Operational Activities for Development Segment
Leaders take stock of the UN reform, as ECOSOC OAS convenes
27 May 2020
The ECOSOC Operational Activities for Development Segment (OAS) took place 19-22 and 27 May, convening UN leaders, agencies, funds, programmes, Resident Coordinators (RCs), UN Country Teams and Regional Economic Commissions. It was the first time the OAS was held virtually. The segment took stock of the implementation of the Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review (QCPR) from 2016 (71/243) and the repositioning of the UN Development System (72/279).
The OAS aimed to provide inputs to the UN's preparations for the next QCPR cycle. The Secretary-General, Mr. António Guterres, presented his report to the OAS (A/75/79-E/2020/55) and the Deputy Secretary-General, Ms. Amina Mohammed, presented the report on the Development Cooperation Office (E/2020/54), both highlighting a successful reform implementation so far, with a reinvigorated RC system and a significant increase in collaboration and coordination within the UN system.
The panel discussions and dialogues with member States reflected key accomplishments and outstanding challenges related to the Funding Compact, the RC system, the Multi-Country Office (MCO) Review and the Regional Review. Both the UN system and member States emphasized improvement in UN operations at the country level, with better alignment to national priorities. While there was scope to increase the funding for the RC system and formal endorsement of the MCO and Regional Review was yet to be finalized, there was clear system-wide support for the reform progress.
A dialogue between the UN Sustainable Development Group Chair and Heads of Entities was convened, where the Director-General of the ILO, Mr. Guy Ryder, and other principals discussed how the UN system had created progress on the ground in advancing a more cohesive, transparent and accountable support to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The discussion also focused on agencies' commitments in support of the Decade of Action, particularly in the context of COVID-19. The pandemic has caused an unprecedented socio-economic crisis affecting member States in all regions. Mr. Ryder, emphasized that the UN's continued joint efforts will be critical for an effective response and recovery. It is up to policy makers to create a "new normal" and build back better, guided by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The OAS aimed to provide inputs to the UN's preparations for the next QCPR cycle. The Secretary-General, Mr. António Guterres, presented his report to the OAS (A/75/79-E/2020/55) and the Deputy Secretary-General, Ms. Amina Mohammed, presented the report on the Development Cooperation Office (E/2020/54), both highlighting a successful reform implementation so far, with a reinvigorated RC system and a significant increase in collaboration and coordination within the UN system.
The panel discussions and dialogues with member States reflected key accomplishments and outstanding challenges related to the Funding Compact, the RC system, the Multi-Country Office (MCO) Review and the Regional Review. Both the UN system and member States emphasized improvement in UN operations at the country level, with better alignment to national priorities. While there was scope to increase the funding for the RC system and formal endorsement of the MCO and Regional Review was yet to be finalized, there was clear system-wide support for the reform progress.
A dialogue between the UN Sustainable Development Group Chair and Heads of Entities was convened, where the Director-General of the ILO, Mr. Guy Ryder, and other principals discussed how the UN system had created progress on the ground in advancing a more cohesive, transparent and accountable support to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The discussion also focused on agencies' commitments in support of the Decade of Action, particularly in the context of COVID-19. The pandemic has caused an unprecedented socio-economic crisis affecting member States in all regions. Mr. Ryder, emphasized that the UN's continued joint efforts will be critical for an effective response and recovery. It is up to policy makers to create a "new normal" and build back better, guided by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The UN system and member States are united to create a more efficient, transparent and accountable UN Development System and accelerate the progress to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.During OAS this week, it was clear that the UN reform has improved collaboration globally 🌍@GuyRyder stressed the importance of continued joint work and commitment to the 2030 Agenda, in order to effectively respond to the COVID-19 crisis and build back better 🇺🇳#OAS2020 pic.twitter.com/pxiZM7013V
— ILO-NY (@ILO_NewYork) May 29, 2020