2nd meeting - Executive Board of UNDP, UNFPA and UNOPS (Annual Session 2025)

Dear colleagues, good afternoon. I kindly ask you to take your seats. Thank you. I declare open the 2nd meeting of the Annual Session 2025 of the Executive Board of UNEP-NFPA-UNOPS. This meeting is being held in accordance with the Rules of Procedure of the Executive Board and the approved annual work plan. This afternoon, we will continue into the joint segment with Agenda Item 5, Protection Against Sexual Exploitation and Abuse and Sexual Harassment. I am pleased to welcome back to the podium Mrs. Linda McGuire, Assistant Administrator and Director of the Bureau for Management Services at UNDP, Mr. Andrew Subberton, Deputy Executive Director for Management at UNFPA, and Mrs. Christine Damkier, Deputy Executive Director at UNOPS. We will first listen to our colleagues and then of course we'll get comments and interventions from, from member states. I will first give the floor to Mrs. Linda McGuire, the Assistant Administrator and Director of the Bureau for Management Services, to deliver the remarks on behalf of UNDP. You have the floor, please.

Thank you very much, Mr. President, distinguished members of the Executive Board, ladies and gentlemen. It's a pleasure to update you on UNDP's progress in the prevention and response to sexual harassment and sexual exploitation and abuse, which I will refer to as SHSEA for brevity in the in the remarks. Since our last report to the Executive Board in June 2024, UNDP has continued its efforts to prevent and address all incidents of SHSEA. Our aim remains to ensure that all cases are addressed promptly and effectively while prioritizing the safety and interest of victims and survivors. My remarks today will focus on a few key highlights. In April this year, the UNDP Administrator and his Executive Group endorsed UNDP's updated Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment Strategy and Action Plan for 2025-2026, which focuses on 4 key areas: prevention, reporting and response, victim support, and accountability. The strategy and action plan was informed by the results of our annual PSEAH survey, which provides a rich source of data to inform our approach. The latest survey data confirms very high levels of awareness about SHSEA among personnel. There is strong leadership commitment across all of our offices. Equally important is the commitment and active engagement of our many PSEAH focal points. In addition, we are seeing very strong interagency collaboration at all levels. So, that's all good news. The survey data also points, however, to some areas where we need to do more. Firstly, in our engagement with implementing partners, we need to continue efforts to make sure they understand the importance of SH/SEA and have the capacity to address it. Secondly, while there is good progress compared to previous years, we need to ensure that all our programs are assessed for SEA/SH risks.

Thank you.

And thirdly, comprehensive support to victims, survivors is still an area requiring additional work. These 3 areas will be the focus of our dedicated work over the coming year. In addition, we will continue investing in raising awareness. This is not only key to prevention but is also essential for increased reporting and stronger accountability. Our various interventions resulted in an increase in both formal and informal reports. as well as in a surge in demand for support and advice. With regards to formal reports, our team of investigators continue to prioritize all SHSEA cases, recognizing how difficult the process can be for victims. Unfortunately, around one-third of reported cases are closed because victims choose to withdraw. We are in the process of recruiting a new dedicated victim support officer who will ensure that victims, survivors, get the dedicated support that they need. Ensuring accountability for sexual misconduct is at the key of our work. We take it very seriously. As of today, 25 former UNDP personnel are in the ClearCheck database. We also continue leveraging ClearCheck to screen candidates selected for UNDP jobs, and I I am pleased to confirm that UNDP is now a member of the Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. The pilot was launched in January in 5 high-risk countries. Our work on organizational culture is also critical to the prevention of SEASH. Initiatives implemented as part of the People for 2030 strategy include, for example, the Speak Up program we mentioned in the previous sessions, which aims to ensure that our workplace culture is based on openness, trust, respect, and freedom from fear. The annual surveys that we run as part of the UNDP Listens program provide us with concrete data on where we are succeeding and where we need to do more. The survey data also allows us to track the number of personnel who are still not comfortable reporting misconduct and address the causes of that. Mr. President, distinguished members of the board, UNDP remains firmly committed to preventing and addressing all incidences of sexual misconduct, and we're happy to respond to any questions. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mrs. McGuire. And I'll give the floor to Mr. Andrew Subberton, Executive Deputy Executive Director for Management at the NFPA, to deliver these remarks on behalf of the NFPA. You have the floor, Mr. Subberton.

Mr. President, distinguished members of the Executive Board, ladies and gentlemen. I'm pleased to provide an update on the progress made by UNFPA in implementing its strategy on protection from sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment. Last month, we submitted a detailed information note outlining key indicators, achievements, lessons learned, and our plans for evidence-driven impact as we continue to implement our strategy. UNFPA views protection from SEA and SH as life-saving, grounded in equality, accountability, and do no harm, all of which are foundational to our mandate. Our unwavering commitment to zero tolerance for sexual misconduct remains at the heart of this work. The urgency of PSEAH is heightened by escalating conflict, humanitarian crisis, amplified inequalities, and significant financial constraints, of which increase SEA-H risks. We deeply appreciate Member States' commitment to this standing agenda item, ensuring its sustained focus and resourcing. Our strategy relies on accountability, survivor-centered principles, and evidence-based driven actions and systems-level culture change. In its first year, we achieved 80% of our targets and milestones outlined, outlined in the work plan, And we strengthened our internal capacity by expanding the PSEAH unit with an additional fixed-term specialist. Let me highlight UNFPA's significant PSEAH progress over the past year, which reflects our capacity to eradicate gender-based violence, reinforce bodily autonomy, and empower women, girls, and adolescents. Country offices and PSEAH focal points are essential. With focal points now appointed in 100% of our country offices. Of these, 88% implement survivor assistance protocols, 80% conduct regular SEAH risk assessments, and 87% engage in community consultations. PSEA protocols of implementing partners have also been strengthened, with 98% assessed in 2024. All of these figures are increases from last year. This all underscores UNFPA's firm commitment to interagency collaboration to address sexual misconduct. This year, 95% of our focal points actively participated in or led PSEA networks, and UNFPA supported the Interagency Capacity Roster and funds 10 coordination personnel in 7 IASC priority countries. UNFPA also spearheaded the development of the IP Protocol Resource Package, launched the IASC SEA Survivor Support Module, drafted a manual for victim-survivor-centered SEAH investigations, led Workstream 5 of the UN Executive Group on addressing SEAH, and is co-leading 2 IASC technical advisory working groups. UNFPA prioritizes evidence-based best practices in prevention, response, accountability, and coordination. Sustainable change requires strengthening our organizational culture by addressing root causes, valuing women and safeguarding expertise, and building trust in our systems among communities and personnel. UNFPA completed the first pilot year of the misconduct disclosure scheme It launched an ideation challenge, updated the PSEAH information portal, and developed a core learning package to drive impact and innovation. UNFPA's Integrity Group, comprising HR, PSEAH, Ethics, Legal, and Audit Investigation Principles, led efforts on personal welfare, accountability, and transparency regarding sexual misconduct. To enhance trust, they activated a sexual misconduct support focal point and conducted personnel surveys to identify SEAH reporting barriers. These findings will shape targeted actions in 2025. To sustain momentum and ensure efficiency and impact across our efforts, UNFPA will utilize the strategy planning— strategic planning paradigms to empower country offices and leadership. facilitate informed planning decisions, guide resource allocation, and drive impactful efforts. With continued support from Member States, UNFPA remains fully committed to effectively and sustainably resourcing and staffing its PSEAH work, including allocating technical experts and appropriate funding levels to maximize results. Let me close by unequivocally reaffirming that UNFPA takes every allegation seriously and takes prompt action in each case. Our Office of Audit and Investigation Services prioritizes these matters, ensuring 84% of investigations— sorry, 84% of investigators are trained in survivor-centered procedures and completing investigations in as few as 6 months in 2024. And we continue rigorous screening of recruits through both ClearCheck and the MDS.

Thank you, Mr. Sibberton. And I finally give the floor to, to Mrs. Christine Damkajer, Deputy Executive Director for Delivery and Partnerships at UNOPS. You have the floor, please.

Thank you very much, Mr. President, distinguished members of the Executive Board, ladies and gentlemen. I give this statement on behalf of Deputy Executive Director, Management and Policy, Sonia Leighton-Cohn. It is an honor to address you today here on an issue that remains of paramount importance to our organization: the prevention of, protection against, and response to sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment— PSEAH. This critical agenda is not only a strategic priority for UNOPS, but one deeply rooted in our shared values of integrity, professionalism, respect, and accountability. These values guide our every step, and we embed PSEH principles in operational frameworks worldwide. In 2024, and continuing today, we are actively implementing the second phase of the UNOPS Global PSEH HEA strategy for 2023 to 2025. This strategy is built on 3 core pillars. First, the strengthening of risk management systems. Second, the integration of a victim and survivor-centered approach. And third, a continued focus on capacity building across organization for both personnel and partners. To drive this work forward, UNOPS has expanded its capacity by bringing on board a dedicated PSEH specialist working in close collaboration with our PSEH advisor. This strategic addition reflects our unwavering commitment to the effective implementation of all 3 pillars, ensuring robust prevention, timely response, and a clear accountability throughout our global operations. A guiding principle in our work has been to ensure that our interventions are both risk-informed and evidence-based. In this regard, we conducted a comprehensive risk analysis of our prevention and response systems tailored to the operational and geographical realities of our work, whether in infrastructure procurement or mine action. One key takeaway from this analysis is clear: context matters. A one-size-fits-all approach is no longer effective. We must understand the unique circumstances of each project and operational setting in order to apply adaptive, context-sensitive risk management strategies. Central to our efforts have been the integration of a victim victim and survivor-centered approach. This has directly shaped the ongoing reform of our whistleblowing system and significantly enhanced our accountability mechanisms. I'm pleased to report that our victim support function is now fully operational, ensuring timely referral to appropriate services including medical care, psychosocial support and counseling. We also have prioritized risk mitigation in our recruitment processes and practices. UNOPS is now in its second year of implementing the Misconduct Disclosure Scheme, MDS, in selected regions. As we transition to a new ERP system, we anticipate full integration of MDS checks in all recruitment processes in the near future. Interagency collaboration has likewise seen meaningful progress. Building on our experience with private sector engagement, UNOPS now co-chairs the Interagency Workgroup on Private Sector and Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in partnership with UNDP. This initiative seeks to establish minimum SEA standards for private sector partners across the UN system, a much-needed step towards system-wide harmonization. Finally, I wish to emphasize the critical importance of leadership in fostering trust in our system. Compassionate, accountable leadership is essential. That is why UNOPS is investing in competence-based training for our managers, equipping them not only to identify and address early warning systems, but also to support formal reporting and ensure victims receive the help they need. Every manager is now accountable through clearly defined PSEH-related performance objectives. This is more than policy; it is culture change. While we have made real progress, we are under no illusion challenges remain, and the work ahead is substantial. But we face it with determination, humility, and an unwavering sense of purpose. We will continue to close the remaining gaps, strengthen prevention, and ensure our responses are impactful, survivor-focused, and inclusive.

Thank you.

Microphone for the chairman, please.

No, it's working now. Thank you.

Microphone for the chairman, please.

It wasn't working. It's working now, right? All right, I'm gonna repeat it. So we have already a couple of delegations requesting to speak. We have the United Kingdom and Portugal, and those delegations wishing to be registered for For the list, just press your microphone button. And I now give the floor to the United Kingdom. You have the floor, please.

Thank you, Mr. President.

Could we please activate the microphone for the United Kingdom over there?

They're saying they need a moment.

All right.

Comment because they need to reset the system. All right, thank you. All right, the United Kingdom.

Yes, please.

Great. Thank you, Mr. President. I deliver this statement on behalf of Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, EU in its capacity as a donor, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Guatemala, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Japan, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, the Republic of Moldova, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye, and my own country, the United Kingdom. We thank UNDP, UNFPA, and UNOPS for their continued efforts to ensure protection from and response to sexual exploitation, abuse, and sexual harassment. These agencies have taken important steps to reinforce a zero-tolerance approach focused on victims and survivors, and we underline the key role of leadership in setting this tone. Additionally, we welcome the 3 agencies' efforts to ensure an inclusive, diverse, and safe organizational culture in order to help address the root causes of these issues. We have some specific questions on the information shared in the report and would also like to offer some reflections. First, we recognize that current funding constraints will necessitate prioritization. On behalf of the countries subscribing to this statement, we underline that protecting and serving marginalized populations is not optional. We therefore expect UN agencies to continue to protect hard-won gains and prioritize the prevention of and response to SCAH? This means ensuring dedicated and sustainable staffing, expertise, and funding to prevent and respond to these issues globally and at the country level. How will UNDP, UNFPA, and UNOPS ensure SCAH prevention and response remains a priority amidst ongoing efforts to find efficiency?

Thank you.

Second, collective action to streamline work, reduce duplication and fragmentation is necessary. Further resource pooling, collective tools, and harmonizing approaches can be instrumental in achieving efficiencies and impact. Overall, where do UNDP, UNFPA, and UNOPS see opportunities for further interagency collaboration? Third, we would like to emphasize the importance of drawing on existing expertise in tackling sexual and gender-based violence from within agencies and from across the system as a whole. Therefore, the mapping and further expansion of GBV prevention and response services across contexts, and especially where access may be limited, would be very helpful. Beyond UN interagency efforts, broader multi-stakeholder tools such as the Common Approach to Protection from SEA-H and the Misconduct Disclosure Scheme are useful resources. Noting the positive signals in the UNSG's 2025 Special Measures Report on CAP-SEA-H, we encourage all UN agencies to consider formally endorsing it. We also appreciate all agency— we also appreciate agencies piloting the misconduct disclosure scheme. Are UNDP, UNFPA, and UNOPS planning to implement the scheme more widely beyond the initial pilots? We appreciate the data and information shared, including during this session, and would also welcome further analysis on the impact of efforts to prevent SCAH. As we have requested in previous board meetings, we ask that the reporting and our discussions over this week should focus on impact, addressing challenges, and on lessons learned. Mr. President, please allow us to highlight a few elements based on the report provided which are agency-specific. Regarding UNDP, we commend the successful outreach and the active role of focal points. Noting the increasing number of reports, is there sufficient capacity to take these forward? And could you explain why UNDP has no mandate to investigate SEAH cases involving third parties when, for example, UNFPA does? Regarding UNFPA, how will the agency monitor the implementation of its ambitious strategy adopted in 2024, and how will the Executive Board be informed and engaged on the implementation? We would also like to acknowledge the improvements made by UNFPA in conducting timely investigations on cases of sexual misconduct. The report mentions, however, that 63% of personnel that had experienced or witnessed sexual misconduct chose not to report it. How is UNFPA aiming to address underlying reporting barriers, and why are figures so persistently high on those experiencing these issues? And finally, regarding UNOPS, could you elaborate on how you are working on community engagement as a priority and how you will work with other agencies to benefit from systems in place already? Thank you.

I thank the United Kingdom for this statement on behalf of a group of countries, and I give now the floor to the distinguished representative of Portugal. You have the floor, please.

Thank you, Mr. President. Portugal warmly commends the Executive Board for prioritizing the urgent and critical issue on protection from sexual exploitation and abuse, and sexual harassment, and reaffirmed its strong commitment to a zero-tolerance policy across the United Nations system, including in the essential work of UNDP, UNFPA, and UNOPS. This focus represents a crucial step toward building inclusive, safe, and equitable societies, while reaffirming the UN's commitment to upholding human rights, dignity, and accountability. Safeguarding the well-being of all, especially the most vulnerable, is not optional; it is a core responsibility. Portugal remains committed to supporting continued progress and encourages all UN entities to further enhance interagency coordination, strengthen transparency, and prioritize prevention to eliminate all forms of sexual misconduct. We underscore the importance of applying an intersectional approach to addressing sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment. Factors such as the gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, and ethnicity can heighten vulnerability, and prevention and response efforts must be inclusive and sensitive to these intersecting risks. Robust protection for whistleblowers and all those who report misconduct is equally vital. A culture where individuals can speak up without fear of retaliation or stigma is essential to effective prevention, accountability, and institutional integrity. In closing, we urge the Executive Board to continue strengthening safeguarding mechanisms, particularly community-based complaint channels and survival report services, to ensure they are accessible and responsible to those at greatest risk, particularly in fragile and humanitarian settings. I thank you.

I thank Portugal for this statement. We have no additional requests for the floor for now. I suggest we go back to the podium and then member states can react then after the responses and reactions from our colleagues. So I'll give the floor to Mrs. Linda McGuire from the UNDP. Please, you have the floor.

Thank you. Thank you very much and for the comments and questions. So first on the statement delivered by the distinguished delegate of the UK. There were multiple parts, so I'll try to cover them all, but starting with the funding constraints. So yes, you know, we've, we've looked at this carefully and we do intend to keep dedicated and sustainable capacity to address this important area, and including taking on a new victim support officer. So despite the, the resource constraints, we do think this is a critical capacity to have. We'll continue, of course, to leverage on our 170 PSEIH focal points, and we've also reached out to over 5,000 personnel since 2024 in the organization to try to raise awareness. So we'll continue those efforts despite the constraints. I think a second point you had was on the interagency collaboration and how that is, is working and if there's scope to do more. We would say yes, always, you know, whether it's further harmonizing our policies or, you know, pooling resources, looking at the PSEA coordinators on the ground, maybe joining forces more in that sense. So, this is a very live discussion. And of course, you know, sharing lessons, sharing data saves us time and reduces duplication. Of course, shared advocacy is also something very much on our on our minds. You also mentioned GBV services, and we, you know, UNDP very much relies on UNFPA, other entities like UNHCR when it comes to GBV services, and that's really critical for victims and, and survivors of SEA. But we know that this is an area that's already being impacted by funding cuts, to go back, you know, to the first point. So that's, that's very much of concern. On the MDS, we are, you know, as I mentioned, we're piloting this in 5 countries right now. Those are Haiti, Somalia, Afghanistan, Ukraine, and Central African Republic for all of our international professional and national officer recruitments. And we do intend to take stock of that pilot, see how it's going. We're going to run it for a year and then see about expansion and include, you know, a wider scope. Um, let's see, there was also a question on capacity and third parties. You mentioned OAI. We talked about this a bit in the morning session. So OAI has 3 dedicated investigators who are subject matter experts in sexual misconduct, and they keep their resourcing levels very much under review, which they spoke to a bit this morning. At present, they assess that they have the capacity to manage the current caseload. That being said, the OAI Charter limits the office's investigative mandate on SEAH to personnel employed directly by UNDP. That means that they don't at present have the authority to investigate staff of implementing partners, and we do as UNDP. We, we typically work with thousands of implementing partners, so it is a It is a challenge that, you know, we have to acknowledge. Maybe just— So, we're already using some of the very helpful tools that are there on the website. And we've shared it with all of our focal points and the whole community of practice. We have a session planned with those 170 focal points I mentioned later this summer to discuss, you know, how to use it and how to share experiences, and we're exploring more at the moment about endorsing it in the future.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. McGuire. Mr. Subberton, please.

Thank you, Mr. President, and similar to my colleague, I'll try and group some of these answers into subject areas. Firstly, looking at staffing and funding, as I mentioned in my talking points, during 2024 UNFPA has expanded its PSEAH unit to include an additional fixed-term position, a PSEAH specialist, and our current funding is expected to be able to remain static for the duration of UNFPA's strategic plan, so there will be no cuts in that position. The current level of resources will allow UNFPA to maintain its existing PSEAH approach, focused largely on internal efforts and our ongoing support to interagency initiative. Within the realities of the current funding landscape, we aim to reduce— we aim to retain UNFPA's recognition as a thought leader by essentially leveraging on the expertise in gender-based violence and women's empowerment to influence global PSEA standards and initiatives, whilst collaborating with sister agencies to foster cross-agency learning and knowledge sharing, including the misconduct disclosure scheme, which we hope to expand to additional countries and business units across the organization. We launched it in 2024 as a pilot year, and we already had in that pilot year, we had MDS in all 6— in pilots in all 6 regions and within 2 business units at headquarters, and 100% of the candidates from MDS participate and enter the were vetted with no matches found. UNFPA will continue to collaborate closely with UNOPS and UNDP to assess the complementarity of MDS with ClearCheck, which we're now working on. Strategy. UNFPA's PSEA strategy, which was approved last year by the Executive Committee, emphasizes our commitments to evidence-driven prevention and response, which inherently relies on continuous continuous monitoring and analysis of SEAH trends and patterns. The strategy includes a specific objective on enhancing UNFPA's PSEAH systems, which encompasses building robust monitoring and reporting mechanisms. Progress against outcomes and indicators to strengthen PSEAH across UNFPA is summarized in all our updates. Thank you. Regarding reporting barriers, to understand what the reporting barriers are, UNFPA actually conducted a survey on SEA-H reporting barriers which identified, amongst other things, fear of retaliation, lack of confidentiality, a lack of confidence that anything will be done as the top deterrents to reporting. Female personnel were less likely to report or feel safe doing so. Using this evidence, UNFPA has already started in developing targeted actions to directly and effectively tackle these barriers, including building stronger trust in the reporting system, opening space for informal discussions without fear of retaliation, promoting transparency on investigation and accountability procedures, and consulting with personnel and community— communities on actions to promote confidence and feelings of protection. With regard to the collaboration with sister agencies, I mentioned some of these actually in my— again, in my intervention, but amongst other things, we're leading the IASC Technical Advisory Working Groups and supporting the efforts of the CEB Executive Group on addressing SH. I think that's it.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Sabaton. And we go to UNOPS now. Mrs. Damkier, please, you have the floor.

Thank you very much, and let me also try to address the multiple very good questions. On the funding constraints and PSEAH, I can say that, from our perspective, it is absolutely a non-negotiable add-on for us, and it remains a core area, and we continue to institutionalize it across the organization and our operations. So, therefore, it's really a continued commitment from all of the leadership, and this has been mentioned several times by our executive director and senior leaders. So, just wanted to emphasize that. On interagency collaboration, this is, of course, one of the key areas and priorities we'd address this year and also will be next year's. Next year, we're always looking forward to finding opportunities to work more closely together with sister agencies, and as I mentioned in statement just before, we already work closely with UNDP on the integration of SEHA prevention in the private sector, and we are eager to expand our work, to work with UNFPA as well on prevention. Our focal points are also expanding their engagement in countries as well, and I also want to mention that we are taking on the role as chair of the PSEH network. So now is really the time to recognize that there is no single agency that can tackle this change— challenge alone, and we are here to do it in collaboration. On the mapping of services, we support GBV service infrastructure in a number of countries through our projects, and we've been able to deliver specific options in a number of projects, and we continue to do so in the future as well. On the question of MDS, yes, as I mentioned in my statement, we have institutionalized the, the MDS, and it will be embedded in the forthcoming updated ERP system for all recruitments globally. We are currently piloting this in 3 regions for all contracts And I think it's worth noting that we had one match last year that actually resulted in a cancelled recruitment due to previous misconduct. We are also in close collaboration with other UN agencies who are members and are sharing lessons learned from the pilot scheme. With regards to the question on community engagement, I want to just make sure to stress that UNEP's community engagement efforts are typically localized at the project level. However, we have certainly recognized the need for a corporate approach, and we have engaged with the wider community on SEA, and therefore we have been developing a specific toolkit on this informed by existing interagency mechanisms and tools, and we'd adapted that to the project level. Given that we work in some of the most remote and isolated areas and where sometimes other agencies are not present, this specific work is quite necessary, and we look forward to sharing our progress in this area as well. On the question that was raised on CAP, SEAC, States. We welcome the initiative and we will certainly explore further the possibility of endorsing it. I think I addressed all the questions from our side. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mrs. Damkier, and also thank our colleagues for addressing these comments and questions. Any other delegations wishing to ask other questions or to make comments or follow up to the responses from our colleagues? Well, it doesn't seem to be the case, so, uh, we will be, uh, getting close to the end of this agenda item. I want to inform the board that the draft decision on adjourned agenda item 5 on protection against sexual exploitation and abuse and sexual harassment is under preparation and will be presented for the board's consideration later in this session. Thank you very much for your presence, and we'll continue briefly where— with agenda item 2. I think we'll have to quickly rearrange the podium.

Yes.

All right. All right, dear colleagues, we continue with Agenda Item 2, Update on the Implementation Efforts on the Repositioning of the United Nations Development System. We have now at the podium— on the podium, Mr. Haoling Xu, Associate Administrator of the UNDP. Again, Mr. Andrew Subberton, Deputy Executive Director for Management at the UNFPA; Mrs. Kirstin Damkajer, Deputy Executive Director for Delivery and Partnerships. And again, we'll be listening from our colleagues, senior officials from the agencies, their presentations, and then of course we'll get comments and questions from delegations. So I now give the floor to Mr. Haoling Xu, Associate Administrator at the UNDP. You have the floor, please.

Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you very much. Mr. Vice President, distinguished delegates, it is my pleasure to update the Executive Board on UNDP's efforts on the repositioning of the UN development system, the system that is needed now more than ever before. In these 70 years of implementing the UNDS reform, UNDP remains steadfast in its commitment to advancing the system's effectiveness, efficiency, and coherence to accelerate the 2030 Agenda. Guided by QCPR, we are working to ensure that the joint UN action is consistently driven by national priorities, tangible results, and system-wide accountability. This year's ECOSOC's operational activities segment confirmed that despite the funding challenges we face, the UN development system reform is yielding results. We must build on the gains from the reform and drive our joint action towards more impact and results on the ground. By embedding the spirit of the UNDS repositioning, UNDP's new Strategic Plan will help solidify the gains of the reform and continue advancing stronger coherence and collective impact. Please allow me, Excellencies, to present briefly UNDP's efforts for the advancement of the 2030 Agenda. In the context of the reform implementation. Despite the increasingly tight funding environment, UNDP's contribution to the Special Purpose Trust Fund in 2024 was $18.2 million. UNDP remains the largest single entity contributor to the UNSDG Cost-Sharing Agreement— arrangement, paid from core resources and with non-core as part of the 1% coordination levy. UNDP continues to invest core resources in system-wide services provided through UNV, UNCDF, UNOSSC, and MPTFO. At the regional and country levels, UNDP makes in-kind contributions and participates in local cost-sharing initiatives. UNDP remains the operational backbone of the UN development system with its well-established global footprint in 132 countries and service provision to 70+ UN entities at the global level. Programmatically, UNDP-led integrated solutions The UNDP's flagship Climate Promise Initiative is taking forward in cooperation with 30 UN entities supporting over 90 countries on the 3rd generation of nationally determined contributions. Working under the coordination leadership of the UN Resident Coordinators and with country teams, we continue to look for ways to scale up and innovate our partnerships with UN entities. To produce tangible results and impact at country level. Excellencies, the success of the UNDS reform and adequate support to the RC system depend on full and sustained implementation of the Funding Compact, including quality core and pooled funding. It is also critical that all UNDS entities reach the same pace and level of reform implementation. We firmly believe that together, through an impact-oriented vision and partnerships, we can reinforce a UN development system that delivers for people and the planet, as it is also called for in the Pact of the Future. The UN80 Initiative, led by the UN Secretary-General, provides an additional opportunity to support this endeavor. UNDP will continue to follow member states' guidance and the Executive Board's leadership to enable the fulfillment of this promise. I thank you, Mr. Chair.

I thank the UNDP Associate Administrator for the remarks, and I now invite Mr. Andrew Subberton, Deputy Executive Director for Management at the UNFPA. Please, you have the floor.

Mr. President, distinguished members of the Executive Board, colleagues, I'm pleased to join UNOPS and UNDP in providing key updates on UNFPA's engagement in the repositioning of the United Nations Development System. UN80 is a generational opportunity to realign the UN system around a coherent, accountable, measurable and transformative platform that works for women and girls, one that builds on what already works and reimagines how to deliver faster, more inclusive, and with more sustainable results. The QCPR is our shared roadmap, roadmap for reform, which urges us to think forward and be bold in how we should respond to complex global realities. For the first time, the 2024 QCPR resolution explicitly recognizes the centrality of the ICPD Programme of Action and its critical role in achieving sustainable development. UNFPA is the sole UN entity mandated with ICPD and with advancing the sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights of women and girls and vulnerable populations. Our comparative advantage is grounded in the organization's unique role within the UN development system as both a public health and population agency. UNFPA uniquely blends a human rights approach with technical expertise and operations with global heft across the humanitarian-development divide. This uniqueness is demonstrated by the fact that UN-to-UN transfers represent the largest single source of UNFPA's non-core funding. UNFPA's new strategic plan 2026 to 2029 is aligned with the 2024 QCPR priorities and grounded in UNFPA's comparative advantage and its complementarity with that of other entities. The new strategic plan will also acknowledge the centrality of the Resident Coordinator System to our work. UNFPA remains a strong advocate for an independent RC system, as demonstrated by our proactive engagement in timely assessed contributions, technical leadership, and support to data-driven, rights-based development planning. Our recent internal survey shows that 84% of our country offices report improved RC support for our normative mandate, and 79% acknowledged improved coordination within UN country teams, the highest level since 2019. But to be clear, challenges remain. Across several contexts, we see inconsistent RC leadership and uneven access to high-level government counterparts, hindering coherence and effectiveness that reforms aim to deliver. To address these gaps, UNFPA will continue to engage in the MAF revision so that it reinforces system-wide coherence with improved incentives for agencies. Turning to the efficiency agenda, UNFPA continues to lead operational transformation as co-chair of the UNSDG Business Innovation Group. In 2024, we generated nearly $15 million in efficiencies. With a view at focusing on what we know how to do best, we are one of the most active service recipients, outsourcing all global— all applicable global priority services and participating in 126 business operations strategies. 2024 marked UNFPA's highest-ever receipt of UN system funding, just under $200 million. We are seeing steady growth in our country-level engagement in national financing mechanisms, such as our technical support to Indonesia's National Health Insurance Scheme. UNFPA has actively contributed to shaping the Funding Compact 2.0, and we are aligning our donor engagement strategies to support support this shift by broadening our donor base and exploring innovative financing. With just 5 years left to realize the 2030 Agenda, the 2024 QCPR and the UN80 Initiative are more than milestones; they are calls to action. Together with sister agencies and with the guidance of our Executive Boards, we must reimagine delivery models, overcome fragmentation, and ensure multilateral system that is fit for purpose. UNFPA is proud to contribute to this shared ambition by bringing data, people, and partnerships to the forefront and leveraging its comparative advantage in joint programming to translate reform into tangible results. Thank you, Mr. President.

I thank the Deputy Executive Director for Management of the UNFPA, Mrs. Subberton. And I now give the floor to Mrs. Christine Damkajer, Deputy Executive Director for Delivery and Partnerships at UNOPS. You have the floor, please.

Thank you very much, Mr. President, honorable members of the board. I deliver this statement on behalf of Deputy Executive Director, Management and Policy, Sonja Leijten-Kohn. I am delighted to have the opportunity to provide an update on UNOPS's continued engagement and efforts in support of the UN Development System repositioning. In late April, a detailed information note was published on the UNOPS Executive Board website. For the second year in a row, the note is complemented by an annex that contains reporting on the complete UN Development System reform checklist. UNOPS listened carefully to your comments and questions on— at the joint informal consultations a few years back, and we closely followed the recent ECOSOC operational activities for development segment. Let me make a preliminary point. As we are celebrating the 80th anniversary of the UN and the 30th anniversary of UNOPS, we have to acknowledge that the world has changed significantly since the establishment management of both. The more complex and dynamic the operational landscape becomes, the more important it is for UNOPS to remain agile and adaptable. Our lean operating model and our flexible structure, with physical country presence contingent on partners' demand for our services, allow us to efficiently and effectively respond to current and future challenges. Now let me turn to the 2024 Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review, the QCPR. The roadmap for the QCPR gives clear direction as we prepare for the next Strategic Plan. The UNOPS Strategic Plan 2026-2029 is being designed in alignment with the provisions of the 2024 QCPR. Rest assured that UNOPS will continue to do its part to positively contribute to the UN development system that is more coordinated, coherent, transparent, and accountable. While UNOPS is among the entities that is most compliant with the reform mandates, we believe that we must redouble our efforts. UNOPS sees the UNAD initiative as a significant opportunity in this regard. From the onset of the UN Development System reform in 2018, UNOPS has been a firm supporter of the re— the RC system. As an entity that is non-programmatic and operates as a non-resident in many countries, we have seen the tangible value as a result of the independent, impartial, and empowered leadership and convening role of RCs at the country level. To give you an example, in 2024, UNOPS received US$54 million from pooled funds. This represented an increase of 139% compared to 2022, when UNOPS received US$22.8 million. On many occasions, RCs have encouraged UNOPS' active management with global and country pooled funds. Looking at efficiency, UNOPS is driving the efficiency agenda in a number of ways. Since February 2024, I— this is Sonja— I'm co-chairing the Business Innovation Group, the BIG, alongside colleagues Andrew from UNFPA. In March 2024, UNOPS also stepped into the chairing role of the Common Back Office Team. During the ECOSOC OAS, you heard the Deputy Secretary-General General speak to efficiencies and the work of the BIG. A lot remains to be done. We need to be aligned in urgency and commitment to deliver greater efficiencies that will directly impact our results. One thing is clear: we have made real progress, but challenges remain for UNOPS and the UN development system as a whole. Alexis, Distinguished delegates, in conclusion, I assure you that UNOPS remains deeply committed to accelerating countries' progress towards the SDGs and to help drive the implementation of the Pact for the Future, always working in partnerships and in accordance with the guidance provided by Member States, delivering practical solutions at scale, offering value for money. Thank you very much.

Thank you very much, Mrs. Damkere. And we now open the floor for comments and questions from delegations. We have several colleagues on the list. We have the Netherlands, France, and United Kingdom. And again, member states wishing to take the floor for comments or questions are encouraged to press the microphone button. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Netherlands, to be followed by France. Please, you have the floor.

Yes, Mr. President, Excellencies, I deliver this statement on behalf of the following group of member states: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, the Republic of Moldova, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the EU as a donor, and my own country, the Kingdom of the Netherlands. We are pleased to see that the UN development system reform is showing results. The UN, however, is operating in a context of growing demands. And sharply declining resources. This makes full and swift implementation of UNDS reform indispensable to rebuild trust in the UN system and safeguard its global legitimacy. Ongoing reforms must continue with urgency and ambition. We welcome the Secretary-General's UNEP initiative and see clear opportunities to consolidate the learning and gains of the UNDS reform. We must ensure that the UNAT initiative builds on the reforms already underway. We would like to emphasize the following 4 points. Firstly, in light of persistent funding constraints, we see great potential in further consolidation and increased use of shared services, common back offices, and common premises. These are not just essential for efficiency gains, but also for further coherence and credibility in the field. Our question is, what actions are UNDP, UNFPA, and UNOPS taking to further consolidate and improve joint business operations in the wider UN system? Secondly, transparency and accountability are key to improving performance. We therefore note with concern that the SG has signaled that progress in implementing the Management and Accountability Framework, MAF, has stalled. How will you ensure improved implementation of this MAF? Thirdly, the dual reporting model is not yet sufficiently implemented, especially, especially the number of RCs that are requested to provide input on performance appraisals of heads of agencies lags behind. Can agencies share what challenges they are facing in this area? We would like to see full participation in this model. And what can the Board do to facilitate compliance? Fourthly and finally, as the forthcoming system-wide evaluation on progress towards the new generation of UN country teams confirms, RCs estimate that entity-specific programming instruments are only loosely aligned with the cooperation frameworks. We reiterate the importance of ensuring that country programs and activities are genuinely derived from cooperation frameworks. We request in this regard that the agencies share the letters of RCs in which they comment on this matter of alignment with this board. Thank you very much.

I thank the Netherlands for this intervention on behalf of a group of states, and I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of France. You have the floor, please.

Merci, Monsieur le Président.

Thank you, Chair. I would like to thank the Deputy Administrator of UNPD as well as the Deputy Executive Director and all the briefers for their statements. I would like to begin by welcoming the UN80 initiative launched by the Secretary-General, which is a vital effort to accelerate the transformation of the system. I would like to highlight 4 points or make 4 comments and a question at the end. First comment is that effective coordination is at the heart of a responsive and accountable UN development system. And this has been amply illustrated. Resident coordinators must play a central role in aligning national priorities expressed by host countries with the strategic visions of the United Nations. In this respect, UNDP stands out as a key implementing agency and the main provider of common services and public policy advice. A resident coordinator system effectively integrated with UNDP, which is the driving force of the system, and its other agencies is therefore essential to enable more effective and country-led responses. My second comment is that UNAID is a unique opportunity to focus our energy on mandate implementation. One of the system's main strengths lies in its ability to connect the normative role of UN agencies with operational implementation by transforming global norms into concrete, context-specific results. In this regard, UNDP, with its universal presence and technical expertise, is at the heart of this transformation, operationalizing the shared values and priorities of the United Nations in a scalable and accountable way. Thirdly, as the Seville Conference on Financing for Development approaches, we emphasize the urgent need for a more inclusive and effective financing system. In this regard, we must broaden the contributor base, including non-traditional donors and the private sector. Small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as local businesses, are essential drivers of growth and must be better supported and integrated into the UN Development System. Mobilizing innovative and domestic sources of financing is also crucial to ensure that no one is left behind. Fourth, my fourth point and question relates, as I mentioned earlier, to visibility and strategic communication within the UN Development System with the development of performance indicators. Today, multilateralism cannot be taken for granted. We must better engage citizens who need to see and understand the tangible benefits of UN action, and we also have an accountability role to play as states towards our citizens. Demonstrating real impact on the ground must be a key driver of our work. UNDP, UNFPA, and UNOPS have begun efforts towards greater transparency and clarity. We must invest in strong results-focused performance indicators. And here is my question. I think it is important if you could provide us with some indications on where you currently are on performance indicators that you're working on and how we can support you in order to better report to our citizens.

Thank you.

I thank France for their statement. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of UK, to be followed by Mexico. You have the floor.

Mr. President, Excellencies, we support and endorse the joint statement delivered by the representative from the Netherlands and wish to add the following comments. The 2024 QCPR provides a clear roadmap for an impactful, coordinated, and efficient UN development system. The focus must now be on delivery. In particular, we would like to highlight the need to align all activities with the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework at the country level. The cooperation framework should act as the single guiding plan to unite UN country teams, foster collaboration, and avoid duplication in activity. In the broader context of UNATD in a rapidly evolving global landscape, this is the time for the system to work together, uphold commitments to normative standards, and pool resources to catalyze results and impact, rather than splinter into silos. We welcome efforts taken by UNDP, UNFPA, and UNOPS in this regard. However, now is the time to go further, including to do more to generate efficiencies. We'd like to see further consolidation and increased use of shared services, common back offices, and common premises. This requires full buy-in from entities across the UN development system, and we count on UNDP, UNFPA, and UNOPS to lead by example in their commitment to making these goals a reality. The QCPR reaffirmed the central role of the Resident Coordinator System at the heart of the UN development system. In-country, the RC must play a critical role in ensuring coherence and tailored UN support to achieve national development goals in line with the SDGs. We therefore are concerned by reports of agencies reducing RC funding via the cost-share mechanism. The RC system is a shared investment, with strong backing from UN Member States, and the cost-sharing arrangement is a critical pillar of the funding model, and it must be protected. Now is the time for agencies to fully back the RC system on the ground. Donors must also keep to their share of the bargain, as the UK fully intends to do so. Through the QCPR and UNHCR, we are committed to working together through executive boards and beyond to build stronger, more unified system— excuse me, a stronger and more unified system which provides the greatest and most urgent support to accelerating delivery of the SDGs. Excellencies, thank you.

I thank the United Kingdom for the statement, and I now give the floor to Mexico. You have the floor, please.

Thank you very much, President. Mexico recognizes that the reform of the UN Resident Coordinator System has made it possible to have greater clarity between the coordination and implementation functions and ensuring more strategic links for the work on the ground. However, we note that there's very little evidence about the tangible impact in terms of sustainable development attributable to these new coordination offices for resident coordinators, and therefore Mexico believes it is essential to strengthen their role through key actions such as strengthening accountability mechanisms and promoting innovative mechanisms to attract financial resources which are transparent and which will broaden the support base for sustainable development, in particular in countries with complex contexts. At the same time, we also believe it is essential to promote multi-stakeholder partnerships aligned with Agenda 2030 involving local governments, academia, civil society, and the private sector in the UN system's efforts to promote development. And this would promote more inclusive involvement that is more relevant on the ground. There needs to be greater synergies between the system related to national development programs and projects. This would— and we need to generate a measurable impact which is in keeping with the particular context. Mr. President, in the current context, we need to have a system for cooperation which addresses increasing numbers of challenges with increasingly limited resources. And so I would ask the staff who are here with us, what measures do you have for optimizing resources and what do you intend to do so that you can continue to provide services to agencies? And what would the systemic cooperation be among the various entities, both thematically and administratively? Thank you very much for your answers.

I thank Mexico for this statement. We don't have requests for the floor for the time being, and I suggest we go back to, to our colleagues. And then, of course, you are encouraged to, to follow up or to add other comments or questions. So we start again with UNDP. Mr. Associate Administrator, you have the floor, please.

Mr. President. Okay, thank you very much, Mr. Vice President. So thank you very much, colleagues, for your questions and comments. Let me try to provide some answers to the questions, comments of the distinguished delegation— delegate from the Netherlands. The consolidation and additional efficiencies that we can gain, given the funding constraints and challenges. What can we do to improve joint business operations and so forth? I think on this one, I think I touched on this in my Answer my comment earlier, but a couple points to note. One is that because of UNDP's presence globally, and then the fact that we are providing services to more than 70 UN entities, right? So we have always been taking actions to further improve. and scale up the shared services that we are providing or we are taking from other agencies, right? And this includes location-independent ERP system, right, because the enterprise resource planning system of UNDP is used by 10 agencies, right? So that drives enormous efficiency across the UN system. We provide a significant amount of payroll services, procurement services, and our new contractual model, the Partner Personnel Service Agreements, have been taken up by an increasing number of agencies. So our commitment to continue scaling up and providing better quality at more effective costs are very strong. And also, the NDP has been investing its corporate resources in shared services operations, and as I mentioned, we are trying to lower the costs of these services, which means savings that can be passed on to other UN agencies. And the UNDP is also actively working with potential new shared service clients in the UN system to see what more we can do to drive more efficiency. And in terms of the common back office issue, I think clearly, you know, We continue to generate country-level efficiencies by leading the common back offices in Vietnam and Brazil, and I believe that we're also working on the common back office in Zimbabwe, so we're very committed to this. And on the second point, transparency and accountability on the MAF, I guess on the management accountability framework, I think it's clear that the NDP is committed, fully committed to implementing and advancing the management accountability framework. And this is done at 2 levels. One is that corporate-level commitment, right? And requirements, and secondly, through close monitoring of the implementation at country level. Specifically, for example, we do have in place institutionalized dual reporting model for performance review of our resident representatives, and for all Res Reps, There is an automatically assigned performance goal on their contribution to the joint work of the UNCTs in line with the cooperation frameworks. The UNDP also ensures the full alignment and the derivation of its CPDs with the country cooperation frameworks. works. In fact, all our CPDs are certified by the RCs as compliant. So we had 113 CPDs to date with 14 new CPDs in 2014 and we have a set of new CPDs this year, all of which, 100%, are signed by— are signed off by the RCs as compliant. And then, you know, also in terms of our commitment to the MAF, we have been engaged in all stages of the joint programming cycle at country level. We are often, like other agencies, but we are often leading country-level results groups within the UNSDCF framework. And my UNDP colleagues mentioned the significant increase of contributions from the Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office, right? And for UNDP, it's the same. You know, our commitment to implement, you know, funding compact, right, is also strong. We are actively engaged in joint programs. We continue to be the top participating UN organizations in pooled funds was transferred in 2024, estimated at $225 million, a 17% increase from 2023, and so forth. So I can give more examples, right? So in short, you know, we are very much committed to the management accountability framework. We have our internal reviews, right, to hear views of our RCs on how, you know, they are implementing this and address the concerns that we see. And there is an ongoing review of the management accountability framework. With this review, we can take lessons, we can learn lessons, we can build on our achievements collectively and renew our commitment for this. This is the second point. Sorry, it's taking some time. On the third point, on the RC, if I remember correctly, the RC inputs for the performance appraisal, the RC agency resurrects accountability, right, to the regional coordinators. Is that a correct understanding? Again, as I mentioned earlier, all our Res Reps have automatic performance indicators on their contributions to the work of the country team, and our regional directors regularly invite RCs to provide comments to the performance of the RCs— to the Res Reps for their performance review. So now, if there are any challenges, I would say that not all RCs respond, right? So many RCs do, but not all respond. So we can work on this. This is an issue that is within the UN. We can, you know, ensure that we do our part for sure, and then as a mutual accountability requirements, we also work effectively to address these remaining challenges. And in terms of CPD alignment, as I mentioned earlier, for me, I would be curious to look at the 79% issue, where does this number come from, but as far as the NDP is concerned, 100% of our CPDs are aligned with the UNSDCFs. So these are some of the quick answers to the questions from the Netherlands and a group of countries. On the question of France, thank you very much for your comments, and your first 3 comments touched on UNDP's role, global presence, and the importance of its work. UNDP does play an important role at country level for our developing countries, and I just came back from a trip to Kazakhstan. Out of the 27 agencies present in Kazakhstan, for example, UNDP's delivery accounts for 45% of the UN's total, right? And in Ukraine, for example, right, our presence footprint is big. Last year, we spent $250 million thanks to the support of our donor countries. Right, so next agency, the delivery was $80 million, not insignificant, still highly significant. But that shows the footprint of UNDP at country level. Now, on the questions that you raised, how to communicate on the results, what indicators we use, how do we communicate to citizens? We, of course, have results framework. We have— when you Member States approved our results framework. We have committed the results to be achieved. We needed to strengthen further our communication tools— sorry, I'm taking more time— and the materials. And we also needed to think of other ways to communicate, right? For example, how do we communicate with parliamentarians, right? How do we to the citizens when we visit the countries. Is it possible to bring more citizens from our donor countries to visit our programmes? Because typically we take ambassadors to visit our programmes, but perhaps we can also organise visits of parliamentarians and citizen groups. So we're very open to these ideas, but the message is very clear: we need to communicate concrete results. and why the public resources, taxpayers' resources, need to be invested in development and peace. So we would be happy to discuss specific ideas further. On the questions of the UK, I think I touched on the question of ESDCF alignment, and we are very committed to doing that. And then go further, you know, to generate more efficiencies. I think I touched on this as well. UNDP is very committed to it, right? There is a question very importantly raised on the contribution to the RC system. Is fully committed to doing that, and we are the largest single provider of— contributor of RC funds. Over the last 4 years, the NDP has contributed $80 million, close to $80 million to the SDG cost-sharing arrangement from its core resources and in the 1% levy. So that's additional levies, $42 million. So we have contributed in total $120 million to the RC system, right? So NDP commitment is strong. Now, I think the distinguished delegate of UK likely referred to a statement that our administrator made at the operational activities segment That we informed our executive board that the NDP's ability to sustain its level of contribution is under stress because of the rapid decline of coal resources. Now, we did so because, in fact, the board, you know, requested the NDP to do this, you know, in one of its decisions in 2023. 3, which says that the Executive Board approves the exceptional variation from the core program budget allocation framework to address the 2023 shortfall in the UNDP contribution to the cost sharing of the Regional Coordination System as outlined in the present report, and requests that UNDP informs the Board if future variations are anticipated. And whether adjustments to the framework are needed and so forth. So I won't get into details. As we anticipate at least a $100 million shortfall in our core management and program resources next year, we have to inform the Board as requested that our ability to do so is under stress, and we will certainly bring more details to the Board for decision. Thank you very much.

I thank the Associate Administrator, and I now give the floor to Mr. Saberton. You have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. President. Now, I'll try and take the questions in the order that they were asked, but there are some linkages. So the first question was around what we can actually do further to consolidate and improve joint business operations with the wider UN system. UNFPA is leading by example in advancing a next-generation UN delivery model, more integrated, efficient, and impact-focused. The bold uptake of shared services and common back offices that we have actually undertaken, we are demonstrating how streamlined operations can unlock greater value. for results and reinforce mandate delivery. Real transformation will depend on larger agencies moving beyond coordination to actively buying services from each other, unlocking scale, reducing duplication, and delivering greater value for those we serve. In UNFPA, in 2024, as I've already mentioned in my statement, we made nearly $15 million in efficiencies. I just want to dwell on this answer and also link it a question from the UK as well, and I want to answer this question with a number of hats on, if I may. With my DD management for UNFPA, I can actually say in terms of the back office reform, we have been for a number of years actually buying 5 of the 6 priority— global priority services. We have done from almost the day of the announcement of this reform. We can't buy the 6th because it's a service we don't need. We don't buy cars anymore. We are actually engaged in all of the 6 common back offices that are now actually live by the beginning of this year, so we're in every one of those. We have 126 business operations strategies, so just about every country we're in, we're part of that. And our common premises, we're already somewhere between 70 to 80% of our premises are shared premises. premises, well above the 50% target set out by the SG. Would I like to do more? Yes. DED management— I'd like to be outsourcing the vast majority of our operational back-office services. That's not the expertise of UNFPA. I really want to be concentrating on frontline programming work and normative work, that's actually what drives our mandate. So what do we need? We need more services to be available, and then I will make sure that we buy them as long as they are effective and efficient. Now, taking my other hat off, which was referenced to my colleague from UNOPS, I am also the co-chair of the Business Innovation Group, which is part of the UN SDG reform to actually move forward this common back office. We need more services to be offered by the bigger agencies for sale to the other agencies, and we need bigger agencies to buy services from other big agencies rather than actually just holding on to their own operations. They'll have to trust and hand over some of that control. If UNFPA outsourced all its back operations, it would probably move the total operational cost savings 1 or 2% of the UN system. The biggest agencies, probably the biggest 8 or 9 agencies, that's where you're going to find 80, 90% of the back office operational costs. That's taken off by them big hat things. What we also need to be looking at here, actually stepping outside this room, is this is UNSDG's big reform. There's actually a link in there with the HLCM efficiency agenda, which is linking to the UN80 to make these services available to the whole UN system, not just the development. This should also be part of this buying services, as should the humanitarian sector as well, which is currently going through a reset. but could actually make use of common back-office operations. Moving on to the second question there, in how to ensure improved implementation of the MAF framework, UNFPA was one of the first agencies to actually develop a guidance note on MAF implementation, and we regularly run country-level surveys to understand challenges and bottlenecks. One of those challenges we've reported— one of those challenges we heard from our country Office report that not all UNCT members are equally committed to the UNDS reform. Consistent policy guidance across the governing bodies of all UN entities is therefore needed to fully harness UNDS reform and its intended benefits. Can agencies share what challenges they're facing in the area of dual reporting to agency and to RC? All our UNFPA country representatives have a dedicated performance output linked to their role within the UN country team, with formal feedback provided by resident coordinators. This is supported by internal guidance for country and regional officers on MAP implementation, which outlines how UNFPA representatives, heads of office, and regional directors contribute to the performance appraisal of the RCs. There was a question about the Submitting a letter to the Board from respective— from the respective RC confirming the respective CPD take-up. UNFPA remains fully committed to ensuring that all UNFPA CPDs are fully derived from and fully aligned with the Cooperation Framework. Submitting a letter from the Resident Coordinator confirming that alignment between the Cooperation Framework and the UNFPA Country programme document is already an integral part of our internal quality assurance process, which UNFPA strictly adheres to. In terms of how do— outreach to funding partners, better informed on outreach, UNFPA adheres to the provisions of the MAF framework, as I've mentioned, and we request a representative to share relevant information with the RCs to enable effective coordination.

coordination.

We are fully committed to sharing this information, and it is equally important that RCs facilitate equitable and inclusive participation of all agencies in strategic engagements, ensuring access to high-level government counterparts and donors. Regarding the comment on— we call on all agencies to connect their ongoing business model reviews and reorganisation exercises to the goal of needs-based country presence. UNFPA's strategic plan, currently under development, which will be before the Board at the next session, includes a business model which ensures tailor-made approach to delivery of our programmes, employing most relevant modes of implementation to various contexts. Regarding the support of the RC system, UNFPA is fully supported to the RC system and we are also fully paid up and one of the first agencies to pay up, sometimes ahead of the year, to ensure the liquidation of the actual process. I think there was one further question regarding— from France, apology— on performance indicators. The Strategic Plan Results Framework, the OEE, includes a section with UN reform indicators. Harmonize with other UN-based funds and programs on joint programming, RC engagement, and others. We report on these indicators through the annual report to the QCPR in a QCPR annex and the UN SDG checklist. With that, I will give the floor back to you, Chair.

Thank you very much, and I now give the floor to Mrs. Damkjaer, please.

Yes, thank you very much, and I will also take the questions in order and try to just be complementary to what's already been said and keep it a little short. With regards to the questions on what actions we can take to further consolidate and improve joint business operations, I really want to stress how important a question this is for UNOPS, because we are very active in all parts of the efficiency agenda. There's no doubt that we must leverage the benefits of the mutual recognition between the UN system entities and to support each other better. We have actually placed a lot of focus on the advancement of the Global Shared Services. It is something that we actually provide as a service, and it represents the most impactful system-wide opportunity, we believe, for efficiency gains. We also have UN WebBuy Plus and HR services as key global shared services that we provide to other UN entities. In the same vein, UNOPS is a big supporter of the Common Back Office Initiative as part of the UN reform. I want to just share as an example that currently we are— our local office in the Pakistan office is preparing a joint proposal with UNICEF to become the lead service provider in the future coming back office. That's just one example. So no doubt we are playing a big role in trying to put forward the services required for the joint efficiencies that we can do together. With regards to the transparency and accountability that was raised in relation to the MAF, I just I just want to say that we appreciate the impartial country-level leadership, and we see that as a critical component for success. We have made— well, we note that the progress has been made, but we are also quite conscious of the challenges that remain. One piece of feedback that we can share from our country representative are that simpler guidance to follow, simpler MFA would be helpful. On the questions of the RC system, again, I reiterate that we are very supportive of the system. On the dual reporting model, we see great value in the feedback mechanisms between the RCs and the entity representatives, and we think it provides meaningful and insightful information to strengthen the UN collaboration and alignment. This is a requirement to provide these— this feedback, and we, within our system, within our organization, and we continuously stress that. On the question on submitting a letter to the board from the recipient respective RCs confirming their respective CPDs. I can share that in 2024, UNOPS was a signatory of the 94 cooperation frameworks. In our restated Strategic Plan 2022 to 2025, we committed to engage actively in the Common Country Analysis and cooperation framework processes. And we have provided technical advice— oops, do I need to do anything?— capacity assessment for 13 out of 31 relevant common country analysis. So, just to reiterate that we are a strong supporter. On the question of indicators, I just want to stress that we have a range of indicators through the repositioning checklist, and our respective set of results and performance indicators are being developed through our strategic plans. It is important to keep sharing these metrics and to deliver the right system-wide incentives, and this is something that will continue to be relevant and merge through the QCPR. And we certainly agree with UNDP that we need to work on collective communication and our collective impact. On the earlier questions on efficiency or cost sharing, I think that was already shared. I think we pretty much covered all the questions by now. Yes, thank you.

All right, thank you so much. If member states have additional comments or questions, I would invite you to press your microphone button. You have another question to answer? Let me ask member states if they need to address other comments or questions. and then we'll get back to you. I don't see to be the case, so the Associate Administrator has the floor again.

Apologies, I forgot to answer the question that Mexico raised, and I think Mexico raised 2 questions. One is the question of coordination versus implementation. I think all of us are committed to supporting effective coordination. And the NDP, I would say first of all, as we were the coordinator before, so we all support that. But I think we are discussing a question where the underlying delivery capacity that is under threat, right, because if we have effective coordination but do not have strong underlying delivery capacity, And then we have to ask a question, right? What is this coordination for, right? So I think when the resources are limited, we have to think of the most effective way to address both effective coordination and getting things done. So I think this is the point I would like to make on the first point. On the second question, what are we doing? To deal with the challenges when the resources are limited? What are we doing to reduce our costs, to ensure focusing on delivering development results? And I think clearly we are looking at all measures. For example, eliminating— in fact, we are terminating most of the vacancies Right, that have been vacant for a long time. We are not only just freeing them, we are taking them out of our system. We are looking at our travel costs again. We are looking at potential relocation from high-cost locations to lower-cost locations, but this has to be done following a transparent and systematic approach. So that we don't rush to do something that will not generate lasting impact. We don't want to cut all our business units uniformly across the board because this way undermines where we are already efficient. So we are conducting very deep and thorough internal discussions to look at where we are inefficient. And address these inefficiencies as we move forward. So as the NDP is submitting its strategic plan in August, which— with its accompanying results and resource framework and the IRPIB budget, so I have no doubt that member states will have an opportunity to examine, you know, what we are doing to address the concern that Mexico has raised. So thank you very much.

Thank you very much. And as there are no other comments or questions from member states, we conclude this agenda item. I would like to remind you that a draft decision on this agenda item, update on the implementation efforts on the repositioning of the United Nations Development System, is under preparation and will be presented to the Board's consideration later in the session. Thank you very much for being with us here today, and we'll have quickly rearrange the podium for the next agenda item, so bear with us, please.

Thank you.

All right, dear colleagues, we continue with our agenda item number 7, and I will kindly ask you to take your seats before we proceed. So, the agenda item 7 under this joint segment is update on the assessment of how the Executive Board executes its governance and oversight functions. I am pleased to welcome to the podium one of the 2 co-chairs of the Joint Working Group of the Executive Boards of the UNDP, UNFPA, UNOPS, UNICEF, and UN Women on the governance and oversight functions of the Executive Board. Executive Boards. We have with us Mr. Lars Becker, Counselor from the Permanent Mission of Germany, and he will make a presentation, a joint presentation on behalf of also of the other co-chair who is on travel, Mr. Tony Oweke, Advisor of the Permanent Mission of Kenya to the United Nations. But I would like to give the floor first to Mr. Becker and then we'll get comments and questions from member states. Mr. Becker, please.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Excellencies, distinguished colleagues, let me start on behalf of both co-chairs, and as the Vice President just mentioned, my Kenyan co-chair is unfortunately out of town this week. Let me start by expressing our sincere appreciation to all members of the Joint Working Group for their active engagement, thoughtful contributions, and the spirit of collaboration that has marked our initial phase of work. This process has come a long way in just one year. What began with the forward-looking recommendation by the Joint Inspection Unit to establish an ad hoc committee to examine their findings was taken up decisively by the Executive Boards at the 2024 Annual Session. Despite some initial challenges, the boards moved quickly. By the following session, terms of reference were adopted and 15 members nominated. This sent a strong signal of commitment to strengthening governance and oversight. At our first informal meeting on 7 May, we were encouraged by the high level of engagement. Members brought extensive board experience and the shared recognition of the importance of our task. This depth of expertise across all 3 boards is a tremendous asset as we take forward the JRU recommendations. As co-chairs, we are pleased to present the group's agreed working methods and roadmap, developed in line with the terms of reference adopted earlier this year. And as you know, we have shared the terms of reference with member states on 2nd May. These foundational documents lay out how we intend to organize our work, ensuring a structured, inclusive, as well as a results- and consensus-oriented approach. We also already reconnected with the JAU inspector and revisited the recommendations, this time in light of new developments, as a full year has passed since the report's publication and much has changed. The financial pressures are more acute, and broader institutional reforms may now be more feasible than they were just a month ago. The Working Group's roadmap sets out key phases of our work: 1, mapping and categorization of the JRU recommendations; 2, identification of priority areas for early action; and 3, in-depth review of more complex or structural recommendations. To operationalize this, we have agreed on thematic workstreams and subgroups, which allow us to cluster recommendations by topic. While a thorough assessment of all JIU recommendations remains essential, the group also recognized the need to harness current momentum. Even though there was agreement that it would be premature to present quick wins at the upcoming sessions, we see value in identifying non-controversial and easily implementable proposals. These can help to build trust and demonstrate early progress. The next meeting of the Working Group is already scheduled for mid-July, where we will finalise the clustering of workstreams and begin our substantive review. We've also already made a minor adjustment to, to the setup. While the Terms of Reference foresee decisions at each Executive Board session, The Group agreed to take a case-by-case approach, ensuring that decision-making is meaningful and aligned with our pace of work. To preserve transparency, we will continue providing regular updates, including through an information item and this co-chair's report. Let us also recall, this process is time-bound. With less than 2 years ahead of us, we must strike the right balance between efficiency and As co-chairs, we remain committed to facilitating a process that is agile, inclusive, and member-state-driven, one that delivers actionable, high-quality outcomes for the boards. And finally, while our formal mandate does not extend to broader reform efforts, we acknowledge that there are potential synergies. In time, This group may provide valuable governance insights that help inform or support those broader conversations. We will continue to listen carefully and remain open to how these linkages might evolve. We look forward to continuing this important work with all of you, and we thank you once again for your trust, engagement, and support. I thank you.

I thank you very much, Mr. Becker, for this report, also presented on behalf of On behalf of the other co-chair of the group, Mr. Weke from Kenya, we now open the floor for comments and questions. I give the floor to New Zealand, and of course delegations wishing to take the floor again, press your microphone button. New Zealand, you have the floor, please.

Thank you, Mr. President, distinguished members of the Executive Board. I deliver this statement on behalf of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Moldova, Norway, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye, the United Kingdom, and my own country, New Zealand. We welcome the first update by the Joint Working Group following its establishment after this year's first regular session and express our full support for the further process. The Working Group brings together broad and equal regional representation and is tasked with a clear mandate. We commend the Working Group on the successful conclusion of its initial meetings and the rapid development of its working methods with clearly defined phases and thematic work streams. We would also like to sincerely thank all 15 member states participating in the group and emphasize the constructive and trustful collaboration that has already characterized its early work. This spirit of cooperation will be essential as the process moves forward. The presentation of the roadmap and working methods at this Annual Session marks a crucial step forward in strengthening governance and oversight within the Executive Boards of UNDP, UNFPA/UNOPS, UNICEF, and UN Women. A key objective must be to streamline Board proceedings in a way that facilitates more strategic deliberations and timely decision-making. We remain fully committed to supporting a transparent, inclusive, and results-oriented process that contributes to more effective and harmonized governance structures across the executive boards. We particularly welcome the phased and flexible approach outlined in the roadmap. It reflects a careful balance between ambition and pragmatism and allows the group to move forward even when not all details have yet been finalized. Importantly, this This approach enables the identification and early implementation of easily actionable recommendations, which can help maintain momentum by demonstrating progress. As executive boards, we also have responsibility for ensuring accountability within the system. It is our duty to implement recommendations in a timely and appropriate manner. In this context, we note that some of the recommendations require preliminary preliminary stocktaking before any meaningful implementation can begin. Such work should not fall to the working group members alone, but should be supported by relevant actors within the organisations, such as units responsible for governance and oversight or the secretariats. One example is recommendation 6, which refers to the role and function of executive board secretariats. As the inspector noted, their roles are often described in general terms in the rules of procedure with no consolidated record of the actual responsibilities or functions carried out. A clear mapping of the existing practices based on the report's findings would be an important prerequisite for establishing harmonised terms of references— reference for all board secretariats. We therefore encourage the Working Group to initiate the necessary steps in order to avoid delays in implementing the recommendations. We would also like to stress the importance of maintaining an adaptive approach throughout the process. The roadmap, rightly conceived as a living document, should be regularly updated based on progress, feedback, and lessons learned. The process should also consider, as appropriate, parallel reform efforts, including the UNAID Agenda, which may offer valuable perspectives for governance and oversight reforms. We reiterate our strong support for this joint initiative. We look forward to continued engagement to promote a more coherent, efficient, accountable, and fit-for-purpose governance system across the executive boards. Thank you.

I thank New Zealand for this statement delivered on behalf of a group of countries. Any other delegations wishing to take the floor? Apparently not. Mr. Becker, would you like to add anything else?

Please.

Thank you.

Very briefly, since there were no questions, let me just close by thanking you all for your kind support, as well as for those very thoughtful comments. We have taken careful note of the points raised. And by the way, I'm pleased to see many of the working group members here in the room. We will ensure that your feedback is reflected in our ongoing deliberations. So thank you very much again.

Thank you very much. And, um, now if I hear no objections, I will take it that the Executive Board wishes to take note of the update on the assessment of how the Executive Board executes its governance and oversight functions. It is so decided. Thank you very much, Mr. Becker. Thank you also to Mr. Weke and We appreciate your work. And now I think this brings us to the end of our session this afternoon. Tomorrow at 10:00 a.m., the annual session of the Board will continue with the UNFPA segment. This meeting now is adjourned. Thank you very much.