24 September 2019
UN Publishes Guidance on Revamped UNDAF
story highlights

The note explains that the UN Development “Assistance” Framework has been renamed the UN “Sustainable” Development “Cooperation” Framework to more accurately reflect the contemporary relationship between governments and the UN development system in collaborating to achieve the SDGs.

The Cooperation Framework begins and ends with an analysis of the national development landscape and SDG priorities.

The UN Common Country Analysis, which underpins the Cooperation Framework, shifts from being a one-off event, as was the case with UNDAF, to a “real-time” core analytical function.

June 2019: The UN Sustainable Development Group published an internal guidance note on the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (previously the UN Development Assistance Framework), which guides the planning, implementation, monitoring, reporting and evaluation of collective UN support to the 2030 Agenda implementation. The Cooperation Framework has primacy in driving major UN development system contributions at the country level.

The UN General Assembly (UNGA) resolution 72/279 on ‘Repositioning of the UN development system in the context of the quadrennial comprehensive policy review of operational activities for development of the UN system’ (QCPR) elevated the Cooperation Framework as “the most important instrument” for planning and implementation of UN development activities at the country level in support of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. In the foreword to the internal guidance note, Amina Mohammed, UN Deputy Secretary-General and Chair of the UN Sustainable Development Group, notes that the new Cooperation Framework is “a centerpiece” of the UN reform process.

The new Cooperation Framework is “a centerpiece” of the UN reform process.

The note explains that the UN Development “Assistance” Framework (UNDAF) has been renamed the UN “Sustainable” Development “Cooperation” Framework to more accurately reflect the contemporary relationship between governments and the UN development system in collaborating to achieve the SDGs. It then goes on to identify the elements that differentiate the UNDAF from the current Cooperation Framework.

The new guidelines emphasize that UN entity-specific country programmes are derived from the Cooperation Framework, no longer vice versa. The Cooperation Framework begins and ends with an analysis of the national development landscape and SDG priorities, “including through the lens of the imperative to leave no one behind,” serving as “a core accountability tool” between the UN Country Team (UNCT) and the host government, as well as between and among UNCT members for “collectively-owned development results.”

The UN Common Country Analysis (UN CCA), which underpins the Cooperation Framework, shifts from being a one-off event, as was the case with UNDAF, to a “real-time” core analytical function. It explicitly recognizes the regional and cross-border elements within the UN CCA and the Cooperation Framework. Periodic updating of the UN CCA will reduce the period for formulating a new Cooperation Framework, the internal guidance note explains, from 14.5 months (on average globally) to 6-9 months. By the text, the SDG targets and indicators become “the default monitoring framework,” informed by country-defined and disaggregated baselines. These indicators are to be tracked online through UN INFO at country, regional and global levels, the note explains.

The new Cooperation Framework will first trigger a review of the UNCT configuration to ensure it has the capacities to deliver on stipulated commitments and will be signed only after this step is completed, with budgeting following signature. The note mentions that the budget is positioned “in the larger context of SDG financing.” The UN Resident Coordinator will play an enhanced leadership role throughout the Cooperation Framework process as compared to UNDAF. [UN Sustainable Development Group Website][Publication: UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework – Internal Guidance]

related posts