On 19 October 2007, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) Second Committee (Economic and Financial) organized a round table discussion at UN headquarters, New York, US, to discuss the triennial comprehensive policy review of UN’s operational activities under the theme “How can the United Nations development system optimally respond to different countries’ needs and priorities in their efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals?” Several speakers stressed that developing countries had a better chance of meeting national development priorities and the Millennium Development Goals when donors allowed them to design and manage the national development process, noting that the “One UN” pilot programme, which oversees the UN’s activities in selected countries to avoid overlapping mandates, was an effective model.

Many participants highlighted the robust systems of the “One UN” pilot countries Rwanda and Albania as examples of how a single development strategy and a positive cycle of leadership and accountability could be accomplished.
Link to further information
UN News release, 19 October 2007