Content tagged with System-wide coherence

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

System-wide preparation and follow-up to United Nations conferences and summits; Strengthening policy coherence and coordination.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.