(6th meeting) Executive Board of UNDP, UNFPA and UNOPS (First regular session 2026)

Good afternoon colleagues.

I declare open the sixth meeting of the first regular session 2026 of the executive board of UNDP, UNFPA and UNOPS.

We will now continue the joint segment with agenda item six, Organizational Culture. I'm very pleased to to welcome to the podium Ms. Linda McGuire, Assistant Administrator and Director, Bureau for Management Services, UNDP Mr. Andrew Saberton, Deputy Executive Director for Management, UNFPA Ms. Valerie Kushata, Director of People and Culture Group, UNOPS Ms. Josephine Mbiti, Director, Division of Human Resources, UNFPA. Also joining us is Ms. Rekha Das, Chairperson of the UNDP, UNFPA, UNOPS, UN Women Staff Council.

I take this opportunity to remind delegations that the agenda for this afternoon includes several items, all of which must be concluded by 6pm The Speaker's List may therefore be curtailed and delegations are invited to submit written statements to estatementsn.org without any further ado, I give the floor to Ms. Linda McGuire to present an update on organizational culture for UNDP.

Thank you Mr. President, distinguished members of the Executive Board, colleagues from UNFPA and unops, ladies and gentlemen, thank you for the opportunity to brief the executive board on UNDP's progress in implementing decisions 20254 on strengthening organizational culture and advancing a safe value driven environment with equal opportunities for all. Since organizational culture is a key driver of organizational performance, UNDP has pursued a phased approach to its culture transformation over the past six years and this is anchored in our People for 2030 strategy. Phase one strengthened the foundations of people management by defining key values and competencies, aligning people practices with organizational priorities and optimizing policies, processes and systems. Phase two then shifted the focus to enabling ways of working that support sustainable performance through investments in leadership development. A strengthened People Listening Architecture, otherwise known as undp, listens and embedding values and competencies across all talent management functions through this work culture became measurable and actionable.

UNDP Listens data now reflects this change, showing lived experience across UNDP and where action is needed. Through our annual engagement and inclusion surveys, the engagement index reached 76 out of 100 last year. This exceeded global benchmarks while the Inclusion index rose to 77 out of 100 reflecting improvements in trust, working relationships and psychological safety. These results indicate organization wide impact as a result of the holistic transformation agenda that we have been moving on in a consistent basis. Building on the engagement and inclusion data that we have, UNDP introduced what's known as the People Index and this links people's experience with programmatic delivery and the evidence is clear.

Teams that align more closely with role model practices achieve stronger delivery outcomes. These insights demonstrate how culture supports performance empirically. To deepen our understanding beyond survey results, UNDP conducted a culture assessment complemented by listening exercises. Findings highlighted strengths such as a strong sense of mission, collegiality and commitment to purpose, as well as opportunities to further strengthen empowered decision making, collaboration and sustainable workload management. Informing targeted actions across UNDP Based on diagnostic insights, UNDP identified six elements of culture that are fundamental for our ability to achieve goals.

These include agility, collaboration, innovation, entrepreneurial mindset, impact driven orientation and sustainable people centered high performance. Strengthening such culture enables UNDP to deepen trust with partners, drive development solutions with greater speed and flexibility and continuously scale impact. UNDP also remains committed to sustaining gender parity gains and targeting remaining gaps through initiatives such as the SPARK program, mentoring and career development and these are supported by other listening mechanisms. Leadership capability also a key driver of culture and UNDP continues to invest in its senior and mid level leadership development through initiatives such AS leaders for 2030 and the People Managers Boot Camp. More than 450 senior leaders have completed leaders for 2030 and offices led by participants are twice as likely to rank among UNDP's top performers on engagement.

So another empirical link, UNDP has also strengthened accountability mechanisms as a core pillar of its culture transformation. This includes expanded confidential reporting channels, adding prohibited conduct questions to the 2025 Inclusion Survey to inform targeted and coordinated action across human resources, audit and investigation, ethics and PSEAH teams. This includes tone at the top measures and over 120 training courses reaching approximately 10,000 personnel globally. Leadership accountability is further embedded through performance management frameworks and upward feedback tools such as the People's Leadership Pulse. Looking ahead and to conclude, phase three of people for 2030 will consolidate these gains and embed culture principles more deeply into leadership practices and organizational systems.

Mr. President, distinguished members of the Board, let me conclude by reiterating that UNDP remains strongly committed to advancing a safe, value driven environment with equal opportunities for all while strengthening performance, accountability and delivery effectiveness. We thank the Board for guidance and continued partnership. Thank you.

I thank Ms. McGuire for her presentation. I now give the floor to Mr. Andrew Saberton to present an update on organizational culture for UNFPA.

Thank you Mr. President and good afternoon, distinguished members of the Board. I'm pleased to provide this joint update on organisational culture from UNFPA's perspective and in coordination with our colleagues at UNDP and unops. UNFPA fully recognizes that an inclusive, resilient, results orientated and adaptive organisational culture is a fundamental driver of both institutional performance and staff well being and thus the continuous strengthening of its cultural fabric remains a strategic priority priority at the highest level. This is reaffirmed in the new UNFPA strategic plan for 2026-2029, which underscores organizational culture as central to the ability of UNFPA to deliver results and uphold the highest standards of integrity, effectiveness and inclusiveness. UNFPA enters 2026 with notable organizational strengths.

Recent evaluations identified improvements in normative leadership, data, innovation, results based management and agility in crisis settings. UNFPA is optimally positioned to deliver on its unique mandate across both development and humanitarian contexts. In October we launched the Ideas into Action series led by the Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment PSEAH unit. It advances our commitment to safe environments for both our personnel and and the communities we serve. Providing duty of care for our workforce remains a top priority.

In 2025. UNFPA has strengthened our focus on mental health, safety and well being with an expectation that leaders champion these issues visibly and consistently. Staff counsellors, flexible working arrangements, training initiatives and open conversations about health and workplace challenges foster a culture in which everyone feels safe to speak up and supported to thrive.

Listening to staff and acting on what we hear the results of the 2024 Global Staff Survey recorded 4,000 participants and an 87% engagement rate with strong results in culture and values, diversity, equity and inclusion and and teamwork. More than 300 action items have been implemented globally. UNFPA remains committed to global standards, including the recertification for our Edge and Edge plus in 2026 and our yearly analysis confirms that UNFPA remains within EDGE standards on pay equity. Our collaboration with the Staff Council continues to deepen transparency and trust between management and personnel. Staff Council engagement in town halls, change management processes and the Business model review ensures that staff perspectives remain central as UNFPA evolves.

Employee resource groups including ENABLE at unfpa, the Tangerines Pride and Women at UNFPA continue to play an important role in strengthening belonging and contributing to institutional dialogue. In June 2025, UNFPA presented an updated accountability framework which also strengthens our zero tolerance approach to wrongdoing. The framework brings together ethics, oversight, performance, risk and accountability to affected populations in a coherent architecture that clarifies responsibility and reinforces transparency. UNFPA continues to participate in UN wide commitments including the System Wide Action Plan on Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment, UN SWAP and the UN System Disability Inclusion Strategy, aligning our internal practices with the principles of equity and inclusion central to our collective mandate and sustained development goals. Strengthening accountability also means building a performance culture that is clear, fair and focused on impact.

UNFPA maintains a completion rate of over 95% in its annual performance cycle. Further, UNFPA is a culture of innovation that encourages forward thinking, calculated risk taking, creative thinking, open spaces for innovative ideas, continuous iteration and a collaborative mindset. The corporate UNFPA Learning Advisory Board supports this shift by guiding investments in skills, leadership and supervisor development and future workforce needs. This work ensures that UNFPA remains agile, capable and prepared to deliver the new strategic plan. Mr. President, members of the board, UNFPA, together with UNDP and UNOPS, remains fully committed to building organizational culture rooted in dignity, respect and accountability, and these efforts are central to the performance credibility and resilience of our institutions.

As we implement the new strategic plan, we will continue to invest in our people, learn from their experiences and foster the conditions that allow them to deliver at their best. Thank you.

I thank Mr. Severton for his presentation. I now give the floor to Ms. Valerie Cochato to present an update on organizational culture for unops.

Thank you, Mr. President. Distinguished members of the Executive Board, thank you for the opportunity to update you on UNOPS progress in strengthening organizational culture following the 2022 Third Party Review pursuant to Executive Board Decision 2023-23, UNOPS developed and implemented a comprehensive Culture work plan across five strategic areas. With over 50 initiatives now completed, this work has moved from diagnosis to systemic reform, fully aligned with the UN and UNOP's values, including gender parity and geographical representation at all levels. At the core of our approach is a simple recognition that culture is shaped locally and people managers are the single most influential factor in creating an inclusive, fair and high performance workplace. Strengthening leadership, accountability and behavior has therefore been central under the new people planning and performance philosophy.

Managers are assessed not only on what they deliver but also on how they led the team and delivered desired cultural behaviors, DEI objectives and culture engagement surveys. Results now form part of managers performance expectations. This is reinforced by targeting by targeted learning on feedback and coaching style conversations, peer calibration reviews to strengthen equity in performance assessments and the Leadership Excellence Certification launching in 2026 for members of the Global Leadership Network. Regular 360 degree assessments for eligible leaders ensure leadership behaviors are both visible and measurable. Our digital transformation is supporting behavioral change, a new recruitment and onboarding system is in place and an internal talent marketplace will be rolled out by the third quarter of 2026 to promote development and mobility, ethics, integrity and fairness are equally essential.

UNOPS has launched its first Code of Ethics alongside a new integral portal and whistleblower mechanism making guidance and confidential reporting more accessible. Safe reporting and anti retaliation safeguards have been reinforced and we have joined UN Clearcheck 2.0 to track cases of racial discrimination. System wide ongoing awareness efforts on preventing and responding to sexual misconduct, harassment, exploitation and abuse continue to be strengthened by proactive defences, creating a more enabling environment of zero tolerance to support those affected. UNOPS maintains a dedicated victim support team whose capacity was further strengthened. UNOPS also welcomes the JIU review on PSEA and is taking forward the relevant recommendations through internal and interagency coordination mechanisms.

Having achieved and maintained overall gender parity since 2021, our focus has shifted to addressing persistent underrepresentation in specific functions, grades and duty stations while strengthening retention, progression and lived experiences. These priorities are embedded in the DEI strategy 2026-2029 and its accountability Plan. This includes time bound targets aligned with the UNOP Strategic Plan and is supported by modernized people policies including a new Talent Acquisition Policy with explicit safeguards against bias, reinstated DEI advisory structures and a comprehensive DEI learning. A global mobility framework will be implemented in 2026-2027 will further enhance workforce agility and equitable access to opportunities. A central pillar of our culture journey is listening to our people.

UNOPS has institutionalized the annual Culture and Engagement Survey as a core tool to monitor culture progress over time. In 2025, participation reached record 75% results showing encouraging progress in engagement satisfaction, trust in local leadership and transparency to translate results into action. More than 350 leaders have received their reports and will be initiating culture conversations as UNOPS navigates a more complex and uncertain environment. A resilient, inclusive culture is essential to delivering effectively and maximizing impact for the communities we serve. Culture transformation is embedded in our 2026 strategic plan, is a priority of the Integrated People Strategy and is enabled through digital HR capabilities.

By anchoring culture in leadership systems and engagement, UNOPS is creating a workplace grounded in fairness, inclusion and integrity and we commit to doing so. Thank you, Mr. President.

I thank Ms. Kushata for her presentation. I now give the floor to Ms. Rekha Das, Chair of this Staff Council for UNDP, UNFPA and UNOPS and UN Women. Ms. Das, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. President. Your Excellency, distinguished members of the Executive Board, Dear colleagues, on behalf of the Joint Staff Council, thank you for inviting us and for the Board's recognition of the importance of the Voice of Personnel. The remarkable legacy of 80 years of the United nations has been made possible only by the commitment, diligence and hard work of our workforce. And while 2025 should have been a moment of pride and celebration, the unprecedented financial cuts and the pushback on our mandates tested our resilience in ways fear. Few could have ever imagined.

As challenge after challenge unfolded, the Staff Council urged management to listen to personnel. We pressed for transparent communication. We called for evidence based decision making. And we pushed for a principled approach to change with the urgency to find cost savings. The message from every single colleague is crystal clear.

We are not merely an expert to the organization. We are the pillars of peace, development and human rights. And when our numbers go down, so does our ability to deliver results. The consequences of this crisis cannot be understated. Colleagues with decades of service and hard earned knowledge are losing their jobs.

We're losing highly specialized capacity and institutional memory. Anxiety and stress have seeped into every aspect of our workday. Non staff arrangements are creating a remote and unequally paid workforce. And relocations are dispersing us across the globe. With these erosions, we must remember that while it's easy to dismantle our workforce, it will be profoundly difficult to rebuild it.

Mr. President, UN80 presented an opportunity for the most significant change of the United nations in decades. But successful transformation requires participation and ownership of the people who will carry it forward. So it is of great concern that UN80 has not genuinely consulted personnel and that decisions are not informed by our experience. Experiences. Honestly, it's a hugely missed opportunity.

It has left the focus on cost cutting rather than substantive change. The proposed mergers of UNDP and UNOPS. And UNFPA with UN Women are of significant concern. We question the rationale. We worry about the risks, the dilution of specialized mandates, the erosion of organizational.

Culture, and again, the loss of critical expertise. Moreover, we seek meaningful informal engagement in. These change processes before decisions are made. It's the only way to ensure personnel. Voices are heard and acted upon.

Mr. President, during these unnerving times, we. Thank our leadership for increasing engagement with. Personnel and for maintaining constructive dialogue with staff reps. It is deeply appreciated. We recognize their efforts in complying with regulations and policies.

Yet compliance alone cannot be our compass in this crisis. We must always be guided by corporate empathy. In closing, Mr. President, in the current global context, our commitment to the United. Nations core values is more indispensable than. Ever in the most challenging locations.

In the face of conflict, disaster and despair, our colleagues stand with communities, often. At great personal cost. We are the moral and operational strength which enables us to undertake development and humanitarian work in ways others simply cannot. When we lose our capacity, when we lose our skills, our workforce, we lose what makes our agencies exceptional. So we call on you, our member.

States, to make sensible funding decisions that value and protect our workforce and our mandates. And we call on our agencies to not only be fit for purpose, but also fit for their people. I thank you.

I thank Ms. Dass for her address. Colleagues, I'm now going to open the floor for comments or questions. I will first give the floor to the distinguished Permanent representative of Zambia on behalf of the African group.

Thank you very much, Mr. President. I do want to also recognize the presenters from their respective institutions, including the Chairperson of Staff Council. Thank you for your delivery. Really. On behalf of the African members of the Executive Board, namely Chad, Cote d', Ivoire, Madagascar, Mozambique, Nigeria, Tunisia, Rwanda and my own country, Zambia, allow me to.

Join the previous speakers in appreciating the report on the joint update of the. Organization culture by the three organizations. Let me also express my gratitude for. The useful discussion we had during the informal meetings. The efforts of the three agencies in.

Promoting culture transformation as a core institutional. Performance agenda and driver of performance and delivery of results is highly commendable as. We advance a culture that promotes a sense of belonging anchored on principles of. Integrity, transparency and accountability. The agencies are expected to progress even further in the delivery of key targets not only related to organizational culture, but also overall strategic objectives of the period 2026 to 2029.

We also wish to commend the resonating. Themes across the three agencies to advance a culture of effective performance and urge. The agencies to continue promoting the culture. That is open, transparent, data driven and. Structured to enhance performance.

Mr. President, in recognizing the role of leadership in fostering a culture of belonging. And performance performance, allow me to underscore the importance of leadership competency reinforcement. Leaders at all levels need to be supported with enhanced capacities to provide a conducive environment to foster additional delivery potential. There is further need to address the areas identified as required that require further attention and reinforcement over the next five years in promoting a culture of equal opportunities. The pursuit of gender parity must be pursued and reported by all three agencies.

Also within the context of organizational culture. Mr. President, organizational culture is a success. Factor in the implementation of the strategic frameworks for UNDP, UNFPA and UN Ops over the period 2026 to 2029. Beyond having clear targets to work towards. It is the people and culture that.

Would drive organizational performance. Further, beyond internal organizational culture, we urge. The three agencies to promote a culture that advances cross agency collaboration, thus promoting efficiency. It is through this culture that the. Agencies will be able to deliver even.

More, particularly at the country level where. The United nations country team should deliver as one. In this dispensation of doing more with less, this should be done by providing an incentive framework for efforts towards interagency collaboration, mutual reinforcement and complementarity of the three agencies and the UN entities in the country teams. This is particularly important for Africa. Lastly, let me underscore the importance of.

Measuring cultural performance and we take note. Of the issue around People Index that. Was highlighted by undp. Management must embed the undertaking of periodic reviews to provide measurable data on progress. In the area of organizational culture.

This will allow management and the Executive Board to take remedial action where results are undesirable. Similarly, areas showing great progress will be reinforced. Measurement of performance should be should form part of the annual and midterm evaluation of the respective strategic plans. Mr. President, we welcome further progress and future engagement on organizational culture in the. Three agencies in the Executive Board.

Thank you very much. I thank the distinguished Permanent Representative of Zambia. I give the floor to the distinguished Deputy Permanent Representative of Switzerland.

Thank you Mr. President, distinguished representatives on the podium. I deliver this statement on behalf of Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Moldova, Sweden, the United Kingdom and my own country, Switzerland.

Today marks the second time that organizational culture is a separate agenda item in this Executive Board and we welcome this. A safe, respectful and inclusive work environment where diversity, equity and inclusion are advanced is fundamental to staff well being and for ensuring that undp, UNFPA and UNOPS can deliver on their mandates. When personnel flourishes, results are achieved. Organizational culture is also important as it relates to addressing racism as well as other forms of discrimination, protection from sexual exploitation, abuse and sexual harassment. It feeds into robust risk management and oversight.

To understand if there is progress, we need results, frameworks with baselines and targets as well as data. As requested in our decision last year, incorporating data such as from staff surveys allows us to better understand where future efforts may need to be concentrated. We encourage undp, UNFPA and UNOPS to ensure that that future staff surveys become more qualitative, acknowledging that in a reform context, staff may be afraid to express their true views. In order to understand the impact of reform on staff, human centered indicators such as gender parity and geographic representation must be monitored and we would welcome reporting on this in future updates. Ongoing reforms and organizational changes are having tangible impact on personnel the Office of Audit and Investigation Services, in its report to the Board proactively identified emerging risks linked to core funding reduction and operational capacity risks due to staff turnover and anxiety amid funding constraints and restructuring.

Could the agencies elaborate further on the impact of UN 80 and other reform process on staff and personnel and what risks they foresee? The contributions of the Ombudsman and the Staff Council help to provide a more comprehensive picture of organizational culture and the challenges faced by personnel today. That is why we are concerned that the Ombudsman Report was removed from the agenda for this session. We also encourage a more formal role for the Staff Council within the UN. AT Task Force, the Merger Task Force.

And business model review processes. Mr. President, please allow us to react to a few elements presented in the background notes Regarding UNDP we commend UNDP's People for 2030 strategy for placing organizational culture at the center of its work. We appreciate all action plans and system in place. However, how does UNDP ensure that these are trusted and used? This question is particularly important as the report notes that some some staff remain hesitant to report misconduct.

Also, high survey participation is highlighted as a sign of trust, but may also reflect staff concerns and a strong need to be heard amid uncertainty. How is UNDP informing and consulting with staff on change processes including UN80? Regarding UNFPA, we commend UNFPA for its proactive anticipation, strong senior management efforts, effective communication with staff throughout uncertainty and constructive engagement by the Executive Director and senior leadership. Particularly, we commend UNFPA for holding itself accountable to the latest standards of inclusion and organizational culture, including through seeking recertification for EDGE and EDGE this year. As we were just told.

It is noted that across the global staff survey, women at UNFPA were on average 9% less positive than men. Has UNFPA identified any root causes of this gap and if so, how are these being addressed? Finally, regarding unops, we see there has been substantial progress in leadership accountability and DEI initiatives, yet experiences still vary across duty stations. Some show strong engagement while others face ongoing challenges, for example in psychological safety. How can UAPS better tailor culture initiatives and managerial support to ensure all teams benefit from a safe, inclusive and high performing workplace?

To improve transparency and comparability with other UN entities, UNOPS should also consider seeking EDGE certification as well as contributing to the UN system Wide Gender Equality Acceleration Plan. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished DPR of Switzerland. I have no more speakers on my list. I will therefore give the floor to the representatives of the entities for their responses. Ms. McGuire, thank you.

Thank you very much to the distinguished delegates from Zambia and Switzerland for the comments.

And also the I think Zambia, the expectation that we will continue to do more and to improve and that is heard on just on leaders because I think you touched on how leadership and that cadre and I think the UNOX colleague actually also echoed. It is so critical just to give you a sense of in the UNDP, well, the people for 2030, but the leadership module, to give you a sense of the kinds of modules that we've rolled out, include things like building an enabling workplace, leading with humility, demonstrating empathy and emotional intelligence. And these aren't just abstract, they are things that we are deploying at this point where all levels of the organization, as the staff council chair pointed out, is going through workforce optimization. So there is a link between, you know, how we are embedding and culture and the values we hope to see in our leaders and then how they are able to steward the organization through these changes, which, yes, I mean our financial constraints are leading us to find these greater efficiencies within our rules and regulations, obviously. So welcome the periodic reviews as well and a continuation of this item on the issues raised by Switzerland.

Thank you. We also have invested a lot in getting that data. So that's music to our ears. We have the data whether it's on gender or what our leadership cadres look like in terms of gender parity, but also national representation across the boards, north, south, balance as well. And yes, the organizational reforms and the prospect of the UN 80 reforms is having a real tangible impact.

But I think that the key here is clarity and communication. And we find that personnel are willing to accompany change and willing to engage with change if we communicate clearly, regularly, in a timely manner, and if we are clear on the rationale for change and how we intend to implement those changes. And we do so in a fair and transparent manner. And that's why we do recourse to our strategies on organizational change. We have regular meetings with the staff council to engage with them on navigating change.

We're having town halls, we have frequently asked questions. So we do have a sort of whole ecosystem and architecture around navigating change, which up until this point has focused on our budget constraints, our workforce optimization and the relocation question. But we'll probably very soon add in reforms related to UN80. So we do see that expanding out. And interestingly, we thought we did the engagement survey the last time in September when the budget situation for 2026 was known, when workforce optimization was beginning to bite.

And we thought, well, is this the right time to be doing an engagement survey? There was some, you know, discussion in house, but we said, absolutely, it's important to get the data, it's important to take the temperature, see how people are feeling. And yes, participation went up, so it's a sign that people want to say something. But also engagement went up, which was interesting. We didn't expect to see that.

So I think it's difficult times, but I think to the extent that we can continue consulting with staff, continue explaining why and how, and take special measures, you know, feedback from staff. We have adopted some special measures to accompany staff who find themselves in a vulnerable situation. Those have come directly from staff themselves in many cases. So listening and reacting is also key to walking the talk of our culture.

I thank Ms. McGuire. I give the floor to Mr. Saberton from UNFPA.

Thank you, Mr. President. And I'd like to acknowledge the comments made by Zambia on behalf of the Africa Group and similar to undp, a commitment to continuous improvement around all aspects of organizational culture. We're on a steady path here.

One recent decision, the end of last year, we have actually embedded the Culture initiative was actually a standalone initiative in the organisation. It's now embedded as of part, part of our human resources actual division. So that will actually, everything we do in human resources has the culture component now tied to it. I would actually say, as some of the speakers said earlier, yes, 2025 was a very difficult year. We started the year in difficult circumstances and it got more difficult as the year went by.

If I just acknowledge what those elements was and then how actually UNFP did put its staff first, front and center of that. We started the year with defunding from a major us, major UN donor, which was our single biggest bilateral donor in the previous year. So we had to cope with that, then we had to cope with other defunding situations or reduced funding situations. Then the terminations of the funding, the humanitarian funding earlier on in the year, where thankfully, we were actually able to reposition, at least for a temporary basis, most of the staff affected. And it was just around 300 staff we lost at that time, when many organisations were losing thousands.

So we really did go out of our way to find alternative funding sources, alternative projects for those staff. We immediately launched the BMR exercise, a business model review, which was looking at how to fit into this new funding landscape, which actually was looking at regional presence, country office presence as well as headquarter presence. All of these things would have been anxious for staff, but they were of course necessary because we have to live within the financial constraints we have. We have no reserves, we have no vacation, but we had no knee jerk reactions. And actually we built into Our Strategic Plan 2026-29, a four year reduction of our staff numbers using the little reserves we could carry forward.

So we didn't have to act in an immediate hurry. And we gave every opportunity, you know, for better ways to adjust the situation. Unfortunately or fortunately, we've paused the majority of the business business model review because then comes UN80 and we wouldn't want to take some of those decisions until some of the decisions in UN80 are made. But let's be realistic. In Whether it's the BMR or the UN80, there will be decisions that affect jobs and certain areas.

I mean, you know, I don't think it would be, you know, you're not throwing the boat out too far to suggest that probably, you know, if two organizations do ultimately merge and there has been no decision yet, but you will only need one headquarters, you would only need one regional office. So there would be necessary areas of concern and we will deal with them and we'll work with the staff council and the staff at all levels to actually navigate that process. Likewise, yes, I cannot get rid of staff anxiety at the the moment. There's every reason staff should be anxious. There's a lot going on and there's a lot turning up every day.

On. The email which actually is not helping in those things. So we have to kind of just remain transparent and communicate what we know and try to deal with these issues in as fair as possible way and communicate to the staff all the time. We have regular town halls. We have over the UN80 process, particularly the merger we had a joint town hall with the two eds, both red and the UN women ed with the Deputy Secretary General as well in that process and took questions so we're there the engagement on going forward.

Remember, the UN80 is not being led by UN FPA and in particular the merger consideration is a project under the Secretary General. There is only one task team in that project at the the moment. There's not a number of other task teams where there's representative. But actually that report, that assessment is done to the Secretary General not by UNFPA but when and what decision is made then we'll work. There'll have to be an implementation strategy and then there'll be a project plan, etc.

Etc. Depending on what and if a decision is made. But we're not certainly there yet. Although part of that process is to provide a risk log during that assessment which has been prepared by the consultants. One thing I would say with UNFPA what we did navigate is I'm running out of time here was the headquarter optimisation which we actually were.

We took over 18 months. I think it's the longest period we allowed staff to adjust to that process and actually none of the major risks point pointed out in the early stages actually came to were all successfully mitigated. We didn't lose any significant number of staff. We did not have any effect adverse effect on program delivery. So they're just one thing.

Just a very quick response if I may to Switzerland as well. I know some of the points I've made talked to Switzerland but on the edge survey regarding that the actual data analytics analytics showed no disparity, no difference on gender. The actual policies showed no disparity.

There was a perception of experiences and the one thing that stood out was very interestingly is that there was. Men. Were actually more advanced in the negotiation on salaries than women and actually a task team and a project has actually been set that up to actually come up with a they were more forceful in negotiating their salaries than Jen. So that is actually being addressed now and there will be no negotiation on this front. So that is what my HR team are currently working on.

Thank you.

I thank Mr. Severton. I give the floor now to Ms. Cochato.

Thank you Mr. President and thank you for the input and comments and questions that have come through from Zambia on behalf of the Africa Group. We really thank you for the strong encouragement and for us to deepen our results across cultural leadership and accountability. And as unops we fully agree that people in countries culture are central to our performance, delivery and impact and that progress must be measurable, transparent and data driven.

And I think UNOPS came into the culture reshaping of organizational culture after the 2022, 2021, 2022 crisis. So our journey has not been as the similar journey entry as for UNDP and unfpa. But I must say the learnings that we've learned from both organizations and has been immeasurable in helping us move forward. And equally 2025 was a tough year for us, but not as tough as probably for UNFP and undp. And we do empathize with our colleagues.

But we would be naive to not to recognize that any change in the ecosystem impacts us even if our delivery model is different. So we also again will continue learning from our sister agencies on gender parity we have achieved and we have maintained an overall gender parity since 2021. And our current focus therefore is on addressing persistent gaps in specific functions and grades and duty stations and on how we're measuring culture. Culture in the results is a priority for us through our culture and engagement surveys. But we also welcome the call for stronger intelligence collaboration, particularly in Africa, and continue to engage through UN system coordination mechanisms to reinforce complementarity and collective impact.

On the input from the delegate from Switzerland on behalf of the group, thank you for your question for unops. And as you know, more than probably half of our work we do is fragile and conflict in affected areas. And we have been working on using the Culture and Engagement survey to understand whether the hardship locations have an impact on engagement and commitment or satisfaction. Interestingly, the 2025 results have shown that actually in our hardship locations the strong more higher engagement than our than some of our non conflict locations, which signifies that obviously alignment with purpose is a very strong one. And also we are taking learnings from the leadership that we have in those locations in terms of what are they doing right in terms of to get the engagement right and leadership Accountability is the main focus for us because we believe that for any of the culture to change positively in any judicial station or in location, it is leader driven.

So inclusion is embedded. And I think the 360 feedback that we started last year, the peer review for calibration for performance and the culture index and the KPIs that we put for performance management for our people managers will help us actually start mapping which areas to focus on a little bit on the UN reforms. Just looking at the time. We while we are monitoring the potential discussions that are the current discussions that are there on the potential merge between UNDP and unops, it causes anxiety in every sphere in terms of our workforce. And we have put in mitigation measures and UNOPS as a JIU recommendation.

We now have a fully qualified clinical psychologist, a workplace counselor that we have hired to help us come up with with initiatives that can help us navigate this system. And we also were supporting line managers to try and communicate and mitigate and manage output from our colleagues because performance obviously will slightly be impacted. We do recognize the value of EDGE certification as an extension of benchmark. I think I said it in the last board meeting. We do evaluate but at this stage of our culture journey we prioritize conducting comprehensive organizational YDI assessment.

We're using both qualitative and quantitative methodologies before we move on to the edge. But it is on our radar and we would hopefully move on to edge and we continue to keep external certification models under review as well. Thank you very much, Mr. President.

I thank Ms. McGuire, Mr. Saberton and Ms. Kushata for their responses. Colleagues, if I hear no objections, I take it that the Executive Board wishes to take note of the address by the Chairperson of the undp, unfpa, unops, UN Women Staff Council. It is so decided.

Let me advise the Board now that a draft decision on Agenda Item six on the Joint update on Organizational culture is being prepared and will be presented for the Executive Board's consideration later in the session. Before we proceed to agenda item 7 on addressing racism and racial discrimination, we will take a brief pause for a slight podium change.

I did say a slight change, which is now complete.

So we will now proceed to agenda item 7 addressing racism and racial discrimination. I'm very pleased to welcome back the podium members and without any ado whatsoever, I give the floor to Ms. Linda McGuire.

Thank you very much Mr. President, distinguished members of the Executive Board and colleagues from UNFPA and unops, ladies and gentlemen, thank you for the opportunity to present an update on UNDP's continued efforts to address racism and racial discrimination in line with executive board decision 2025-12. Our work in this area is grounded in the UN charter and and guided by the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of racial discrimination. Since 2020 we have taken a series of deliberate and evidence based actions, beginning with an organization wide anti racism assessment that led to key recommendations for strengthening a fair and inclusive workplace.

As this work evolved, anti racism efforts were integrated within UNDP's diversity, equity and inclusion strategy for 20232025 which was grounded on principles of dignity, trust and psychological safety and strengthened our focus on understanding and responding to the experiences of our personnel. This strategy and our work on anti racism have now been mainstreamed, if you will, into our people for 2030 strategies strategy and consolidated there. In 2024 and 2025, UNDP introduced voluntary self identification of race and ethnicity in its annual engagement and inclusion surveys, allowing intersectional analysis of results across race, gender and other dimensions. I'm pleased to report that in 2024 and 2025 the inclusion surveys showed no statistical significant gaps in workplace experience between racial groups. In 2025, more than 12,500 colleagues participated in the survey representing a significant increase in participation and the inclusion index rose to 77 out of 100.

As I mentioned in the previous session, approaching the global benchmark set by the survey provider based on data from multiple organizations worldwide. While colleagues reported strong levels of respect and belonging within their teams. The survey results and subsequent discussions with personnel did highlight areas that still require continued attention, particularly recognition, communication, and consistent leadership accountability. These insights are informing targeted actions and in line with the Board's emphasis on prevention and early action. One of these actions, which I was going to mention for the delegate From Switzerland, is UNDP's speak up culture program.

This is an initiative that plays a preventative role by providing personnel with tools to identify and address everyday dynamics through which bias often appears and can be a form of or a mechanism for reporting misconduct or flagging it early. Its pilot phase showed positive results with several participating offices improving key inclusion indicators by as much as 6 to 10 points. Building on this success, UNDP expanded the program in 2025 through a training of trainers model, with further growth planned for 2026 to increase local reach and impact while maintaining focus on inclusion. UNDP has also continued to invest in workforce diversity, particularly by strengthening geographical representation as requested by this Executive Board in its decision. Over the past five years, representation from the Global south has increased across the workforce and leadership pipelines.

Resident representative appointments from the Global south, for example, have risen from 49 to 56%. Finally, accountability mechanisms have been further strengthened. ClearCheck 2.0 now includes a specific category for racism and racial discrimination, reinforcing system wide accountability. While formally reported allegations of racial discrimination are prioritized by the Office of Audit and Investigation, continuous work is underway to address behaviors which fall short of misconduct but nonetheless cause harm and we're supported in these efforts by the Office of the Ombudsman and Human Resource Specialists. Together, These endeavors strengthen UNDP's alignment with the JIU entity.

Specific recommendations which UNDP considers implemented and continues to embed into organizational practices. Recognizing progress in this area requires sustained action, which is why we're continuing through phase three for 2030. Thank you, Mr. President.

I thank Ms. McGuire for her presentation and give the floor to Mr. Saberton.

Thank you, Mr. President. Distinguished members of the Executive Board, thank you for this opportunity to present UNFPA's continued work in addressing racism and racial discrimination as part of our broader culture transformation agenda. Let me begin by reaffirming UNFPA's commitment to anti racism. The new UNFPA Strategic Plan explicitly reaffirms our institutional commitment to anti racism and non discrimination as cross cutting imperatives mainstreamed across all operations, programs and partnerships.

UNFPA is committed to cultivating a workplace that is inclusive, resilient and adaptive into the future. Since 2019. We have conducted more than 80 webinars and workshops all across all regions around the world, creating safe spaces for personnel to engage in difficult but essential conversations about racism, racial discrimination and intersectionality. This approach critically examines power imbalances and actively works to dismantle structures that perpetuate inequality and marginalization in the workplace. Our 2024 global staff survey achieved an impressive 87% engagement rate.

Cultures and values, along with diversity, equity and inclusion, consistently ranked among our top performing indicators across all regions, and the data shows that 88% of the respondents believe people at UNFPA are treated equally irrespective of religion, and 78% say the same regarding ethnic origins. These numbers are encouraging, but they don't give us permission to rest. In fact, they demand that we continue this work with greater intentionality. We are currently developing over 300 detail action plans to address specific findings and recommendations from the Global Science Survey, translating results into tangible, measurable improvements UNFPA holds that a diverse workforce, rich in varying perspectives and experiences, free from discrimination and developing a more equitable, inclusive and therefore resilient workforce is fundamental to achieving its mission effectively. Our commitment is demonstrated through specific initiatives.

The Young Professionals from Africa and African Descent program, launched in 2021, addresses disparities in recruitment and training opportunities. Today, 56% of UNFPA leadership positions at P5 to D2 levels are held by nationals from program countries. Our workforce represents personnel from 164 countries reflecting, and comprehending, reflecting and comprising members from the communities and populations directly impacted by and engaged in UNFPA's programmatic work. By ensuring strong representation and accepting differences in views and ideas, we are better placed to understand a multitude of challenges to serve our constituents and reach those left service behind. Powerful inclusion efforts are needed to overcome exclusion and we do this believing inclusion improves effectiveness.

At the core of the UNFPA commitment to these principles of anti racism and non discrimination is the unrelenting dedication of the UNFPA's executive committee's leadership and senior management as they uphold and model expectations for staff conduct, ensuring that all actions align with the organisation's ethical principles. We have accepted and and implemented the six recommendations from the Joint Inspection Unit Report on Racism and Racial Discrimination and we note that two recommendations require ongoing interagency coordination through the High Level Committee on Management and we remain available to participate in these system wide initiatives. In early 2026 we will launch our next EDGE Diversity Survey, developed in collaboration with external Anti Regulation Racism consultants to enhance the precision of our data collection on racial discrimination and this reflects our commitment to evidence based action and continuous improvement and to ongoing efforts and dedication to leave no one behind and reiterate the importance of data collection and accountability as critical to understanding the impact of racism and discrimination on productivity, meeting the goals of an anti racist culture and advancing the leaving no one behind agenda. Mr. President, distinguished delegates, the work of addressing racism and racial discrimination is inseparable from UNFPA's mandate. That is why UNFPA remains committed to this transformative agenda with urgency, humility and determination.

We recognise that systematic change requires sustained effort, leadership, accountability and the participation of every individual.

I thank Mr. Saberton. I give the floor now to Ms. Cachato.

Thank you, Mr. President, distinguished delegates and colleagues, I'm pleased to update you on UNOP's efforts on addressing racism and racial discrimination in line with the recommendations of the Joint Inspection Unit and pursuance to executive board decision 2024-10. For UNOPS, combating racism is a moral imperative grounded in the UN Charter and international human rights law and fundamental to organizational effectiveness, credibility and trust. Our ability to deliver in complex operational environment depends on an inclusive, equitable and representative workforce. UNOPS has progressively embedded Anti racism as a core institutional priority within our culture transformation agenda, accountability systems and people processes informed by the Joint Inspection Unit's recommendations, internal organizational assessments and sustainable engagement with personnel. To further this work, UNOPS adopted an Anti Racism accountability plan in 2025 as an operational bridge to the 2026-2029 diversity, equity and inclusion and strategy while translating commitments into responsibilities and actions with clear global and regional KPIs.

This lays the foundation of Anti Racism becoming an institutionalized strategic pillar of transformation. Turning to implementation, UNOPS has implemented the JIU recommendations within its operational remit while continuing to engage with entities on those requiring system wide coordination. First, we have strengthened personnel capacity building through an integrated learning ecosystem including a comprehensive DEI learning package with dedicated anti racism pathway designed to support awareness, leadership, accountability and behavioral change across our offices. Secondly, UNOPS has maintained dedicated DEI expertise ensuring a stable and independent function with the capacity to respond to emerging organizational needs. As the Executive Board realizes, this function did not exist within unops, I mean within the last four years or so.

Thirdly, we have reviewed key people management processes to identify and address structural barriers to equity. A comprehensive internal assessment was concluded in late 2024 and implementation of its recommendations is now underway, guiding ongoing policy development and reforms processes. Recognizing that policy reform alone is insufficient to address racism, these measures are reinforced by a strong focus on culture and accountability. Anti racism principles are increasingly reflected in leadership objectives, performance management and learning. Leaders are assessed not only on the results but on how they led, placing inclusion, respect and integrity at the center to foster a speaker culture.

Allegations of criticism or racial discrimination continue to be handled with impartiality, confidentiality and procedural rigor. This is complemented by dialogue based initiatives with all personnel that promote reflection, learning and shared responsibility across the organization. Data Driven Drive Data Evidence drives progress While system wide limitations remain, UNOPS has introduced for voluntary self identification data points including on race and ethnicity in selected feedback systems including culture surveys and exit processes, also integrating these capabilities into the new UNOPS recruitment system. Aligned with privacy safeguards and intelligence standards, this enables disaggregated analysis of inclusion gaps, attrition trends and equitable outcomes. At the same time, UNOPS remains committed to actively contributing to the development of a harmonized UN framework on racial data governance.

Looking ahead Anti racism will be further embedded through a dedicated action plan within the 2026-2029 DI strategy with clear objectives, responsibilities and indicators at global, regional and country levels. Our next phase will focus on ensuring that anti racism commitments are reflected in everyday managerial practice, correcting remaining inequalities and embedding anti racism in how we lead, manage talent and engage with partners. We will use the 2026-2029 period to deepen this trajectory, moving from commitments to measurable results based on better data from lived experiences. In closing Eliminating racism and racial discrimination within UNOPS is inseparable from our ability to deliver credibly and fairly fairly as part of the UN system. The Executive Board and JIU oversight remains essential to sustain this discipline and we continue engagement and collaboration with our UN partners.

Thank you, Mr. President.

I thank Ms. Kushato.

Colleagues, the floor is now open for comments or questions. I give the floor firstly to Bureau Member Jamaica, to be followed by Nigeria.

Thank you Mr. President. It's good to see on the podium. Ambassador, we thank undp, UNFP and UNOPS for their reports on addressing racism and racial discrimination in their respective organizations as mandated by the executive board decision 2025-12.

In line with the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial. Discrimination as well as the Durban Declaration. My delegation strongly reaffirms that there is no justification for racial discrimination in theory or in practice anywhere, and that where it exists it constitutes a serious violation of an obstacle to the full enjoyment of all human rights and denies the self evident truth that all human beings are born free and equal. To this end, we acknowledge the efforts undertaken by undp, UNFPN UNOPS to address racism and racial discrimination, including through strategies such as UNDP People for 2030 Strategy, UNFP 2030 People Strategy, and the UNOPS Anti Racism Action Plan. These initiatives reflect the required shared commitment.

To upholding human dignity. It also demonstrates your commitment to creating an equitable and respectful workplace. At the same time, it must be noted that any progress made must translate into systematic change that is tight, tangible and measurable. In line with the GIU recommendations, we urge the entities to continue to strengthen. Accountability and reporting mechanisms and to institute.

Robust monitoring and evaluation systems so that progress can be assessed appropriately and lessons learned can be institutionalized. Mr. President, staff who report incidents of racism and racial discrimination must feel safe, heard and protected. Where reported cases do not qualify as misconduct following formal investigation, alternative avenues must. Be available to address the concerns of victims. Such outcomes should also be interpreted as.

Signals of underlying challenges. In doing so, opportunities are created for learning, improvement and prevention. Further, racism and racial discrimination sometimes manifest in subtle, nuanced ways within the workplace. As a result, reported incidents often require. A sensitive, layered and incisive approach.

We therefore commend UNFPA in particular for. Its efforts to train managers and staff. And to recognize and disrupt other aid. And micro and macro aggressions in order. To promote psychological safety and anti racial.

Racism in the workplace. More work remains to be done. Anti racism principles must be fully institutionalized. Across all aspects of the entity's operations. We also urge the Entities to provide updates on their efforts to ensure that there are no barriers to the achievement.

Of equitable geographical representation in their staffing. Cohort, including through improvements in their recruitment and retention strategies. We look forward to closing to continuing. Engagement with UNDP unfp.

I thank Jamaica. I give the furnace to Nigeria on behalf of the African group. Mr. President, distinguished members of the Executive Board Excellencies, distinguished Delegates, I have the honor to deliver these remarks on behalf of the African Group Members of the Executive Board, namely Chad, Cote d', Ivoire, Madagascar, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tunisia, Zambia, and my own country, Nigeria. The African Group condemns racism and racial discrimination in all its forms and manifestations and declares that they should have no place in the undp, UNFPA and UNOPS or anywhere. The Group takes note of the separate reports provided by the three agencies and expresses appreciation for their updates on efforts to address racism and racial discrimination within the organizations.

In line with the executive board decision 2025-12, the group particularly welcomes and underscores the importance of UNDP Speak Up Culture Initiative as a concrete mechanism to counter racism and racial discrimination within the organization. This flagship initiative is designed to foster an environment of civility, respect and psychological safety where personnel feel empowered to raise concerns, challenge biases and engage in open dialogue without fear of retaliation. Welcome also the geographical diversity gains for people of African descent in P4 and above positions in the UNDP as a result of the people for 2030 strategy. We urge that such laudable initiatives are maintained and strengthened within the organization. Similarly, the African group welcomes UNFPA's steadfast commitments to maintaining an anti racist and anti discriminatory organization organizational culture under its 2030 People Strategy, including a principled zero tolerance approach to all forms of racism and racial discrimination.

Initiatives such as the People of African Descent Initiative, which works to advance the rights, justice and development of people of African descent in accordance with international commitments, are commendable. Other worthy UNFP initiatives include Young Professionals from Africa and African Descent program launched in 2021, which seeks to address the disparity in sponsorship, recruitment and training opportunities within multilateral international cooperation organizations for qualified young professionals from these regions, which limits their entry into the United nations system. It is gratifying to learn that a total of 10 young professionals of African descent have joined UNFPA under this program and gained invaluable hands on experience, while four of these have secured P2 and P3 level positions within UNFPA even before completing their three year program. Also noteworthy is UNOPS strong commitment to embedding anti racism as a core pillar within its DEI Inclusion DEI strategy for the 2026-29 period through a dedicated Anti Racism Action framework that integrates leadership, accountability, workforce diversity, learning and an inclusive organizational culture. The African Group would however, like to see an increase of Global south personnel in senior international positions in unops.

Despite efforts made and progress achieved. The African Group acknowledges that racism and racial discrimination is still prevalent within these agencies and calls on undp, UNFP and UNOPS to fast track track efforts towards the full implementation of the Joint Inspection Unit Recommendations contained in Jiu Note 20221 Rev 1 In closing, Mr. President, the African Group particularly calls for stronger efforts towards strengthening workforce diversity, equal opportunities and inclusive and respectful organizational culture in relation to racism and racial discrimination across the three agencies. I thank you Mr. President.

I thank the distinguished representative of Nigeria. I give the floor now to the United States.

Thank you very much Mr. Chair and thank you to the speakers for their detailed remarks. The United States recognizes and underscores the importance of addressing discrimination. All staff must be held to the highest standards of ethical conduct and performance. However, we do not support the extent to which DEI initiatives are influencing hiring, performance management and human resource policy in the UN system.

Merit must be the primary basis for all hiring decisions, including at senior and entry levels. No applicant should be advantaged or disadvantaged from contributing to the UN's core missions by any fact other than their qualifications other than merit, while ensuring that vacancies. Are advertised as widely as possible. The best, best candidate for each position must be selected for every vacancy at UNDP and unops. Similarly, performance management should measure delivery on work requirements and responsibilities.

Misconduct of any kind should be investigated and remediated, but DEI has no place in performance evaluations, mobility or advancement. Finally, the United States will not support. Donor funds being used for DEI initiatives. All USD taxpayer funding must only go directly to the programming that makes America safer, stronger and more prosperous. We expect all funds to be used solely for core mandates.

Thank you. I thank the United States. I now give the floor to the representatives of the entities to respond.

Ms. McGuire.

Thank you. Thank you very much. To all three delegates who took the floor. I may group because some, I think from Jamaica and Nigeria on behalf of the Africa group may come up together. They were sort of complementary.

So just on sort of formal reporting channels versus the Speak up kind of culture and Speak up mechanism. So for sure the Speak up initiative complements, it doesn't replace formal reporting channels. And also to the United States point that we take those very seriously and misconduct of any of any kind needs to go through the formal reporting channels and we encourage that. But the Speak up does focus more on the elements of, you know, dialogue of behavioral norms, the nuances that I think the delegate from Jamaica was speaking speaking to and that indeed some cases of bias never reach that threshold of misconduct, but they are rechanneled into.

You. Know, awareness raising, better training, better sensitization for people at all levels. So we do have a policy for or just to say that the training of trainers, as I mentioned, is, is taking those learnings on board as well. So that's on the sort of distinctions between misconduct and how that is treated and then the Speak up culture. But on prevention, which was also a point I think the delegate from Jamaica raised, how do we sort of prevent that things get to the point of exacerbation or reporting and then how do we deal with it?

So we do emphasize early intervention and prevention intervention. We focus on the conditions and the enabling environment or the environment that enables bias to persist. And we do work on the respectful workplace culture, which is another initiative that we have which tries to equip teams and managers with the tools to address behaviors before they can escalate or before they can fester. And racism, to go back to misconduct is considered misconduct. And we have a zero tolerance policy against that, clearly prohibiting harassment as well as sexual harassment, discrimination, abuse of authority.

So we're regularly updating our policies to address race, ethnicity and other elements. And of course our OAI continues to investigate all cases of MIS misconduct with support of our ethics office as well, which protects against retaliation. And then just lastly on the jiu, because it did come up, I mean, we assess the current stage of implementation of the JIU recommendations on addressing racism and racial discrimination as aligning with stage five, which is considered refinement. So we are looking at, we think significant progress in evidence, grounded in evidence of strategic integration and system wide learning with our fellow agencies. So just to say that finally maybe on the ClearCheck 2.0, because I did mention it, you know, we do have kind of institutionalized governance and accountability mechanisms, oversight by a corporate level committee which is chaired by our Associate Administrator and of course is supported and strengthened by systems such as Clearcheck 2.0.

So maybe I'll leave it there. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McGuire. I give the floor to Mr. Saberton.

Thank you, Mr. President.

I really don't have much to say other than to acknowledge the comments and particularly to appreciate some of the comments made just one kind of correction, but it's a favorable correction that of the seven in response to Nigeria and the Africa group, actually it's seven of the 10 YPADs have been placed, not four. So it's actually of the 10 people we had in the YPAD scheme, seven have found roles in the multilateral system. Two are still in the system in the YPAD scheme and one did not accept an offer. So it's a very successful scheme on that front. Thank you very much.

I thank Mr. Silberton. Ms. Kushato.

Thank you, Mr. President. And without reiterating to the comments that my colleagues have already shared, I just want to touch a bit on what the delegate from Jamaica brought up that we do appreciate the comments that you shared. And as UNOPS we continue strengthening accountability and evaluation of our systems and especially recruitment, including geographical representation is very central to our anti racism approach.

And also in line with JIU recommendation 3 and the examination Executive Board's request for dedicated investment, UNOPS has institutionalized anti racism resourcing within its core budget and to strengthen implementation. This showing a greater commitment to anti racism efforts from the delegate from Nigeria on behalf of the Africa Group thank you for your comments and increasing Global south representation and leadership remains a priority for us. We are very aware of and there are some intricacies of multinationals having all different passports which sometimes come into play and might not actually reveal the correct picture, but we do. We're aware that we it's something that we that we need to pay attention to and it's a key focus with our upcoming. We've got two, some very two senior recruitments coming up.

It is one thing that the Executive Director has committed to having some representation in the process. And again on the JIU reports based on the delegate from Nigeria, UNOPS fully supports implementation of the joint recommendations and we continue reinforcing our anti retaliation safeguards and confidential reporting channels, creating the psychological safety that is needed. And like I mentioned in the organizational culture statement, the ClearCheck 2.0 is helping us in terms of prevention of re employment in substantiated cases. Thank you to the delegate of the United States and we thank you for the intervention and for underscoring the importance of merit based recruitment and performance, a principle that actually UNOPS also fully, fully shares. Thank you Mr. President.

I thank Ms. Cochato and I thank all of the representatives for their responses and for spending some time with us today. Colleagues, this concludes consideration of agenda item 7. I wish again to advise the Board that a draft decision on agenda item 7 on addressing racism and racial discrimination is being discussed, is under preparation and will be presented for the Board's consideration later in the session.

I see the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Chair. I recently started my position here and I'm still not familiar with the microphone system. Apologies for this late intervention, but given the importance of the topic, I hope that you and colleagues bear with me for a few more minutes. As the Kingdom of the Netherlands we commend undp, UNFPA and UNOPS for their commitment to addressing racism and racial discrimination. This commitment is essential both, as has been noted, as a human rights obligation, but also to foster a safe, respectful and inclusive organisational culture.

It is crucial that all staff can work free, free from discrimination and with dignity as this strengthens trust, collaboration and organizational effectiveness. Given that many of our discussions this week focus on budget cuts, unity reforms and ongoing organizational changes, we would like to underscore the importance of safeguarding diversity and inclusion among these complex processes. We would be interested to hear, either now or at another time, whether the three agencies are tracking diversity data of the abolished post and if so, if these insights could be shared as to the observed impact, then looking at the documentation shared for undp. We support the objectives of creating equal access to career opportunities for all backgrounds, ensuring fair opportunities for professional development and promotion, and fostering an inclusive, non discriminatory culture based on dignity and respect. We welcome the opportunity to learn and have learned from UNDP's best practices as these could also inform other UN entities.

For UNFPA, we appreciate the clear recognition that racism and racial discrimination are systemic issues which require sustainability, leadership, attention, accountability and cultural change. We particularly value the focus on translating the findings of the staff survey into concrete actions and on strengthening accountability frameworks. We stress the importance of transparency on progress, challenges and outcomes for unops, we welcome the steps taken to embed anti racism and non discrimination with a focus on data, staff engagement and alignment with JIU recommendations. In conclusion, we emphasize that tackling racism and racial discrimination is both, as noted, a fundamental human rights obligation and a cornerstone of a safe, inclusive and high performing organizational culture. And just to conclude by noting that we value the we note the value of the Young Professionals Program and for all positions which the Netherlands funds, at least half are reserved for candidates.

I thank the delegate of the Netherlands. Welcome to the complicated world of the United Nations. I don't know if colleagues would like an opportunity to briefly respond. Ms. McGuire okay,

thank you to the delegate from the Netherlands just and thank you for your for your kind words on the UNDP's experience on the impact whether we're tracking sort of workforce optimization impact on specific groups. We're still in the process of this and it's a complicating factor is that most of our personnel is at country office level and most of that personnel is national staff of the countries where we have our country offices.

So when we do workforce optimization in a given country office there is a mix of its impact on international, but predominantly usually on national staff. So we are looking at the senior and the junior composition, we are looking at national staff versus versus international staff that breakdown. But we would have to sort of do a post by post analysis to let you know at that level. But we're happy to come back to you and keep the dialogue ongoing and I'll take the opportunity to respond to what I didn't to the US that merit, you know, completely supporting the UNOPS comments. Merit is the criterion in recruiting personnel to undp.

And then just finally we also have a Young African Women's Fellowship program to echo a little bit what my other colleague from UNFPA said and we're seeing very good retention of those fellows. So just to say that we're going to continue and expand that program as well. Thank you. Thank you. Just very quickly, Mr. President.

And to really just reiterate my colleagues comments, we will keep the board advised as we go through this process of change. Now, we're very similar to UNDP earlier on. In my conversation this afternoon, I talked about that we lost 100 staff members. Unfortunately, they were ongoing projects in specific countries. So by default they're the actual majority of those posts were nationals of those countries.

So it's very difficult on that. But in terms of actually that which we can contain and manage, we will definitely make sure we maintain the principles just as we take on staff as we let staff go as well. Thank you very much. And we'll keep you informed of those matters. Thank you.

Thank you, Valerie. Thank you for your comment and questions. And just to let you know that UNOPS we do have mechanisms. When you talk about the impact of abolished positions where we've been tracking some of those abolished positions, we have embedded DEI safeguards into our rightsizing and restructuring guidance documents, including practical tools for decision makers to assess equity impacts and guide them as line managers in making their decision decisions. And also in addition to that, we have a draft Talent Acquisition Policy that is currently being reviewed, which represents a major milestone in this effort introducing a unified framework for how talent is identified, assessed and selected across personal categories, including also in the resizing guidelines.

Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you very much. I therefore reiterate my thanks to the colleagues on the podium. And now we have concluded the consideration of agenda item 7.

We will make a slight. Another slight podium change before we move on to item 11. Just bear with us. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Sam.

Good luck.

It's.

There's.

Colleagues. May I invite you to retake your seats.

We will now continue the undp segment with agenda item 11, undp evaluation.

Under this item, the board will consider the Independent Evaluation Multi Year program of work 2026-2029 and the formative evaluation of the UNDP funding windows together with the management response. In that regard, I am pleased to welcome to the podium Ms. Isabel Mercier, Director, Independent Evaluation Office of UNDP and Mr. Marcos Neto, Assistant Administrator and Director, Bureau for Policy and Program Support. We will begin with the presentation of the Independent Evaluation Multi Year program of work 2026 to 2029. And I therefore invite Ms. Marcia to present the program of work.

Thank you, Mr. President, distinguished members of the Executive Board colleagues, good afternoon and thank you for hanging in there.

It's a pleasure to present the Multi year work plan of the UNDP Independent evaluation office for 2026-29. My office prepares a work plan every four years. But this time it's to time different. The United nations is undergoing a profound change. One that requires us to be especially deliberate in what we choose to evaluate and more intentional ensuring that our work reaches management and this board when it's most useful to inform decisions.

In developing this work plan, we considered four elements. First, relevance. We have chosen to concentrate our evaluations on areas that are most strategic or high risk for the organization. These include corporate evaluations on partnerships, human resources and results based management, all critical in a period of institutional transformation. Country offices operating in complex or fragile contexts will be evaluated every cycle, others every two cycles.

This approach allows us to maintain coverage while creating space for deeper analysis and meaningful engagement with national partners. Second, synthesis. Today, more than 7,000 evaluations are available in the UNDP Evaluation Resource Center. This is not an excess of evidence, but an opportunity for sense making. Where evidence exists, our priority will be to draw clearer insights rather than produce more studies.

At the same time, we'll selectively introduce impact evaluations where they add most value, so strengthening the evidence base on what works and under what conditions. Third, technology. In 2022, we began developing AIDA, our AI enabled platform that extracts evidence and generates insights across evaluations. It's a powerful tool to make evaluation knowledge more accessible for decision making, and we'll continue to strengthen it and deploy it more widely across undp. Beyond aida, we'll continue using technology to improve contracting, data handling and the assessment of decentralized evaluations.

Quality areas that are perhaps less visible but essential and time consuming. All this while paying close attention to both data privacy and ethical considerations. And our fourth consideration in developing this work plan was engagement and use. We'll further integrate communication and engagement into the evaluation cycle to ensure that every dollar invested in evaluation contributes to better results. This means aligning evaluations more closely with decision points and continuing to strengthen the organization's learning culture so that every evaluation becomes a true cornerstone of good governance.

Mr. President, distinguished delegates. This work plan was designed to be focused, realistic and responsive. It reflects a conviction that evaluation is a strategic asset for each UNDP and for this board. And to realize this ambition, two things matter. Resources and space.

On resources we're managing as our budget is a share of UNDP's overall budget. We have also been affected by recent reductions, but we've absorbed these through careful vacancy management and efficiency gains. For now, our structure will remain largely unchanged. The one Planned adjustment is a modest regional presence in Panama implemented within the current resource envelope to strengthen field engagement. And now on space, what matters most is that evaluation is brought into conversations at the right time and at the right level.

This multi year work plan focuses, as you see, on providing evidence to nourish the decisions this organization will have to make in the coming years. One of the biggest decisions you, as the Executive Board and UNDP will have to make is around un80 here I have noted that evaluation evidence has not yet been fully part of the UN 80 reform conversation. I say this not as a criticism, but as an observation informed by my role as Director of UNDP IEO and as Chair of the United Nations Evaluation Group and Chair of the Global SDG Synthesis Coalition. I'd therefore like to conclude with a simple request that you insist that evaluations, ours and those coming from the multitude of independent evaluation offices across the UN system be more formally integrated into reform processes. Evaluative evidence should stand alongside administrative analyses and delivery considerations so that any decision is informed by evidence on what agencies do well in practice, what has worked, what hasn't and why.

And I'm afraid that without evaluations we run the risk that these reforms will move forward, but without taking full advantage of the evidence available.

I thank Ms. Mercier for her presentation and I now open the floor for comments or questions.

I see no cote d'. Ivoire.

Thank you. As a member of the African Group, I have a question for the board. Of three yoga bodies. I'm speaking from Mozambique, Rwanda, Tunisia, Zambia, my own country, Cote d', Ivoire, among others. And I'd like to make the following.

Declaration on our discussion on evaluating UNDP, focusing on the program of work 2026, 2029 of the Bureau as well as the assessment of the scale of financing of UNDP Chair. The African Group congratulates the leadership of the Independent Evaluation Bureau for the report based on risk and utility for decision making. An extension of thematic evaluations in the country level, as well as the use of innovative tools including AI, significantly strengthens. The capacity of UNDP to produce measurable. Inclusive and adapted results for Africa.

This is essential. It will contribute to improving the effectiveness of public policy, strengthening accountability and maximizing the concrete impact of development on the country level as best, especially in vulnerable situations related to climate shocks and humanitarian crises. The UN AD reform will lead to. Many institutional restructurings and we have a. Strategic plan 2026, 2029 which is more.

Relevant than ever now. The African Group welcomes the results focused vision led by the new leadership of UNDP and hopes the assessment will be a central driver for building trust, allowing us to build tangible results based on concrete data. This would be a strategic learning tool. For Africa as well as a compass. For public policy, especially when it comes to vulnerable situations.

Chair the African Group places great importance on capacity building for national assessment. This is crucial and we need to use evidence based decision making models for our governance. The African Group commenced the diagnostics established. In the evaluation and recognizes the strategic value of this area which in 2024. Was only 3% of programmatic resources of UNDP.

This level is much lower than the institutional goal of 7% as well as. The reference threshold of 15%. The impact remains limited due to targeted contributions, about 11.3% as well as a limited donor base, about 15 donors in total, which reduces the flexibility of this area. However, financing is a key tool for financing integrated solutions. It currently supports more than 130 country offices throughout the world, most of which are operating in vulnerable situations.

Therefore, the African Group commends the commitment of leadership to consolidate visibility and optimizing approaches toward flagship initiatives as well as mobilizing resources. This is important for restoring trust of partners and improving the overall effectiveness of the system. The African Group also suggests that the financing pillar be operationalized in a pragmatic way and a cross cutting way such as involving digitalization of development services. We must expand our partnership base, make our resources more flexible and improve absorption rate to benefit populations for Africa. This change will help to strengthen social transformation, inclusion and resilience, especially to benefit youth and women.

We also encourage ensuring that there is alignment with the principle of leaving no one behind. Mr. Chair, in closing, we reaffirm our strong commitment to the to strong independent evaluations. Based on action as well as innovative equitable financing focused on results. We believe that implementation of the recommendations on financing are a major part of.

An ambitious evaluation program that would strengthen the capacity of UNDP to strengthen national and regional priorities authorities and to accelerate. Progress toward the SDGs by 2030. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished Permanent Representative of Cote d' Ivoire for his statement. Would you like to take do a response now or after the next segment?

You can do it now if you wish, if you want. Just very quickly. Thank you.

I thank the delegate of Cote d'. Ivo for those comments. On behalf of the African Group, I appreciate your support very much and I. Think that. We will move on to.

Evaluation and then I will give the floor to my colleague to respond to your comments on this topic. Thank you very much. I thank Ms. Mercier would you like to do now or you want to wait until after the thank you colleagues. We will now proceed to the formative evaluation of the UNDP Funding Windows and the UNDP Management response. With that, I invite Ms. Mercier to present the formative evaluation of the UNDP funding windows.

Thank you, Mr. President, Excellencies, Distinguished delegates and members of the Executive Board. I'm happy to now present the formative evaluation of the UNDP Funding Windows. This is a timely and important evaluation which we undertook at the request of UNDP Management. It was designed as a collaborative, informative exercise to help guide the future direction of the funding windows through data and insights from all partners and field realities. So what did we find?

In several important ways, the funding windows have worked. They've established themselves as UNDP's main mechanism for mobilizing flexible thematic resources at a time when core funding has been declining. The funding windows aligned well with UNDP's strategic plans and reinforced the organization's comparative strengths, particularly in governance and in the humanitarian development peace nexus. They supported 135 country offices with more than half of expenditures benefiting conflict affected and fragile settings and nearly 40% low income countries. The funding windows performed best when relatively small investments unlocked momentum.

They enabled innovation, supported rapid crisis response, and helped UNDP position itself in new areas of work. In these cases, the windows functioned as intended as catalysts that amplified results, attracted partner interest, and at times leveraged additional resources, leaving no one behind and gender equality principles were generally integrated, but not to the same extent across all windows. The small scale of the gender and poverty windows further constrained their influence. This brings me to the financial picture where the findings are particularly sobering. In 2024, the funding windows amounted to $133 million, which is just 3% of the UNDP program resources, well below UNDP's corporate target of 7%.

And even further from the Funding Compact ambition, contributions continued to rely heavily on 15 OECD DAC donors with limited success in mobilizing resources from program countries, philanthropies or the private sector. Over time, tightly earmarked funding became the norm rather than the exception and at the end constituted two thirds of all funding window resources. While earmarking increased volumes, it diluted the purpose of the windows and constrained UNDP's ability to to allocate resources where needs were greatest. These tightly earmarked funds often operated like regular projects outside funding window oversight and monitoring mechanisms. By contrast, soft earmarking to sub windows and geographies, which is explicitly permitted under funding compact 2.0 was underused.

This represented a missed opportunity, particularly in flagship areas that were meant to strengthen thematic focus, but where the ways to contribute were not clearly defined. Taken together, this weakened the confidence of Member States that had invested in fully flexible thematic funding. Now let me turn briefly to the governance of the funding windows. In several respects, governance arrangements worked well. A dedicated secretariat provided valued support and user friendly tools.

External communication improved through dedicated staffing, a redesigned portal and clearer donor recognition. However, strategic leadership could be strengthened with clearer risk management approaches and mechanisms to implement strategic decisions. The evaluation also noted limited engagement with the Executive Board, which we saw as another missed opportunity. Excellencies, distinguished Delegates as the context of development cooperation changes, the funding windows have the potential to become a laboratory for new reforms of new forms of partnership built on trust, simplified processes and shared responsibility. But this will require clarity of purpose, stronger governance and a more confident approach to resource mobilization.

This evaluation does not call for incremental adjustment. It calls for deliberate choices. UNDP must clarify and communicate the funding windows niche, rationalize the flagship approach and strengthen governance through elevated oversight and risk management. Resource mobilization needs to be bolder and more diversified. The funding window architecture should be further streamlined with a reinforced commitment to gender equality and inclusion and clearer processes for learning, transparency and accountability.

Thank you for attention. I look forward to the discussion. I thank Ms. Mercier. I now give the floor to Mr. Netto to deliver the UNDP management response. Thank you, Ambassador.

Good afternoon, colleagues, members of the Executive Board. As usual, it's my pleasure to present UNDP's management response to the formative evaluation of the UNDP funding Wyndhams covering the period 2019 to mid 2025. Let me start by thanking Isabelle Mercier and the Director and all of her team for the excellent partnership that that we always have in terms of working together. I particularly like very much formative evaluations because they are a chance to learn and to improve. As has been mentioned by Isabel.

Now again, as she mentioned, it is timely UNDP transitioned to its new strategic plan. The funding windows are firmly anchored to accelerate its implementation building on the positive track record, namely supporting provided to 135, 140 countries with a portfolio exceeding $900 million since 2016. The funding windows have been UNDP's primary vehicle for flexible thematic funding. Second best to core resources and working alongside UN pool funds. They have become central in delivering integrated and catalytical solutions with our partners, including the UN system.

They also have been able, as mentioned before, to leverage resources exactly US$3.8 to every $1 invested in a Funduwindom beyond the current portfolio. The Funduindiums have leveraged the additional CO finance that I just mentioned above. Yet fundamentals have not reached their full potential in terms of volume of funds and remains under leverage as set out in this evaluation.

Therefore, UNDP welcomes the recommendations of the evaluations and the discussions with the Executive Board of the importance of thematic flexible non core funds. UNDP fully agrees with FIFE and partially agrees with one recommendation. We committed to execute the management response in 2026. The implementation will be corporate monitor. UNDP will but one strengthen the identity of Fundoindom's as UNDP's preferred channel for thematic flexible and soft landmark funding.

2. Rationalize the flagship approach with its transymptomatic focus, strong results framework and costing. The flagships will allow partners to provide flexible or softly earmarked funding towards shared priorities and foster integrated programming and system transformation lenses. Third, enhanced funding windows governance by improving strategic and operational oversight, risk management and partner engagement that increases partners trust. The funduinder Ministering Committee will work with the Executive Board to identify opportunities to integrate fundamentals related matters into existing Executive Board processes including the Strategic Funding dialogue.

Fourth, emphasize funding in the corporate resource mobilization efforts to ensure organization wide buy in and coherence among UNDP funding streams. We will diversify the donor base and resource mobilization approach to attract new partners, program countries, philanthropists, high net worth individuals and the private sector. Align the funduing architecture with the new strategic Plan and validate this structure with partners. We will re emphasize gender equality and leaving the one behind principles to remain central to the funduandiums through ambitious targets genuine markers Gen2 and Gen3 annual reviews of progress and technical support. Finally, create comprehensive standards operating procedures, revamp web pages and establish a learning function to strengthen integrated programming and adaptive management excellences.

UNDP listens partners and delivers. Our management response reflects UNDP commitment to unlock the full potential of fundamentals. Achieving this requires continued commitment and engagement from our partners and the Executive Board as underscored by the evaluation. In that spirit, I invite the partners who are investing or consider investing to channel funds through the fundamentals as an impactful and proving mechanism in support of the strategic plan. This is aligned with UN Aid in Funding Compact which calls since 2024 to a target of 15% of total non core resources channeled by 2027 in the way they're more flexible now to UNDP.

This 15% target would be $2.4 billion in flexible thematic funds which is second best to core. So as the Director has mentioned part of the problem with the earmarking is in our relationship with you and we call you to help us less earmark in the fundamentals. Thank you. I thank Mr. Netto for his remarks. I now open the floor.

I give the floor to the distinguished permanent representative of Luxembourg.

Thank you very much, Mr. President. I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of 17 Member States, namely Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Japan, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Norway, the Republic of Moldova, the Republic of Serbia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and my own country, Luxury at the Start Let me thank Mrs. Mercier for presenting the findings of the evaluation of the funding Windows as well as Mr. Nieto. For presenting the UNDP Management response. We recognize the Funding Windows as an important instrument to help bridge the gap. Between core resources and tightly earmarked non core resources.

When well designed and transparently managed, the they enhance flexibility, enable portfolio approaches and support integrated responses to complex development challenges while maintaining donor confidence and accountability. In this regard, we value the Funding Windows as an important tool for advancing the objectives of the Funding Compact. We welcome the first independent evaluation of Funding Windows and its practical recommendations. We consider this a timely opportunity to further strengthen the funding instrument and encourage management to take the recommendations forward in a systematic and transparent manner in line with the new Strategic Plan of undp. From a Member State perspective, we would.

Like to underscore four key points. First, strategic clarity. The Funding Windows have undergone significant, significant improvements since 2019, aligning more closely with the Strategic Plan and addressing previously underrepresented areas. We welcome these developments and encourage further refinement to maximize their strategic impact. Integration and contribution to the plan's implementation.

We would welcome further reflection on how UNDP can sharpen the identity and and. Purpose of the funding windows. The evaluation also raises questions about windows. With very limited funding, including what the. Optimal number of windows should be and whether a window supported by only one or two donors can deliver sufficient strategic impact.

Second point governance and transparency. Predictable, timely and accessible reporting on allocations, results and lessons learned is essential. This includes clarity on decision making processes, risk management and how resources are prioritized across regions and thematic areas. Third, results and Learning we encourage continued emphasis on results based management, including evidence of how funding windows enable innovation, catalytic financing and partnership evaluations and learning exercises should meaningfully inform future design and implementation. To this end, we encourage UNDP to develop appropriate targets and indicators to effectively monitor progress in implementing the recommendations and management response commitments.

Fourth, complementarity across the system we encourage reflection on how the funding windows can. Support greater coherence across the UN development system, reduce fragmentation and contribute to system. Wide objectives, including UN development system reform. In this context, it would be useful to better understand how the funding windows position themselves in the evolving UN80 context and how they relate to other pooled funding mechanisms. Finally, we wish to reiterate that flexible.

Funding depends on trust. We appreciate the constructive and transparent process around the evaluation and the openness to. Donor input, Continued dialogue, responsiveness to feedback. And a clear demonstration of added value and value for money will be key to sustaining and broadening donor engagement. Mr. President, in conclusion, we look forward to the implementation of the evaluation's recommendations and to continued dialogue on how this.

Funding modality can best support UNDP's strategic plan, the funding compact and the 2030 agenda. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished Permanent Representative of Luxembourg for his comments and now I open the floor to Ms. Mercier and Mr. Netto for any responses.

Let me start by thanking the excellent Ambassador Luxembourg and to thank Luxembourg for being one of the countries that has invested the longest into the funding window, as well as the Representative for Cote d' Ivoire for the statement earlier. On behalf of the African Group and on behalf of all the other members, let me the Strategic clarity your first point.

I think it is important to realize that we are now as we are rolling out the implementation of the new strategy Strategic Plan, starting the conversation on how best to evolve the funding wyndhams to this Strategic plan, right? Is it an equal number of funding wyndhams per areas of the Strategic Plan or something more systemic, most integrated? This conversation is going on right now at the Executive Group with the Administrator of UNDP and we will come back to you with ideas on how this has evolved. But I think the purpose is clear. It is about tied into the Strategic Plan and becoming the second best type of resources to core to implement the Strategic Plan.

We will also rationalize the Flagship approach with strength and thematic focus and strong results frameworks and costings. As you've mentioned there on the Governance Transparency we will review, as is part of our management response, the funding, governance and management arrangements to increase the oversight and risk management functions of the funduin Master Committee and its role in strategic engagement and dialogue with the Funduity Advisory Group as well as the Executive Board. We will develop and implement comprehensive standard operating procedures endorsed by the Funding Industry Committee. These standard operating procedures will cover pipeline management Fund allocation processes and be aligned with the revised fundamentals Governance management arrangements. We will disseminate and revise guidance on allocation process within the Flagships and we will explore ways for the Associate Administrator to engage more directly with the Fund of Williams Advisory Group throughout the implementation of the next strategic plan on the results in learning.

We welcome IEO's finding the annual reporting for Thematic flexible resources are core strengthened and funduino's act as a catalyst for more impactful results and resources and help pilot innovation. In responding to the recommendation, we will institutionalize funduindu's learning function to capture, synthesize and disseminate lessons learned from fundamental support initiatives. With guidance of UNDP's results based management Hub, UNDP will create a performance mechanism for reporting results against flagship indicators and targets that align with fundamental visions. UNDP will also establish repository of guidance materials and E learning tools as we implement the management response and through these actions we will enhance the reporting on Funder Wyndhams results in added value.

On your question on the accountability and I think we ensure that the evaluation recommendations throughout the structure management response will be smart and will be monitored quarterly as we do with all evaluations Management Response now on the question about how does this connect with un80 I had the pleasure to sit in one of the working packages on funding and I think what is becoming quite interesting here is we all recognize the value of CORE and the importance of core and I think what has been discussing in those conversations is the need to have multiple types of resources available for the entire UN system. Core being the best agency specific thematic funds like this like the funding window which every agency has UN pooled funds which also need to increase in volume and then even EMR fund. So I think in the conversations at UN80 it is this continuous of all types of resources that needs to be looked as how do we actually leverage each other on that. Now it is important to fix on what is the best resources and I think it is core and then soft earmark through thematic agency specific or UN pool funds in that sense. I think with that.

I just want to pick up on Marco's point about how you use this evaluation vis a vis, I guess how you position the funding windows vis a vis.180 but I did want to point out that the evaluation did a comparator study looking at other organizations and other funding mechanisms. So I do encourage you to have a look at that if you if you want to understand how the funding windows are positioned and absolutely agree with Marcos, you probably need a healthy mix of different instruments and vehicles depending on what you're trying to achieve. So I just wanted to point out that comparator study of course I'm happy to share more on that. Just reach out to me.

I thank both Ms. Mercier and Mr. Netta for their responses. Colleagues, this concludes consideration of agenda item 11.

If I hear no objections, I will take it that the Executive Board wishes to take note of the formative evaluation of the UNDP funding windows and management response. It is so decided.

I wish to inform the Board that a draft Decision on Item 11 on the Independent Evaluation Multi Year Program of Work 2026-2029 is under Preparation and will be presented for the Board's consideration later in the session. Let me thank our colleagues once again and their teams before we proceed to item 15 on the agenda on UNFPA evaluation. We will take just a moment for a change on the podium. Thank you. Thank you.

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Thank you very much. Colleagues, we will now proceed with agenda item 15, UNFPA evaluation. Under this item, the Board will consider the Multi Year costed evaluation plan 2026-29, the independent evaluation of UNFPA, support to the integration of the principles of leaving no one behind and reaching the furthest behind first, and the independent evaluation of the capacity of UNFPA in humanitarian action 2019-2025. And I am pleased to welcome to the podium Mr. Joel Renstrom, Director of the Independent Evaluation Office, ad Interim of UNFPA Mr. Pio Smith, Deputy Executive Director, Program ad Interim of UNFPA Ms. Julia Bunting, Director, Program Division of UNFPA and Ms. Shoko Arakaki, Director, Humanitarian Response Division of UNFPA. We will proceed as follows.

Mr. Renstrom will present the Multi Year Custody Valuation Plan 26 to 29, followed by a discussion. He will then present the two independent evaluations, the evaluation of UNFPA support to the integration of the principles of leaving no one behind and reaching the furthest behind first and B, the evaluation of the capacity of UNFPA in Humanitarian Action 2019-2025. Following each of these two presentations, Mr. Pierre Smith will present the UNFPA Management response, after which the floor will be opened for discussion.

With that, I invite now Mr. Renstrom to present the Multi Year Costed Evaluation Plan 2016-29.

Thank you, Mr. President. Distinguished members of the Executive Board. The Multi Year Costed Evaluation Plan includes two categories of centralized evaluations, managed and conducted by the Independent Evaluation Office and decentralized evaluations commissioned by country and regional offices. Over the four year period of the plan, 42 evaluations and evaluative exercises are expected to be conducted as centralized evaluations. Together, these provide A comprehensive coverage of the UNFPA strategic Plan encompassing all four strategic outcomes as well as key organization wide issues, geographical and country program coverage is ensured through the decentralized evaluations which include 71 country program evaluations and six regional program evaluations.

These evaluations are drawn from cost evaluation plans developed by country and regional offices. To deliver high quality, credible and timely evaluations, the evaluation function must be supported by predictable and adequate resources. The Plan assesses the resource implications for each evaluation, ensuring efficiency while leveraging existing capacities and partnerships. The estimated total cost of implementing the multi year plan is US dollars $22.75 million. This includes approximately $16.67 million for the independent evaluation office and the centralized evaluations and cost for decentralized program evaluations estimated at 6.08 million.

In the current environment and the landscape of protracted crises reform efforts, high quality evaluations are vital for evidence based decision making. To navigate this volatility and optimize organizational performance, the Plan introduces specific innovations designed to enhance enhance evaluation rigor and efficiency. Let me briefly touch on a few of those. First, the Plan introduces a recalibrated evaluation management approach with more evaluations than in the past done through in house resources by the staff of the Independent Evolution Office. Second, evaluations will be adaptive and innovative, making responsible and ethical use of artificial intelligence and other methods to enhance analytical depth and efficiency.

Third, to strengthen performance assessment and learning in humanitarian settings, the plan includes targeted evaluation of UNFPA's response to Level 3 emergencies alongside systematic integration of humanitarian development peace considerations across all centralized evolutions. Fourth, the Independent Evaluation Office will continue to engage strategically in joint interagency and system wide evaluations and over the next four years about 19 centralized evaluations and evaluative exercises, which is 45% of the portfolio, will be joint or interagency exercises. Fifth, the plan proposes a mix of internal and joint evidence synthesis to maximize learning across joint corporate and program level evaluations. Finally, and importantly recognizing UNFPA's dynamic operating environment, the Plan remains flexible and responsive to change. This allows for necessary adjustments to internal and external developments and shifts as necessary and if you will, broader UN system wide reforms.

Mr. President, distinguished delegates, the Independent Evaluation Office will closely monitor implementation of the Plan and will keep the Executive Board informed through the annual report on the evaluation function. I thank the Executive Board for your continued support and remain at your disposal for any questions. Mr. President, this concludes my statement.

I thank Mr. Renstrom for his presentation. Colleagues, the floor is open for comments or questions. I give the floor to Tunisio on behalf of the African group.

Thank you Mr. President. I have the honor to speak on behalf of the African Group members of the Executive Board of undp, UNFP and namely Chad, Cote d', Ivoire, Madagascar, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Zambia and my own country Tunisia. We thank UNFPA for the continued engagement with program countries and the evaluation offices for the reports to be represented. Africa continues to face a convergence of complex and interlinked challenges climate shocks, food insecurity, rising debt burdens, conflict displacement, widening inequalities and undermining development gains and placing additional pressure on national systems. In this context, our Group reaffirms the indispensable role of the UN Development system in supporting sustainable development and resilience building across the continent.

UNFPA remains a critical partner for our continent in advancing national and continental development priorities which are critical for accelerating progress towards the SDGS and our continental agenda 2063. In this context, evaluation plays a similar central role in these efforts. The African Group recognized evaluation as a key tool to enhance transparency, strengthen result based management and ensure development cooperation delivers meaningful impact for communities, particularly the most vulnerable. Evaluation must not be seen solely as a compliance or accountability tool. It must be leveraged as a strategic driver for adaptive programming, real time learning and policy course correction, particularly in fragile and humanitarian context where needs evolve rapidly.

The African Group further underlines that evaluation findings should translate into operational adjustments, strengthening national systems and capacities and targeted investments that directly improve service delivery for women, girl and vulnerable populations. Additionally, evaluation findings must be accompanied by the necessity means of implementation. Accountability must go hand in hand with adequate financing, solidarity and child responsibility. Mr. President, the African Group attached particular importance to ensuring that evaluation contributes to stronger development effectiveness in priority areas for Africa, including poverty reduction, climate adaptation, health system, strengthening women, employment and youth opportunities. In this regard, we underscore the vital mandate of UN FPA in reducing maternal mortality, addressing gender based violence and supporting women and girl, especially in fragile and humanitarian context.

Our Group stressed the importance of strengthening the humanitarian development peace nexus including through anticipatory action, risk informed programming and strengthen national system resilience, particularly in climate affected and conflict affected settings.

We encourage also continued investment in integrated service delivery models combining sexual protection from gender based violence, population data systems and community based resilience approaches. The Group reaffirms also that the principle of leaving no one behind remains central to development cooperation. However, this principle must move beyond targeted service delivery and evolve towards structural transformation including through inclusive policy Design, strengthen national DARA's ecosystems and meaningful participation of affected communities in program design and evaluation. The African Group also highlights the strategic importance of democratic demographic data and population intelligence in informing national planning, humanitarian preparedness and long term development policies. Mr. President, predictable, flexible and adequate core and complementary resources remain the backbone of UNFPA's ability to deliver life saving services, particularly in crisis settings, and to support localization and national ownership agendas.

We call for strengthened partnerships including with international financial institutions, the private sector and domestic resource mobilization efforts, while preserving the centrality of multilateral development financing. The Group supports efforts to build a future fit UN development system including through digital transformation, innovation and evaluation methodologies and strengthening data driven decision making. To conclude, we encourage continued efforts to enhance organizational agility, workforce diversity and efficiency while preserving mandates and operational continuity, particularly in crisis context and I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Tunisia on behalf of the Africa Group for his statement. I have no other request for the floor, so I will go back to Mr. Renstrom to see if he has any comments in response.

Mr. President, I would just like to thank Tunisia, speaking on behalf of the Africa Group, for a very thoughtful statement and including highlighting the importance and value of evaluation. I think that's very well said, so thank you very much.

Thank Mr. Renstrom. I now invite Mr. Renstrom back to present the independent evaluation of UNFP support to the integration of the principles of Leaving no one behind and Reaching the Furthest Behind. First.

Thank you Mr. President. It's my pleasure to present the main results and recommendations of the independent evaluation of UNFPA's support to the integration of the principles of Leaving no one behind and reaching the furthest behind. The evolution is the first of its kind at UNFPA and it assesses how the principles of Leaving no one behind have been conceptualized, integrated and implemented across the organization's programming and operations at global, regional and country levels in both development and humanitarian settings. Its findings are particularly timely as UNFPA begins implementing its strategic plan for 2629. Allow me to highlight four key messages from the evolution.

First, the evaluation finds strong and widespread commitment to the principle of leaving no one behind across unfpa, viewing it as integral to its mandate and human rights based approach. UNFP is recognized as a leader within the United nations system in advancing intersectional approaches to exclusion, particularly through its work in collection and generation of population data and through its sustained engagement with civil society, including rights holder organizations. At the same time, awareness and operational use of the Leave no one behind operational plan remains uneven. While the core concepts, in particular the shift from population groups to intersecting factors of exclusion, are broadly endorsed, their practical application is not yet consistent across all contexts. Second, the evaluation confirms that UNFPA has implemented diverse interventions that are responsive and in some cases transformative.

These efforts are evident across all thematic areas of UNFPA's mandate and are often grounded in context specific strategies and adapted to national priorities. UNFPA's convening role emerges as a distinctive added value, enabling the voices of those furthest behind to be heard at national, regional and global levels. However, the evolution also finds that commitments to leaving no one behind are not yet systematically reflected in financial allocations, human resource planning or performance and accountability systems. This limits the organization's ability to consistently prioritize those furthest behind, particularly in resource constrained and humanitarian settings. Two more points Third, the evolution highlights the need for greater conceptual clarity and coherence of leaving no one behind within UNFPA's brain.

Broader human rights based approach questions remain about how leaving no one behind and reaching the furthest behind and other efforts to address structural inequalities relate to one another in practice. Strengthening conceptual clarity would enhance coherence across corporate guidance, reduce ambiguity at country level and support consistent implementation, especially where multiple inclusion related strategies exist. Fourth, the evaluation underscores that fully embedding the principle of leaving no one behind requires sustained attention to organizational culture and institutional accountability. Moving beyond rhetoric and tick box approaches requires deliberate investment in leadership capacity development, knowledge management and inclusive workplace practices. These dimensions are essential to ensure that leaving no one behind is a lived organizational value.

Mr. President distinguished delegates Based on these findings, the evaluation provides practical recommendations focused on strengthening guidance and learning to support context responsive implementation and better aligning internal systems with commitments to leave no one behind. I'm confident that this evaluation provides a sound evidence base to reflect on UNFPA's past performance and inform the implementation of the strategic plan. 26:29 as UNFPA prioritizes those most at risk of being left behind. This concludes my statement. Mr. President, I thank the Executive Board for its continued support and welcome Any questions or comments?

I thank Mr. Renstrom and I give the floor to Mr. Smith for the management response. Thank you, Mr. President, distinguished members of the Executive Board, I'm pleased to present our management response. The findings of this evaluation confirm a significant institutional milestone. UNFPA has successfully transitioned the concept of leaving no one behind from a theoretical framework into a core guiding and operational principle. It is at the heart of our human rights based mandate and the North Star for the four interconnected outcomes of our new strategic plan.

The evaluation recognizes that we consistently go above and beyond to reach the most excluded communities, often in the world's most complex humanitarian and politically sensitive environments. The evaluation also offers a constructive challenge to move from principles to programmatic excellence and total institutional accountability. UNFPA has fully accepted all six recommendations to achieve this. Our response to be implemented between Q1 of 2026 and Q4 of 2027 focuses on three high impact pillars. First, we are further strengthening institutional accountability and scaling up the integration of LNOB into our corporate programming systems.

This includes formally embedding LNOB criteria into the quality assurance process for developing our country program documents and we are operationalizing a new LNOB financial marker. This will help achieve measurable system wide accountability. We are ensuring that our commitment to the most marginalised is visible in all aspects of our programming and reflected in our performance management systems. Second, we are advancing diversity and embedding LNOB values in our staffing. We will incorporate LNOB principles directly into the new UNFPA 2030 People Strategy.

This involves a comprehensive review of our recruitment frameworks so that we actively champion the hiring of individuals from marginalized and underrepresented groups. Furthermore, we are committed to enhancing our physical and operational accessibility, ensuring that UNFPA is an inclusive home for all talent. Third, we are leveraging our unique value proposition to drive operational transformation. UNFPA remains a global leader in providing the disaggregated population data necessary to make the invisible visible. We will use this data alongside our unique convening power to bridge the gap between civil society, governments and other stakeholders.

We are committed to strengthening partnerships with localised and user led organisations, ensuring that the voices of the marginalized are not just heard but are leading the decision making processes. To support these shifts. We will launch a practical LNOB learning series and update our internal programming guidance. This ensures that every staff member has the tools needed to advocate for inclusion and human rights. In summary, Mr. President, our path forward is clear and resolute.

We are institutionalizing these principles across our core corporate architecture from human resources and planning and program delivery to budgeting and external partnerships. This is our collective pledge to move from project based successes to organizational transformation. We look forward to your continued support and partnership as we translate the promise of leaving no one behind into concrete life changing results ensuring that we truly reach the furthest behind. First, thank you. I thank Mr. Smith for his remarks.

I have no requests for the floor for this segment and I will therefore move straight into a request to Mr. Renstrong to present the independent evaluation of the capacity of UNFPA in humanitarian action 2019-2025.

Thank you, Mr. President, the independent evaluation of UNFPA's capacity in humanitarian action covers the period from 2019 to 2025. This period, I think, as we all would recognize, was defined by an unprecedented rise in complex crises. Yet UNFPA has shown resilience and growth in its response. Let me highlight a few key messages. First, UNFPA humanitarian work is now recognized as core and an essential part of its mission.

UNFP has made significant progress in professionalizing this function with dedicated policies and guidance. However, the absence of a standalone global humanitarian strategy at the time of the evolution was noted as posing coordination challenges. This is a gap that can lead to inconsistent prioritization and advocacy for sexual and reproductive health and rights and addressing gender based violence as life saving interventions. Second, UNFPA's interventions have achieved considerable progress in delivering high quality sexual and reproductive health and gender based violence services. The organization has successfully successfully institutionalized high quality evidence based service models.

Yet, given the scale of the humanitarian needs globally, the services provided or supported by UNFPA clearly only represent a fraction of what is required. Third, UNFPA stands as a globally recognized leader in population data. This unique foundational expertise provides data distinct comparative advantage significantly enhancing the evidence base for the entire humanitarian system. While internal data cohesion can be further strengthened to improve real time decision making. UNFPA data contributions have already driven policy advancements and innovations.

Fourth, operational efficiency has improved notably. Third, through the creation of the Humanitarian Response Division. These advancements have enhanced UNFPA's ability to respond. However, heavy reliance on short term earmarked funding both for programming and staff creates instability. Frequent what you might refer to as double hatting of personnel and overall reliance on short term deployment mechanisms continue to hinder long term implementation capacity capacity.

Fifth, UNFPA demonstrates strong internal coherence regarding sexual and reproductive health and rights and gender based violence as well as improved external complementarity through partnerships and leadership in the protection from sexual exploitation and abuse. Overall coherence is hampered by the weak integration of youth and population data programming which remains largely separate from from core humanitarian structures. This fragmentation prevents the organization from fully leveraging its comparative expertise for more integrated responses. Sixth, and finally, the integration of the humanitarian development peace continuum is increasing and clear. From unafa's corporate strategic plans to concrete country level operations, UNFPA is effectively building resilience among affected communities through the strategic use of innovative and forward looking strategies.

However, the reliance on short term project based funding cycles can undermine the ability of local partners to build long term capacity and financial resilience. Mr. President distinguished delegates to address the identified gaps, the evaluation proposes practical recommendations that elevate accountability standards by enhancing technical guidance and learning frameworks, UNFPA is better equipped to deliver effective humanitarian action. I am confident that this evolution can inform the implementation of the Strategic Plan 2026-2029 and solidify UNFPA's commitment to addressing the needs of women, girls and youth in humanitarian contexts. This concludes my statement. Mr. President and I thank the Board for its contribution, continued support and welcome any questions or comments.

I thank Mr. Renstrom and give the floor to Mr. Smith for the management response. Thank you, Mr. President, distinguished members of the Executive Board, I'm pleased to present our response to the independent evaluation of our capacity in humanitarian action. We fully accept six out of the seven recommendations and partially accept one reflecting our firm commitment to continuous improvement. UNFPI has invested significant significantly to implement the recommendations contained in the 2019 independent evaluation to advance our work in the humanitarian space and we welcome the findings of this new evaluation which confirm that we have made significant strides in institutionalizing our humanitarian mandate in relation to strategic positioning and leadership. UNFPA agrees with the need to further elevate its strategic and leadership role in humanitarian action by developing a comprehensive standalone internal strategic framework for humanitarian action.

This framework will articulate our humanitarian proposition and ensure our mandate areas are consistently prioritized as life saving interventions. This is particularly crucial as we engage in the Humanitarian Reset to ensure that the organisation is best positioned to deliver and often be the sole provider of these life saving services. The reporting line of the Humanitarian Response Division will be shifted from the Deputy Executive Director for Management to the Deputy Ed for Program after recruitment of the Ladder. This structural change will deepen programmatic integration across the humanitarian development peace continuum in relation to reinforcing country level capacity. UNFPA is reinforcing its humanitarian leadership by instituting mandatory minimum standards of relevant knowledge, skills and experience for country representatives and senior staff.

Our new strategic plan and integrated budget provide for the upgrade of eight key country office management positions so that we attract and retain top tier humanitarian talent. UNFPA has clearly articulated its responsibility and accountability as the provider of last resort for GBV while supporting the GBV AOR integration into the protection cluster. Within the Humanitarian Reset, we will safeguard our global, regional and national GBV and emergencies expertise to ensure it maintains strong programming and leadership across all future coordination arrangements. UNFPI remains seriously concerned that persistent funding shortfalls are increasingly constraining our ability to sustain essential GBV programming at country level, particularly in high risk and protracted crises, we are strengthening the SRH services in emergencies and deepening operational and technical collaboration with WHO to ensure coherent complementary action and continuity of life saving services for women, girls and young people in the most challenging contexts. In relation to operational agility and investing in people, we are advancing targeted reforms to policies, program procedures and programmatic frameworks to better support both sudden onset and protracted crises including clear alignment with the humanitarian development continuum.

We are embedding a more proactive no regrets approach to humanitarian action through strengthened risk management practices supported by clear oversight and performance metrics. UNFPA is also addressing structural enablers of effective response by defining minimum humanitarian capacity requirements, streamlining recruitment mechanisms and reducing reliance on short term staffing models. In relation to accountability and localization, UNFPA is further strengthening its localization efforts by promoting funding to local and national actors, local involvement and leadership and response capacity in our humanitarian efforts. Last year we issued internal guidance on localization and we are advancing identified priority areas including risk sharing and tracking. Following the launch of our Global Accountability to Affected Populations framework, we are now making community feedback mechanisms a mandatory and consistent practice.

And finally, in relation to data and outcome measurement, we have partially accepted the recommendation for unified data strategy given that our own 2024 Humanitarian Data Framework already provide provides the necessary foundation. We agree on the need for better outcome measurement and we will update our indicators to move beyond activity level reporting toward measuring real impact in the lives of women and girls affected by crises. In conclusion, Mr. President, the steps outlined will help to ensure that our humanitarian capacity is not just robust but truly fit for purpose. We remain committed to being a predictable, agile and effective leader delivering life saving results in the world's most challenging contexts. Thank you.

I thank Mr. Smith for his remarks and I open the floor now for comments and questions from you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Norway.

Thank you Chair and thank you to the presenters here. Today Norway welcomes the Multi Area cost. Evaluation plan 2026-2029 and values the important. Evaluation reports presented to the Board here. Today allow me to focus on the independent evaluation of UNFPA's capacity in humanitarian action.

We welcome the findings that UNFPA has strengthened its humanitarian capacity since 202019 including. Through improved operational structures, increased support to. Women led organisations and more integrated sexual. And reproductive health and gender based violence services. However, significant challenges remain.

We urge UNFPA to implement the recommendations with urgency, consolidates its humanitarian engagement, deepen. Its focus on the most vulnerable vulnerable. Build more equitable partnerships with women led. Organizations, strengthen youth inclusion and enhance collaboration across divisions Sexual and gender based violence. Is a grave human rights violation and public health emergency.

It's rooted in persistent gender inequality and discriminatory norms. Humanitarian Crisis these risks intensify disproportionately affecting women and girls while men, boys and. LGBTQI persons also face heightened vulnerability. Comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services including. Maternal and newborn care, family planning, safe abortion and SGBV prevention, risk mitigation and response response are life saving and time critical.

Such services must be integral to every humanitarian response, not as an optional add on. Yet recent funding reductions are eroding hard won gains. Protection services and health facilities are closing and women led organizations are being forced to scale scale down or cease operations. The consequences for millions of women and girls are profound and unacceptable. Human rights, gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls must be at the core of the reformed humanitarian system.

Norway supports the unity reform and the. Humanitarian reset that prioritizes protection, locally led responses and a simpler and more effective architecture. Norway remained firmly committed to prioritizing SGBV. Protection and access to SRHR services in humanitarian settings. I thank you very much.

I thank the distinguished representative of Norway. I give the floor to Australia.

Thank you President and thank you to the briefers for the helpful updates. I'll make some just minor comments on two of the sub agenda items, but both from a humanitarian perspective. Australia welcomes the multi year costed evaluation plans, focus on humanitarian action preparedness and localization as well as the integration of humanitarian aspects into the forward work plan for evaluations and we're also pleased to to hear that the Evaluation Office will deepen its engagement in interagency evaluations to increase system wide learning and coordination. We would encourage ongoing monitoring of the plan to ensure the evaluation demand is aligned both with resourcing and with the workforce's capacity to absorb evaluation learnings. We also welcome the independent evaluation of UNFPA capacity in humanitarian action action and the management response and are pleased to see a commitment to enhanced accountability to affected populations and localization efforts strengthened.

Local leadership is especially important in the Indo Pacific where local actors are the first to respond when crises occur. Finally, Australia would welcome regular updates to the Board on progress against the Management response action items for the evaluations. Thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of Australia. I have no other requests for the floor so I will hand back to both Mr. Renstrom and Mr. Smith for their responses.

Thank you. Let me respond to the questions that really relate to the evasion plan and the specific references to the humanitarian evaluations. Indeed, we do have a system of tracking the implementation of recommendations and we'll be reporting on that as part of our regular reporting to the Board at the annual session of the Board. So you will be hearing on the status of these and other evaluations from the past at already the upcoming June session of the Board. And indeed we will continue to monitor also the implementation of the evaluation plan.

And take note of the point you mentioned about the alignment of the resources and the plan. So no other reflections or comments from my side on the two interventions.

Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you to the distinguished delegates. Let me perhaps begin with the distinguished delegate from Norway and to begin also by thanking Norway for their continued support to UNFPA in many of our humanitarian settings. And indeed thank you for championing that. You know, there is an urgency to put in place many of these responses that are required, but also to safeguard against further reductions that are affecting protection services.

And that is having a profound and actually, you know, it's having a profound impact on life saving work. So one plus one means actually that we're losing lives the more that is being reduced there. I want to say that, you know, we're trying to put in place a series of mitigation actions in terms of having in place some of our in house expertise through the global emergency response teams as well as on SRH and SRHR and data so that we can have more timely, informed decisions, decision making in volatile settings. We're also really dedicated to advancing the localization work with local actors, the women led organizations. And we ourselves put in place a target for.

I think it's around 48%, 43% and we're sitting at around 41%. We have a target for around for it's around 43% for women led organisations through whom we directly a lot of our financing on supply chains, we're addressing that through last mile quality assurance, using cash and voucher assistance to expand access where traditional delivery channels are constrained. That is another way of reaching the furthest behind. And we very much do have a stay and deliver posture. And on the youth inclusion, of course that is also very much tied to our work on the, the youth peace and security piece where we continue to lead with our other UN agency colleagues to Australia.

Thank you also for your ongoing support to our work in humanitarian settings. And in particular I want to pay tribute to Australia for their support on the accountability to effective populations work that we have and that localization because of the investments and the trust that we have had in terms of testing that and I know myself from being regional director In Asia Pacific, we've been able to use those learnings to actually mainstream that across our wider humanitarian programming. So we thank the distinguished delegate for her observations as well. And If I may, Mr. President, I did also want to just acknowledge the intervention from our distinguished representative from Tunisia on behalf of the Africa Group. And just to say that, you know, we really do, you know, appreciate how he has underscored the importance the group pays to the work of the organization and to ensuring that we continue the investments and continue to make learnings from these evaluations.

UNFPA has been consistently increasing our investment in evaluation even during financial challenges. We've been safeguarding ring fencing budgets for independent functions. And if you look at our investments from, you know, 2014 to 2023, we reached an historic high, actually amounting to 10 million in 2024, reflecting that continued increase in investment. And so, you know, we really want to just underscore what you have also said with respect to humanitarian and the anticipatory action linking it to our work around climate building health, resilient health systems that are affected by climate change, but also to ensure that we climate proof, especially in many of our sids, which are most affected by this challenge. This remains a top priority for the organization.

And you're absolutely correct in terms of requiring structural transformation in terms of the LNOB component. And I hope that we have given the reassurances that that is our guiding mantra as we move forward learning from these evaluations. Thank you, Mr. President. I thank Mr. Renstrom and Mr. Smith for their responses. With that, colleagues, we conclude consideration of item 15.

Now, if I hear no objections, I. I will take it that the Executive Board wishes to take note of the independent evaluation of UNFPA support to the integration of the principles of leaving no one behind and reaching the furthest behind first and the independent evaluation of UNFPA capacity in humanitarian action. It is so decided.

I also wish to inform the Board that a draft decision on agenda item 15, the Multi Year Cost Adjusted Evaluation Plan 2026-2029, is being discussed, is under preparation and will be presented for the Board's consideration later in the session.

Tomorrow at 10 o' clock in the morning, we will continue the first regular session with the continuation of the joint segment. With that, this meeting is adjourned.