The new Cooperation Framework offers the space necessary for alignment of national strategies, the common country analysis and humanitarian plans, particularly relevant in countries hit by protracted conflict. Assistant Secretary-General Mbaranga Gasarabwe, Resident Coordinator, Humanitarian Coordinator and Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Mali, welcomed the “participatory approach” brought by the reform, enabling the country team to communicate results and speak with one voice. The reform cannot be delivered by any entity alone. The implementation of the reform goes hand in hand with a major culture and behavioural change, a shift in the mindsets of all involved, UN Country Teams, Resident Coordinator offices and Member States alike.
While burgeoning change is recorded throughout the reform streams, there are bumps in the road ahead and inherent resistance to such a transformational change that must be overcome. RCs highlighted few areas where we can do better as a system and stressed to Member States the importance of their leadership, national ownership, and keeping open communication channels, which are essential to help Resident Coordinators in bringing the UN development system together.
While communication flows worked well from headquarters to the field and within the countries, information sharing at regional level could be improved. Member States were called to impress a sense of urgency upon agencies’ executive boards as to avoid misinformation and ensure development partners are fully on board.
Much more needs to be done on accountability, financial transparency, resource tracking and allocation and data for development. To this effect we need to incentivize collective effort, joint programming and leverage finance innovation. Change is also needed in the approach of donor partners to reduce fragmentation in funding to incentives more joint action by UN development entities.
The work within the nexus between development, peace building and humanitarian affairs remains a challenge for many countries. We need to shift in the way we are doing business and expand our partnerships. “This reform is not just internal, but a shared responsibility and we need to engage outside our zone of comfort”, said Philippe Lazzarini, Resident Coordinator, Humanitarian Coordinator and Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Lebanon, adding that his office was looking at establishing a group of partners to engage with the UN development system at country level.