Triennial Comprehensive Policy Review of Operational Activities of the United Nations Development System (TCPR)
Statement by Ambassador Hjálmar W. Hannesson, Permanent Representative of Iceland to the United Nations at a meeting of the 2nd Committee at the 62nd Session of the General Assembly 17 October 2007.
Madame Chair,
Since this is the first time Iceland takes the floor in the Second Committee during the 62nd Session of the General Assembly, allow me to congratulate you and the members of the Bureau on your election. I wish to express our support and we stand ready to work with you.
In my statement today I will focus on item 59 (b) on the agenda: the Triennial Comprehensive Policy Review of Operational Activities of the United Nations Development System (TCPR).
System wide coherence and coordination amongst different UN entities is fundamental to ensure the effectiveness of the UN development system, and to maximize results on the ground. That should be the guiding role of this year’s TCPR.
We thank the Secretary General for a good and comprehensive analytical report. The conclusions and recommendations put forward by the SG in the report will provide a solid basis for a comprehensive resolution, aimed at advancing the recommendations by the High Level Panel on System Wide Coherence, and to strengthen the achievements made since the last TCPR. The “Delivering as One UN” exercise is an important element of these efforts and we look forward to reviewing and building on the lessons learned from the eight country pilots.
Madame Chair, I would like to highlight, out of many important issues, the following four:
First, national ownership should be at the heart of this process, and country demand should guide all the UN's operations in the field. Here, national development and poverty reduction strategies are a fundamental point of departure, to which the UN agencies, funds and programs should align their assistance.
Secondly, as the transition from relief to development is a delicate process which requires strong coordination amongst all actors, fragmentation and duplication of work is especially detrimental to success in post conflict and disaster situations. It is therefore important that particular attention is given to streamlining the UN´s operational activities in these situations, so as to ensure timely, effective and coherent assistance.
Thirdly, while acknowledging the progress already made, Iceland would like to emphasize the importance of accelerating gender mainstreaming and heighten the focus on women’s empowerment in the UN’s work at the country level. It is also important to achieve a much better gender balance in appointments within the UN system itself. On that note, let me also state in the 2nd Committee Iceland´s strong wish to see a much improved UN gender architecture with a clear-cut accountability, spearheaded by an Under Secretary General.
Fourthly, although internal coherence and coordination within the UN agencies, funds and programs is of essence, it should be kept in mind that it is also crucial that the UN continues to enhance its cooperation and harmonization with other development partners operating in the field. This is particularly true in disaster and post-conflict situations, and we support the ongoing efforts to improve collaboration with the Bretton Woods institutions to that effect.
Madame Chair,
We find it of great importance that we arrive at a comprehensive conclusion in our deliberations on the TCPR, the results of which will serve as a guiding light in the UN's operational activities in the years to come. Finally, in order to ensure a proper implementation of the resolution, we stand ready to participate in discussions on the progress to date at the 2008 session of the Economic and Social Council.
Thank you Madame Chairperson.
