UN Transcripts — https://transcripts.un.org/en/ecosoc/2026/22
Economic and Social Council: 22nd plenary meeting - 2026 Operational Activities for Development Segment — Economic and Social Council — 3 June 2026
Language: en
Automatically generated transcript — may contain errors. Not an official United Nations record.

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Dominican Republic · Vice President of ECOSOC · Wellington Benescomé [0:01]:

Muy buenas tardes a todos y a todas.

Good afternoon to everyone. Good afternoon. The 22nd meeting of the Economic and Social Council is called to order. Order. Uh, Item 7, Operational Activities of the United Nations for International Development Cooperation. I invite the council to continue its consideration of Agenda Item 7, Improving UNDS Governance, Oversight, and Coordination Among Governing Bodies, including executive boards, with ECOSOC at its core. I would request those in the room to please remain quiet. Delivering on system-wide mandates requires governance arrangements that can promote coherence, accountability, and effective coordination across the United Nations development system. While important progress has been made in strengthening transparency and oversight, Fragmentation across governing bodies continues to limit alignment and integrated delivery. This session provides an opportunity to reflect on how ECOSOC, together with Executive Boards and other governing bodies, can reinforce more coherent governance and ensure that system-wide guidance translates more effectively into results at country level. The Council will now hold a panel discussion on improving UNDS governance, oversight, and coordination among governing bodies, including executive boards, with ECOSOC at the core. And I'm pleased to welcome our distinguished panelists for this roundtable. Her Excellency Carla Barroso Carneiro, President of the Executive Board of the World Food Programme and Permanent Representative of Brazil to the FAO, WFP, IFAD in Rome. His Excellency François Jacquemin, Permanent Representative of Barbados at the United Nations. Her Excellency Natasha Maley, Permanent Representative of Malta at the United Nations. And Mr. Guy Ryder, Under-Secretary-General for Policy at the Executive Office of the Secretary-General. I would like to first give the floor To Her Excellency Carla Barroso Carneiro, President of the Executive Board of the World Food Programme and Permanent Representative of Brazil to the FAO, WFP, and IFAD in Rome. Before giving the floor, I would once again ask everyone to remain silent while the panelists speak. Thank you. You have the floor.


Brazil · President of the Executive Board of WFP · Carla Barroso Carneiro [3:09]:

Muchas gracias, señor vicepresidente.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President, Your Excellencies, distinguished colleagues.

About operational activities for development, what we are fundamentally discussing is the implementation of mandates, particularly in developing countries, and this is crucial in times of crisis and in times of reform. —because implementation is really where mandates become concrete for the populations we serve. It is where legitimacy is built and where the UN's presence becomes meaningful. This is why strengthening mandate implementation must remain at the center of our collective efforts. World Food Programme currently operates in some of the most challenging environments on the planet. Its mandate is not only to save lives, but also to change them, to change those lives. In fact, I would even argue that we save lives in order to change them, because in my view, while emergency assistance is indispensable in moments of acute crisis, in the long term, it is equally essential to invest in resilience-building activities and strengthening public policies capacities. Providing the right kind of assistance is also important. In most contexts, cash effectively and efficiently meets people's food, nutrition, and other related essential needs. Cash can also help people break the vicious cycle of poverty and vulnerability and bring multipliers for local economies. Support for the implementation of public policies with cross-cutting effects such as school meals is also important. And the reason why I bring those programs to your attention is the fact that they are activities that require coordination. This brings me to the question of governance. No siloed approach can deliver sustainable development outcomes. For the World Food Programme, this means operating as part of a broader United Nations ecosystem. Working alongside IFAD and FAO, while also recognizing its operational partnerships with UNICEF and the World Health Organization and others on the field to advance food security. Effective governance therefore depends not only on the oversight of individual organizations, but also and particularly, it depends on coherence and coordination across the wider system. Coherence across this institution is essential for integrated governance that supports real results on the ground. Allow me to underscore this very simple truth: strong governance is the backbone of a system-wide delivery. As we reflect on how to achieve this, we naturally turn to the role of ECOSOC. It has a unique convening power to bring coherence across governing bodies while fully respecting their distinct mandates. This function is essential for addressing cross-cutting issues such as funding, oversight, risk, efficiency, localization, and resilience. In this sense, ECOSOC can help us bring and build institutional bridges that the system urgently needs. The upcoming joint meeting of the boards, which will take place on Friday in the context of the UN80, this will offer an opportunity to exchange perspectives and identify where more coherent engagement can strengthen system-wide results. But I do believe that coordination cannot be just episodic. We need continuous collaboration throughout the year to sustain momentum. Greater alignment in governance approaches does not mean uniformity. What we seek is smart alignment, identifying where common approaches, shared learning, and coordinated oversight can reduce duplication and strengthen accountability. This includes better sequencing of discussions, clear follow-up on system-wide recommendations, and more consistent treatment of cross-cutting reform issues. In other words, Vice President, we need coherence without rigidity. Let me close by reaffirming that the World Food Programme Executive Board stands ready. It stands ready to continue working with ECOSOC and other governing bodies to strengthen coherence oversight and accountability across the UN System. Our objective is practical and results-focused: better aligned governance that enables better coordinated action for the people we serve. This is the spirit in which we move forward— with commitment, with partnership and with a shared sense of purpose. Mr. Vice President, I do believe our shared responsibility is to ensure that the UN System delivers not only assistance in moments of crisis, but also the long-term conditions that allow communities to thrive. Thank you.


Dominican Republic · Vice President of ECOSOC · Wellington Benescomé [8:20]:

Thank you to the President of the Executive Board of the World Food Programme. I now give the floor to Her Excellency Natasha Melly, Permanent Representative of Malta at the United Nations. You have the floor.


Malta · Permanent Representative; Co-facilitator · Natasha Melly [8:43]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice President, Excellencies, colleagues. A warm thanks to ECOSOC's Vice President, Ambassador Hernandez, for inviting me to address this year's Operational Activities for Development segment and for his acceptance to chair the discussions today. Firstly, I would like to deliver some remarks in my national capacity., and I align with the statement that the European Union will deliver later. Colleagues, from Malta's perspective, ECOSOC's oversight role should remain focused on ensuring that the UN Development System delivers concrete results for countries and communities, particularly in an increasingly challenging global environment. Malta values a UN Development System that is coordinated, efficient, and responsive to national priorities. We believe that oversight should place greater emphasis on measuring impact, reducing fragmentation, and ensuring that resources are used effectively to achieve sustainable development outcomes. Towards this end, we encourage ECOSOC to continue promoting stronger coordination across the UN system, while ensuring that reporting remains streamlined and focused on results rather than processes. Greater accountability should be accompanied by greater coherence. In its recommendation to the General Assembly, ICOSOC could highlight the importance of maintaining a strong and well-resourced Resident Coordinator system, improving collaboration across UN entities,, and ensuring that the specific needs and vulnerabilities of small states are adequately reflected in development programming. And now please allow me to deliver some remarks in my capacity as co-facilitator of the General Assembly Review of ECOSOC and the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. And I thank my fellow co-facilitator, Ambassador Jackman, for following by all for also sharing his valuable insights. We very much welcome the progress made so far in improving delivery and accountability across the UN Development System, in particular since 2018. The focus of today's discussion on improving UN Development System governance, oversight, and coordination among governing bodies, including Executive Boards, with ECOSOC at the core, is especially timely as the UN80 Initiative aims to transform the UN system to better coordinate and deliver for countries. These discussions are also pertinent to the General Assembly review of ECOSOC and the HLPF. As you know, we began the process in February of this year and moved to a line-by-line negotiation on the revised zero draft on 18 May. We are encouraged by the strong support among delegations for a more efficient effective, impactful, and action-oriented ECOSOC and HLPF. A central focus is on strengthening the link between global commitments and policy guidance, with implementation at the national level. On ECOSOC, the draft resolution includes provisions to strengthen the Council's role, leadership, and working methods, enhance its segments, forums, and meetings for greater impact, and strengthen the Council's coordination and oversight of its subsidiary bodies. The draft also encourages the Council to strengthen its work on the follow-up to intergovernmentally agreed outcomes of major conferences and summits in the field of sustainable development, such as the Doha Programme of Action for LDCs, the Awaza Programme of Action for LLDCs, and the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for Small Island Developing States, including by more clearly linking normative guidance to delivery on the ground. I look forward to continuing to work together towards a more coherent, effective, and accountable United Nations Development System. I thank you, Mr. Vice President.


Dominican Republic · Vice President of ECOSOC · Wellington Benescomé [13:00]:

I thank the Permanent Representative of Malta to the UN, and I now give the floor to Mr. Francois Jacquemin, Permanent Representative of Barbados to the United Nations.


Barbados · Permanent Representative; Co-facilitator · François Jacquemin [13:12]:

Thank you very much, Mr. Vice President, and thank you for inviting me to say a few words. I will follow immediately with a continuation of the update from the co-facilitator's perspective of the ECOSOC HLPF review process, and with your permission, I'll then say a few words in my national capacity about this. And may I say what a pleasure it is to see so many colleagues who have been involved in the discussions of the review process here in the room today. Following on from Ambassador Melia, just a couple more points on the review process. Delegations have highlighted the importance of this very segment in the context of ECOSOC's role. They have said, and this will be reflected, we expect, in the final resolution, that this is an example of an effective division of labor between the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council, which through this segment provides critical oversight of the UN Development System and the Resident Coordinator System. You will see from the draft that we are circulating that delegations have also called for better coordination and communication between the ECOSOC and the Executive Boards of funds and programmes. The RC system was identified as a critical interface between the global guidance that we provide and implementation at the national and regional level. It was noted, however, that current interactions appear to be largely one-directional, with limited feedback from ECOSOC to the RCs. In line with the QCPR, there are proposals to increase the segment's function as an accountability and oversight platform for the UN Development System as a whole. The current draft includes provisions for a more responsive and impactful operational activities segment. These include aligning the annual Resident Coordinator Global Retreat with this segment to ensure that resident coordinators can participate in person and contribute to the discussions. And I think that's already the case to some degree, and I believe I see somewhere around here a number of resident coordinators. Right there, at least, right? Good afternoon to you, colleagues. Keep up the good work. We really do appreciate it. The draft also envisages that we should be strengthening systematic and inclusive engagement with the UN system leadership and resident coordinators to foster interactive dialogue to better inform decision-making. And finally, requesting that governing body secretariats facilitate the effective flow of information. And in this sense, the OAS is uniquely positioned to serve as ECOSOC's principal platform— for oversight, accountability, and strategic guidance. Through its annual deliberations and resolutions, we as member states can help to accelerate stronger system-wide performance and results in support of the 2030 Agenda. And with your permission, Mr. Vice President, I'd just like to add a couple of points in my national capacity, focusing in on the interaction, as I highlighted earlier, between the Resident Coordinator System, and the ECOSOC in general and the ECOSOC OAS in particular. One of the things that's become quite apparent both in the discussions in the review process, but also more generally for countries certainly like mine, is that the RC system really is at the heart of UN's ability to deliver on the ground in country and in region. And the report of the chair of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group is clear, and Barbados strongly supports the findings in this report. And if I may highlight two and then make two last points. First of— the first, I think, important point is that the system has worked. It's been a success. We have made considerable improvements since 2018, and we should feel good about this in a context where it's quite challenging. This is a real success. That has had a real impact on the ground. I can see it with my own eyes in my own country and in my own region. Barbados hosts a multi-country office for the Eastern Caribbean, and we have seen how this office has responded both in crisis moments and in terms of broader policy orientations. And in this sense, it's clear to us that the Resident Coordinator System, the Resident Coordinator office must have the necessary resources, human and financial, to do their job, to be resident and to coordinate. And in an environment like the Caribbean, the Eastern Caribbean, where there is one hub and then a series of smaller offices, this is absolutely critical. And this is true in the Caribbean, but it's also true in other regions with small island developing states like the Pacific. So it's clear that we have therefore to find a suitable funding model for this mechanism, which has proven itself to be so effective, so that it can be sustained through the rest of the 2030 Agenda and beyond. And finally, Chair, I'd just like to provide an example of what this actually means on the ground in terms of the convening, coordinating power of resident the coordinator system. So in less than 2 weeks, in Barbados, under the leadership of the resident coordinator, there will be a regional event designed to mobilize equity capital for resilient food systems. This event will bring together the UN family, and in particular, I might say, WFP and FAO, will bring private sector actors, will bring investors, and producers in the food system, in the food system, together in a single place to identify opportunities for investment to enhance food security and food resilience in the Caribbean. So clearly nothing could be more important than these kinds of activities. So this is a practical, successful outcome of what a good resident coordinator system is doing, and we need to ensure the interaction continues and is enhanced between that mechanism and the ECOSOC in general and the OAS in particular. Thank you very much, Mr. Vice President.


Dominican Republic · Vice President of ECOSOC · Wellington Benescomé [19:33]:

I thank the Permanent Representative of Barbados to the UN, and I now give the floor to Mr. Guy Ryder, Under-Secretary-General for Policy at the Executive Office of the Secretary-General.


UN Secretariat · USG Policy · Guy Ryder [19:45]:

You have the floor. Sure, Vice President. Mr. President, Excellencies, distinguished delegates. Building on the important interventions of the ambassadors who have spoken before me, I can perhaps offer a few reflections on behalf of the United Nations system, beginning with a simple proposition: that system-wide coherence is not an abstract governance aspiration, but rather a key determinant of operational delivery. Where guidance from Member States is clear, aligned, and mutually reinforcing across ECOSOC and governing bodies, the UN Development System delivers better, faster, and with greater accountability. If it is not, then the system may struggle, despite the best efforts of individual entities. Now, since the 2018 repositioning The UN Development System has made real, tangible progress. Accountability frameworks are stronger and transparency has increased. ECOSOC, through the Operational Activities Segment, has become the central intergovernmental platform for system-wide oversight of reforms, guiding the UN Development System and the Resident Coordinator System to ensure more cohesive, effective and efficient UN responses to national needs. Resident coordinators, as we've heard, now play a key role in ensuring that ECOSOC and General Assembly mandates are implemented on the ground. These are real achievements, but the evidence is equally clear that fragmentation in governance remains a central structural constraint. As outlined in the Secretary-General's QCPR report, the current governance arrangements can still create competition over scarce resources and act as a disincentive for the UN Development System to work together. Decisions on entity and regional configuration, planning and programming cycles, expertise and capacity profiles, and business operations are still taken largely in isolation, even when Member States have called for a system-wide approach. To enhance system-wide transparency and accountability to Member States, the UNAT Initiative offers an opportunity to consolidate the efficiency gains of the past 8 years and translate them into a more coherent UN Development System. And at the centre of this effort lies governance. Governing bodies have a decisive role in ensuring that system-wide commitments are reflected in how the UN actually operates at country and regional level. So what can this mean in practice? Well, here are some practical actions that together we could take in order to achieve consistent system-wide delivery—five of them. Firstly, ensure better sequencing and alignment of entities' decisions. In many countries, cooperation frameworks are still being adjusted to fit individual entity programme cycles, rather than the other way around. When Executive Boards approve country programmes that are not clearly derived from, and synchronized with cooperation frameworks, coherence is undermined at the very point of origin. Secondly, support full coherence of UN responses at country level, prioritizing a system-wide approach over entity-specific mandate delivery. Resident coordinators are mandated to lead system-wide coordination by the General Assembly. and governing bodies can reinforce this by ensuring that entity guidance, approvals and incentives support collective delivery, especially as country contexts grow increasingly complex. Thirdly, tailor responses to national priorities through a UNCT footprint and regional assets that align with needs on the ground. Recommendations for the best possible expertise required to support countries, based on dialogue with national governments, clear criteria for UN country team configuration, and a coherent regional offer connected to country demands, require the backing of entities' governing bodies in their decisions on entities' presence and capacities in both countries of regions. Fourthly, ensure that business operations enable agility, flexibility and joint responses. We are already seeing major returns in this area. As highlighted in the QCPR report, Priority Global Shared Services of the UN Sustainable Development Group have delivered $95 million US dollars in efficiencies by streamlining key functions. When the system operates as one, through shared services, we improve effectiveness and unlock resources for the key— the key ambition of programme delivery. Fifthly and lastly, ensure that UN Development System embraces data, digital tools, and technology as key enablers. A modern development system depends on the ability to anticipate needs, to adapt quickly and make data-driven policy decisions. This should not be considered optional. It is foundational to our credibility and effectiveness. The Vice President Excellencies, governing bodies already have robust accountability tools to exercise oversight and to guide a UN development system that works together. —including through monitoring frameworks, the checklist for UN SDG entities' governing bodies, system-wide evaluations, and shared transparency platforms. But all of these tools are still not used systematically over entities and in their governing bodies, and this needs to change. Governing bodies have a key role to play in shifting how the UN Development System operates and ultimately determine the success of reforms and of UN-AT. ECOSOC has a central role in addressing these gaps. It is the only UN body mandated by the Charter to coordinate the UN Development System. Through the Operational Activities Segment, it provides the only intergovernmental space with a full system-wide mandate for UN delivery on development. So the opportunity now is to strengthen the connective tissue between ECOSOC guidance and governing body decisions through clearer articulation of system-wide expectations, more deliberate cross-referencing of QCPR guidance in deliberations, and stronger feedback loops to the General Assembly. And this also means reducing duplicative guidance and clarifying where system-wide direction should prevail. And in this regard, we count on member states' commitment to the full implementation of General Assembly Resolution 80/251 on mandate creation, implementation and review. Effective governance requires a balance between preserving the autonomy and fiduciary responsibility of governing bodies, and ensuring sufficient flexibility for entities to work together as country realities demand. That balance is already embedded in QCPR principles, in the ongoing consultation on the GA's review of ECOSOC and the High-Level Political Forum, and in the ongoing work of the Mandate Implementation Review. And I think that the task now is to apply those principles consistently. And here, Mr. Vice President, the Secretary-General's vision is very clear: an effective UN Development System where ECOSOC and governing bodies speak with a coherent voice, where entity reforms reinforce rather than compete with system-wide objectives, and where accountability mechanisms enable collective results across funds, programmes and specialized agencies alike. The foundations are in place. Alignment is now the decisive variable. And that alignment can be achieved only if we move forward together with shared vision and shared accountability. Thank you.


Dominican Republic · Vice President of ECOSOC · Wellington Benescomé [28:47]:

Doy las gracias al señor director general. Thank you, Guy Ryder. I now open the floor to delegations to participate in our interactive discussion. I'd like to remind speakers that all those wishing to speak can take the floor. A time limit of 2 minutes will apply for individual statements and 3 minutes For statements on behalf of groups, you could request a— you can request to speak now. I give the floor to Lebanon. And then European Union.


Lebanon [29:50]:

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. President, for giving me the floor. I just want to thank— at the outset, to thank the discussions and the remarks highlighted during this segment, during this session. And I wanted also to welcome discussion on the strengthening governance, oversight, and coordination across the UN development. For Lebanon, the value of a coherent, responsive, and well-coordinated UN development system is not just a question, it's a practical necessity. Challenges— economic challenges as the country continues to navigate a complex recovery process amid economic challenges and especially political challenges. Institutional pressures and the consequences of recent hostilities in Lebanon, the request that the UN called upon to respond to the urgent humanitarian recovery needs.— that the country is facing right now, while continuing to support long-term development priorities. In this context, Lebanon wishes to underscore the importance of a strong, adequately resourced, and accountable Resident Coordinator system. The Resident Coordinator plays a critical role in ensuring coherence across the UN system, mobilizing expertise from different entities, and delivering integrated support that responds to national priorities and evolving needs on the ground, like in Lebanon right now. Our experience demonstrates that the ability of the Resident Coordinator System to bring together humanitarian, recovery, and development efforts is essential, particularly in complex settings where multiple challenges overlap. Lebanon also supports the role of ECOSOC through the Cooperation and Activities for Development segment as a principal platform for oversight of the UN development system. Enhanced cooperation between ECOSOC governing bodies and executive boards can help ensure greater coherence reduce fragmentation, and translate policy guidance into measurable results at the country level. As discussions advance under the UN Haiti Initiative, it is important that reforms preserve the development pillar of the United Nations and maintain its capacities and country presence needed to support member states. Flexibility, responsiveness, and national ownership must remain at the heart of the system. Mr. President, for countries facing evolving and interconnected challenges such as Lebanon, the success of UN reforms will ultimately be measured by the system's ability to respond rapidly to emerging needs while sustaining long-term development support. I thank you. Muchas gracias.


Dominican Republic · Vice President of ECOSOC · Wellington Benescomé [32:10]:

Muchas gracias. Muy buen español. Thank you.

Thank you, Lebanon. I give the floor to Morocco. Poland followed by European Union. Morocco has the floor.


Morocco [32:31]:

Gracias, Senor Vice Presidente. Morocco welcomes this important discussion on strengthening ECOSOC system-wide oversight and ensuring that the operational activities for development segment remain a central platform for coherence, accountability, and follow-up across the UN development system. We also welcome the panelists' insights— and we also welcome the presence of the distinguished Ambassadors of Barbados and Malta as co-facilitators of the ECOSOC review. Very much timely, your insights at this very important juncture. As we advance the UNAT process and as we are undertaking the intergovernmental review of the work of the Council, it is essential that we reaffirm ECOSOC Charter mandate of coordinating the UN development system and equip it with the tools and modalities needed to drive measurable improvement in delivery on the ground of the UNDS. From Morocco's perspective, the OAS must remain a distinct, substantive, and action-oriented forum. It is the only multistakeholder space where member states can collectively assess system-wide performance, have a direct discussion with the resident coordinators, and provide coherent guidance to the UNDS. Allow me to highlight three priorities. First, ECOSOC should fully leverage the OAS to articulate clear expectations and measurable benchmarks for system-wide delivery. This includes strengthening the link between ECOSOC's guidance, Executive Board's decisions, and mandates of the General Assembly. Second, we support more regular structured exchanges between ECOSOC and Executive Boards to promote policy coherence, mutual visibility, and consistent follow-up. Third, the UN80 process offer a unique opportunity to modernize and reinforce ECOSOC leadership for the development pillar. Strengthening the OAS, improving coordination among governing bodies, and enhancing system-wide accountability will be essential to building a UNDS that is coherent, anticipatory, and fit for purpose. I thank you.


Dominican Republic · Vice President of ECOSOC · Wellington Benescomé [34:32]:

Thank you, Morocco. And I give the floor to Poland. Followed by EU and Switzerland.


Poland [34:45]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Mr. Vice President of ECOSOC, Mr. Under-Secretary-General, Excellencies. I would like to thank distinguished speakers for their insightful remarks that set the scene for our important discussion in this session. Poland aligns with the statement to be delivered by the European Union and would like to complement it with some national remarks. Poland supports a stronger role for ECOSOC OAS as the central platform for oversight, accountability, and strategic guidance for the UN Development System and the Resident Coordinator System. We believe that more coherent coordination among governing bodies and executive boards is necessary to ensure consistent system-wide guidance and avoid fragmentation across the development pillar. In the context of the UN80 Initiative, governance reforms should contribute to greater operational efficiency and clearer accountability across global, regional, and country levels. Poland supports reforms that simplify structures and improve delivery, but efficiency gains should not come at the expense of development, human rights, and prevention capacities of the UN, particularly in vulnerable and crisis-affected countries. We underline that stronger oversight should translate into a more effective delivery at the country level, and better alignment of UN operational activities with national priorities and cooperation frameworks. Finally, we also see value in using the OAS more strategically as a forum for accountability and political guidance on implementation of UN 80 reforms, including follow-up on coherence coordination and country-level delivery. And I thank you.


Dominican Republic · Vice President of ECOSOC · Wellington Benescomé [36:27]:

Thank you, Poland. I now give the floor to the European Union, to be followed by Switzerland and Mexico.


EU · EU [36:40]:

Thank you, Vice President, and thank you to the panelists. Excellencies, colleagues, I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the EU and its member states. The theme before us goes to the heart of what this body must deliver: a more accountable, coherent, and effective UN development system with ECOSOC at its core. This OAS session is timely because it focuses on the issues member states are currently addressing with the ECOSOC HLPF review under the excellent stewardship of the Permanent Representatives of Barbados and Malta. We are seeing progress and convergence when it comes to the need for ECOSOC to assume its role of oversight of the UN Development System. In this sense, allow me to address three areas of importance for us. First, strengthening ECOSOC's oversight of the UN Development System. The QCPR provides the mandate, but implementation remains uneven. The Operational Activity Segment is the ideal platform to monitor progress, not just through reports, but through direct, interactive dialogue with the Development Coordination Office and UN entity leaders. We strive for OAS to become an annual stocktaking session where we assess system-wide performance against QCPR commitments, a real-time mechanism to identify gaps and demand corrective action. Second, deepening the connection between the segment and the Resident Coordinator System. The annual RC meeting later this year brings critical insights from the field, but too often those lessons fail to inform ECOSOC's governance discussions. That is why, through the ECOSOC HLPF, we are encouraging that the OAS and the RC retreat take place back-to-back in the spring. This would make the OAS more outcome-focused and ensure that ECOSOC's oversight is grounded in reality. We are pleased to see a considerable number of RCs present in person during our discussions this week,, which is already an improvement. Third, enhancing transparency and accountability among governing bodies. The fragmentation between executive boards and ECOSOC weakens our collective ability to hold the system to account. To address this, we believe that ECOSOC, in one of its segments, should provide space for boards to present their strategic priorities, followed by an interactive exchange in alignment with the QCPR and the UN Development System-wide goals. This would provide greater coherence and mutual accountability. Mr. Vice President, ECOSOC and its OAS should be the backbone of the UN Development System governance, ensuring that oversight is not just theoretical, but transformative. So let me pose a question. What is the one concrete step this operational activity segment can take in 2026 to strengthen ECOSOC's oversight role in a way that is visible, measurable, and impactful? Thank you very much to all panelists. Thank you.


Dominican Republic · Vice President of ECOSOC · Wellington Benescomé [39:07]:

Muchas gracias al representante de Thank you, EU.

I give the floor to Switzerland, followed by Mexico and Pakistan.


Switzerland [39:20]:

Merci, Monsieur le Président.

Thank you, President. I would like to thank His Excellency, Vice President, and his team for organizing our meeting. We welcome the efforts which made this more interactive, and we encourage this for future segments as well. We do need to have frank exchanges, substantive ones, to make sure that we make the development system fit for the future. We think that a more effective and relevant ECOSOC ensures there's greater accountability of the development system of the UN thanks to that approach. And the governing boards also play a key plays role a key role within the development system when it comes to implementing reforms. We therefore would like to also have more link between OAS and the governing parties to make sure that they align their funds and programs. We thank the participation of the heads of executive boards of the agencies and resident coordinators for their participation, and we would like to reiterate the proposal to have a retreat of coordinators right after the OAS. We would like to have the alignment between our work and what comes out of the Third Committee every year. Governing parties also need to play a key role to implement and monitor the consistency of reforms throughout the UN system by building on the responses brought in by UN entities when it comes to the evaluation system-wide. And we encourage to include in the governing boards, boards of the outcome system-wide, their analysis and their collection on the implementation of QCPR and reform initiatives. And we use this opportunity to thank the Joint Working Group on the JIU, on the governance and the supervision by the governing bodies. Now, I have a question so as to clarify the next stages of the revision of the management and accountability framework. What will they be? Thank you.


Dominican Republic · Vice President of ECOSOC · Wellington Benescomé [41:55]:

Thank you, Switzerland.

I give the floor to Mexico, followed by Pakistan.


Mexico [42:08]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Mexico is grateful for this exchange of views and would like to share some thoughts. First of all, we believe that the OAS should be consolidated as a a forum geared towards results capable of linking effectively deliberation at the intergovernmental level with implementation at the country level. For this, it's essential that discussions go beyond exchange of experience and contribute to identifying concrete actions that make it possible to strengthen impact on the ground. With this in mind, it would be a good idea for the segment to reflect with greater clarity the implications of the Seville civil commitment and the work around the report on financing for sustainable development for 2026, avoiding disconnect between operational debates and substantive discussions on financing for development. Our delegation has consistently stated that international cooperation will only be truly effective if it contributes to strengthening national capacities rather than fragmenting them. And coordination is essential. It's an essential condition for coherence. Each— if each Governing Body discusses UNAD isolated way, it will be difficult to implement them in a coherent way. With this in mind, we acknowledge the work of Ekusok as a as a platform for systemic oversight. It's essential to have comparable— comparative information among entities including executive boards. We believe that efforts of the system should continue to be guided by principles of coherence, national appropriation, ensuring that support provided responds to the priorities defined by the countries themselves. We also reiterate that the processes of reform must be focused on strengthening effectiveness of existing mechanisms and improving their capacity, response capacity. Creation of new structures or additional burdens could increase transaction costs and reduce the capacity of the system to respond effectively. Thank you.


Dominican Republic · Vice President of ECOSOC · Wellington Benescomé [44:34]:

I thank Mexico. Give the floor to Pakistan, followed by the first civil society.


Pakistan [44:47]:

Thank you, Vice President. I would like to express appreciation to all the panelists, especially to the co-facilitators of the ECOSOC HLPF review, the Permanent Representatives of Barbados and Malta respectively, for their excellent stewardship of that process., and which we've had the pleasure of engaging in closely. We have been heartened by the immense convergence among members states on improvements to the OAS segment during the aforementioned review process, which we think has been facilitated immensely by the line-by-line modality pursued by the COFACS. We agree with all speakers here today that ECOSOC has a valuable role to play in oversight and guidance of the UN development system, and in particular that greater linkages with the executive boards are required. To have an exchange of information. In this regard, again, we express support for the proposals contained in the ECOSOC HLPF review process. In this regard, we also believe that the Vice President in charge of the segment this year, the Permanent Representative of the Dominican Republic, has done an excellent job in shaping the program of this year's segment, which has been very responsive and relevant to contemporary issues. In the future, we believe we could explore how more joint interaction between the entities and RCs as well as between relevant entity heads in New York and DCO, could be incorporated into the program to allow for more of an interactive exchange. Moreover, while we support efforts to enhance overall coherence, we would like to maintain the distinction between the role of the GA and ECOSOC, in particular the primary role of the GA in policy and reform matters and the role of ECOSOC in oversight and accountability. I thank you.


Dominican Republic · Vice President of ECOSOC · Wellington Benescomé [46:24]:

Muchas gracias a la distinguida—

Thank you. Pakistan. I now give the floor, the first civil society organization, Foundation for the Study and Research on Women, followed by another organization.


Biddy Levy [46:45]:

Biddy Levy, FEMM and the LACM. The LACM region represents a wider and diverse groups of communities whose lives and futures depend on a United Nations development system that is responsive, coordinated, and capable of addressing the realities they face on the critical issues of strengthening governance, oversight, and coordination across the United Nations development system, with ECOSOC at its core. At a time of escalating geopolitical tensions and polycrisis, effective multilateral cooperation is not only a development necessity security, but also a strategic investment in global stability. As UNAID recommendations move forward, it is essential that UN country teams' configurations and regional architectures are tailored not only to the national priorities, but also address the regional needs of debt distress, climate vulnerabilities, inequalities, and structural challenges. Their perspectives and priorities must should therefore be systematically reflected in country-level planning, programming, and decision-making. Resident coordinators and UN country teams have a critical role to ensure that development responses are integrated, locally informed, and grounded in human rights and gender equality. This requires adequate resources, stronger coordination across the system, and meaningful engagement with civil society partners. ECOSOC has an indispensable role as the primary platform for system-wide oversight, policy guidance, coordination, and to review results, identify gaps, and ensure alignment with national priorities and the 2030 Agenda. As we shape the future of the UN Development System, reforms must be strengthened—accountability, transparency, and coherence—while safeguarding the diversity of mandates and expertise across the UN entities and are designed to deliver tangible results for people. Our shared goal is a UN that is even more coordinated, accountable, and effective in advancing inclusive development, resilience, sustainable prosperity, and lasting peace for all. Thank you for this opportunity.


Dominican Republic · Vice President of ECOSOC · Wellington Benescomé [48:58]:

Muchas gracias, Distinguida República Dominicana.

Thank you to the Foundation for the Study and Research on women, and I now give the floor to the representative of Children and Youth International as the last speaker.


MGCY · Arpan Patel [49:16]:

Thank you, Chair, for the floor. I'm Arpan Patel from Children and Youth International, speaking on behalf of the Major Group for Children and Youth. First, we encourage stronger alignment between decisions taken by ECOSOC executive boards and governing bodies and country-level programming through cooperation frameworks. Resident coordinators should play a central role in translating system-wide priorities and intergovernmental guidance into coherent country-level implementation and reporting. Second, governance reform should promote greater coherence.

This includes stronger integration between regional inter—

interagency networks and issue-based coalitions. Furthermore, the regional integrated platforms being rolled out under UNAT should be closely linked to these efforts and operated operate based on the development and peace priorities of the region and countries rather than being driven by donor priorities. Third, major group and other stakeholders engage across global, regional, and national levels and should therefore be systematically engaged throughout governance and implementation processes, including on national level implementation and accountability mechanisms. I thank you.


Dominican Republic · Vice President of ECOSOC · Wellington Benescomé [50:28]:

Agradezco, representante.

I thank the representative of Children and Youth International. We have a request, one more request, give the floor to the United Kingdom.


United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland [50:46]:

Thank you, thank you, Vice President, and to all the panelists for their contributions to this discussion. We welcome the reflections of both the PRs of Malta and Barbados, and thank, thank them both for their leadership. The UK strongly supports the strengthening of OAS oversight functions for the RC system and the UN Development System more broadly, and in particular greater alignment between the RC Global Retreat and the OAS segment. We also appreciate the insights from USG Ryder regarding the key steps that we can take to ensure broader system-wide coherence and alignment in governance. We couldn't agree more with the importance of sequencing key documents, with the broader cooperation framework being developed first ahead of agency-specific CPDs. We've heard mixed, um, kind of updates from different panel members on this, uh, about how this is best done. And so we can certainly work to ensure this through the boards, and it would be great if there's any more detail on how the UN itself can try and best ensure this kind of timing of this, this 2. We heard on the panel earlier today how business operation strategies must continue to be championed by member states and how this will aid program delivery, and we welcome further thoughts from the panel on how we can use OAS and ECOSOC more broadly to drive this agenda forward and what more member states can do to advance reforms that will help the system work more coherently as one.


Dominican Republic · Vice President of ECOSOC · Wellington Benescomé [52:04]:

Thank you. Agradezco a la distinguida representante.

I thank the United Kingdom for your statement. That brings us to the end of the list of speakers for the interactive debate. I now invite the panelists to briefly respond to the observations made and the questions asked by delegations. I give the floor to Carla Barroso Carneiro, President of the Executive Board of the World Food Programme. You have the floor.


WFP · President of the Executive Board · Carla Barroso Carneiro [52:37]:

I can say that I listened very attentively and I learned a lot. Mexico said that results have to go beyond exchange of information and that we need to monitor results and impact. I also listen to other colleagues here and I believe it's very important. We're no longer at a time where we can think that what we're discussing here is more important than concrete results for people who are suffering, who are experiencing hunger. This is something that really is something I'm very aware of. Something else that I heard from everyone is everyone seems to agree for the need for ECOSOC to strengthen its capacity for coordination. And I'm, of course, particularly the agencies in charge of food security, this coordination must be systematic. I also heard that the governing bodies here must be more involved, and I think this is very important also. I also heard quite a lot about the importance of the resident coordinators. In particular, I heard our distinguished colleague from Barbados when he shared the experience that is going to take place now in the next few weeks regarding the participation of the private sector. I see a great deal of potential for resident coordinators, but I also see that it's very difficult for them to exercise their activities in a system that gives— seems to give incentives for competition on the ground. In the development system, it is true that we have a situation where resources are diminishing, whereas demand is increasing. So to truly take advantage of all this potential, It's important for the resolution to be adopted to in some way grant more capacity for coordination to resident coordinators. I think this really depends on each specific reality and each individual on the ground. Those are some of the comments I wanted to make and I also wanted to Thank you for the opportunity of being here with you. Thank you very much.


Dominican Republic · Vice President of ECOSOC · Wellington Benescomé [55:42]:

Thank you, Your Excellency Carlos Barroso Carneiro. I now give the floor to His Excellency François Hechmann, Permanent Representative of Barbados.


Barbados · Permanent Representative; Co-facilitator · François Jacquemin [55:53]:

Thank you very much, Mr. Vice President. I too listened with great attention and interest to the comments and questions from colleagues, and I won't attempt to answer them specifically, but perhaps to I'd like to make a broader remark wearing my hat as co-facilitator of this exercise, and then Ambassador Melly, I'm sure, will have some views here as well. I think it's clear from the comments of colleagues that there is general agreement on a number of important principles. Among two— two among them are the need to reinforce empower, strengthen the RC on the ground. And the other— this is two amongst many— and the other is the importance of intensifying the dialogue with the boards, the executive boards of the agencies, funds, and programs. And this is already reflected, if I may say, in the text of the draft resolution. I'm looking at it now and I see that it's agreed ad ref. That means that we are all fully agreed on this idea. And so what remains, and in a way this is the challenge to us as individual representatives, as vice presidents of the Council, as presidents of boards, is to see how in practical terms we can do this. So practical things mean inviting one another to one's meetings, when that's possible, making sure the RCs are here, getting the documentation right and in the right order and in the right quantity and quality. So there are a number of practical things that are literally within our power to do. The resolution will not give you the answer. The resolution will give you kind of the general direction and the kind of the normative framework. But then it's up to every one of us —proactively to say, 'Okay, what can we do to make this strengthened, more coherent, and more responsive?' And we've heard a number of examples of what that can look like. And I would say to colleagues, we need to push harder individually and collectively in addressing these practical issues. Perhaps the last thing I would say, just as the—now wearing the hat of a representative of a very small country, and the head of a very small delegation, this business of streamlining and alignment and coherence is no joke. I mean, it has a real practical reality, and it is, if you are overloaded with information and documentation and meetings and events, you cannot bring them into any coherence for yourself, for your delegation, for the country that you represent. So that is a very practical thing which in the context of the UN Haiti process, I think we also very much need to focus on as we go forward. Thank you, Mr. Vice President.


Dominican Republic · Vice President of ECOSOC · Wellington Benescomé [58:45]:

Agradezco, excelentísimo señor French President.

Thank you, Mr. François-Jacques Manain. I give the floor to Madame Natasha Melly, Permanent Representative of Malta.


Malta · Permanent Representative; Co-facilitator · Natasha Melly [58:55]:

Thank you very much, Mr.

Vice President, and I think Ambassador Jacquemin, you have said it all in a very eloquent way. I recall that when we started our process, we made it very clear with Ambassador Jackman, it's not the what, because we know exactly what we have to do and we have our mandates, it's the how. And I've heard a lot during the discussion today the word— the importance of implementation and then the importance of coherence. I think coherence was was the word that was mostly said. So, as Ambassador Jackman said, we, in the process that we are leading, we are very much in your hands, and there is a lot that can be done. And of course, the ambition is up to us on how much we can reduce from the present fragmentation, which we agree is there, make our work more coherent here in New York to then facilitate with the work on the ground through, amongst others, the resident coordinators, so that the discussion flows. Streamlining is definitely a word that we keep on hearing during our review, coming from another very, very small state, but it's important that we focus because ultimately we do realize that sometimes we make our world a bit more difficult by widening the focus that then we lose the focus. So this is what we are trying to do. We are more or less in the final stages. We have done some very good work and we can improve the system, albeit in a small way, but always keeping in mind ultimately that the— final result and the final aim is the implementation on the ground. Thank you. Agradezco a la Excelentísima Secretaria General.


Dominican Republic · Vice President of ECOSOC · Wellington Benescomé [1:01:01]:

Thank you, Madam Natasha Mali. And to conclude this second round, I give the floor to Mr. Guy Ryder, Under-Secretary General.


UN Secretariat · USG Policy · Guy Ryder [1:01:12]:

Thank you very much, Vice President, and I've much appreciated the opportunity to be part of this panel and to listen to the views expressed from the floor. What is striking, and a number of the panellists have already referred to this, is the very clear areas of common ground in this room. I mean, as the Ambassador of Malta has just said, the what we have to do is pretty clear to us and there seems to be general consensus around it. We want to see greater coherence for for more impact, not least at a time of badly constrained resources and major development needs around the world. All of this seems to me to be— and, of course, to empower resident coordinators. I think we all recognize that the 2018 reform has taken us forward a considerable distance, but there is this distance ahead of us, and, if you like, the puzzle is is why, if everybody is pretty much in agreement about the objectives we're trying to obtain, are we still trying to find the forward path to achieve those things? Now, I think the answer to that question lies in some of the major challenges that we have set for ourselves in the UNAT process when we have taken on the challenge of perfecting the configuration of country teams, of resetting our regional architecture. I think we're asking ourselves the right questions, but I have to say I come to this discussion from, if you'll allow me, the sort of anecdotal remark. When I was working in a specialized agency, a specialized agency which took its development responsibilities seriously, and wanted to be a team player in the UN system and the development system, ECOSOC was a very distant voice in our thinking and influencing the way we behaved. Somehow there was a distance, there was a disconnect, there wasn't the conversation that might offer the opportunity of taking us where we all want to get to now. So I think we have to look to our institutional arrangements. One thing is clear: goodwill won't get you there. Goodwill is necessary, but it's not sufficient. You need to combine goodwill, common purpose, with the right type of institutional arrangements. Can I say the right type of funding incentives as well? Not something which has particularly figured in this conversation. You have to factor in all of these things to give us a chance to really leverage the collective effort to move us forward to the to the perfection, if you like, of the development system reform outcomes that we have come a significant distance in achieving, but we're not really there yet. So I hope that through the considerations, through the review process that our colleagues from Malta and Barbados are leading, we can move forward along this direction. I think we have a real opportunity ahead of us. Thank you, Chair.


Dominican Republic · Vice President of ECOSOC · Wellington Benescomé [1:04:21]:

Thank you, Mr. Guy Ryder, Under-Secretary-General. Your Excellencies, I'd like to thank the panelists for sharing their valuable insights, as well as delegations for participating in this productive exchange of views. I now briefly pause the meeting to allow the podium to be rearranged for the closing segment. Please remain seated. Thank you. Madam Deputy Secretary-General, Your Excellencies, distinguished delegates, we've reached the conclusion of our 3 days of deliberations. During the Operational Activities for Development segment. I now invite the Deputy Secretary-General and the Chair of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group, Her Excellency Amina Mohammed, to deliver a closing statement. Madam Deputy Secretary-General, you have the floor.


UN Secretariat · Deputy SG; Chair of UNSDG · Amina Mohammed [1:08:32]:

Thank you very much, Your Excellency Vice President of ECOSOC, Excellencies, colleagues, Friends, as we bring this segment to a close, let me begin by thanking His Excellency Wellington Benescomé, the Permanent Representative of the Dominican Republic, for stewarding the discussions over the past 3 days. Your leadership of this segment has been critical in ensuring the dialogues were action-oriented and giving the system clear guidance. I would also like to thank you, our Member States, for your engagement, your insightful questions and the constructive feedback we've had. And to civil society for joining us and offering their reflections. We will continue to work with you to address the legitimate concerns and the priorities, also the ideas that you proffered. And to our resident coordinators and our UN SDG entities and colleagues across the system who brought the evidence and the experience of the field into this chamber, thank you for your engagement and for sharing your experiences. Finally, I would like to acknowledge Dessa— Jun Wei Li— for leading the Secretariat efforts and the support of DCO in ensuring strong Resident Coordinator and UN SDG engagement. Over the last 3 days, our discussions have done justice to the theme, Innovation to Impact. We've moved from the promise of reform to clear results and clarity on the road ahead. The UN Development System has shifted since 2018. It is now closer aligned with host country needs more than ever before. Yet we must continue to improve on the capacities, connect partnerships, consolidating the achievements over the past 8 years of reforms and building on them through the momentum of UN80. The Secretary-General has offered his proposals to move in this direction., and we welcome your feedback throughout this week and of course in the weeks to come. You called for differentiated and tailored responses through UN country teams that are context-specific and grounded in national ownership and leadership. This included ensuring the development system meets the different needs of LDCs, LLDCs, SIDS and MICCs and complex settings through strong synergies across our UN interventions with the 2030 Agenda at the center. You made it clear expectations of Resident Coordinator System and their leadership role, their skill sets, and of course the knowledge that is needed in context in supporting the coherence and alignment of country responses. We also heard your support for its recalibration in recognizing its centrality in delivering tailored support. We also heard the calls of many member states for ensuring adequate, predictable and sustainable funding for the Resident Coordinator System, including through the levy, the cost-sharing arrangement, the commitment authority and voluntary contributions. Implementing the funding compact will be key to ensuring the right outcomes. You also reaffirmed the corporation frameworks led by Resident Coordinators must remain the central planning instrument to reflect national priorities and the guide which UN capacities are required to support them in their efforts to advance the 2030 Agenda. You asked how key enablers of effective support, like mechanisms for expertise on demand and joint knowledge hubs, would complement the footprint of the UN in countries, including through the regional platforms for integration, to better connect regional knowledge and expertise with demands from the country level. You reminded us of the importance of continuing to build on efficiencies that we have achieved for agile business operations and the savings that can be redirected to programmatic delivery. We must carry this momentum forward by expanding our common back offices, expanding shared services and other system-wide approaches that would maximize the resources for the people that we serve. You also asked that data and innovation back our work. In this way, we can build on the power of technology, including by strengthening our national capacities, and ensure that your decisions are rooted in strong and clear evidence. Excellencies, our task is to complete the unfinished business of the UN Development System reforms and to raise our ambition to equip the system for the challenges of today and tomorrow. To do that, we see the need for immediate collective action in 4 areas. First, we need to fully deliver on the new generation of teams with clear criteria for presence, expertise, composition, and anchored in the cooperation framework. We must move towards a model where specialized expertise is provided at scale and programming is driven by outcomes rather than by short-term projects. This was a clear call of the General Assembly Resolution 72/279. As we heard you set out this week, there is a clear expectation of alignment between country program documents, cooperation frameworks, and the programming implemented on the ground, strengthened mandated delivery of the 2030 Agenda. The scale of the challenges before us requires the UN to become greater than the sum of its parts. delivering tailored, integrated support to countries' priorities. Resident Coordinators will continue to lead the UN Development System on the ground, convening, coordinating, and enabling UN Country Teams to deliver on those national priorities to achieve Agenda 2030. Our recalibration of the Resident Coordinator system ensures that they have the right skills and capacities to guide this effort. Including at DCO headquarters and in regional teams. An implementation group has been set up with all UN Sustainable Development Group entities to guide the operation— operation of better configured country teams across the system. Second, we will be better— we will better connect our expertise across the system to support our countries. The regional reset builds on the RCPs, our Regional Collaboration Platforms, and maximizes the impact of the UN— the UN assets at the regional level around 3 new shifts: bringing together relevant expertise and tools across the humanitarian, development, peace, and human rights pillars; strengthening the regional country engagement; and future-proofing the regional architecture. Through this, the regional platforms for integration will serve as a light and responsive problem-solving mechanism that convenes relevant actors and coordinates regional analysis, action, and expertise across all pillars of the United Nations system. This is building on the RCPs. The ultimate goal is to provide timely and agile support to Resident Coordinators, United Nations country teams, and regional entities. At the same time, we aim to strengthen intergovernmental anchoring and collective accountability for results. This will be delivered without changing governance arrangements or mandates. Third, we will continue to invest in system-wide efficiencies—common back offices, shared services, common premises—where these both lower the costs and raise the effectiveness of the UN Development System. UNAT also provides renewed momentum in this regard through the Unified Services Roadmap. Fourth, no real transformation is possible unless we resource it. Yet ODA support is back at the levels of 2015. Core funding for UN entities has faced the biggest cuts. Voluntary contributions to the Resident Coordinator System have fallen to their lowest levels since the RC system was created. It is clear that this funding stream will never operate as intended, and the levy continues to be a source of volatility. This autumn we will discuss the a proposal to adequately and predictably fund the Resident Coordinator System in the Fifth Committee, where we intend to resolve the persistent shortfall with your guidance. We count on your continued support of the recalibrated Resident Coordinator System in those discussions. Excellencies, to succeed and deliver with the scale and urgency needed, we are counting on your support of the areas of transformation that the Secretary-General has set out. Many of you have asked how to ensure coherence. Let me share my thinking briefly. So much of it comes down to clarity, being clear about what you expect of the system and clear in how you respond to the issues that we have set out this week, ensuring full use of the oversight role of ECOSOC/OAS. I look forward to a resolution from this segment that is clear and is decisive. —one that reaffirms the commitments you have made on the reform and shows the system how to deliver on the priorities that you've set for us. That resolution is what will carry these reforms forward as the time we have got to 2030 grows shorter. The opportunity in front of us is remarkable. We are all very excited about it, even though there are great concerns and challenges, and so it is ours to take. Let's turn this moment of challenge into one of opportunity by acting now, together, and by strengthening the UN's support to those that we serve. Thank you.


Dominican Republic · Vice President of ECOSOC · Wellington Benescomé [1:18:00]:

Doy las gracias a la vicesecretaria.

I thank the Deputy Secretary-General and Chair of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group for her statement.

Under-Secretary-General Lopesa, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, we have now arrived at the conclusion of the 2026 ECOSOC Operational Activities for Development segment. Over the past 3 days, we have come together under the theme "From Innovation to Impact: A United Nations Development System that Delivers Transformative and Equitable Results for All" towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Our discussions have reaffirmed both the urgency of the challenges before us and the importance of a strong, responsive and effective United Nations Development System. We have heard a clear message throughout the segment: concrete action by all of us is what will make tangible improvement to people's lives and accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. This will include strong and ambitious action by member states, ECOSOC governing bodies, and UN development systems. Your deliberations and engagement in the dialogues have met this objective and provided rich guidance to the UN development system about what it does well and what it can be or could do better to support countries on the ground. Excellencies, distinguished delegates, our first day of discussion reaffirmed a strong and shared message: the United Nations Development System, and in particular the Resident Coordinator System, delivers tangible results and remain essential. There was a strong consensus on the central role of ECOSOC through this segment as the key platform for accountability and oversight of the United Nations Development System. There was also a clear alignment on the need to reduce fragmentation and strengthen alignment with national priorities and reinforce the central role of cooperation frameworks. Delegations emphasized the importance of system-wide coherence, including better integration across entities and more effective regional linkages, and the need for tailored, context-specific country configurations. At the same time, important structural challenges were also highlighted. Current configurations remain too supply-driven. The Resident Coordinator System remains underfunded, and the system must consider solutions to offset the negative impacts of earmarked funding that constrain flexibility and rapid response. Excellency, ladies and gentlemen, on the second day, our discussions focused on how to translate reform into tangible results at country level, a clear message emerged: the ultimate test of reform, it is impact on the ground, particularly for those furthest behind, through tailored and context-specific support. The UNAID reform agenda is expected to supply— to simplify access and shift toward demand-driven configurations and expertise on demand —moving away from static institutional footprints. Persistent gaps in alignment between cooperation frameworks and entity programming demonstrate the need to address ongoing challenges in incentives, sequencing, and accountability. Discussions also highlighted the growing mismatch between development ambitions and available resources, with broad agreement that improving the quality predictability, and coherence of funding is as important as increasing its volume. We heard strong support for advancing the Funding Compact implementation, including strengthening country-level funding dialogue led by Resident Coordinators and governments. Participants underscored the importance of independent system-wide evaluation as cornerstone of accountability learning and continuous improvement across the UN development system. There was broad support for ensuring that evaluation findings are systematically translated into action and inform ongoing reform efforts, including through ECOSOC governing bodies and the UN Haiti process. Greater incentives in operational settings for improved UN IFF government collaboration can support scaling up innovating financing. Participants highlighted the importance of strengthening integrated national data ecosystems, including statistical systems, administrative data, and interoperable platforms, as increasingly powerful tools in the age of AI to support planning, budgeting, and SDG implementation. Excellency, ladies and gentlemen, on the third day— today— we heard strong support for more tailored, flexible, and context-specific country configurations, ensuring the UN presence is driven by country needs and where the UN can deliver the greatest impact. There was broad recognition that country configuration should be a continuous and adaptive process informed by involving evolving national priorities, dialogue with governments, and changing development contexts. Participants emphasized the importance of improving access to specialized expertise through regional mechanisms and expertise-on-demand approaches, while ensuring that such arrangements remain responsive to country needs and complement sustained country-level engagement were required. We heard broad support for cooperation frameworks serving as a strategic anchor for all UN engagement at country level, with country team configuration, programming, and capacities derived from the framework and aligned with national priorities. Member States recognized their responsibilities of providing coherent guidance to the UN through the governing bodies and the development system and emphasize the need to address the sequencing of planning instruments with entity-specific program documents derived from and submitted for governing body approval after the cooperation framework has been finalized, in order to strengthen coherence and reduce fragmentation across the system. And we have just heard in our previous session that strengthening governance and oversight require a clear alignment between ECOSOC and governing bodies to reduce fragmentation, enhance accountability, and ensure system-wide guidance translates into coherent, result-oriented support at country level. There are opportunities for actions that will reinforce this segment as the accountability platform for the UNDS and the Resident Coordinator System. This includes greater participation of Resident Coordinators in the segment and improving coordination between ECOSOC, the General Assembly, as well as better coherence with other UN development system governing bodies, with support at the back end through the better information sharing and coordinating among governing bodies secretaries. Excelencies, ladies and gentlemen, I wish to express my sincere appreciation to all Member States for your active engagement and constructive contributions. I'm also deeply grateful to the Secretary-General, Executive Heft, and the 15— I repeat, 15— Resident Coordinators who came to New York to contribute to the discussion and bring our takeaways to the country level. I would like to particularly thank the Deputy Secretary General for her leadership and dedication, both in the preparation of this segment and throughout our discussions, including her extensive engagement during the first day of the segment. We truly appreciate it. I would also like to make a special thanks to the interpreters for their tireless work and dedication over the last 3 days of the segment. as well as the technical staff who facilitated our ability to hear from countries and the UN staff outside New York in the field. And finally, a big thank to the team of DESA Operational Activities Branch for its support, for guiding through this past month. With our deliberations now complete, the segment has demonstrated its important role as a platform for accountability and oversight of the United Nations Development System and the Resident Coordinator System. As Vice President responsible for the operational activities segment, I will prepare a summary of the discussions which will be made available on the ECOSOC operational activities website. In addition, I welcome the strong interest by delegations to negotiate an ECOSOC resolution on operational activities for development —following the segment—that can build on our deliberations to provide concrete guidance to the UN Development System and the Resident Coordinator System to better support countries over the next year to accelerate achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Excellencies, I thank each and every one of you for your participation and contribution. Let us carry forward the spirit of partnership ambition, and shared purpose that has characterized our discussions over the past 3 days. I encourage all delegates to scan the QR code located at the door and take a few moments to complete a brief 3-minute evaluation survey. Your feedback is always welcome and greatly appreciated. I now declare the 2026 ECOSOC Operational Activities for Development segment Close.