The United Nations
The
The
United Nations (UN) is the only organisation
which represents every nation in the world. This gives it unique legitimacy
and credibility to coordinate international efforts on development,
humanitarian, peace, security and environmental issues.
It was the UN which hosted the Millennium Summit in 2000 which issued the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) - the core of DFID's development work.
And it was at the UN in September 2008 that the world’s leaders assembled to review progress on the MDGs and to make $16 billion of new aid commitments to, among others, the UK priorities of malaria, education, health and food.
DFID and the UN
In 2007 DFID gave over $1 billion to UN agencies, making the UK the second largest donor to the operational work of the UN. DFID works with individual UN agencies to optimise their role in development. DFID offices in developing countries also provide money directly to UN agencies to deliver specific projects.
DFID works closely with other UK governmental departments when we have a joint role to play with the UN. Examples include working with the Department of Health at the World Health Organisation (WHO), or liaising with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on environmental issues.
DFID also works closely with the UN through its work with Unesco. The DFID offices that work with Unesco are the UK Delegation to Unesco and the UK Representation to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
UN reform
The UN was founded over 60 years ago in a very different environment. Then
the world was recovering from the devastation of World War II and seeking to
avert a conflict between the US and the USSR. Now the world faces global
challenges such as poverty, climate change, mass migration and terrorism. In
addition, the number of UN agencies has multiplied over the years (UN
organogram). The sheer number of UN agencies sometimes makes for overlap and
inefficiency. The different agencies have separate governance, management and
funding arrangements. There is often no overall strategic direction or
authority. They duplicate efforts in some areas and leave gaps in others.
For these reasons reforming the UN has become a priority. DFID believes UN delivery must be smarter and
simpler. Agencies should co-ordinate their efforts better, both among themselves
and with key donors. There should be a unified UN presence in each country, supported by
well-planned,
long-term financing. DFID wants a UN that works effectively and coherently and
listens to developing countries' own national priorities.
In 2006 the UN published the report of a
High-Level Panel on System–Wide Coherence.
The report recommended strengthening the UN’s
development, humanitarian, early recovery and environmental work. This has
subsequently become known as the
'Delivering as One' agenda. The central
aim is to consolidate the funding and management of UN country programmes under
one Resident Coordinator. This 'ResCo' has responsibility for co-ordinating all
the UN agencies working in a given country to ensure that they harmonise their
aid strategies and programmes, making their efforts more efficient and
cost-effective.
Eight UN country programmes are piloting the Delivering as One approach and already seeing benefits. Other countries want to join. Spain, Norway and the UK are developing a fund to support the process. In July 2008 the heads of 13 UN agencies agreed changes to the management and accountability of UN country teams to reinforce the authority of the Resident Coordinator.
Going Forward
DFID supports these reforms and is keeping up the momentum for change. Over the next three years we will be sharpening our assessment of UN agencies’ performance. In particular we will:
- Link core funding of UN agencies to assessments of their performance. Agencies that perform well will get an increase in core funding.
- Develop (with other donors) a mechanism to provide funds for the 'Delivering as One' country programmes.
- Push the UN Secretariat and UN agencies to work together more effectively in fragile, conflict- and disaster-affected countries.
- Ensure DFID country offices support UN representatives – working with other international organisations – in formulating common development strategies.
- Support the establishment of a single UN agency for women. We will assess what UN agencies have done to eliminate inequality between women and men and reward those that do well with more core funding.
The thread running through DFID's UN reform objectives is we want the United Nations system to unite. It must plan, implement and deliver as one in its development, conflict and humanitarian work. It should provide a unified and integrated service to developing countries that adapts to changing and different needs.
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Last updated: 12 February 2009
