25 February 2016: In the first meeting of the independent team of advisers on the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) dialogue on the longer-term positioning of the UN development system (UNDS), UN Member States expressed their expectations with regard to the dialogue and to work of the team (ITA). They highlighted the need for assistance in developing a common understanding of how to reflect the universal and integrated nature of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development within the UNDS, among other issues.

ECOSOC’s Bureau created the ITA with a mandate to engage in a consultative process with Member States, UN entities, civil society, the private sector, national officials, as well as to seek regional and sub-regional perspectives. The Team will contribute ideas, proposals and options to the formal and informal discussions of the ECOSOC Dialogue and other, related events with Member States and other stakeholders. The ITA’s work will culminate in June 2016 with the conclusion of the ECOSOC Dialogue, setting the stage for the UN General Assembly’s (UNGA) deliberations on the 2016 Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review (QCPR) of UN Operational Activities for Development.

The ITA’s first meeting took place on 25 February 2016, in New York, US. Opening the exchange with governments, Hector Alejandro Palma Cerna, ECOSOC Vice-President (Honduras), said the ITA will provide concrete ideas and proposals before each session of the Dialogue, then to be discussed by Member States. Cerna asked the ITA members to “be bold” in their recommendations.

ITA Co-Chair Juan Somavia (Chile) highlighted key questions of the process: to what extent should the UN system reflect the transition from the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); what does “universality” imply, and what are its implications for UNDS’ work; what can the System offer in terms of policy integration; and what strategic changes have been decided by governments already?

On the ECOSOC Dialogue, Thailand, for the Group of the 77 and China (G-77/China), called for: a comprehensive mapping exercise to assess the different functions mandated to all UN agencies; developing a common understanding of the multidimensionality of poverty and development; and addressing the imbalance between core and non-core resources. Supported by Egypt, she underscored that poverty eradication is at the core of UNDS’ work, and the Dialogue should not include humanitarian, peacebuilding or peace operations issues. She cited a need for “different accountings” for development-related and humanitarian assistance-related activities and funding, saying the financing of humanitarian activities must be assesssed as additional to efforts on financing for development (FfD) and the 2030 Agenda.

Supported by India, the G-77/China called for addressing the UN’s governance structures by ensuring that developing countries are better represented in high-level decision making. Norway, meanwhile, said the most important aspect is to decide what each UN body will do, before focusing on governance structures and representation of developing countries.

Argentina, supported by Costa Rica, highlighted the need to adapt the 2030 Agenda to the needs of the middle-income countries (MICs), including in all UN funds and programmes. Canada stressed the need for stronger leadership and accountability in the UN system, and for incentive-based funding.

On the ITA, the G-77/China called for open and inclusive consultative sessions. Colombia, expressing concern that Member States lack an “overall vision” of where they are heading, asked ITA to be provocative and provide fresh ideas for improving the System. Viet Nam suggeseted that the ITA offer a vision for the next four or five QCPRs, so Member States can change the System in the long term, and invited the ITA to build its vision on the UN’s comparative advantages. Iraq said the ITA should indicate whether the UNDS needs comprehensive change, or only to change in specific areas.

Noting that delegates are “in the supermarket of ideas,” India asked the ITA to offer Member States a dossier of ideas from which they can choose. Supported by the Netherlands, he also called on the Team to elaborate the meanings of “universality” and “integrated,” to help Member States find common understandings of those concepts.

The Netherlands invited ITA members to suggest how the UN system could provide different things to different countries, and to explore: the UN’s role as catalyst and connector; the UN’s normative role; and how the UN can support the disaggregation of data. Egypt suggested that the ITA could identify ways for the UNDS to support developing countries for infrastructure. Ghana looked forward to recommendations on leveraging partnerships with the private sector, nationally and internationally.

Wrapping up the discussion, Co-Chair Klaus Topfer (Germany) stressed the need to make the UN fit for the time to come, not only for the present time, noting that if the System does not change, it might mean the end of its activity. Echoing India’s comment that the 2030 Agenda is not implemented by the UN but by countries, he underscored the need for the process to be driven by countries.

The ECOSOC Dialogue, the QCPR and the role of the UNDS were also discussed during ECOSOC’s 2016 Operational Activities Segment (OAS), held from 22-24 February 2016. [IISD RS Sources] [G-77/ China Statement] [ECOSOC Dialogue] [UN Press Release on ITA’s Establishment] [IISD RS Story on ITA] [IISD RS Story on OAS]