operational activities of the United Nations System. Rwanda's experience has been one of the most successful in this respect.
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Conclusion After nearly a decade of pilot experience in Rwanda, the United Nations System reform process has clearly been a success.The United Nations agencies have strengthened their alignment and their internal coordination. Under the impetus of the Resident Coordinator responsible for the UN System's operational activities, they have also improved their capacity for political dialogue, strategic advice and promotion of partnerships. Significant results have been achieved and the fears of the agencies at the beginning of the "One UN Programme" (in 2007) have turned out to be unfounded. No agencies have suffered from implementing this important reform. On the contrary, some previously reticent agencies have greatly benefited from the One Fund allocations and have since initiated leading programmes, in accordance with their mandate. Whilst respecting the identity of each agency, the United Nations System in Rwanda has managed to make its assistance more consistent and efficient, to the benefit of the Rwandan population.
NOTES 1. In 2007, the pilot countries began a process of reform called "One UN". During 2009 and 2010, this slogan gradually gave way to "Delivering as One", which is the term now used. This new direction probably better reflected the reality of reform, marked by developments resulting from analysis of the good practices and difficulties encountered by the pilot countries. 2. The reform Steering Committee, co-chaired by the government and the United Nations System Resident Coordinator, met on a quarterly basis and led, together, the joint process of strategic programming in Rwanda.
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The strategic articulation of a United Nations framework: the experience of Cabo Verde LĂŠon Mensah Aluka Head of Secretariat, United Nations Development Group for Western and Central Africa (UNDG-WCA) and specialist in regional coordination and United Nations reform
Introduction In 2005, the first United Nations joint programme was formulated in Cabo Verde, the United Nations Country Team having agreed on both a joint programme document and a single action plan, reflecting the priorities and objectives of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Programme (WFP), plus other resident agencies such as the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO). In 2006, Cabo Verde had 6 resident agencies. Its first United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) 2006-2010 was signed by the joint office, the WHO and the FAO. It was later extended to cover 2011. In the context of United Nations reform, Cabo Verde has opted to set up a specific model, known as the Joint Office, in which the Resident Coordinator has 3 key responsibilities, as the United Nations System Coordinator, the Humanitarian Coordinator and the UNDP Resident Representative. Cabo Verde was then selected as one of the 8 pilot countries for the "Delivering as One" approach when, in January 2007, the Secretary-General launched the "Delivering as One" (DaO) initiative.
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The effect of this approach, in addition to harmonisation of budgets and activities, was to strengthen the support given to Cabo Verde by the United Nations, by avoiding duplication of projects and defining new areas for additional intervention on the ground. A reduction in transaction costs for the United Nations Joint Office and the national partners was also expected. This unified approach represented an important step on the path to integration and increased coherence of the United Nations System.
The direction of reform and the experience of the One Programme In January 2004, Cabo Verde approved its first Joint Programme, following the Joint Office model which created the “One Office”. On 1 January 2006, Cabo Verde became the first African country to set up a Joint Office for the Executive Committee agencies1 (WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF), officially known as the United Nations Office of Funds and Programmes in Cabo Verde. As an important step in United Nations reform towards harmonisation and simplification of UN activities, this office became a single structure for participating agencies, led by a representative who was also the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Cabo Verde. At the outset, the Country Team put in place a joint country programme integrating the activities of the United Nations System agencies. This joint country programme, reflecting the priorities of the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF), focused on contributing to the harmonisation of the agencies' programmes and ensuring that the added value, mandate and expertise of each Executive Committee agency would be clearly evaluated by all the partners, throughout the implementation of the programme. In 2008-2010, the Cabo Verde government and the United Nations System defined and adopted the first joint programme, known as the "One UN Programme".This programme, approved by the participating agencies, became their central joint programming document. Focused on strategic national priorities, it included four pillars of the five strategic areas of development defined by the Cabo Verde government. 300
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The strategic priorities selected by the UNDAF, in view of the comparative advantages of the UN System and its strategic positioning, were based on a “One programme” that was proactive and reformist in its cooperation practices. The “One programme”, a joint initiative of the Cabo Verde government and the UN System, was managed by the Country Team under the leadership of the Resident Coordinator. Under one of the principles of the Paris Declaration on "the alignment of aid with partner countries' priorities, systems and procedures and helping to strengthen their capacities", the United Nations in Cabo Verde aligned the administrative mechanisms of the “One programme” with those of the government's national management, monitoring and evaluation system, the Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy paper II (GPRSP II). The UN System focused on strengthening its institutional system and programming in this regard. The strategic priorities of the One Programme in Cabo Verde therefore include five priority policy areas based on: I) democratic governance and the rule of law; II) entrepreneurial capacities and productive growth; III) development of human capital; IV) promotion of the fight against poverty and V) development of infrastructure and land planning. The strategic priorities of the One Programme in Cabo Verde
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The One Programme management bodies consisted of a Steering Committee, co-chaired by the government, through the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Communities and Cooperation, and the UN System agencies team, through the Resident Coordinator. The Steering Committee was responsible for strategic leadership, direction and monitoring of the implementation of all the components of the One Programme. In general, the joint system was consolidated during the years 20102015, thus improving the confidence and credibility of the Country Team, with the government promoting this reform and its instruments as good practice in international cooperation. It should also be noted that the collaboration works because the Cabo Verde government has effectively taken on the first founding principle of the "Delivering as One" initiative, which advocates not only leadership and commitment, but also governmental ownership. The Country Team naturally remains the coordination and decisionmaking body for the UN System, whose objective is to assist the Cabo Verde government in its development efforts, in a coordinated manner. The Country Team, under the leadership of the Resident Coordinator, is assisted by the latter's office (also called the Coordination Office). The working groups are focused around cross-sectoral areas and subprogrammes, and each lead agency ensures the strategic coordination of its own sub-programme or cross-sectoral area, in consultation with the participating agencies and in accordance with the technical ministries concerned. Each lead agency also ensures the integration of crosssectoral areas within its own sub-programme. The One Programme in Cabo Verde has paid specific attention to cross-sectoral development challenges, such as institutional capacity building, the fight against HIV/AIDS, promotion of gender equality, development communication and human rights. Gender equality, for example, is systematically taken into account within the One Programme, guaranteeing its effective integration in all the projects and programmes in terms of lobbying, communication or monitoring and evaluation (M&E). Gender equality is promoted by ensuring that men and women have the same economic and political rights and equal access to basic social services, including legal protection.
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UN System joint action in the fight against HIV/AIDS aims to promote universal access to prevention, treatment, healthcare and support, particularly for vulnerable populations. Human rights are taken into account within the One Programme in order to achieve equitable and sustainable development and to give each citizen the opportunity to contribute to the social and economic progress of Cabo Verde society. A human rights approach is integrated in the joint programmatic action. Special attention has been paid to the principles of nondiscrimination, accessibility to services, and equal and fair access to opportunities for vulnerable groups. Development communication has been identified as a cross-sectoral priority of the One Programme, both by the government and by the UN System Country Team, who believe that communication is a fundamental issue, not only because it conditions development, but because it is an essential tool in constructing a fairer, more united society. In this respect, priority has been given to the development of information technology and telecommunications, an essential instrument in promoting better institutional governance. The M&E system for the One Programme periodically draws up reports on the progress observed by using indicators linked to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and, in future, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically relating to the themed areas, cross-sectoral areas and the agreed priority sub-programmes. As part of a strategic, consensual vision, all the management instruments in the One Programme are flexible. They are reviewed according to need and upon suggestion from the stakeholders in the development action. A partnership strategy has been developed and implemented in close coordination with the government.This approach has enabled a fund to be set up to support reform, known as the "Transition Fund" (trust fund). From a general point of view, the Cabo Verde government supports the UN System's efforts to raise the necessary funds to implement the One Programme and cooperates with the relevant agencies and funds to encourage potential donors to provide them with the required funds to implement the non-funded parts of the programme.The State also 303
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encourages the private sector and the foundations to support the UN System's action in the country. This government support is needed to reduce the funding gap, given the context of the country's development, which is no longer in the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) group but in the Middle Income Countries (MICs) category.This change has led to withdrawal by some financial backers for part of the funding initially granted to the country. The government also facilitates periodic visits to the project sites and observation of the activities put in place, in order to assess the progress made. In close collaboration with the United Nations Country Team, the government organises an annual review of the One Programme and facilitates participation by the partners, NGOs and civil society in this review.
Conclusion From the outset, the Cabo Verde government has demonstrated a strong commitment to the "Delivering as One" initiative and the management of new cooperation practices, playing a key role in the negotiations of the Paris Declaration and its extensions in Accra, Busan and even Mexico, on the efficiency of aid and development. Cabo Verde also considered it essential to conduct a joint programming approach with its partners, including the United Nations. It made every effort to promote the strategy of a jointly formulated One Programme nationally. The government was therefore a stakeholder in the decisions of the One Programme, through the Steering Committee and the Technical Working Groups, and the quality of the system and the monitoring and evaluation (M&E) work undertaken on the One Programme. The M&E framework has been consolidated and the objectives (results/products) have been refined to enable effective, integrated monitoring. For each result/product, an indicator is selected.The choice of indicators is therefore aligned, as far as possible, with those of the GPRSP II, the MDG-SDG or the Paris/Accra and Busan Declarations. The baseline information relating to the indicators is collected, the specific targets are identified and the scheduling for attaining the results or completion date is specified. In this respect, the data are collected regularly, to assess whether the targets have been attained.
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According to an independent assessment on behalf of the UN System management group responsible for evaluation, the One Programme in Cabo Verde has benefited from more consistent and more effective support from the partners and UN System agencies.
NOTE 1. Executive Committee Agencies, commonly known as ExCom Agencies (WFP, UNDP, UNFPA and UNICEF).
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Analysis of the gains related to United Nations reform in Mali and Côte d’Ivoire: comparative experiences Pierre Carrel International Consultant, Academic and United Nations Reform Process Specialist
Luc-Joël Grégoire United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Country Director, Côte d’Ivoire
Introduction The United Nations "Delivering as One" initiative aims to consolidate programmatic and operational synergies, strengthen the impact and results of the United Nations System cooperation action, and make optimum use of United Nations resources. In the two countries considered here, Mali and Côte d’Ivoire, and as a prelude to implementing reform, the managerial teams in charge of the United Nations System wanted to carry out preparatory studies to identify the challenges and opportunities that operational implementation of the new coordination methods might represent. In this regard, two national studies were undertaken to assess the qualitative improvements and the financial gains that might result from implementation of United Nations reform in these two countries.These studies were seen as innovative for the countries engaging voluntarily on the path of United Nations reform, particularly as they were led by the 307
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Country Teams themselves.They allow us to present a relatively detailed simulation able to assess the trends that might result from the potential implementation of reform.
Results of the comparative analysis The comparative assessments focus on certain segments of the United Nations System intervention in these two countries, through the following ten components: 1. political dialogue and leadership; 2. the coordination mechanisms of the UN System; 3. the programme interventions of the UN System/One Programme; 4. the partnerships, mobilisation of resources and comparative advantages of the UN System; 5. the planning and monitoring and evaluation systems; 6. capacity building and human resources management; 7. communication; 8. operational services, purchasing and procurement; 9. operation of the One Office; 10. management of security systems.
EXTRACT NO. 1: METHODOLOGY OF THE COMPARATIVE STUDY The analyses and simulations carried out are based on the principal functions of United Nations System action, in particular those for which the "Delivering as One" approach might help to reduce costs. This simulation is based on comparative assessments of the parametric costs of intervention established in the two countries. The costs have been systematically calculated on an annual basis. This annual average cost has been calculated for three different periods in Côte d’Ivoire and two specific periods in Mali: – Period 1 (2009-2010) corresponding to the first two years of the UNDAF 2009-2013. During this period, the principles advocated by the United Nations reform process had not yet been implemented.This period is used as a reference for assessing the results of the coordination efforts agreed for the period 2012-2013. 2011 was not taken into account in the case of Côte d’Ivoire, due to the fact that it was a period of severe crisis in 308
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the country, which seriously hindered the actions of the UN System. Consequently, it cannot be used as a reference year as this might distort the average data. – Period 2 (2012-2013) corresponds to the preliminary phase of the "Delivering as One" initiative. Although the operational phase of reform had not yet begun, from 2012 the UN System adopted a more concerted approach to its efforts to increase the efficiency of its interventions. Likewise, the savings related to rationalisation/pooling of services in UN System operations were achieved thanks to the commitment of the Country Team and the Operations Management Committee (OMT/COP). – Period 3 (2016-2020) corresponds to the initial UNDAF cycle in which the "Delivering as One" initiative will be implemented. The amounts corresponding to this period are therefore the result of an estimation of the degree of efficiency and the potential costs of intervention of the United Nations System, taking into account the fact that the synergies in this period should be greater than in the two previous periods. Several scenarios have been envisaged for the two countries. The main conclusion of this study is the positive impact that implementation of United Nations reform can and could have on the cost and efficiency of United Nations System intervention in these two countries. The foresight exercises undertaken during the current UNDAF cycles and future cycles, in particular for the period 2016-2020, reveal that if the "Delivering as One" initiative were to be implemented, the UN System would be able to save between 4 and 7 million dollars a year (according to the choice of scenarios used by the authors of the studies carried out in Mali and Côte d’Ivoire). It is noted that the largest financial gains can be acquired through more rational and joint programming and by pooling certain operational services. In Mali, as in Côte d’Ivoire, it is thought that by increasing the financial volume for joint programmes, by reducing the number of small projects and sharing a large number of operational services, that real gains can be made (see graph on next page). The most significant qualitative gains should be noticeable through a rationalisation of the political dialogue with the national counterpart, a
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more consistent, harmonised planning, better monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of interventions, better performance of operational services and more uniform communication. Likewise, the common strategy for mobilising resources should help to the UN System's credibility with financial backers and increase the potential for fundraising.
EXTRACT NO. 2:THE CONCEPT OF THE VIRTUAL JOINT OFFICE IN CÔTE D’IVOIRE It is probable that in the years to come, we will see a regrouping of some United Nations System agencies that want to move premises and seize the opportunity to share a building with another agency (One Office). Obviously, this type of initiative will help to make savings, by sharing costs. However, the concept of the joint office is not just physical.The majority of "pilot" countries for United Nations reform have therefore experimented with the concept of the "virtual joint office", making reference to various rationalisation initiatives such as pooling of ICT services, information and communication. In Côte d’Ivoire, the cost of using these services already fell between 2009 and 2013, specifically due to a natural contraction of the rates offered by the market. In 2013, the ICT Task Force proposed an ICT-DaO project enabling costs to be 310
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lowered even further and considerably increasing the performance and quality of these services. The study highlighted average annual savings of 156,000 dollars for the period 2009-2010 and 320,000 dollars for the 2012-2015 cycle.The natural lowering of rates in this sector could see these gains increase further in the 2016-2020 period. EXTRACT NO. 3: TOWARDS A COMMON STRATEGY FOR MOBILISING RESOURCES IN CÔTE D’IVOIRE Against a background of reduced resources, it is essential to invest in mobilising internal and external funds. Between 2009 and 2013, there was no common strategy for mobilising resources. However, three agencies had prepared a specific strategy for mobilising funds at a local level. From 2016, as part of the "Delivering as One" initiative, an inter-agency group will have to draw up a common strategy for mobilising resources, based on the UNDAF/One Programme, with the strategic support of all the agency heads, under the authority of the Resident Coordinator, with the support of the government. The resources raised will be paid into a “basket fund” and redistributed to the development stakeholders via the UN System agencies. This approach, encouraged by the Ivorian government (commitment by the Minister for Planning and Development at the joint workshop in Yamoussoukro, in December 2015) will be based on the inter-agency commitments in the UNDAF/One Programme. Humanitarian emergency situations and access to some specific resources (national committees, certain basket funds or trust funds) will be exceptions to the principle of joint mobilisation of funds (One Fund). Thanks to this new approach, the UN System's credibility with financial backers should be increased, which could facilitate fundraising (see the positive opinion of the government and the staff on this matter). EXTRACT NO. 4: JOINT COMMUNICATION IN CÔTE D’IVOIRE In Côte d’Ivoire, the "Delivering as One" initiative has both modernised and rationalised communication actions. Under the leadership of the Resident Coordinator and the leading partner in the UNCT Communication group, UNESCO, the Country Team has endeavoured to speak with One Voice to deliver relevant, key messages shared by the whole Country Team. A more consistent and uniform communication strategy is taking shape, which will continue to be reinforced beyond 2016. 311
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Instability of resources for communication The majority of the communication activities led by the UN System is supported financially by projects/programmes which, by their nature, are limited in duration and have a fluctuating budget. The study did not therefore focus on measuring the overall cost of the communication initiatives undertaken by the UN System, but rather the cost of the initiatives carried out independently of the projects and programmes. Only five agencies and the coordination office have communication budgets that are independent of the projects.These amounts increased in 2012-2013, as the inter-agency coordination office was much more dynamic in terms of communication (compared to 2009-2010).This was down to the recruitment of a communications officer and the fact that the coordination office received financial support from the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI) and the PBF (Peace Building Fund) to carry out large-scale communication activities.
A common communications strategy is underway Seven agencies originally had their own "country communications" strategies.The "Delivering as One" initiative is not intent on doing away with these strategies, but rather creating a genuine common communications strategy, implemented through annual action plans. Within the context of the reform process, the objective is that the agencies can pool some of their information resources to help implement the common communications strategy. Work has been undertaken to establish a jointly conceived visual identity, without in any way losing the individual "branding" of the agencies, particularly in relation to the UNOCI identity. Thanks to the One Voice communications strategy, the visibility and understanding of the UN System's interventions are much improved and help to make the action of the United Nations System in Côte d’Ivoire more credible. EXTRACT NO. 5: THE EXPERIENCE OF JOINT PROGRAMMING IN MALI Since the beginning of the UNDAF 2008-2012 cycle, the number of joint programmes has grown continually. There were two in 2008-09, three in 2010-11, and five were agreed for the period 2013-2017.These programmes, 312
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carried out in the "Delivering as One" spirit, could well absorb significant amounts by making economies of scale and supporting the joint administration units. The financial volumes intended for these programmes would therefore increase by 70% for the period 2013-2017, while the cost of administering the United Nations System joint programmes should significantly drop. The socio-political crisis intervened, affecting the programme dynamic for some time. However, the United Nations System "Delivering as One" programme should manage to reduce the number of projects (160 in 2014 compared to 248 in 2008-2009) and, as a result, should save over 3 million dollars per year from an operational point of view (i.e. 15 million dollars over the 2016-2020 cycle). The use of national procedures (NEX/HACT/Procedure manuals) and the joint analytical work carried out by the United Nations System could also result in some savings. The overall analysis of the component, based on the four essential fields related to implementation of the planning and programming framework – i.e.: a) the operational and administrative costs of the United Nations System joint programmes; b) the operational and administrative costs of other United Nations System programmes and projects; c) the use of national procedures (NEX/HACT/Procedure manuals) and d) joint analytical work carried out by the United Nations System – highlights both the substantial financial gains made but also a greater rationality in programmatic convergence. The "Delivering as One" approach achieved annual savings of 606,000 dollars for the period 2010-2012 and could see its programmatic rationalisation efforts result in savings of around 2.6 million dollars for the period 20132017. EXTRACT NO. 6: HARMONISATION OF PURCHASING AND PROCUREMENT SERVICES IN MALI The purchasing and procurement services of the UN System experienced remarkable rationalisation over the period 2008-2011. Under the umbrella of the Country Team and the OMT committee, significant initiatives for pooling purchases of supplies and UN System services have been undertaken. In terms of purchases of vehicles, furniture and office supplies, costs slightly increased due to an increase in UN System interventions in Mali during 2008-2009. However, economies of scale have already been achieved for the period 2010-2011. The "Delivering as One" approach helped to lower these costs in 2012-2014. 313
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After an increase of around 5% between 2008-2009 and 2011-2012, examination of the potential gains has highlighted the fact that in the future, in particular for the period 2013-2017, the cost of the various purchasing and procurement services should see a significant fall. EXTRACT NO. 7: THE SYSTEM FOR MONITORING AND EVALUATING THE UNITED NATIONS SYSTEM ACTIONS IN MALI A common monitoring and evaluation strategy is currently being defined, which would enable efficient and better focused results-based management and evaluation of the impact of UN System action in Mali. The setting up of a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework for United Nations System interventions based around two major components (joint annual, midway and final reviews, plus the introduction of joint tools and databases) and the delivering of joint M&E missions, are the key elements of a common M&E strategy adopted by the UN System and its principal partners. Implementation of this strategy began with joint annual and midway reviews in 2010-2011. It is therefore estimated that 103,000 dollars were saved annually in the period 2010-2011 compared to an approach in which each agency would activate its M&E mechanisms separately.
The UNDAF+ in Mali: a joint perspective involving the country team and the integrated UN mission In response to the multi-dimensional crisis experienced in Mali, the United Nations adopted a very original planning mechanism for drawing up a framework, known as UNDAF+ for the period 2015-2019. This unifying document brings together all the interventions planned by the United Nations in Mali, whether carried out by UN System agencies or the Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA). In the spirit of the "Delivering as One" approach, this framework is an instrument guaranteeing maximum programmatic synergy between all the UN players in the country, through the implementation of four areas: 1) reinforcing security, peace and national reconciliation; 2) promoting good governance; 3) access to high-quality basic social services; 4) inclusive growth for sustainable development. 314
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The UNDAF+ 2015-2019 therefore focuses, through joint planning, on peace building and sustainable development. The United Nations thereby demonstrates its firm intention to provide a collective response to national priorities and obtain tangible results aimed at improving the living conditions of the people of Mali.
Conclusion Implementation of the "Delivering as One" initiative, in accordance with the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)1, should enable the UN System to consolidate its positioning in the development sector in order to maximise the impact of its action on people's living conditions. The experiences observed in the "pilot" countries and the reforms achieved in Africa, particularly during 2013-2015, are significant in this respect. Although the studies reveal that qualitative and financial gains can be made, they also indicate that the United Nations System must agree to substantial investments in key areas, such as operation of coordination mechanisms, planning and monitoring and evaluation, division of labour based on the definition of known comparative advantages, management of partnerships and mobilisation of resources, without forgetting the capacity building of its own personnel.
NOTE 1. The SOPs are the Standard Operating Procedures for the "Delivering as One" approach as defined by the United Nations Development Group (UNDG) in August 2013.They are the first guidelines produced at global level, designed to guide the operational implementation of the "Delivering as One" approach in the countries signed up to this innovative process.
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The Strategic Areas of Focus of the United Nations System of Communication as One: the Experiences of Zimbabwe and Ghana Pierre Carrel International Consultant, Academic and United Nations Reform Process Specialist
Jenny-Christelle Debrimou Communications Specialist, United Nations Resident Coordinator Office in Côte d’Ivoire
Introduction Rationalising communication actions should enable the United Nations System to speak with One Voice, delivering key, relevant messages shared by the whole Country Team. The United Nations has undertaken a reform process in Zimbabwe and Ghana in order to improve its interagency strategy and achieve more effective cooperation.
The priority areas of focus of the "Delivering as One" communication strategy In both these countries, more consistent, uniform communication was expected from the United Nations System, and the development partners had issued a very favourable opinion on this concerted development of United Nations System action, at a national level. Coordinated, effective, results-based action is needed to support the interventions of the Country Team through the United Nations 317
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Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) and to portray a unified, consistent image of the United Nations System. In some countries, several agencies had country communication strategies specific to their agency, resulting in a certain level of vagueness among beneficiaries and development stakeholders. In both Ghana and Zimbabwe, the various recommendations from the UNDAF Review Process, and those initiated on Country Team retreats, highlighted the need to strengthen communication in the following areas: • internal and external communication concerning priorities and expected results; • the main lessons learned, the pilot experiences carried out and the joint programming efforts; • the impact of UN System action and established partnerships; • lobbying on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the post2015 agenda, social equality, gender equality, governance and human rights; • the image of the UN System through achievements with a strong impact on human development.
The progress and results achieved in Communicating as One The experience of Communicating as One in these two countries shows that it is possible to define and implement a genuine common communication strategy through annual action plans and established funding. In the context of the "Delivering as One" initiative, the objective pursued by the agencies was to highlight their capacity for dialogue and interaction with the national stakeholders in a unified manner, and to pool some of their communication methods to help implement the common communications strategy. The objective was also to establish a visual identity for the communication products devised jointly by the UN System, without in any way losing the individual identity or "branding" of the agencies and related funds. The communication strategy in these two countries achieved remarkable results.This strategy therefore demonstrated the operational
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synergies, coherence and impact of United Nations System interventions through effective communication that supports lobbying and programmatic consistency, promotes fundraising and strengthens partnerships.The specific objectives of these two national Communicating as One strategies: • demonstrated the real impact and potential of UN System interventions; • reinforced lobbying in favour of development action and the contribution of the United Nations System on major issues; • strengthened internal communication within the United Nations System; • highlighted the partnerships created; • contributed to fundraising. The results expected and obtained from these strategies are explained through: • the practices, cooperation methods, activities, tools and manuals that demonstrate the relevance, comparative advantages and impact of UN System interventions; • the communication actions that have contributed to raising funds; • the different target audiences that have been made very aware of the major challenges the UN System faces and the relevance of reform, including the beneficial effects it may have on local populations; • the national stakeholders and the staff of agencies and related funds, who seem to be better informed about UN System activities and have taken on the principles of the "Delivering as One" approach, the ambition of the One Programme and the relevance of the UNDAF. The audiences have been better identified and better targeted: • the government and the institutions of the Republic; • the media and the general public; • the academic environment (schools and universities, including research centres); • opinion leaders and civil society organisations; • the private sector; • the development partners; • United Nations System personnel.
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In order to communicate on the "Delivering as One" initiative and the results of the joint programmes drawn up under the UNDAF Action Plan, the Country Teams prepared key messages, including: • "The United Nations works in a coordinated, coherent and effective manner to achieve a better, more sustainable impact on the well-being of populations, particularly the most vulnerable." • "The United Nations has proven, recognised expertise in the areas of governance and peace building, the fight against poverty and the promotion of the development economy, food safety, access to basic social services, the environment and adaptation to climate change." • "The United Nations, through the One Programme and/or the joint programmes, responds in a specific, targeted way to the expected effects of the UNDAF Action Plan, as agreed with the government and the stakeholders involved in development action." The communication strategy involved drawing up joint, structured action plans in both countries. Implementing these plans resulted in; a) mobilisation of the Country Team, under the authority of the Resident Coordinator ; b) accountability of an agency head to carry out the reorganisation of the United Nations Communication Group; c) better collaboration between the UNCG and the UNDAF Steering Committee and d) strengthening of relations with partners (press, journalists' association, professional groups, social networks, etc.). In Zimbabwe and Ghana, the key activities consisted in: • producing and disseminating the communication programmes, highlighting the "Delivering as One" approach and the impact of the joint initiatives on the populations; • producing and disseminating reference information about the UN System (newsletters, leaflets and brochures on UN System action, joint programmes and the results of the partners' actions or achievements); • organising media events with the national authorities and institutions of the Republic (televised debates, press conferences, round tables, etc.); • setting up and managing the Country Team website; • developing strategic partnerships with the media and social networks (official website, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter) and the universities and research centres; • planning and organising the observation of United Nations International Days. 320
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Conclusion The experience in Zimbabwe and Ghana represented a major, specific lesson for the "Delivering as One" initiative. When carried out nationally, the reform process must benefit from strong commitment from the national authorities and the Country Team, but also from an ambitious, proactive communication strategy.These two conditions are essential for succeeding in a new marketing of reform, supporting the dynamic of ownership by the national stakeholders and beneficiaries and highlighting the lessons learned and operational results achieved. To do this, the Country Teams must, at national level: a) set up a specific inter-agency committee dedicated to communication actions and if possible led by an agency head, supporting the United Nations System Resident Coordinator; b) draw up a targeted road map on reform and its opportunities; c) mobilise the available internal capacities for communication, lobbying and dissemination, and put in place the communication tools and instruments to do this; d) promote, in a continuous, structured manner, the lessons of the "Delivering as One" initiative to contribute to the sustainable human development action of the countries and their populations.
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Ethiopia and Lesotho: Experience of the Business Operations Strategy (BOS) in the “Delivering as One” Initiative Christian Do Rosario UNDP Operations Manager in Côte d’Ivoire
Lassina Touré Coordination Specialist and UNDAF M&E Specialist, Programme Coordination Unit of the UN System in Côte d’Ivoire
Introduction Pooling operational services – particularly the purchasing and procurement processes – and the continuous effort for competitive bidding of service providers are likely to bring significant operational savings to the United Nations System. The pilot countries’ experience of this is significant and that of countries such as Lesotho and Ethiopia can be useful for the United Nations System in Africa.
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The priority areas of a Business Operations Strategy (BOS) Both Ethiopia and Lesotho have drawn up an integrated Business Operations Strategy (BOS) in their United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF). In Lesotho, this commitment has been written out in a triennial commitment document, 2014-2016, signed by the agency heads under the aegis of the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations System operations. In both countries, these strategic documents are important instruments for pooling services and improving efficiency as well as reducing transaction costs and strengthening the credibility of the United Nations agency interventions at the country level. These documents present a framework for BOS and UNDAP, managerial ‘arrangements’ and a system for monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of the BOS. They form a close link between the programme action (One Programme or the UNDAF Action Plan) and the BOS defined and monitored by the Operations Management Team (OMT) in the country. These strategies were based on an assessment of the needs and of the request for services drawn up by the UN System agencies and on costbenefit analyses conducted at country level. This work shows that it is possible to plan for significant operational gains and reap substantial savings by introducing managerial priorities for United Nations reform. These strategies and the desired results are the outcome of actual work done by the Operations Management Teams at country level.
Best practices and results obtained The documented analysis of their initial goals and the results show that the UN System rationalised its purchasing and procurement services remarkably in 2012-2014. Under the aegis of the Resident Coordinator, the Country Team and the OMT, significant initiatives for pooling purchasing and services in the UN System have been sparked, and considerable savings have been obtained: 324
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• travel services: costs decreased by 5% thanks to the harmonised use of travel agency services; • customs clearance and transit: an overall decrease of more than 7% in clearance and transit costs thanks to the outcome of work in the field; • purchases of furniture, office supplies and computer and telephone equipment: costs decreased by 8-10% thanks to the introduction of a group purchasing system based on potential economies of scale. Many other services such as vehicle maintenance and security services have begun to show very positive results with significant savings ratios of 15-25% thanks to harmonised common services and full use of market competition. Over time, the Business Operations Strategies of these countries will bring real added value to the cooperation that guides the implementation of the ‘One Programme’ and that of the annual budgeted work plan. The savings made will necessarily be backed up by various operational and technical facilities for the United Nations services in charge of operations, administration and finance. Considerable time is saved in purchasing and procurement process management. Calls for tender and service provider selection processes are now simpler thanks to the commitment of the joint teams. The Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfers (HACT) process is particularly well suited to these reforms. Indeed, the HACT process – macro assessments which are completed and micro assessments which are ongoing – for transferring cash will increase efficiency and simplify financial and resource management processes. At present, this process does not concern all the United Nations System agencies but if it were to be extended, through the “Delivering as One” initiative, the results could well be very positive. Secure payments to the national party, better risk management, more efficient control systems and simplified procedures thanks to harmonised report formats are some of the remarkable benefits. Simplified cash disbursement procedures and pooled resources and control instruments should enable the agencies to make significant savings of both time and money. 325
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The national service providers and the various stakeholders in development have hailed this initiative and the progress it has shown.
Conclusion Many countries, particularly in Africa, opting into the “Delivering as One” initiative should take inspiration from these benchmark national practices, as they deliver more efficient and competitive management of business operations and increase the managerial capacity of the UN System agencies, which is essential for the credibility of the reform process and the expectations of the beneficiary countries.
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Initiating Reform of the United Nations System in Guinea SĂŠraphine Wakana Resident Coordinator of the United Nations System and Resident Representative of UNDP in Guinea
Introduction The Republic of Guinea is gradually recovering from two successive crises that affected the social and economic life of the country. The political crisis caused by the organisation of legislative elections in 2013 rekindled deep social divides.The health crisis in 2014 and 2015 caused by the Ebola epidemic dissolved all hope of the announced economic upturn. What’s more, the prospect of new elections has caused political and social unrest.The United Nations System (UN System) agencies in Guinea are therefore having to cope with several major challenges for the future of their country. With the support of the technical and financial partners, these agencies are working to support the efforts that the government and civil society organisations are making to foster stability and development in the country. Against this background, on 17 March 2014 the government chose to commit to implementing United Nations System reform in Guinea, thereby responding favourably to the request from the SecretaryGeneral of the United Nations, inviting the United Nations System to increase coherent, mutual and effective support given to governments of developing countries.
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After a series of meetings specially dedicated to the “Delivering as One” process, a preparatory study was initiated to assess the situation and measure the strengths, opportunities, weakness and constraints of such an approach in Guinea. A Concept Note is currently being drafted to formalise the commitment of the United Nations and the government, and to detail the concepts that both parties agree to implement within the time allotted. This background document for the UN System reform process in Guinea will be officially signed by the government and the UN System in Guinea.
Success factors of the “Delivering as One” process in Guinea The Concept Note describes the operating procedures of the five pillars of the UN System reform process against the national background of Guinea. Three major indicators give a positive assessment of the chances of “Delivering as One” succeeding in Guinea: The Country Team is on board The Country Team’s desire to opt into the “Delivering as One” approach, to define the implementation strategies and release resources is essential to implement reforms.The United Nations System’s capacity to change its organisational culture at country level depends heavily on this willingness.There is every reason for confidence, as in spite of the legitimate questions asked about how to put such an approach into practice, the Country Team is engaged and has a positive view of the UN System reform process in Guinea. All the agencies have at one time or another tested and measured the extra strength they represent when they federate their forces. The agency leaders are also aware that this new approach is becoming inevitable, as their executive managements have opted in at global level. The Country Team need have no fear in initiating this process, reassured that the staff has a positive view of it. Surveys among a representative sample of staff members showed maturity and motivation for implementing UN System reform. This positive perception merits consolidation by a more thorough knowledge of the “Delivering as One” concept and process, to ensure that all staff members are on board to fulfil the objectives that the Country Team sets.
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Strong adhesion of the government team that deserves support A formal request by the Ministry for International Cooperation1, to implement UN System reform in Guinea is the first important step in rebuilding national leadership in this process. However, the country’s ability to steer the “Delivering as One” initiative must be strengthened and extended to the highest authorities of the State and to all the ministerial departments.This reform initiative has been placed under the responsibility of the Ministry for International Cooperation, or more precisely the Directorate General for the Coordination of Foreign Aid, which records bilateral and multilateral aid agreements 2. It is here that the government appointed a focal point dedicated to monitoring the UN System reform process. Within the same ministry, the Directorate General of International Organizations houses the Central Coordination Unit (CCU) in charge of coordinating the monitoring of UN interventions in the country. Although it is still a challenge to get the country to take on the initiative, the national counterpart has already taken steps towards helping the process and legitimately believes in the benefits it can reap from this reform process. Which is why the government is willing and open to strengthening its capacities in order to be able to take up its rightful leadership. Changes in the political, sanitary, humanitarian and security situation in Guinea This is an external factor over which the United Nations System does not have full control. However, changes in this context will dictate the nature of the UN System agency interventions in the coming years.The “Delivering as One” initiative is above all a reform of United Nations coordination methods for development.The ability to build on the total success of this process will depend on Guinea being fully engaged on the road to development. But the consolidation of democratic experiences in Guinea and the gradual end of the Ebola epidemic give cause for hope and point to a more stable situation in the country.The increase since 2011 of public development assistance in Guinea also underscores this trend towards harmonised institutions (see box below).
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Accepting the challenges and capitalising on experience Naturally, there are numerous internal and external constraints. For the national counterpart, in addition to the capacity deficit, there is also a tendency in some ministries to maintain special – some might even say compartmentalised – relations with certain agencies, which does not further coherence. With regard to the United Nations, internal arrangements still have to be implemented to enable the agency headquarters to deliver guidance that coincides perfectly with the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).This is essential to prevent the “Delivering as One” approach from complicating certain planning and reporting processes, as the headquarters have not yet taken steps to harmonize and simplify procedures. These are specific to each agency and are therefore changing slowly, which complicates any initiative for pooling and harmonising in the field. However, the pilot countries’ experiences have shown that it was possible to overcome these obstacles, with willpower and strategy. In Guinea, the standard UN System coordination mechanisms have been heavily impacted by the management of the response to the Ebola virus. Coordination thus transferred to larger instances 3 solely dedicated 330
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to fighting the epidemic. In these new consultation frameworks, the UN System has shown, in spite of relative competition between agencies, a capacity for coordination in structuring the response to Ebola. Now that the country seems to be moving slowly towards the end of this health crisis, the time is right to revive inter-agency coordination to help the country get back on its feet. The United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) 2013-2017 is an important basis which provides a unifying framework in line with the national priorities. The second part of the UNDAF cycle could be a preparatory phase (20162017) before reform becomes truly operational in the next UNDAF 2018-2022. The UN System is determined to build the “Delivering as One” initiative on existing joint experiences and initiatives in programmes and operations. We already have inter-agency programmes focusing on geographic areas (Guinea Forest region, Upper Guinea) and sector-based programmes (gender, youth, HIV-AIDS, peace consolidation, and maternal and infant mortality). However, we need to go further and avoid a juxtaposition of interventions to introduce proper joint planning and monitoring and evaluation system. Given the context and the current system, it is difficult to make UNDAF operational and to monitor and measure the overall impact of United Nations assistance in Guinea. In 2015, a halfway review of UNDAF was conducted to revise the framework plan and integrate the new background elements that affect the interventions of the UN System: the “Zero Ebola” goal and the postEbola revival in particular. After the disruptions caused by the Ebola virus, the Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO) and the Lead agencies are currently tasked with kick-starting the UNDAF coordination and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) mechanisms, such as the group for programme harmonisation, the Operations Management Team (OMT), the UNDAF themed working groups, the Communication team and the M&E Team. For business operations, definite progress has been made in pooling services but these actions need to be made systematically more strategic.The drafting and implementation of a Business Operation Strategy (BOS) will require stronger capacities from the OMT and probably the backing of a specialised consultant. Most of the agencies are also motivated to move into One Office.There are however some short-term logistical, technical and financial obstacles, in almost all situations (building or renting an office block).The idea of a shared office must be anticipated in the mediumand long-term, with consideration for security at all times. In addition, the UN System is already experimenting in Conakry with a “common house” 331
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where the UNDP, UNFPA, UNIDO, UNESCO, IFAD and UNDSS all work in one single building. This is a first step in the shared premises experiment, and is backed up by common regional offices in Kankan, Upper Guinea, and Nzérékoré in the Guinea Highlands.
Unity in diversity One of the major challenges of this initiative is implementing reforms to the UN System that respect the diversity of the agencies.Within their own fields, the funds, programmes and specialised institutions fulfil their mandate and act in accordance with their own procedures and in keeping with their organisational culture.The agencies often therefore work in very different ways.They do not all have the same freedom of action or financing as their headquarters. They do not enjoy the same institutional relationships with the funding partners, implementing partners or even the national counterpart. They work in cooperation cycles of varying lengths (five years, three years or two years), which does nothing to simplify the joint strategic programming. What is more, budgetary planning is annual for some and biennial for others, making it difficult to define a joint annual work plan, and consequently a joint budget schedule. Some agencies adopt a humanitarian profile in times when the urgency of the needs requires a specific response. Others focus on development, in line with their mandates. Currently, Guinea has agencies with very different profiles which must work together. The “Delivering as One” process is not intended to disrupt the coordination and financing mechanisms specific to the humanitarian structure. Yet that must not exclude agencies with a humanitarian section from strongly contributing to the overall coordination of the UN System for development, even if the development action were to continue to go hand in hand with humanitarian activities. The distribution among the agencies of staff members of the UN System is a good illustration of the hybrid profile of the system, which is active in both development and humanitarian assistance. So in Guinea, how can we build a “Delivering as One” process that respects the diversity and identity of the agencies? That is the challenge which lies before us.
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Investing in coordination to meet the needs of Guinea As in most of the countries opting into the “Delivering as One” initiative, the UN System will now have to agree to significant investment in the key fields of coordination mechanisms, planning, monitoring and evaluation, communication, partnership management and resource mobilisation as well as strengthening the capacity of the stakeholders. In return for these investments, quality could potentially improve.The new positioning of the UN System will enable it to concentrate on its comparative advantages for a stronger impact on development for the benefit of the people of Guinea. From an operations point of view, pooling the services should provide improved operational facility, better quality service, faster turnaround and, generally speaking, less complex administrative circuits, as is already the case in some fields. The government hopes to benefit from a clearer collective agency impact on development and greater clarity in the overall contribution of the UN action in the country. Having to deal with 12 agencies all belonging to the same family – the United Nations – requires considerable effort for the government to manage the assistance.The clearer strategic positioning of the agencies should result in a more structured political dialogue with the national counterpart but also with the technical and financial 333
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partners.The government’s aim is to be in a position to guide the United Nations Development Assistance Framework, to own it and eventually be able to take it over completely. The biggest financial gains in this reform will probably be made through more rational joint programming and pooling certain operational services. Also, by increasing the funds allocated to joint programmes and by reducing the number of small project management units, running costs could be lowered, something funding partners would appreciate. This new approach should increase the credibility of the UN System with donors, which would facilitate resource mobilisation for the One Programme. The Technical and Financial Partners (TFPs) seek greater accountability, increased transparency and better communication in the United Nations. In Guinea, the UN System is one of the leading partners, and there are therefore excellent opportunities to initiate a strategic dialogue on “Delivering as One” with other partner organisations.The preliminary consultations indicate that the TFPs in Guinea fully adhere to the concept and express their hope that the United Nations will go as far as possible in implementing this reform.
The importance of laying solid foundations and setting realistic goals The preparatory phase in the process (2016-2017) – which will precede the operational phase of the reform process (starting in 2018) – will be crucial in laying the foundations of a lasting growth process.Two types of actions will prepare the ground in this preliminary period: the introduction of pilot experiments and the drafting of the instruments for UN System reform in Guinea, for UNDAF 2018-2022. In response to the government’s needs, the UN System must be able to show, right from the preparatory phase, that it is able to strengthen its joint planning and monitoring and evaluation mechanisms.The Country Team has agreed to seize the opportunity to support the national postEbola revival plan (2015-2017) to test a stronger joint programme.This might mean identifying an “UNDAF effect” defined as a pilot to roll it out and conduct it in the form of a joint work plan as recommended by the Standard Operating Procedures. To back the post-Ebola revival, the Country Team will also experiment with a joint strategy to mobilise resources and improve communication. Similarly, the Operations Management Team (OMT) will start drawing up a Business Operations Strategy in 2015. 334
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As for UN System reform instruments, the preparatory phase should result in introducing and running an institutional mechanism to monitor the “Delivering as One” initiative. Before the UNDAF 2018-2022 is drafted, tasks will be distributed based on the definition of the comparative advantages, as was done to ensure a coherent response to the Ebola virus. A code of conduct for the Country Team should reflect the agencies’ promise to respect the agreed strategic positioning. The UNDAF 2018-2022 will then be drafted to be used in joint work plans and annual Common Budgetary Frameworks. The start of the new UNDAF cycle will mark the fact that this ambitious reform process is now completely operational and that the people of Guinea should gain full benefit from it.
NOTES 1. The Ministry for International Cooperation is the ministry with responsibility for the United Nations. 2. With the exception of the World Bank and the IMF. 3. The coordination frameworks for the Ebola response include not only the United Nations agencies, but also the national party, all the technical and financial partners and the non-governmental organisations.
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The HACT Initiative and the Introduction of an Integrated Partnership Management System in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Adama Coulibaly Chief of Staff of the Minister attached to the Prime Minister’s Office with responsibility for the Economy and Finance in Côte d’Ivoire
Amadou Sow ICT specialist/Business Intelligence, UNDP in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Background Since its adoption1 ten years ago by the United Nations Development Group (UNDG) and the decision to implement it in the DRC in 2010, the Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfers (HACT) framework has become an essential mechanism in agreeing contracts with the implementing partners of United Nations programmes and plans. HACT objectives: • Encourage country ownership by reducing operational costs and simplify and harmonise procedures in the United Nations agencies; • Strengthen national capacities and the effective and efficient participation of the partners in managing aid; • Assess and mitigate risks in fund management. 337
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Implementing the underlying principles of HACT and aligning it with the Paris and Rome agreements 2 is a drawn-out process that has required true commitment and good coordination on the part of all the stakeholders: government, UN System agencies and development partners.
The experience of the Democratic Republic of the Congo shows how differently the HACT approach can be set up, and also its advantages such as capitalising on experience and the lessons learnt from harmonised resource management. The level of agency involvement in implementing the mechanism also varies from one country to another, and from one United Nations System agency to another. As a general rule, the UNDP and UNICEF lead the process. These agencies have to work hard to involve other specialised agencies more, particularly through the HACT task forces set up in the countries. The country’s situation (at war, post-war, transitioning towards emergence) determines or conditions the level of government involvement. The case of the Democratic Republic of the Congo shows strong desire and commitment from the State, which is particularly important in identifying implementing partners. Other countries, like Congo, Benin, Ghana, Kenya and Tanzania are working to improve their partnership management and monitoring tools.
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Challenges The first challenge in introducing a HACT mechanism is gaining ownership of the approach: the participants must be informed and trained at all levels. The training offered 3 by UNICEF in its training platform “Agora� is open to all and addresses the goals pursued, the priorities and the key elements in the approach. Proficiency in identifying the partners is one of the challenges in setting up a HACT information system. This holds true for both the agencies and the national administrations. Implementing HACT requires a basic assessment and strengthened capacities of the partners. Here the agencies play an essential role, hence the need to share tools and methods and pool the assessments. The HACT database for the DRC shows the relevance of capitalising on shared information about the implementing partners in Congo. Of 516 partners assessed 4, 81 represent a high risk, 164 a considerable risk, 187 a moderate risk and only 84 a low risk.
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Introducing the HACT mechanism In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, implementing the common operational framework for cash transfers to the governmental and nongovernmental execution partners by the ExCom agencies (HACT) has brought about: The use of common procedures for cash resource management by the implementing partners HACT prefers a risk management mechanism focusing on the outcomes of the cooperation programmes as opposed to the usual administrative system based on resource and activity control.The use of the single expense form, FACE, under the HACT system, reduces the reporting work volume for partners and frees up time and effort for implementing activities and reaching targets defined in the work plans and project documents.
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The adoption by all agencies of a risk management and specific procedure determining the approach for transferring cash, based on a common assessment of the financial management capacity of the implementing partners The implementation of HACT has given the ExCom agencies in the DRC a joint mechanism to assess the capacity of the partners. To illustrate this, if the UNDP, UNFPA and UNICEF have 100 implementing partners in common (governmental or non-governmental), before the HACT, each agency conducted its own capacity assessment with these partners.The overall cost of these assessments (at 4,000 dollars for one capacity assessment conducted by an audit firm) would be 400,000 dollars to assess the capacity of the partners, i.e. for the three agencies together, a total of 1,200,000 dollars. With the implementation of HACT, the total cost of these capacity assessments borne by the three agencies together was little more than 400,000 dollars in 2013-2015, i.e. around 133,000 dollars per agency
Undertaking and coordinating control activities for cash transfers The main advantage observed after the implementation of the HACT is audit management. With this approach, the ExCom agencies are replacing the project-based audit with partner audits. For example: at the UNDP, each year, the Pooled Fund finances about 300 projects conducted by 150 implementing partners.The unit cost per audit for each project was about 5,500 dollars. Audits for the 300 projects cost the funders an average 1,650,000 dollars per year. With the HACT, project audits have been replaced by partner audits. As the audits are less time-consuming, the unit cost charged by the firms for the partner audit is down to 4,500 dollars instead of 5,500 dollars per project. Thanks to the HACT, the Pooled Fund now pays 4,500 dollars x 150, in other words, 675,000 dollars for its audits instead of 1,650,000 dollars. With reference to the example given for capacity assessments, the audits for the 100 partners shared by the three agencies, UNDP, UNICEF 341
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and WFP, would cost a total of 450,000 dollars, three times less (1,350,000 dollars) than if each agency conducted them separately. It is also interesting to note that before the HACT was implemented, the ExCom agencies could finance the same partner and each draw up a plan to strengthen the capacity for financial management with no common approach. With the HACT, this is no longer possible as the ExCom agencies have set up consultation mechanisms and a database providing information on the strengths and weaknesses of all the implementing partners. The agencies can now develop one single capacity-strengthening plan for these partners. HACT has several advantages, for the funding partners, the United Nations and the beneficiaries of programmes and projects • For the funding partners: this mechanism significantly (by 60-70%) reduces the transaction and operating costs paid to implement programmes and projects they finance. Thus a large part of the budget for projects and programmes can be devoted to implementing (investments) and strengthening the national capacity for completion. • For the United Nations: this mechanism ensures improved harmonisation of their procedures and a joint, consensual management of their partnership. It also encourages risk sharing between agencies and shared management of capacitystrengthening plans for the national partners. • For the implementing partners: the HACT initiative reduces the burden of budgetary and accounting management and allows them to concentrate on implementing activities and obtaining results defined in the work plans and project documents. • For the beneficiaries: the projects and programmes for which they receive funding are better coordinated, better aligned and meet their needs more meaningfully.
The HACT information system To support the HACT mechanism, national task forces have begun to introduce an information system, with four main objectives: • Have a common list of partners of all the agencies; • Connect, coordinate and share the assessment schedule; 342
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• Pool and share the assessments; • Notify all HACT focal points of the schedule of planned assessments or their results.
NOTES 1. United Nations General Assembly resolution 56/201. 2. Rome Declaration on the harmonization of assistance (2003), Paris Declaration on the efficiency of development assistance (2005). 3. https://agora.unicef.org/course/info.php?id=1312 4. Macro assessment, micro assessment, spot check, or audit.
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Implementing the “Delivering as One” Initiative in Benin Rosine Sori-Coulibaly Minister of the Economy, Finance and Development in Burkina Faso, Former Coordinator of the UN System Agencies in Benin
Introduction In 2010, Benin became a self-starter in implementing the “Delivering as One” approach, having started several initiatives under the leadership of the government through: • The formal adoption by the government at the Council of Ministers in January 2010 of the implementation of reform in Benin; • The joint drafting in August 2010 by the government and the Country Team of a Concept Note describing the steps required to implement the “Delivering as One” initiative in Benin. After evaluating the pilot phase of the reform initiative in 2012 and adopting the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in 2013, the Benin Country Team fully committed in 2014 to implementing the SOPs which provide an integrated set of clear, simple and coherent guidelines on programming, BOS, financing and which give greater visibility to common development actions at country level, in keeping with the mandates, rules and procedures of the United Nations agencies. Extension and ownership workshops for the SOPs were therefore organised with the entire Country Team and with the government partners to promote leadership and ownership of the reform process.
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Implementing the Standard Operating Procedures has enabled the entire Country Team to work more coherently with the other stakeholders to accelerate the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and engage Benin in the post-2015 development agenda.The gradual implementation of reforms has thus given results in the five pillars of the “Delivering as One” approach a) the One Programme; b) a Common Budgetary Framework; c) One Leader; d) Operating as One and e) Communicating as One.
One Programme UNDAF (2014-2018) is the joint UN System programme in Benin. It is a strategic framework for the medium-term results of the United Nations actions in the country. It defines how the Country Team will contribute to reaching the Development Goals based on an analysis of the country’s needs and the relative advantages of the UN System. It is harmonised to include the time and length of the national planning cycle and creates a clear division of responsibilities between the agencies. And it serves as a mutual framework for responsibilities, while indicating what the agencies have contributed to each result. It focuses on the six priority axes of cooperation agreed between the Benin government and the United Nations System, which are: • Inclusive growth, employment, food security, gender equality and social protection; • Health, including HIV/AIDS, Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), nutrition, family planning, basic sanitation; • Basic education; • Protection against social vulnerability, violence and abuse; • Governance, participation and decentralisation; • Environment, crisis and disaster management and climate change. The UNDAF includes an action plan and a framework for evaluation and results. For monitoring and implementation, a two-part institutional framework in line with monitoring of the strategic framework for growth and poverty reduction in Benin has been set up as follows: • At a strategic level, the guidance and steering committee cochaired by the Prime Minister and the Resident Coordinator of the UN System in Benin. It includes all the ministers and UN System agency leaders; 346
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• At a technical level, the technical team is chaired by the director of the Prime Minister’s office and the Lead agencies of the various UNDAF cooperation priorities. For implementation, the Country Team relies on the support of the UN System Programme Committee and the themed groups in place. The Programme Committee, comprising the leaders of the working outcome group and the monitoring and evaluation specialists, ensures optimum coordination for UNDAF implementation. The Programme Committee meets every month to discuss and monitor the scheduled activities. The “Gender and Human Rights” and “Disaster Risk Reduction and Management” groups and the working group on HIV/AIDS provide a very effective and inclusive contribution to this coordination. To make the UNDAF fully operational, an annual work plan is drafted each year to further the implementation and make sure that all the stakeholders are mobilised in the cooperation effort.This plan traces the main activities and results to be obtained in each working outcome group. For accountability and monitoring purposes, an annual review of the UNDAF action plan is issued to trace recorded progress on outcomes and to make any recommendation necessary for the implementation of the UNDAF action plan in the following year. In support of strategic planning efforts, the Country Team has developed a close working relationship with the government on a few joint projects.These mainly include the following initiatives: •The joint programme to eliminate gender-based violence and the promotion of human rights; • The joint programme for a national statistical information system; • The Millennium Village project; • Improvements in food safety and strengthening of communication and interpersonal relations as well as leadership capacities of women in rural areas of Benin. Furthermore, within the framework of use and promotion of innovation in implementing the UNDAF action plan, the Country Team has developed a real time monitoring system for the UN System activities in 347
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Benin. It is mainly web-based, allowing all citizens of Benin to find out about what the UN System does in Benin, and it also collects people’s aspirations and needs via a text-messaging platform. This initiative showcases the democratic and socio-institutional approach of development assistance.
One Budgetary Framework The aim of the Country Team is to have a Budgetary Framework that makes strategic use of the UN System resources as well as of those given by donors as part of a common fund. Currently, the joint budget of the UNDAF (2014-2018) action plan has given the technical partners, including the government, an overview of the activities of each agency in the UN System, their financing and any insufficiencies that might arise. The five-year resources framework is an integral part of the UNDAF action plan. It provides the total cost of the UNDAF and an indication of the funds available. Thus the total UNDAF budget is 967.72 million dollars over five years, divided between the available resources for a total of 251.2 million dollars and a financing requirement of 716.52 million dollars, to be raised with the actual and potential partners of the UN System in Benin. With regard to the considerable lack of funding (716.52 million dollars over five years), in order to achieve the results set out in the UNDAF, the UN System Country Team in Benin has drafted a joint resource mobilisation strategy. The aim of each strategy is to enable the UN System in Benin to increase its capacity to effectively and efficiently meet the development challenges identified in the Growth Strategy for Poverty Reduction GSPR 3 paper and established as cooperation priorities in the UNDAF 20142018.
Leading on United Nations coordination The One Leader concept consists in strengthening the powers of the Resident Coordinator and those of the UN Country Team, so that they all work together responsibly and transparently. In Benin, the Resident Coordinator leads the “Delivering as One” initiative in a participative and collaborative manner, while remaining answerable to the government 348
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and to the United Nations organisations for the smooth running of the UN System. In addition, in 2014 the Resident Coordinator led a revamping of the Country Team with frequent meetings, an updated code of conduct signed by all the agency leaders and a new peer assessment system. In 2015, dialogue at the highest levels with the national authorities intensified, which has enabled the UN System to position itself more strategically.
Common operational services in the UN System The joint operations of the United Nations System (Operating as One) in Benin have intensified: One (virtual) Office has been set up based on Information and Communication Technology (ICT), bringing together all the operations – human resource management, financial operations and administration – under the aegis of common support services for the agency programmes, in a coherent, efficient and effective manner. In Benin, common interagency services are already established or are being improved, particularly with regard to mobile telephones, travel services, and banking and security services. In addition to that, one can add the implementation of a plan to reform cash transfer processes: the Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfers reform (HACT). In 2014, the governance of the Operation Management Team (OMT) was revised. Under the leadership of the Resident Coordinator, the OMT was energised and placed under the responsibility of an agency leader: the UNICEF representative. The Country Team is now committed to implementing the Business Operations Strategy (BOS).The first version was submitted by the OMT at the end of 2014.The Benin Country Team BOS aims to: • Improve links between programme activities and the operations services: the BOS will identify which operations are needed to effectively carry out the programmes. It contributes to a more efficient and effective implementation of the UNDAF action plan; • Reduce costs: the BOS focuses on operational support services and initiatives to harmonise and/or simplify operations. This will facilitate strategic operational planning over several years. It aims to shorten deadlines in order to rationalise the operational processes and reduce direct financial costs, for example by profiting from negotiating positions common to the whole UN System when procuring goods and services. Expected cost reductions include: 349
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a) Reducing duplication of professional processes in the agencies by providing the service through one single channel rather than decentralising it in the agencies (for example ICT, travel and building maintenance), b) Reducing transaction costs (time spent on activities) for the United Nations and the partners, including the government, by harmonising operations and establishing permanent agreements with suppliers, c) Furthering United Nations negotiating positions when procuring goods in large quantities (for example office supplies, printing services, etc.). • Improving the quality of the services provided: by using joint procurement systems for “bulk” services, the United Nations increases its powers of negotiation with service providers and therefore improves its ability to control and evaluate the overall quality of the service offered by providers.
Communicating as One Communicating as One has significantly improved the quality and profile of the UN System in Benin. The group called Info Com was created with great success. It is directed by the UNDP head of communication and comprises all the Communication heads and focal points of the different agencies. Under the leadership of the Info Com group, a joint communication strategy was drafted for the UN System in 2012 and is currently being updated. The group makes sure that the UN System in Benin Communicates as One, particularly by implementing the joint communication strategy with the following goals: • Showcasing the comparative advantages of the UN System in Benin and helping to better inform the target audiences about the Organisation’s mission, its strategies and the complementary role of the UN agencies; • Introduce communication and advocacy tools to strengthen the impact of the development actions and the common development results of the UN System through the UNDAF by emphasising common themes and joint development plans; • Improve internal communication and introduce an inclusive approach to the UN reform process in Benin. 350
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The Info Com group increases the visibility of the UN System as an entity federating agencies and institutions working towards the same goal – developing Benin – and it facilitates the coherence of the Country Team’s messages and advocacy work. Info Com implements a common work plan for this, which includes: • Celebrating various international themed days; • Producing joint communication tools, including the quarterly newsletter Le Trait d’Union; • Identifying priority information and communication actions for the UN System and implementing them; • Recommending specific strategic and/or operational interventions that will help to mobilise different audiences for specific events related to UNDAF, like the celebration of United Nations Day; • Ensuring all other joint communication actions such as specific documentary exhibitions which are part of a common framework strengthen the UN System’s image as a single entity; • Ensuring crisis and emergency communication: from strategic planning to programme implementation; • Strengthening the capacities of media and communication professionals; • Drafting and publishing support media and advocacy tools (press releases, etc.).
Conclusion United Nations reform in Benin made significant progress in 2014 and 2015 thanks to the joint leadership of the government and the UN System Operations Coordinator, and also to the credibility of the programme and operational measures introduced by the Country Team and its staff. The Resident Coordinator, with the support and aid of the Country Team’s expertise and guidance, helps to make the United Nations reform process operational at country level. The main goal is to provide coherent assistance to the country to obtain the best possible results in terms of sustainable human development.
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The “Delivering as One” Initiative: a Promising Process in Togo Khardiata Lo N’Diaye Resident United Nations Coordinator and Resident Representative of the UNDP in Togo
The Standard Operating Procedures of the United Nations System reform initiative and their endorsement at global level by the executive heads of the UN System agencies were the starting point for implementing the “Delivering as One” approach in many countries. Governments wishing to begin the UN System reform process officially start by expressing their wish to have the United Nations’ support and cooperation in adopting the new approach in their country. This was the case in Togo, which, through its Department of Planning, Development and Land Use, contacted the Resident Coordinator of UN System operations on 25 October 2013. In an official correspondence, the Togo government asserted its determination to “foster better integration of the United Nations System operations to develop a greater synergy in support of development actions”. In response to the government’s request, the Country Team, under the aegis of the Resident Coordinator, were open to debate and forthcoming, whilst pushing for a methodical approach to capitalise and build on the situation of the country as well as the experiences of other countries, for a successful implementation.
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In addition to examining the situation in the country and increasing the knowledge of the Country Team, with the backing of the Regional Directors’Team (RDT), a preliminary study was conducted in December 2014 to assess the strengths, opportunities, weakness, challenges and also the potential benefits of the United Nations System reform in Togo.The conclusions of this preliminary study gave an accurate assessment of the situation and recommendations were formulated to encourage and further the initiation, in 2015, of the “Delivering as One” process in the country. The collaboration of the RDT and the United Nations Development Operations Coordination Office (DOCO) was a dynamic factor in integrating the lessons learnt from the Togo experience.
Opportunities to be seized and challenges to overcome The UN System in Togo is made up of 12 operational agencies (funds, programmes and specialised institutions), with different levels of representation, depending on whether they are resident or not. They work together within the UNDAF 2014-2018 framework which federates the United Nations operations in Togo. The government and the United Nations have opted in and working together in a relatively favourable context, as they have the potential basic resources to make the adjustments needed to renew agency coordination. Both the UN System and the national counterpart are determined to move forwards using the right strategies, finding the means to make a success of the “Delivering as One” process in Togo. The official engagement of the Department of Planning, Development and Land Use is the first step taken to establish a national leadership which remains determined, although it will need support in order to be stronger. With regard to the United Nations personnel in Togo, although their knowledge of reform should perhaps be consolidated, they seem to adhere to the process and are ready to integrate the organisational changes required as long as clear instructions are given by the Country Team. Such are the conclusions of an anonymous survey conducted with the help of the regional office of the United Nations Development Group (R-UNDG) within the preliminary survey carried out with a representative sample of staff members working for the ten UN System agencies in Togo (15% of the UN System staff in Togo was consulted). The sample was considered to be representative as it included personnel 354
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from the programme, from operations, from communications and from staff associations. A summary of answers to the 15 strategic questions reveals that, generally speaking, a large majority of United Nations staff in the country has a positive impression of the “Delivering as One” process in Togo. Under these conditions and with a reliable internal communication system, any reticence and residual doubts or fears which are generally based on a lack of knowledge of the “Delivering as One” approach can be allayed.
The United Nations also enjoys a relatively good image with the Togolese public opinion and with the government.The fact that the UN System has maintained its development assistance at a time1 when most international funding partners had withdrawn theirs clearly plays in favour of the respect and moral authority the United Nations enjoys in Togo.There is therefore a healthy basis for a trusting relationship that will help to implement this UN System reform (see diagram below). In addition to the positive image it has in the country, the UN System is fortunate in being relatively small 2 and working in a country where it is possible to have a real impact on development, provided the action is coherent. In this respect, the UNDAF 2014-2018 action plan is a unifying framework of quality, aligned with the national priorities as reflected in the SCAPE strategy (stratégie nationale de croissance accélérée et de la promotion de l’emploi: National Strategy for Accelerated Growth and Employment Promotion).
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Over the past four years, the UN System has lead the technical and financial partners in Togo, which may make it easier for the development partners to adhere to the “Delivering as One” process, particularly when it comes to planning integration and potential mobilisation of financial resources for the One Programme. As is the case in all developing countries, the United Nations’ credibility with the government and lending partners in Togo depends on its coordination capacity. In this respect, significant efforts have been made, for example in terms of HIV/AIDS, on which agencies work together under a joint programme.This is also the case regarding joint communication efforts, principally thanks to the new dynamics and strengthened capacity of the United Nations communication group’s capacity to “Communicate as One”. In spite of limited human and financial resources,2 the Resident Coordinator’s office and the Lead agencies are currently working to revitalise the coordination and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) mechanisms of the UNDAF, such as the Programme team, the M&E team, the UNDAF themed groups and the Operations Management Team (OMT), making sure they are aligned with the “Delivering as One” process. In addition to providing an exchange of information between 356
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agencies, the Communication and Advocacy Team (CAT) is currently being reinforced to enable it to implement a true joint communication strategy that will overcome legitimate doubts as to the visibility of the agencies. With regard to financial resource management, there have been some interesting achievements in terms of harmonising and pooling of operational services. There are already some LTAs (Long Term Agreements) which have harmonised the use of security services, power generator and electricity plant maintenance, transit services, fuel supply, customs clearance, office supply purchases, and finally the use of travel and transport services. The challenge now is to consolidate the experience and make sure that a maximum number of services are pooled strategically, against a backdrop of budgetary restrictions. There is no shortage of successful experiences and achievements in terms of interagency coordination in Togo. However, the aim is to go much further because making the UNDAF action plan operational and monitoring and evaluating the overall impact of the United Nations assistance in Togo are still something of a challenge. Coordinating management actions and programming United Nations operations therefore remain a real challenge in Togo. To meet these challenges, the coordination action aims to boost engagement and empowerment of reform by evaluating the staff, not just regarding the services they render to the agency, but also on their contribution to coordination (in the context of the interagency groups).
Efforts are needed but the advantages are clear The UN System in Togo must agree now to invest heavily in the key areas of revitalisation of coordination mechanisms, joint planning and M&E (monitoring and evaluation), management of partnerships and mobilisation of resources as well as capacity-building of staff and of all the stakeholders involved in implementing the “Delivering as One” approach. In return, it is clear that, for Togo, much can be gained qualitatively and financially once this reform is operational. “Delivering as One” is expected to make the UN System more effective, interdependent, influential and visible. Its new position will 357
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enable the system to refocus on its comparative advantages for a stronger impact on the development and well-being of the Togolese people. Harmonised planning practices in the agencies working on the transition of UNDAF to the One Programme are probably the most critical challenge to be faced. It is also the government’s biggest expectation, as they have opted for a sector-based development plan to be able to see how much cooperation contributes to national development. On its side, the government will benefit from programme and finance monitoring and evaluation provided by United Nations operations.The agencies’ clearer strategic position will also include a more structured political dialogue with the national counterpart and the technical and financial partners.The long-term goal is better national ownership of the development process and stronger coordination of the development partner actions. Implementing reform will obviously have an effect on reducing United Nations operational costs in Togo. The biggest financial savings should come from a more rational joint programming system. The real programme benefits will result from increased finances dedicated to joint programmes and a reduction in the number of small projects. From a strictly operational point of view, it also seems possible to go much further in harmonising and pooling services to reduce operating costs by making economies of scale and negotiating preferential rates applicable to all the agencies. One of the options is to exploit the actual opportunities that would enable the United Nations to move its agencies into One Office in Lomé.The construction of a shared office on the land allocated by the government to the United Nations would eventually lead to a considerable reduction in general operational costs, as revealed by the conclusions of a 2006 feasibility study conducted by a specialised firm. Considering the current premises of several agencies, the study estimates that establishing One Office would save 322,000 dollars a year. This would initially help to pay back a loan of 3 million dollars to pay for the construction. Eventually it would represent direct gains. However, the choice to have One Office cannot be made solely with regard to the financial aspects. Security requirements must also be taken into account. The total amount saved through the “Delivering as One” approach could make it possible, in spite of an overall reduction in aid, to maintain at the same level, or even to increase, the volume of financial and technical resources dedicated to supporting United Nations assistance in 358
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Togo. With this new approach, the United Nations will appear much more credible to the lending partners, which would facilitate the mobilisation of resources.
The goals that Togo has set Reforming the UN System is a process in every sense of the word, meaning that, due to the nature of the recommended organisational changes, it cannot be implemented overnight. On the contrary, it has to be developed through a series of successive measures and operations stretching out over time to eventually result in the fully operational five pillars promoted by the new “Delivering as One” approach. Thus, the UN System reform process will be introduced in two interlinked phases.The current phase is a preparatory one, during which the UN System will have to strengthen its coordination mechanisms, and the staff ’s technical capabilities, whilst designing and introducing the tools of reform in Togo.The second phase will be the operational one, during which the five pillars of the reform process will be implemented following the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), taking into account the principles and priorities defined at the Country Level, as well as the situation in the country.These strategic choices respond, first of all, to the difficulty in implementing the reform initiative based on the new programming cycle already established at the point when the government made its request, and also the Country Team’s wish to not wait for the next UNDAF cycle, i.e. 2019, to initiate the reform process. This is why the government and the Country Team agreed to make the UNDAF 2014-2018 the basis from which to gradually implement the principles of the “Delivering as One” initiative. The transition point between these two phases will be the point at which there will be a midterm review of the 2014-2018 UNDAF action plan.
Levers for success of the “Delivering as One” process in Togo Following the government’s formal commitment, the Country Team, under the aegis of the Resident Coordinator, endeavoured to initiate the appropriate consultation frameworks to reinforce a closer open and constructive political dialogue with all the government departments, but also with the country’s highest authorities. Taking ownership of this process must go beyond the institutional foothold that is the 359
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Department of Planning, Development and Land Use, boosting the interdepartmental approach. In this way, the United Nations can better identify the government’s needs and effectively hand over steering of the “Delivering as One” process strategy. Formalising the engagement of the government and the United Nations System must also be prioritised by finalising and signing the “Delivering as One” Concept Note in Togo3, which will strengthen the institutional foothold and the structure of the process. At the same time, there must be more discussion with the technical and financial partners about the UN System reform process to elicit their aid and prepare the ground for an interagency strategy to mobilise financial resources. Furthermore, the Country Team will have to continue its efforts to revitalise and emphasise its mechanisms for coordination, joint programming and M&E. As for Business Operations Management, the existing initiatives for sharing services are a very interesting basis for drafting and implementing a Business Operations Strategy, for which the Operations Management Team (OMT) will be responsible. At the same time, it is crucial to improve the knowledge base and capacities of the Country Team, the United Nations personnel, the national counterpart, civil society and the private sector so that all the stakeholders can understand the concepts and use the planning tools underlying the “Delivering as One” approach. This goal can be met through a training and information plan including targets and a schedule of sessions, and, if necessary, some study and exchange trips. The Communication Team will play its role by developing an internal and external communication strategy for the targets indicated. The Country Team is tasked with the significant job of dividing labour based on an evaluation of the comparative advantages. It has to do this before drafting the One Programme so that the agencies can position themselves as leaders and divide the intervention sectors according to objective criteria such as the agency mandate, resources and technical expertise.This will be a crucial step before the operational phase during which the UN System will implement the UNDAF action plan based on a joint work plan budgeted for each UNDAF effect. Naturally, particular attention will be paid to monitoring and the annual evaluation of outcomes and impacts of the UN System’s actions in the country.
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Conclusion In conclusion, it is essential to emphasise the joint wish of the country’s highest authorities and the United Nations System to build a reform which is adapted to the national situation, which is assimilated, owned and which will provide efficiency and well-being to the people it is intended to serve. The main factor for the success of the “Delivering as One” approach lies naturally in the perseverance and sustainability of the commitment of the stakeholders, starting with the government and UN Country Team in Togo.
NOTES 1. Between 1993 and 2005, the European Union and other partners suspended or decreased their economic cooperation and their public development assistance in Togo. During this time, the UN System maintained its cooperation and consequently the proportion of its development assistance for the country was high. In 2003 and 2004, almost a quarter of the amount of public development assistance in Togo came from the UN System. 2. In Togo the UN System comprises 239 agents throughout the country (UNDSS figures for the end of 2014). 3. The “Delivering as One” Concept Note must be the guiding document for the UN System reform process in Togo. It will serve as an agreement between the United Nations and the government by defining the basic concepts on which the parties agree. This document includes a roadmap to define the phases and their deadlines.The note will be signed officially by the national party and the Resident Coordinator and the agency heads.
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Acceleration of UN Reforms in Rwanda: Moving from the Pilot Phase to the Second Generation of “Delivering as One” (DaO) Lamin M. Manneh UN Resident Coordinator/UNDP Resident Representative, Rwanda
Introduction Right from the time it took power in the mid-1990s the current leadership of Rwanda has consistently demonstrated a rare type of strong, focused and visionary leadership.There is consensus that this has been a major factor in Rwanda’s remarkable recovery from the devastating effects of the Genocide against the Tutsi and the five-year civil war that preceded it, as well as the subsequent significant positive and rapid socio-economic progress the country has registered since then. Within the overall context of such a strong leadership and national ownership of Rwanda’s development process coupled with prioritisation of aid and development effectiveness, the leadership of the country has been an early strong advocate for reforms of the UN System to render it more efficient, effective and responsive to the needs of the programme countries. Thus, when the pilot phase of “Delivering as One” (DaO) was introduced by the UN Secretary-General in 2007 as a key element of the intensification of the reforms of the UN System’s development arm, 363
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Rwanda was among eight countries that volunteered to be pilot countries. The Rwanda UN Country Team (UNCT) supported the implementation of the pilot phase of the DaO in the country through the UNDAF that covered the period 2008 – 2013.The implementation experience of the pilot phase of the DaO in Rwanda and the results realised therefrom have been adequately covered by the article of the Hon Minister Agbenonci, that is also published in this book. Suffice to mention that the evaluation of the implementation of the pilot phase of the DaO in Rwanda during the 2008 – 2013 period indicated that the UN contributed significantly to the positive development results Rwanda achieved over the period.The total amount of programme resources the UN Family contributed to Rwanda’s development during this period amounted to US $ 500 million. All in all, the five years of implementation of the pilot DaO have changed the way the UN works in Rwanda.The UN Family has now built a strong sense of “One UN” and strengthened the spirit of joint collaboration and teamwork. Despite this overall positive appraisal of the pilot phase of DaO in Rwanda, the above evaluation also noted some important shortfalls and pertinent lessons: on the effectiveness of the delivery structures of the UNDAF, it was noted that while the Theme Groups earned the satisfaction of the government partners in the way they harmonised their programming with the government counterparts under the One Programme, they had not proved their efficacy with respect to results orientation; the evaluation also observed that the One UN Rwanda fell short of the expected level of efficiency in a typical DaO environment; it also pointed out that in spite of some tangible reductions in transaction costs and savings through efficiency gains, the One UN Rwanda under the pilot phase fell considerably short of realising the full potentials in these areas; importantly also, the evaluation noted that insufficient attention was paid to sustainability of results, owing to the fact that, inter alia, the UNDAF did not have a clear theory of change to adequately guide its intended programming results; finally, the evaluation noted that the UNDAF lacked sufficient monitoring and evaluation mechanisms and processes in practice.
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From the pilot phase to the second generation of DaO Globally, following ECOSOC’s Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review (QCPR) process of December 2012, the pilot phase of the DaO was followed by the introduction in late 2012 of the second generation of DaO, that aimed at maintaining the momentum of the UN reforms underway, by building on the achievements and learning from the challenges and lessons arising from the pilot phase. Again, both the Government of Rwanda and the One UN Rwanda Team fully embraced the principles of the new generation of DaO. The UNCT has been supporting its implementation through, among other things, the more advanced form of the UN development assistance framework, known as UN Development Assistance Plan (UNDAP) for 2013 - 2018, which constitutes a single business plan for the UN in the country. The UNDAP passed the midway point of its implementation period in July 2015. It is useful to note at this point that although the Government of Rwanda has been very supportive of the DaO approach and that the pilot phase was very useful for pointing the way forward, it is the UNCT that made the bold decision to fully adopt the second generation of DaO through, among other things, putting into effect all the 15 elements of the Standard Operating Procedures of the new generation of the DaO as well as the single business plan for the UNCT, the UNDAP. The UNDAP provides the overarching framework for the work of the United Nations in Rwanda and covers the period of 2013 to 2018 with a budget of $411,000,00.
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The UNDAP results areas have been fully aligned to the national development priorities under Rwanda’s second Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS 2) and the framework of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It also anticipated the post2015 global development agenda and made provisions for supporting Rwanda in implementing it in the initial stages. The UNDAP is also significantly focused as it is prioritised on three core results areas, through which the UN will contribute to the realisation of the national development goals and objectives: (a) Inclusive Economic Transformation; (b) Accountable Governance; and (c) Human Development/Foundational Issues, including Humanitarian Response and Disaster Management as a sub-area. Putting into effect one of the principal lessons of the UNDAF implementation under the pilot phase, including the replacement of the Theme Groups by Development Results Groups (DRGs), a more effective management and accountability structure has been put in place for the UNDAP aimed at ensuring a more coherent, efficient and resultsoriented management of the One Programme.The figure below displays the organigram of the UNDAP in this regard. For each of the Development Results Groups, the co-chairs are listed in the parenthesis. It can be discerned from the organigram that at the implementation level, UNDAP is divided into Development Results Groups (DRGs).The UNCT also adopted the notion of joint programming and aims to deliver as much of its support during this programming cycle as possible through joint programmes.Thus, DRGs have developed Joint Programmes (JPs) in partnership with implementing partners (Government institutions and CSOs). In total, 15 JPs have been put in place to ensure that the desired level of coherence among the UN agencies is attained and the UNDAP achieves its results. Each of the 15 JPs corresponds to the outcome areas of the UNDAP. At the programme level, two heads of agencies are designated to co-lead the DRGs to ensure inclusiveness, coordination and strengthening of partnerships.
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In addition, it is notable that the UNDAP also integrates right from the outset a Business Operations Strategy to facilitate the realisation of the intended reductions in transaction costs and efficiency gains arising from the stepped-up efforts of Operating as One. It has 5 key pillars: Procurement, Finance, ICT, Human Resources, and One UN House, with expected savings of $15m over 5 years. In order to address the deficiencies of the UNDAF with respect to the desired results - orientation, the UNDAP has a more robust results framework that is aligned to the national fiscal and planning cycle - from July to June. The UNDAP is reviewed once each year, with oversight from the UN Steering Committee co-chaired by the RC and the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning. This is intended to reinforce the monitoring process of the UNDAP in response to another important lesson learnt from the UNDAF implementation under the pilot phase of DaO. The UNDAP includes a common budgetary framework, and a communications strategy.The latter is intended to fully put into effect the objective of communicating with One Voice. Importantly also, the UNDAP has a fairly good functional architecture, including: UN Country Management Team; Programme Planning and 367
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Oversight Team; Monitoring and Evaluation Team; Operations Management Team; Communications Group and 4 Development Results Groups that lead on the development of the JPs and heir implementation. The rest of the elements of the second generation of DaO, all of which are being fully implemented are illustrated in the table below.
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Implementation of the second generation of DaO in Rwanda : Achievements, challenges and lessons for the third generation of DaO UNDAP achievements a) Development Results After three years of implementation the Rwanda One UN is on track to achieve most of the results anticipated in 2013. 369
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b) BOS Rwanda UNCT is among the very few that integrated the BOS in its UNDAF from the outset. Currently, there is a high momentum in the implementation of the BOS and the savings to date are estimated at $4.6m, and the UNCT is on track towards achieving the projected savings of US $ 15.0 million by 2018. On the other hand whilst there is progress on the One UN Office pillar, this may not be achieved before 2018. c) Communicating as One There is a communication strategy in place led by a Head of Agency and accountability to the UNCT and communication by the UNCT has been considerably streamlined since the implementation of this strategy started. d) One Leader The RC contributes to the performance appraisal of some UN agencies and UNCT leadership is inclusive to guide the UNDAP implementation.The Management Accountability Framework exists and is functioning relatively well. The Code of conduct exists but it is not being adhered to systematically. Decision-making is collegial under the overall leadership of the RC. e) After 2 and half years of implementation, the UNDAP had delivered an estimated expenditure of $265,000,000, which on pro-rata basis significantly exceeds the targeted funding level at this stage of the UNDAP implementation.
Challenges, Opportunities and the Way Forward Our experience in Rwanda indicates that DaO is feasible and in fact desirable. In addition to the supporting role of the Government, the Rwanda UNCT has demonstrated strong commitment to fully implementing the second generation of DaO by putting into effect all 15 core elements of its SOPs. But we have also experienced first-hand the many challenges that have to be overcome, from agency resistance, sometimes done in very subtle ways, to complexities associated with joint programming, including complicated programming procedures, to making the shared leadership 370
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of the UNCT work effectively as well as severe funding constraints, notably the drying up of UN One Fund resources. All this requires strong leadership of the RC within the context of a shared leadership framework with the other HoAs, backed by encouragement and support from national authorities and the Regional and Global UN system (RUNDG and UNDG/DOCO). Some of the specific challenges we have encountered are the following: a) Results Framework The UNDAP results framework has good logic but due to issues relating to measurability, reliability and precision in costing that arise from ambition, delays in finalising joint programmes have persisted. This has to be addressed critically through annual revisions of the framework with all agencies including Development Results Groups and involvement of the Government. b) Joint Programmes JPs need to be critically reviewed in light of funding and capacity constraints. In addition, close attention need to be paid to the alignment between the UNDAP and the JPs in terms of the results frameworks. Importantly also, timely preparation of joint programmes is key. c) UNDAP Working Group Architecture Whilst the groups have been functioning relatively well on the whole, there are important concerns relating to heavy processes involved and extra burden on staff time. d) Tracking UNDAP Results A systematic but simple UNDAP annual reporting tool is needed to support demonstration of results, joint communication and joint resource mobilisation. e) Funding The resource gaps being experienced by many joint programmes and some agencies threaten to undermine the commendable gains made by the Rwanda UNCT in the delivery of its assistance to Rwanda’s transformational and accelerated poverty reduction agenda.The drying up of the One Fund has not helped. Significant resource gaps have been experienced in health, trade-related and employment-related areas.
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f) Humanitarian/Development Nexus There is a need to address the humanitarian/development nexus at the beginning of UNDAP formulation, and reduce the territoriality of the humanitarian agencies.
Conclusion The above challenges notwithstanding, the One UN Rwanda Team has registered stellar performance since the adoption of the second generation of DaO, demonstrating beyond all doubt that the coherent agenda of the UN could work if it is underpinned by Government leadership and commitment as well as the will from the UN system at all levels, global, regional and national. The SDG agenda makes this imperative. The One UN Rwanda Team’s achievements and the challenges confronting it do provide a sound basis for determining the way forward for the third generation of DaO and the further reinforcement of the UN System’s development operations in general.
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Appendices
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Bibliography Harmonizing UN Procurement, Common UN Procurement at the Country Level, High-Level Committee on Management Procurement Network in collaboration with UNDG, 21 September 2012. Independent Evaluation of Delivering As One, Summary Report, Nations Unies, 2012. 180 Day Integrated UN Action Plan for Sector West: January-June 2013, Nations Unies Côte d’Ivoire, 10 janvier 2013. Genguant J.P., Comment bénéficier du dividende démographique ? : Replacer la population au centre des trajectoires de développement de la Côte d’Ivoire, Abidjan, AFD, novembre 2014. Gouvernement de la Côte d’Ivoire et ONUCI, Critères de suivi proposés par la Côte d’Ivoire, ONUCI / Gouvernement de la Côte d’Ivoire, 31 mai 2013. Grégoire Luc-Joël, L’Afrique et les Objectifs du millénaire pour le développement, éd. Economica, Paris, 2005, 496 p. Grégoire Luc-Joël, L’application de la Déclaration de Paris et les mécanismes de coordination-concertation des partenaires au développement, Communication du Système des Nations Unies au Symposium international sur la gestion de l’aide publique au développement, Dakar, 22-23 mai 2007, 20 p. Grégoire Luc-Joël, Kane Abdoulaye Racine, Kacou Albéric, L’Afrique et les défis de la gouvernance, éd. Maisonneuve et Larose, Paris, 2008, 851 p. Grégoire Luc-Joël, Le défi des Objectifs du millénaire pour le développement et les enjeux en matière de financement du développement, Réunion des ministres de l’Économie et des Finances de l’UEMOA, Communication du PNUD, 6 février 2011, 22 p. Grégoire Luc-Joël, Les Nations Unies et la coordination de l’aide, Consultations organisées par le Conseil économique et social des Nations Unies, Genève, 3-7 juillet 2013, 14 p. Institut national de la statistique (INS) et ICF International, 2012, Enquête démographique et de santé et à indicateurs multiples de Côte d’Ivoire 2011-2012, Calverton, Maryland, États-Unis : INS et ICF International. Institut national de la statistique, ministère de la Santé et de la Lutte contre le sida, UNFPA en collaboration avec Unicef, OMS, AMDD,
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UNCT Zimbabwe, Millennium Development Goals Status Report, Zimbabwe, GOZ/UN Zimbabwe, Harare, 2010. UNDG Standard Operating Procedures for Countries adopting the “Delivery as One” approach, New York, August 2014. UNDG Joint Communications Guidance Note on Forming and Strengthening a UN Communications Group, UNDG, New York, 2013. UNDG Guidance Note on UN Coherence, Relevance and Effectiveness, UNDG, New York, 2009. UNDG Guidance Note on the Use of Social Media, UNDG, New York, 2009. United Nations System in Zambia Communication Strategy 2007-2010, Lusaka, 2006. UNDP Country-Level Telecommunications Network, Consolidation for UN, Business Case, Task Force ICT en Côte d’Ivoire, 29 September 2013. UNFPA, 2014, Besoins non satisfaits en matière de planification familiale et déterminants sociodémographiques de l’utilisation des méthodes contraceptives modernes en Côte d’Ivoire, Rapport d’analyse secondaire des données des EDS 1994, 1998, 2012, juillet 2014. UNFPA, 2014, Analyse des tendances et déterminants de la santé maternelle en Côte d’Ivoire, Rapport d’analyse secondaire des données des EDS 1994, 1998, 2012, juillet 2014. UNFPA, 2015, Facteurs explicatifs des besoins non satisfaits en matière de planification familiale en Côte d’Ivoire : cas des districts sanitaires de Toumodi et Abengourou, Rapport d’enquête qualitative, décembre 2014. Vimard P., Fassassi R., 2010, « L’évolution de la contraception en Afrique », in Raïmi Fassassi, Kokou Vignikin, Patrice Vimard (éds), La régulation de la fécondité en Afrique : transformations et différenciations au tournant du XXIe siècle, Gripps-Lped-Academia-Bruylant, Louvain-la Neuve, p. 71-101. Zanou C.B., 1994, « Vers une politique de population en Côte d’Ivoire. Une réponse aux conséquences sociales de la croissance démographique et de la crise économique », in Koffi N., Guillaume A., Vimard P., Zanou B. (éds.), Maîtrise de la croissance démographique et développement en Afrique, Orstom, Paris (coll. Colloques et séminaires).
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Biographies Aurélien Agbénonci Minister of Foreign Affairs of Benin and former Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), Mr. Aurélien Agbénonci has extensive experience of the United Nations System and is specialised in conflict management, the promotion of good governance and sustainable development. He has held the function of Resident Coordinator of the UN, in the Central African Republic from 2014 to 2016, in Mali from 2012 to 2013, in Rwanda from 2008 to 2011 and in the Republic of Congo from 2003 to 2008. Beforehand, he served as UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Côte d’Ivoire from 1999 to 2003 and in Cameroon from 1996 to 1999. Before starting his career in the United Nations, he had been in charge of programmes and was the Head of the Pan-African Social Prospects Centre (CPPS: Centre panafricain de prospective sociale) in Benin. Mr. Agbénonci holds postgraduate diplomas in International Commercial Law from the University of Paris X – Nanterre (France) and in Institutional Development, Governance and Environmental Sciences from the University of Dakar (Senegal). He also holds a Master’s Degree in Corporate Law from the same university.
Léon Mensah Aluka Head of Secretariat of the United Nations Development Group for Western and Central Africa (UNDG-WCA) and Specialist in regional coordination and United Nations reform, Léon Mensah Aluka leads the joint group of Regional UN Agency Directors supporting the Resident Coordinator and Country Teams in charge of United Nations reform. Léon Mensah Aluka has over twenty years of United Nations System experience, at UNPD headquarters, where he has worked within the framework of programmes established by the Secretary-General and the General Assembly, particularly the advisory group on financial flows for Africa and the United Nations action programme for the economic and developmental revival of Africa. He has also served in the MONUC (United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo) peacekeeping operations as public information officer and spokesperson of the mission as well as for the Rwandan post-genocide
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mission. Mensah Aluka holds a BSc (Hons) Degree in Political Science from the State University of New York, as well as a Master’s Degree in Social Sciences and a PhD from Long Island University.
El Allassane Baguia Programme Coordinator and Strategic Development specialist at the UNDP Policy Unit since 2011, El Allassane Baguia has sixteen years’ experience in development planning, coordination and M&E, which he gained in public administration and in civil society. He has taken part in the formulation of several national public policies and has played a key role in the implementation of inclusive frameworks and concertation and advocacy, particularly with the stakeholders in charge of the management and coordination of development aid. He has contributed to several studies and has actively taken part in the major conferences on MDGs, Global Partnership Monitoring and the emergence of Africa. He also took part in the United Nations Summit for the adoption of post-2015 SDGs. Mr. Baguia holds a postgraduate Diploma in Evaluation and Development Management from the University of Antwerp in Belgium and a Master’s Degree in Economics and Development Science, with a specialisation in Management and Development from the University of Bouaké in Côte d’Ivoire.
Madhy M. Bamba A retired United Nations officer, Madhi M. Bamba has served as Special Consultant and Head of the Strategic Coordination Unit of the Ministry of Planning and Development of Côte d’Ivoire. Prior to that, Mr Bamba had spent twenty years at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), holding the post of Chief Economist, Head of the Sub-division of Policy Aid at the Regional Office for Africa and as Main Officer in charge of Food Security and South-South Cooperation. Mr Bamba has coordinated the organisation of several major international conferences in Africa and has lead interdisciplinary missions for the formulation of Development Strategies and Programmes. Finally, he has coordinated and implemented several South-South Cooperation projects between African and Asian countries.
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Pierre Carrel A lawyer by training, Pierre Carrel has worked for a decade for several United Nations agencies in West Africa, such as the UNDP, UNESCO and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Based in Mali prior to and during the crisis which disrupted the country in 20122013, he has served at the United Nations Resident Coordinator’s Office as well as with the Peacekeeping Mission in Mali (MINUSMA). A close observer of geopolitical, security and social matters in the Sahel region, he has also specialised in the Strategic and Technical Monitoring of the United Nations System Reform Process in Africa.Within this framework, he has provided support to the Côte d’Ivoire,Togo and Guinea Conakry coordination offices. A professor at the Universities of Aix-Marseille and of Clermont-Ferrand and at the Institut Catholique in Paris, Pierre Carrel is a United Nations Coordination Specialist in the areas of Development, Humanitarian Assistance and Peacekeeping. As an International Consultant, he is recognised as one of the leading experts on the “Delivering as One” Initiative.
Babacar Cissé As Deputy Special Representative for the United Nations Operations in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI), Babacar Cissé also serves as UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in Côte d’Ivoire. Mr. Cissé has worked at the United Nations since 1980 and has vast amounts of experience in the field of Development and Humanitarian Aid in Africa. Over the years, he has headed the cooperation and strategic partnership of the UNDP and the African Union and regional institutions, including ECOWAS, SADC, IGAD and the CEMAC. He previously held the post of Deputy Regional Director of Regional Bureau for Africa at UNDP and has also served as Coordinator and Resident Representative in Burkina Faso and UNDP Director in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He has held a number of senior positions at the UNDP Headquarters in New York. Mr Babacar Mbaye Cissé coordinated the organisation of the 1st International Conference on the Emergence of Africa and co-directed the work on Sustainable Development and the Emergence of Africa which was presented at COP 21. Mr Cissé holds a Diploma in Management and Applied Economics and a Master’s Degree in Finance and Fiscal Management from Paris IX Dauphine, France.
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Adama Coulibaly Currently Chief of Staff of the Minister attached to the Prime Minister’s Office in charge of the Economy and Finance in Côte d’Ivoire, Dr Adama Coulibaly previously worked for the United Nations Development Programme as Chief Economist and Country Director. He has been in charge of the formulation, implementation and evaluation of several programmes of cooperation between UNDP recipient countries. He has also led on the implementation of United Nations reform in many countries. Dr Adama Coulibaly started his professional career as a professor and researcher at the University of Abidjan and in the Ivorian Centre for Economic and Social Research where he held the post of Deputy Executive Secretary of the doctoral training programme.
Famoussa Coulibaly Deputy Chief of Staff at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Côte d’Ivoire since March 2016, Famoussa Coulibaly has a PhD in Humanitarian Action and Conflict Resolution and is a Research Fellow at the Félix-HouphouëtBoigny University in Abidjan. He had previously held the post of Chief of Staff of the Minister of Planning and Development and was also the Chief Advisor within the same Ministry. He co-Presided the Technical Secretariat in charge of Joint Steering of the Priority Action Plan of the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund (PBF), he contributed to the elaboration of the National Development Plan 2012-2015 and took part in the advisory group in charge of its financing. He has also contributed to the elaboration of the National Social Cohesion Programme and the National Community Development Programme of the Ministry of State, Ministry of Planning and Development.
Rosine Sori-Coulibaly Minister of the Economy, Finance and Development in Burkina Faso since 2015, Rosine Sori-Coulibaly is also the Former Resident Coordinator of the UN System Agencies and Resident Representative of the UNDP in Benin. Prior to that, in 2011, she had been appointed by the Secretary-General of the United Nations to the post of Special Deputy Representative of the United Nations Office in Burundi. She has also been Resident Coordinator of the United Nations and Humanitarian Coordinator in Burundi, Benin and Togo. Ms Sori-Coulibaly has extensive
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international experience in the area of development. Before joining the United Nations, she was an Economist at the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development and member of the Economic and Social Council of Burkina Faso. She holds a Master’s Degree in Economics and Development from Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar, in Senegal. Ms Sori-Coulibaly has a PhD in Macroeconomics and Planning from the United Nations Institute for Economic Planning and Development.
Jenny-Christelle Debrimou As a Communications Specialist, Jenny-Christelle Debrimou has worked at the United Nations Resident Coordinator Office in Côte d’Ivoire since 2011. She has over ten years’ experience in the field, having worked in the private sector, in Events Communication and in Banking. Ms Debrimou holds a Master’s Degree in Communication Sciences and a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations and Spanish, both from Illinois State University, in the United States.
Christina De Bruin Deputy Representative of UNICEF in Côte d'Ivoire since 2011, Christina Dorothea De Bruin has twenty years’ experience in development, humanitarian aid, public administration and the management of United Nations programmes. Before joining UNICEF, Christina de Bruin worked for four years as a Political Consultant to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Netherlands and at the Royal Embassy of the Netherlands in Addis-Ababa in Ethiopia. Ms de Bruin then held the function of Chief Field Officer at the UNICEF sub-office in Senegal and in Sri Lanka where she supervised the post-Tsunami programmes. She has also worked at the UNICEF Headquarters in New York, in the Emergency and Humanitarian Aid Operations. She holds a Master’s Degree in Public Policy and Political Science from the University of Leiden in the Netherlands and from Liverpool John Moores University in the United Kingdom.
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Lanciné Diaby Director-General of Planning and the Fight Against Poverty, Mr Lanciné Diaby has held several functions and had many responsibilities within the Office of the Prime Minister and a number of Ministerial Offices working to the BNETD (Bureau National d’Etudes Techniques et de Développement: National Technical Studies and Development Office). Mr Diaby has directed: (I) the elaboration of PNDs (Plans nationaux de développement: National Development Plans ) of Côte d’Ivoire for 2012-2015 and 20162020; (II) the preparation and organisation of the PND 2012-2015 Fund Advisory Group; (III) steering the return of the AfDB to its Abidjan Headquarters, through the bipartite technical secretarial committee: Côte d’Ivoire-AfDB; (IV) the development of the Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSP), a key element of the dossier which helped reach a decision point for the HIPC (Heavily Indebted Poor Countries) in March 2009; (V) carrying out three nationwide surveys on poverty in Côte d’Ivoire in 2002, 2008 and 2015. He also worked on the development of two national reports on the delivery of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 2003 and in 2010. Mr Lanciné Diaby has also been a member of several government delegations, particularly during the AGMs of the Bretton Woods and AfDB Institutions, and the General Assemblies of the United Nations, in New York.
Christian Do Rosario Former UNDP Operations Manager in Côte d’Ivoire and President of the United Nations System Operations Committee in Côte d’Ivoire from 2012 to 2015, Christian Do Rosario has designed and enhanced managerial and management tools for the operations linked with the United Nations reform process since the year 2000. Prior to this, he held the function of Operations Advisor to the United Nations Capital Development Fund, in New York (2006-2011) and served as Joint Resident Representative/ Deputy Resident Representative in the UNPD Country Office and Peacekeeping Missions in Haiti, Sierra Leone, Angola, Chad, Cameroon and in Mali. He has taken part in special missions of assistance in East Timor and in Tunisia. Prior to that, Christian Do Rosario worked in the private sector, in the management and private banking sectors.
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Mbaranga Gasarabwe Ms Mbaranga Gasarabwe is Deputy Special Representative for the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), where she also holds the functions of Resident Coordinator of the United Nations, as well as being the Humanitarian Coordinator. She has represented the United Nations Development Programme (UNPD) in several countries and has extensive experience in matters of security governance and development. Ms Mbaranga Gasarabwe has also worked for the CIDA (the Canadian International Development Agency) and USAID (United States Agency for International Development). Ms Gasarabwe holds a Master’s Degree from the University of Burundi as well as an MBA from the Arthur D. Little School of Management, also known as the Hult International Business School, in the United States. She is the co-author of a work of reference on Employment and Development Policies in Africa, published by Belin on behalf of the ILO and the UNDP.
Benoît Patrick Gbakou Professor Benoît Patrick Gbakou has been a Senior Lecturer and Associate Professor in Economic Sciences since 2013. He has held a number of different posts as Research Fellow at University College Dublin, in Ireland (December 2007 – November 2008), Brunel University in West London, England (December 2008 – November 2009), the University of Hohenheim in Germany (August to November 2010) and as Visiting Fellow at Manchester University, in England (several instances since March 2010). Research Fellow at the University of Abidjan-Cocody since June 2010, he has also held the post of Technical Advisor in charge of Economic and Financial Programmes linked to the Bretton Woods Institutions and the Ministry of State and the Ministry of Planning and Development (November 2014 – August 2015). Since September 2015, he has been named Head of the Strategic Coordination Unit at the Ministry of Planning and Development. He holds a PhD in Economic Science form the École normale supérieure, in Lyon (France).
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Luc Gnonlonfoun Holding a BA Honours from the University of Central Lancashire (United Kingdom) and a Master’s in Business Management from the University of Montpellier (France), Luc Gnonlonfoun has over six years’ professional experience with NGOs and over sixteen years with the United Nations, as an internal auditor then administrative and financial manager of Trust Funds in Afghanistan and in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He has held positions as UNPD Director of Operations in Mali, Senegal and in Côte d’Ivoire. In Mali, he supported the launch of the “Delivering as One” initiative as a “self-starter” country whilst in Senegal he led the harmonisation of the Country Team work processes within the Operation Management Team (OMT) framework. In Côte d’Ivoire, he headed the HACT implementation Task Force as well as that of the UNDAF Business Operations Strategy (BOS).
Luc-Joël Grégoire United Nations Development Programme (UNPD) Country Director since 2013, Luc-Joël Grégoire previously held the post of Chief Economist of the UNDP. He was Executive Director of United Nations reform in Mali in 2011 and 2012. He has also headed the Risk Management division for the Africa Zone in a Major International Bank and has directed the international debt renegotiation of the London Club. Mr Grégoire has taken part in the organisation of several major international conferences on Development and was co-rapporteur of the United Nations Millennium Summit and the MDG+5 Conference in New York. He also contributed to the preliminary work of the Global Summit on Climate Change and co-directed the publication of the reference work on Sustainable Development and the Emergence of Africa presented at COP 21. Mr Grégoire is the author of dozens of works and hundreds of articles on economics, international finance and environmental issues and the fight against poverty.
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Nialé Kaba Minister of Planning and Development of Côte d’Ivoire since 12 January 2016, Ms Nialé Kaba previously headed the Ministry of Economics and Finance of Côte d’Ivoire, from 2013 to 2015. Ms Nialé Kaba previously held the post of Minister for the Promotion of Housing of Côte d’Ivoire in previous governments, before President Alassane Ouattara came to power. From 1991 to 1996, then from 1996 to 2000, she successively held the post of Research Officer and Chief of Staff of the Prime Minister. She was Deputy Staff of Staff prior to becoming Chief of Staff of the Minister of Crafts and Informal Sector Management, from 2003 to 2005. Ms Nialé Kaba also held the position of Director General of Côte d’Ivoire Tourism from 2005 to 2007. Ms Kaba holds a Diploma as Statistician-Economics Engineer and an Advanced University postgraduate Diploma in International Development Economics from the University of Paris 1 – Panthéon Sorbonne, in France.
Saidou Kaboré Deputy Representative of the UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) in Côte d’Ivoire, Saidou Kaboré is a Specialist in Planning and Development with over twenty years’ professional experience, particularly in Burkina Faso, Niger, the Central African Republic, Rwanda and Côte d’Ivoire. His expertise is renowned in the areas of Reproductive Health programme management and in joint programmatic action in the areas of Family Planning and the fight against HIV/AIDS. He has worked towards Gender Equality within national development planning frameworks.
Albéric Kacou Vice-President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), in charge of Human Resources and Institutional Services since March 2016, Albéric Kacou held the post of Chief of Staff and Director of the Executive Office of the UNDP in New York, from 2013 to 2015. In this capacity, he provided strategic support to the Administrator and Associate Administrator of the UNDP as well as the UNDG. Prior to this, Albéric Kacou was Resident Coordinator and Resident Representative of the UNDP in Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, Nigeria and the United Republic of Tanzania. Whilst holding these positions, he contributed to the implementation of
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pioneering initiatives for United Nations reform and worked towards the development of a number of SOPs. He was responsible for some innovative initiatives in favour of peace consolidation, human security and post-crisis recovery. Mr Kacou holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh, in the United States. He has coauthored several works on Governance and Sustainable Development in Africa.
Pierre Konan Kacou Reproductive Health Specialist for the UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) in Côte d’Ivoire, Pierre Kacou is a Public Health Doctor and expert in Reproductive Health programme management. He is also a Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) specialist. He is an active member of the Interagency Committee for Monitoring and Evaluation. Mr Pierre Kacou has worked on the implementation of integrated reproductive health programmes in a number of countries. He has acquired expertise in the field of reproductive health in crisis situations. In Côte d’Ivoire, his experience has been a determining factor in the management of the joint MDG5 programme. Pierre Kacou began his UNFPA career in January 2006.
Adèle Khudr UNICEF Resident Representative in Côte d'Ivoire since October 2013, Ms Adèle Khudr has over twenty years’ experience in the field of Children’s Rights and the Promotion of Human Rights. Before arriving in Côte d’Ivoire, she had served as Head of Office in the State of Uttar Pradesh, in India (2008- 2013). She joined UNICEF in 1989 and has held several high-ranking posts at the heart of the organisation in Lebanon, in the Southeast Asia Region, in Sierra Leone and in Sudan. She has also coordinated and implemented United Nations Development Assistance Frameworks in several countries. She is ensuring the interim coordination of the United Nations System in Côte d’Ivoire and plays an essential role in the promotion of human rights and the protection of children. Originally from Lebanon, she holds a Master’s Degree in Anthropology from the American University of Beirut.
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Lacina Kouakou Kouamé Former Director-General at the Planning and Development Ministry of Côte d'Ivoire, from December 2014 to March 2016, Dr Lacina Kouakou Kouamé previously held the positions of Deputy Chief of Staff (20112014) and Director of Coordination and Monitoring and Evaluation at the Ministry of Planning, from 2002 to 2011. He has been President of the Technical Secretariat, having developed the National Development Plan 2012-2015, and Vice-President of the National Public Debt Committee (July 2012-January 2014). As a Strategic Planning expert and Development Issues expert, he held the post of Co-President of the Côte d’Ivoire-UNDP Joint Committee for the organisation of the International Conference on the Emergence of Africa held in Abidjan, in March 2015. Mr Kouamé designed the development and implementation mechanisms for government actions matrices: these mechanisms aimed at monitoring and evaluation of government action lead to the PTG (programme de travail gouvernemental: the Government Work Plan) which is currently steered by the Prime Minister’s office.
Khardiata Lo N’Diaye United Nations Resident Coordinator and Resident Representative of the UNDP in Togo since 2011, Khardiata Lo N’Diaye has accumulated a wealth of professional experience within the United Nations System since 2007. In her own country, Senegal, she held important positions such as Director-General of the AFDS (Agence du fonds pour le développement social: Social Development Fund Agency) from 2001 to 2006 and was Chief Advisor to the Minister in charge of Planning, the Economy and Finance, from 1999 to 2000. Khardiata Lo N’Diaye directed the World Bank project for the promotion of the Status of Women, from 1991 to 1999, as part of the Human Resources Development Programme in Senegal. She was also Chief Technical Advisor of the Minister with responsibility for Women and Children, from 1990 to 1991. Ms Lo N’Diaye holds a Master’s Degree in Economic Geography and a post-graduate Diploma in Urban and Regional Planning from the Sorbonne University in Paris, France.
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Albert Toikeusse Mabri Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Albert Toikeusse Mabri has held several functions with the Ivorian Government. Earlier, he successively held the posts of Minister of Health and Population (2003-2005), Minister of Integration (2005-2007), Transport Minister (2007-2010) and finally Minister of Planning and Development (2011-2016). He has also been Governor for Côte d’Ivoire at the African Development Bank (AfDB), at the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) and at the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development. He was the organiser of the first conference on the Emergence of Africa held in Abidjan, in March 2015. Dr Albert Toikeusse Mabri is a member of the American Public Health Association (APHA) and a member of the International Association of Agricultural Medicine and Rural Health, based in Japan. He was elected as a Member of Parliament for the Zouan-Hounien constituency and President of the Tonkpi Region.
Suzanne Maïga Konaté As Public Health Doctor and Resident Representative of the UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) in Côte d’Ivoire since 2009, Dr Suzanne Maïga Konaté has over twenty years’ experience in the field of Public Health and in Project Development and Public Policy and Governance. In several instances, she has held the post of UNFPA Representative in Cameroon, in Equatorial Guinea and in Senegal. She has been closely linked to the coordination of the United Nations System (as Interim Resident Coordinator) and to the shaping of population policy in Africa. Originally from Mali, she holds a Master’s Degree in Public Health, Epidemiology and the Control of Infectious Disease. She has written several publications on the Challenges and Issues of Reproductive Health.
Alina Aimée Mahouagbeu Ouattara Deputy Director of the Strategic Coordination Unit since 2012 and the focal point of the United Nations System in charge of the United Nations “Delivering as One” initiative, Alina Mahouagbeu previously held the post of Head of Project at the Electoral Commission of Benin. She also took part in the organisation of the International Conference on the Emergence of Africa, the development of the joint programme of coordination of aid then the national policy of partnership and aid 390
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effectiveness. Furthermore, she took part in the work of the United Nations General Assembly in adopting the SDGs. Ms Mahouagbeu is the author of a book on the right to intervene on humanitarian grounds and on decentralised cooperation. She is also the President of a Sustainable Development NGO. She holds a PhD in Local Development and Project Management and a Master’s Degree in Law with a Political Science and International Relations specialisation.
Lamin Momodou Manneh Mr Lamin M. Manneh was appointed as the United Nations Resident Coordinator and United Nations Development Programme Representative in Rwanda on 12 September 2012. Prior to his appointment in Rwanda, Lamin Manneh served as the UN Resident Coordinator in Congo Brazzaville for four years. Since 1996, Lamin Manneh has served in several senior managerial positions within the United Nations Development Programme, both at Headquarters in New York, as well as in Country Offices. He served in Sierra Leone and Liberia Country Offices as Senior Economic Advisor and Deputy Resident Representative. At the UNDP Headquarters, he served first as Senior Regional Programme Advisor and then as Head of the UNDP Regional Bureau’s Strategic and Regional Programmes Department. During this tenure with the UNDP, Mr Manneh engaged widely in development policy, sound economic management, poverty reduction and post-conflict reconstruction, private sector development as well as MDG-based planning. Before serving with the UNDP, Lamin Manneh worked with the African Development Bank and the International Monetary Fund as well as with the Ministry of Economic Planning and the Central Bank in the Gambia. Mr Manneh graduated from Harvard University, Cambridge with Postgraduate studies in Economic Policy, Investment Analysis and Management in 1994 and the University of East Anglia, England, with a Master’s Degree in Economics.
Frederik Matthys Regional Advisor for Africa of the United Nations Development Group (UNDG) in New York, Frederik Matthys advises United Nations Country Teams on the implementation of the “Delivering as One” approach in Africa. He is also involved in the development of United Nations System cooperation guidelines, such as the new UNDAF guidelines published in April 2016. Prior to this, Frederik Matthys held the posts of Head of the
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Resident Coordinator Office in Egypt and in Rwanda. In Rwanda, he developed the “Delivering as One” approach for the first time in Africa and steered the first United Nations One Programme and the Common Budgetary Framework. Rwanda was the first country with a United Nations One Budget. Before working for the United Nations, Frederik Matthys worked with the Government of the Kingdom of Belgium and in the private sector as a management consultant.
Marie Goreth Nizigama Strategic Planning Advisor and Head of the Coordination Unit of the United Nations System since April 2010, Ms Marie Goreth Nizigama also holds the post of Peacebuilding Fund Coordinator in Côte d’Ivoire. Holder of a Master’s Degree in Administration and a University Degree in Economics and Administrative Science, Ms Nizigama has over twentyfive years’ experience in the field of Strategic Planning, Resource Mobilisation and Aid Coordination. In addition to as her United Nations System experience in Côte d’Ivoire, she has been Minister of Planning, Development and of National Reconstruction as well as Minister of Transport, Postal and Telecommunications Services in Burundi. She has also been Alternate Governor for the African Development Bank (AfDB) and has represented her country a number of times in international forums and conferences.
Adama Sall A trained Macroeconomist, Adama Sall has been Special Advisor to the Minister attached to the Prime Minister’s Office with responsibility for the Economy and Finance. As such, he has taken an active part in the implementation of mechanisms designed to improve the management of public development aid in Côte d’Ivoire. He previously held the post of Administrative Secretary of the FIDEN (Fonds ivoirien pour le développement des entreprises nationales: Ivorian Fund for the Development of National Businesses) and was Director General of the 2006 to 2011 Plan as well as Administrator for the African Group with the ITFC, the International Trade Finance Corporation branch of the Islamic Development Bank. He was also in charge of the Macroeconomic, Statistic and Prospective Unit of the BNETD (Bureau national d’études techniques et de développement: the National Office of Technical and Development Studies). He has also been in charge of the country’s Economic forecasts. 392
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Tamsir Sall UNAIDS Country Director in Côte d’Ivoire since 2015,Tamsir Sall was UNAIDS Country Coordinator in Togo, from 2010 to 2014, and in Angola, from 2007 to 2010. Tamsir Sall has over thirty years’ working experience in the fields of Human Development, Social Science Research and Communications. He has worked in civil society, at ENDA Third World, as Researcher,Team Leader and then Head of Unit, from 1979 to 1985. He also held the function of Chief Technical Advisor of the United Nations in the Congo then in Zaire, between 1985 and 1993. He has also worked in the private sector, and in particular for the Sud Communication Group, one of Senegal’s leading press groups.Tamsir Sall holds a Master’s Degree in Social Sciences from the University of Paris Panthéon-Sorbonne and is the author of several international scientific publications.
Fidèle Sarassoro Chief of Staff of the President of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire since June 2015, Fidèle Sarassoro previously held the function of DirectorGeneral of the Disarmament Demobilization Reintegration Authority (DDR Authority) in Côte d’Ivoire. He was also Deputy Special Representative to the Secretary-General of the United Nations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) as well as Resident Coordinator of the United Nations. As such, he has led the United Nations reform process and improved the coordination of one of the biggest UN System Country Teams in Africa. He has also served in Ethiopia and in Togo as Resident Coordinator of United Nations agencies, Humanitarian Coordinator and Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Mr Sarassoro previously worked at the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNPOS) and at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Mr Sarassoro holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Illinois (USA) and a Degree in Economics from the University of Côte d’Ivoire.
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Michel Sidibé Executive Director of UNAIDS since 1 December 2008 as well as Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, Michel Sidibé is a world-renowned Health specialist, particularly when it comes to the fight against AIDS. Michel Sidibé began his career among the Touareg peoples in the Timbuktu region of Mali. In 1982, he became Director for Mali of the Terre des Hommes NGO. In 1987, for UNICEF, he headed a programme of immunisation, reaching out to 30 million people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In 2001, Michel Sidibé joined UNAIDS as Director of the “Country and Regional Support Department”. He organised a reform in order to turn UNAIDS into a common and better targeted programme which would be more effective and efficient, capable of providing results at a country level. He was thus one of the precursors to the Joint United Nations Programmes. Holder of several University Degrees in Economics, International Development and Social Planning, he has co-authored many international publications.
Amadou Sow Currently based in Kinshasa, Mr Amadou Sow holds the UNDP post of ICT Specialist/Business Intelligence. Amadou has over ten years’ experience in the development of tools and business solutions including the implementation of collaborative and knowledge management platforms, as well as geographic information systems. Over the last 12 years, he has concentrated on perfecting the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) system of the United Nations HACT process. He holds a Master’s Degree in Information Technology and is currently preparing a Master’s in Management of International Organisations at SDA Bocconi School of Management in Milan, Italy.
Lassina Touré A Researcher at the National School of Statistics and Applied Economics (ENSEA) of Abidjan, he has worked for fifteen years at the Ministry of Planning and Development, in charge of poverty issues and the social sectors. He has held several functions, such as Research Analyst, Department Head, then Deputy Director of Development. He
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has taken part in the development of several strategy and policy documents at both national and local levels. He has worked in Rwanda, in the Millennium Village Project, heading the data analysis and education and infrastructure sectors. Since 2009, he has been the UNDAF Coordination and M&E Specialist within the Coordination Unit of the UN System in Côte d’Ivoire. Lassina Touré holds a postgraduate Diploma in Geography from the Félix-Houphouët-Boigny University in Abidjan as well as a Master’s Degree in Demographics from the Catholic University of Louvain, in Belgium.
Nehla Touré Head ICT Analyst for the United Nations Development Programme, Nehla Touré has over fifteen years’ experience in IT. She provides support and advice as well as strategic guidelines for online procedures and internal UNDP control. She holds an MBA in IT including a CCNA (CISCO) Certification and has been the ICT Group Coordinator for UN System agencies during the “DaO” concept implementation in Côte d’Ivoire. She also steered two ICT development WIMAX projects during the management of the 2010 crisis.
Kobehi Guillaume Toutou A member of the HACT Task Force since 2012, Kobehi Guillaume Toutou is the Planning Officer at UNICEF Côte d’Ivoire. He has actively taken part in all the implementation stages of the Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfers (HACT) process roadmap. He was specifically in charge of the training of the stakeholders involved with the process, particularly those from the UN System and the national partners. He has also taken part in the development of the interagency assurance plan and the development of capacity following the 2013 micro-assessment. He regularly carries out satisfaction surveys with the users of HACT procedures in order to draw lessons and provide guidelines for coherent UN System decisions. Mr Toutou holds degrees from the University of Antwerp (Belgium), from Carleton University (Canada) and from the National School of Statistics and Applied Economics (ENSEA) in Abidjan.
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Mahamoudou Traoré With a PhD in Economics from the Panthéon-Assas University (Paris) and a Degree in Business Management from the Paris-Dauphine University, Mahamoudou Traoré has successively been a University Lecturer, Chair of the Selection Board at the CAMPC (Centre africain de management et de perfectionnement des cadres: African Centre for Management and Executive Development), coordinator of the Economic and Social Challenges module of the ENA (Ecole nationale d’administration: National Administration School) and a member of the Selection Board at the ENA from 1996 to 2002. A member of the Technical Secretariat developing the National Development Plan 2012-2015, Mahamoudou Traoré has also held the function of Expert at the UN System Projects and Programmes Support Unit from 1997 to 1999 (a structure working with the Prime Minister’s Office) and was in charge of programmes at the Côte d’Ivoire branch of the SADAOC (Sécurité alimentaire durable en Afrique de l’Ouest centrale: Sustainable Food Security in West and Central Africa) Foundation. He was a member of the Council of the University of Cocody (Côte d’Ivoire) from 2007 to 2010, and of the Advisory Group for Fiscal Management and Tariffs Planning of the Telecommunications Agency of Côte d’Ivoire (ATCI). Since 2012, he has been Technical Advisor to two Prime Ministers, Jeannot Kouadio Ahoussou and Daniel Kablan Duncan.
Francisco Vieira Aid Coordination Specialist working within the UN System Coordination Unit, Francisco Vieira has contributed since 2011 to the implementation of the United Nations reform process in Côte d’Ivoire. Beforehand, he served as UN System Coordination Officer in Guinea-Bissau, where he played a specific role in the integrated coordination between the UN mission and the UNCT. Prior to that, Francisco Vieira worked as Political Officer of the Regional Delegation of the European Commission in Gabon, in Equatorial Guinea and São Tomé and Príncipe. He began his career as a lawyer. Originally from the Azores (Portugal), he holds a Master’s Degree in European Law (College of Europe, Belgium) and a postgraduate Diploma in Political and Legal Studies (University of Paris 1 – Panthéon-Sorbonne).
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Séraphine Wakana Hailing from Burundi, Séraphine Wakana is the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations System and Resident Representative of UNDP in Guinea since 2014. Prior to this, she served four years in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as Chief Economist of the African Development Bank (AfBD). Former Minister of Planning, Development and Reconstruction during the transition government of Burundi from 2002 to 2005, she then took up a career as international consultant for several multilateral organisations. Ms Wakana is a Development Economist who specialises in economic and institutional reform and in strategic planning. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and Administration from the University of Burundi and a Master’s Degree in Development Economics from Brandeis University, in the United States.
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ACRONYMS
ACP: AfDB: AFJCI: AGOA : AMU: ANADER : ANC: ART: AU: BCEAO: BREDA: BRGM: CAMEI: CBD: CCE: CDVR: CEI: CEMAC: CEN-SAD: CNDD: CNPS: COMESA: COP: CPCPP: CSR: CSV: DAA:
African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States African Development Bank Association of Women Legal Practitioners of Côte d’Ivoire (Association des femmes juristes de Côte d’Ivoire) African Growth and Opportunity Act Arab Maghreb Union National Agency for Rural Development (Agence Nationale d'Appui au Développement Rural) Antenatal Care Antiretroviral Therapy (TARV or traitement ARV) African Union Central Bank of West African States (Banque centrale des États de l’Afrique de l’Ouest) Regional Bureau for Education in Africa (Bureau régional pour l’éducation en Afrique) French Geological Survey (Bureau de recherches géologiques et minières) (known as the BRGM group) Conference of African Ministers of Economic Integration (Conférence des ministres africains de l’Intégration économique) Convention on Biological Diversity Enlarged Coordination Committee (Comité de Coordination Elargi) Dialogue,Truth and Reconciliation Commission (commission Dialogue, Vérité et Réconciliation) Independent Electoral Commission (Commission Electorale Indépendante) Central African Economic and Monetary Community (Communauté économique et monétaire d’Afrique centrale) Community of Sahel-Saharan States (Communauté des États sahélo-sahariens) National Committee for Sustainable Development (Commission nationale pour le développement durable) National Social Security Fund (Caisse nationale de prévoyance sociale) Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Marché commun d’Afrique orientale et australe) Country Operational Plan Joint Steering Group of the Priority Plan (comité de pilotage conjoint du plan prioritaire) Corporate Social Responsibility Monitoring and Awareness Raising Committees (comités de sensibilisation et de veille) Abidjan Autonomous District (district autonome d’Abidjan)
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DAW: DGAT: DGMG: DOCO: DP: DPAP: DRC: EAC : ECA: ECCAS: ECHUI: ECOSOC: ECOWAS: EDS: EFA: EITI: EMCT: EmONC: ESIA: EU: FDI: FNLS: FP: GATT:: GBV: GDP: GEF: GPRS: GSP: GSPR: HACT : HDI: HIPC: ICT: ICTJ: IFAD: IFIs: IIED : IIEP : ILO: IMF: INSTRAW:
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Division for the Advancement of Women General Directorate for Territorial Administration (Direction générale de l’administration du territoire) Directorate General of Mines and Geology (Direction générale des mines et de la géologie) Development Operations Coordination Office Priority areas (Domaines prioritaires) Diamer Poverty Alleviation Programme Danish Refugee Committee East African Community (Communauté d’Afrique de l’Est) Economic Commission for Africa Economic Community of Central African States Ending Child Hunger and Undernutrition Initiative Economic and Social Council (of the United Nations) Economic Community of West African States Demographic and Health Survey (Enquête Démographique et de Santé) Education For All Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Elimination of Mother-to-Child Transmission. Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care Services Environmental and Social Impact Assessments European Union Foreign Direct Investment National Fund to combat AIDS (Fonds national de la lutte contre le sida) Family Planning General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (Accord général sur les tarifs douaniers et le commerce) Gender-Based Violence Gross Domestic Product Global Environment Facility Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy Generalised System of Preferences Growth Strategy for Poverty Reduction Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfers Human Development Index Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Information and Communication Technologies International Center for Transitional Justice International Fund for Agricultural Development International Financial Institutions International Institute for Environment and Development International Institute for Educational Planning (Institut international de planification de l’éducation) International Labour Organization International Monetary Fund International Institute for Research and Training for the Advancement of Women
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IOM: IPEC : IPV: IRF: ISSA: ITC: LDC: MAF: MAI: MDG: MIC: MRU: NEPAD: NAIP: NDP: NGO: NOPSWECO: NSP: ODA: OECD: OHCHR: OMT: PBF: PBSO: PEPFAR: PMTCT: PNDS: PNU: PPP: PRF: PRSP: SADC: SDG: SFCG: SFPR: SFGPR: SRH: TCPR: TFP: UBRAF: UCW: UNAIDS: UNCG:
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International Organization for Migration International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labor (Programme international pour l’abolition du travail des enfants) Intimate Partner Violence Immediate Response Facility International Social Security Association International Trade Centre Least Developed Country MDGs Acceleration Framework Multilateral Agreement on Investment Millennium Development Goal Middle Income Country Mano River Union (Union du fleuve Mano) New Partnership for Africa’s Development National Agricultural Investment Plan National Development Plan Non-Governmental Organization Network on Peace and Security for Women in the ECOWAS Region National Strategic Plan (Plan Stratégique National) Official Development Assistance Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Operations Management Team Peacebuilding Fund United Nations Peacebuilding Support Office President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission National Public Health Development Plan (plan national de développement sanitaire) Emergency Presidential Plan (Programme présidentiel d’urgence) Public-Private Partnerships Peacebuilding and Recovery Facility Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers Southern African Development Community (Communauté pour le développement de l’Afrique australe) Sustainable Development Goal Search for Common Ground Strategic Framework for Poverty Reduction Strategic Framework for Growth and Poverty Reduction Sexual and Reproductive Health Triennial Comprehensive Policy Review Technical and Financial Partners Unified Budget, Results and Accountability Framework Understanding Children's Work Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS United Nations Communications Group
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UNDAP: UNDAF: UNDG: UNDOCO: UNDP: UNEP: UNESCO: UNFPA: UN-Habitat: UNICEF: UNIDO: UNIFEM: UN-JPS: UNOCI: UNRISD: UN System: UVICOCI: WAEMU: WFP: WHO: WIPO: WTO:
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United Nations Development Assistance Plan United Nations Development Assistance Framework (Plan cadre des Nations Unies pour l’aide au développement) United Nations Development Group (Groupe des Nations Unies pour le développement) United Nations Development Operations Coordination Office United Nations Development Programme United Nations Environment Programme United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization United Nations Population Fund (formerly United Nations Fund for Population Activities) United Nations programme working towards a better urban future United Nations Children’s Fund United Nations Industrial Development Organization United Nations Development Fund for Women United Nations Joint Programme of Support United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire United Nations Research Institute for Social Development United Nations System The Union of Côte d’Ivoire Local Government Bodies (Union des villes et communes de Côte d’Ivoire) West African Economic Monetary Union World Food Programme World Health Organization World Intellectual Property Organization World Trade Organization
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The present work has benefited from the goodwill of the Ivorian authorities and the support of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Toikeusse Mabri, who, from the inception of the project, has highlighted how important it was open up strategic and multi-dimensional debate regarding the United Nations reform process for Africa and the opportunities the latter might bring. We wish to extend our gratitude to him and to underline the pertinence of his suggestions, particularly those relating to the identification of the benefits of the reform as well as of the best practices of cooperation observed in Africa. We particularly wish to thank the Deputy Administrator and Director of UNPD Regional Office for Africa, Mr Abdoulaye Mar Dieye, for the trust he has placed in us,1 and Ms Nialé Kaba, Minister of Planning and Development of Côte d’Ivoire. The present work of reference was made possible thanks to the support and contributions of numerous people, members of national and international institutions, including the United Nations System. The work was thus enriched with analysis, comments and special contributions from the following contributors: Aïchatou Mindaoudou, Special Representative of the
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Secretary-General of the United Nations in Côte d’Ivoire and Head of United Nations Operations in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI); Babacar Cissé, Deputy Special Representative of the SecretaryGeneral of the United Nations and Coordinator of the United Nations System agencies; Ousmane Diagana, Vice-President of the World Bank in Washington; Albéric Kacou, Vice-President of the African Development Bank (AfDB) and Former Chief of Staff of the UNPD Administrator; Jeannot Kouadio Ahoussou, Minister of State to the President of the Republic, in charge of Political Dialogue and Relations with Institutions in Côte d’Ivoire; Anne-Désirée Ouloto, Minister of Urban and Environmental Sanitation of Côte d’Ivoire; Lacina Kouakou Kouamé, Former Chief of Staff at the Ministry of Planning and Development; Famoussa Coulibaly, Deputy Chief of Staff at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Côte d’Ivoire; Lanciné Diaby, Director-General of Planning and the Fight Against Poverty at the Ministry of Planning and Development; Alexandre Acka Yao, Advisor to the Prime Minister of Côte d’Ivoire; Germain Dasylva, Representative of the FAO; Dramane Haidara, ILO Country Director; Adèle Khudr, UNICEF Resident Representative; Suzanne Maïga Konaté, Resident Representative of the UNFPA; Marie Goretti Nduwayo, Representative of UN Women; Mohamed Touré, Representative of the UNHCR; Dr Modibo Traoré, Head of OCHA-Côte d’Ivoire; Yao Ydo, Head of Office and Representative of UNESCO; Ednam Songhaï, Coordination Specialist, Office of the Resident Coordinator in Togo; Corinne Delphine N’Daw, Chief Strategic Planning Advisor and Head of the Resident Coordinator Office in Guinea; Agnès Gnamon-Adiko, UN-Habitat Programme Manager; Christian Do Rosario, Deputy Country Director in charge of UNDP Operations; Frederik Matthys, Regional
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Advisor for Africa of the United Nations Development Operations Coordination Office (UNDOCO); Dr Yokouide Allarangar, Representative of the WHO; Marie Goreth Nizigama, Head of the Coordination Unit, Resident Coordinator Office; Madeleine Oka Balima, Head of Programmes, Office of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women); El Allassane Baguia, Head of Programme, SDGs Specialist of the UNDP; Yao Koffi, Chief of Staff of the Minister of Planning and Development; Adama Coulibaly, Chief of Staff of the Ministry to the Prime Minister in charge of Economy and Finance; Mahamoudou Traoré, Technical Advisor to the Prime Minister, Minister of Economy, Finance and the Budget; Adama Sall, Special Advisor to the Minister, working to the Prime Minister, in charge of Economy, and Finance; Madhy Bamba, Former Head of the Strategic Coordination Unit of the Ministry of Planning and Development; Alina Aimée Mahouagbeu Ouattara, Deputy Head of the Strategic Coordination Unit of the Ministry of Planning and Development; Tanoh Joseph N’krouma, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Ministry of Planning and Development; Serges Gba, Director of Multilateral Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Côte d’Ivoire. The coordinators of this work would like to thank the members of the Coordination Support Team of the United Nations System in Côte d’Ivoire for their contribution to the preparation of the present work, particularly, Francisco Vieira, Coordination Specialist; Jenny-Christelle Debrimou, Communications Specialist and Lassina Touré, Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist.
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The authors also wish to thank the UNDP collaborators, especially Christine Agbonon-Kra, Executive Assistant of the United Nations System Resident Coordinator; Nehla Touré, ICT Analyst; Amadou Sow, ICT Specialist/Business Intelligence; Aminata Gnélé Coulibaly, Administration Manager; Youssouf Diarra, Communications Analyst; Clovis N’guetta N’draman, Kamaria Badirou, Marina Kouadio and Edgard-Brice Bieffo for their contribution to the administrative support of the project. We particularly wish to thank Yasmine Touré Fougnigué for her exemplary collaboration towards the centralisation of the work and editorial follow-up. Our special thanks go to the publishers and their collaborators, for the editorial and publishing quality of this work of reference. The statistical information provided in the present work comes from the databases and documents provided by the African Development Bank (AfDB), the World Bank, the International Labour Organization (ILO), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Organisation for Economic CoOperation and Development (OECD), the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AID (UNAIDS), the Statistics Division and the Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs and of Policy Analysis of the United Nations, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), the United Nations Population
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Fund (UNFPA), the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Food Programme (WFP) and, of course, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
NOTE 1. The analysis and recommendations in this work do not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations Development Programme, of its Executive Board or of its Member States. Likewise, the content of texts in this work of reference, and the choice of territorial designations used, rests solely with the authors and does not signify the UNDP or the United Nations subscribe to the options herein described.
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© PUBLISHED BY EDITIONS GRANDVAUX C ATHERINE
EDITED BY ET BERNARD
DESJEUX
PRINTED BY IMPRIMERIE JOUVE (MAYENNE, FRANCE, SEPTEMBER 2016
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