Throughout 2014, under the leadership of the Secretary-General as Chair of CEB, the Board contributed to efforts by the UN system to enhance coordination and coherence across a range of programmatic, management and operational issues in support of inter-governmental mandates and priorities.
Please note: only publishing dates after March 2013 may be considered reliable.
Pages tagged with System-wide coherence
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CEB and the Joint Inspection Unit continued to collaborate, particularly during the preparation of reports by the Joint Inspection Unit with a system-wide focus. During 2014, consultations between the Joint Inspection Unit and the CEB took place on a regular basis. For example during the drafting of the JIU report on a "System-wide review of results-based management - phase II" the CEB Secretariat shared all the documentation, training material and tools produced by the Results-Based Management Community of Practice of the High-Level Committee on Management.
Coherent implementation of the quadrennial comprehensive policy review of United Nations operational activities continued to be of highest priority to the United Nations Development Group. As called for in General Assembly resolution 67/226, the United Nations Development Group has systematically increased its focus on South-South and triangular cooperation.
In line with the growing momentum for climate action, the UN system has stepped up its efforts to support Member States in addressing climate change, identified by Member States in General Assembly resolution 68/212 as “one of the greatest challenges of our time”. The High-Level Committee on Programmes, through its Working Group on Climate Change, expanded its efforts in 2014 to make the UN system’s climate-related expertise and services more accessible to Member States and other partners.
Adopted by the General Assembly in 1995, the World Programme of Action for Youth provides the policy framework and practical guidelines for national action and international support to improve the well-being of young people around the world. Member States have repeatedly requested the United Nations system to continue its coordination towards a more coherent, comprehensive and integrated approach to youth development, most recently in General Assembly resolution 68/130.
In 2014, CEB pursued a number of initiatives for advancing policy coherence and programmatic coordination, in particular in the areas of youth employment, cybercrime and cybersecurity, and climate change. Those system-wide activities were carried out in response to intergovernmental mandates, including General Assembly resolutions 68/130, 68/243, 68/212.
As the international community became increasingly engaged in with the formulation of a new development framework, the General Assembly in its resolution 69/17 emphasized the key role to be played by CEB in ensuring coordinated United Nations system-wide support in the preparation of and follow-up to the post-2015 development agenda, in accordance with relevant intergovernmental mandates.
With the 2015 deadline to meet the Millennium Development Goals on the horizon, CEB had decided, at its second regular session of 2012, to include a review of the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals at each of its forthcoming sessions through 2015, beginning at its first regular session of 2013, with a view to helping to accelerate progress within countries that experience difficulties achieving one or more of the goals.
Throughout 2014, CEB responded to calls by the General Assembly for system-wide coordination in the follow-up to United Nations conferences and summits, including the Millennium Summit and the Istanbul Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries, as well as in the preparation of the third International Conference on Small Island Developing States, the third World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction, the summit for the adoption of the post-2015 development agenda, and the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development.
Pursuant to Economic and Social Council resolution 2008 (LX), the present report provides an overview of the annual work of the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB).
Coherence in the delivery of services by organizations of the United Nations system at the country level, particularly in the context of achieving the Millennium Development Goals, was high on the agenda of CEB during the year, and is expected to remain so in the follow-up to General Assembly resolution 59/250 on the triennial comprehensive policy review of operational activities for development, and the September 2005 High-level Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly.
In the Summit Outcome, Member States reaffirmed their commitment to the global partnership for development set out in the Millennium Declaration, the Monterrey Consensus and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation. They further stressed that each country must take primary responsibility for its own development, and that the role of national policies and development strategies is critical in the achievement of sustainable development. Such national efforts should be complemented by supportive global programmes, measures and policies.
The Summit invited the Secretary-General to develop proposals for “more tightly managed entities in the field of development, humanitarian assistance and the environment” (General Assembly resolution 60/1). Accordingly, in February 2006, the Secretary-General set up the High-level Panel on United Nations System-wide Coherence in the Areas of Development, Humanitarian Assistance and the Environment to undertake a study on United Nations system-wide coherence, with the participation of the Chairs of HLCP and the United Nations Development Group (UNDG) in an ex officio capacity.
The High-level Panel on United Nations System-wide Coherence in the Areas of Development, Humanitarian Assistance and the Environment; Increasing the effectiveness and coherence of United Nations system activities at the country level.
Staff security and safety; Enhancing governance and accountability; Enhancing financial resources management; Enhancing human resources management; Coordinating United Nations system response to the threat of avian influenza; Inter-agency collaboration in information and communication technology.
The United Nations system is unique in the range and coverage of its structures and mandates and in the diversity of the means of action that are at its disposal. These characteristics can be a unique source of strength in addressing the increasingly complex and interrelated challenges that the international community is facing.
At its October 2006 retreat and in the framework of broader discussions on the reform of the United Nations, CEB began a reflection on the future challenges facing the multilateral system, as well as the need to improve system-wide coherence. In the course of a wide-ranging discussion, the central importance and potential of CEB as an instrument for improving coherence across the system was underlined. Executive heads agreed that a new opportunity existed to undertake a more ambitious approach to strengthening the relevance and functioning of CEB.
A consistent focus of the work of the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB) over the years has been to capitalize on the unique legitimacy and combined strengths of the organizations of the United Nations system, in order to maximize the system’s responsiveness to the requirements of Member States and the international community.
During the period under review, CEB continued its efforts at furthering coordination and cooperation among the organizations of the United Nations system on a wide range of programme, management and operational issues. As pointed out by Member States during the consultations on system-wide coherence held by the General Assembly during its sixty-first to sixty-third sessions, coherence is not a goal in itself but a means of improving the delivery of support to those that need it most.
Evaluation; Regional coherence; Campaign to end violence against women and girls; Contribution of the United Nations system to the Economic and Social Council; Disaster risk reduction; Science and technology; International Public Sector Accounting Standards; Knowledge-sharing; Human resources; Procurement; Collaboration with the Joint Inspection Unit; Coordination among pillars of the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination
General Assembly resolution 63/311 on system-wide coherence covers a number of areas of significance for the ongoing work of the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB) and its three Committees. The Board’s work to enhance harmonization of business practices is, in this regard, expected to have a significant impact on streamlining administrative practices of United Nations system organizations, thereby helping ease the administrative burden on programmes.
During the reporting period, CEB and its three pillars have made advances in the coordination and coherence of the United Nations system on system-wide issues. The Board also devoted increasing attention to operational issues at the country level and to alignment of the work of the United Nations system at the global, regional and country levels.
System-wide coherence; Enhancing the contribution of the United Nations system to the Economic and Social Council; Second United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (2008-2017); Science and technology; Support to staff in emergency situations; Human resources; International Public Sector Accounting Standards; Financial management; Procurement; Information and communications technology; Collaboration with the Joint Inspection Unit.
During 2009/10, the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB) continued its ongoing efforts to align the strengths of the United Nations system in support of countries’ efforts to deal with the challenges confronting the international community. Throughout the reporting period, CEB has played a key role in ensuring a coherent approach by the United Nations system in addressing the needs of the international community and delivering as one at the global, regional and country levels.
Policy coherence among the organizations of the decentralized United Nations system of specialized expertise and operational experience is a key success factor for increasing efficiency and improving development outcomes. Advancing policy coherence and programmatic coordination is a key function of CEB, which is systematically carried out by the High-level Committee on Programmes on behalf of the Board.
Harmonization and simplification of business practices; International Public Sector Accounting Standards.
System-wide preparation and follow-up to United Nations conferences and summits; Strengthening policy coherence and coordination.
Through its subsidiary bodies, CEB continues to substantially contribute to the processes of both ICSC and the Joint Inspection Unit.
Since the adoption of the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) in 2006 by the United Nations system through High-level Committee on Management (CEB/2006/3), 21 organizations have completed their IPSAS implementation successfully, with 10 of them issuing their first IPSAS-compliant financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2012 and obtaining unqualified audit opinions in 2013.
In response to General Assembly resolution 67/226 on the quadrennial comprehensive policy review of United Nations operational activities for development of the United Nations system, the United Nations Development Group placed the highest priority on ensuring coherent implementation of the quadrennial comprehensive policy review across the system with a firm focus on high-impact areas.
Promoting action on climate change features high on the agenda of Member States as well as the Secretary-General. The United Nations system, through the High-level Committee on Programmes Working Group on Climate Change, intensified its work in 2013 to facilitate United Nations system-wide coordination and coherence on climate change-related activities.
The interconnected nature of modern society accelerates commerce, opens vast opportunities for development and connects individuals across the globe on an unprecedented scale. However, the same technologies that Governments, private-sector enterprises and a growing proportion of the world’s population depend upon every day also bring risks for security and privacy.
In 2013, CEB pursued a number of initiatives for advancing policy coherence and programmatic coordination, in particular in the areas of international migration and development, youth, human rights, cybercrime and cybersecurity, and climate change.
Throughout 2013, CEB responded to calls by the General Assembly for system-wide coordination in the preparation and follow-up to United Nations conferences and summits, including the Millennium Summit, post-2015 development agenda, Istanbul Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries, and the third International Conference on Small Island Developing States. In support of those conferences and summits, CEB developed joint contributions and enhanced United Nations system-wide coherence in the implementation of conference outcomes.
Pursuant to Economic and Social Council resolution 2008 (LX), the present report provides an overview of the annual work of the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB).
The least developed countries, representing the poorest group of developing countries, face unique economic, social and environmental vulnerabilities. The commitment of CEB to least developed countries and to the implementation of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2011-2020 (Istanbul Programme of Action) followed from the Board’s endorsement of a statement of support to the Fourth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, held from 9 to 13 May 2011 in Istanbul, Turkey.
Since the adoption of the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) in 2006 by the United Nations system through High-level Committee on Management (CEB/2006/3), 21 organizations have completed their IPSAS implementation successfully, with 10 of them issuing their first IPSAS-compliant financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2012 and obtaining unqualified audit opinions in 2013.
In response to General Assembly resolution 67/226 on the quadrennial comprehensive policy review of United Nations operational activities for development of the United Nations system, the United Nations Development Group placed the highest priority on ensuring coherent implementation of the quadrennial comprehensive policy review across the system with a firm focus on high-impact areas.
Promoting action on climate change features high on the agenda of Member States as well as the Secretary-General. The United Nations system, through the High-level Committee on Programmes Working Group on Climate Change, intensified its work in 2013 to facilitate United Nations system-wide coordination and coherence on climate change-related activities.
The interconnected nature of modern society accelerates commerce, opens vast opportunities for development and connects individuals across the globe on an unprecedented scale. However, the same technologies that Governments, private-sector enterprises and a growing proportion of the world’s population depend upon every day also bring risks for security and privacy.
In 2013, CEB pursued a number of initiatives for advancing policy coherence and programmatic coordination, in particular in the areas of international migration and development, youth, human rights, cybercrime and cybersecurity, and climate change.
In 2013, Member States affirmed not only their commitment to intensify efforts to accelerate the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals but also their determination to craft a strong post-2015 development agenda that would build on the foundations laid by the Millennium Development Goals.
Throughout 2013, CEB responded to calls by the General Assembly for system-wide coordination in the preparation and follow-up to United Nations conferences and summits, including the Millennium Summit, post-2015 development agenda, Istanbul Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries, and the third International Conference on Small Island Developing States. In support of those conferences and summits, CEB developed joint contributions and enhanced United Nations system-wide coherence in the implementation of conference outcomes.
Pursuant to Economic and Social Council resolution 2008 (LX), the present report provides an overview of the annual work of the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB).