CEB Proposes “Plan of Action” for Coherence of Business Practices
New York, 13 June 2008 – Member States met today (Friday) 13 June to begin discussions on the business practice aspects of system-wide coherence following the presentation of a “Plan of Action” by representatives of the Chief Executives Board (CEB).
Business practices is the fifth system-wide coherence consultation issue to be addressed by Member States, and the first of the second “basket” of issues: (For a full explanation of the “basket” approach to system-wide coherence, see Latest Development Issue # 243.)
The 2006 High-level Panel on System-wide Coherence (HLP) identified UN business practices as a core issue for improving coherence across the UN system, and recommended that the CEB should lead efforts to improve management efficiency, transparency and accountability of the UN system.
CEB Director Adnan Z. Amin, and Chair of the CEB’s High-level Committee on Management (HLCM) Thoraya Obaid introduced the CEB’s “Plan of Action for the Harmonization of Business Practices in the UN System”. The plan identifies six high-level objectives for improved business practices and 19 specific projects where objectives can be implemented.
The meeting made clear some Member States’ reservations concerning potential overlap between the “Plan of Action” and the UN’s existing mandates on management reform, particularly in the General Assembly’s Fifth Committee (administrative and budgetary). Discussion was brief and no decisions were taken.
The CEB’s “Plan of Action”
The “Plan of Action” was developed by the CEB at the request of the Executive Heads of UN organizations, following the HLP recommendation that the UN should examine opportunities for improving UN business practices and “building institutions of public trust”. To date, the plan has received the approval of all CEB organizations.
The “Plan of Action” suggests that increased coherence in the UN’s working methods and business practices would contribute significantly to the UN’s ability to deliver better programmatic results. The report notes that the plan is based on the logic that investing in improved business practices in one area makes investment in another more profitable, setting off a potential virtual circle of improvements.
The six core objectives of improved business practices are:
- Adoption of international standards and replication of best practices
- Facilitation of knowledge and resource sharing
- Enhanced transparency and accountability
- Enhanced public trust and engagement of stakeholders
- Facilitation of effective inter-agency coordination
- Achievement of efficiency gains
The 19 projects identified by the plan fall under four thematic areas: (1) human resource management (2) information and communications technology, (3) finance and budget, and (4) procurement, and include projects such as: a review of staff regulations and rules of the organization of the UN, a review of the UN’s System Cost Recovery Policy, an analysis of the implications of International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) on UN System Budgeting Practices, and a feasibility study for putting in place common Treasury services.
Discussion of the “Plan of Action”
The meeting was opened by co-Chair Ambassador John Kavanagh of Ireland who gave a quick overview of several first “basket” system-wide coherence issues, including “Delivering as One” and gender. (To read about recent developments in ‘Delivering as One”, see Latest Development Issue # 260. A Latest Development on Gender is forthcoming.)
Following the presentation of the “Plan of Action”, delegates heard from CEB Director Amin whose statement noted that the overarching objective of the plan is to achieve maximum effectiveness, efficiency and reduction of administrative costs in order to free more resources for UN programme priorities.
Specifically, the Director Amin noted three general principles for the plan:
- To improve accountability and reporting to Member States as well as to ensure the availability of easily accessible information, such as the implementation of IPSAS or the work on common data centers.
- To facilitate the operations of the UN country teams to ensure that they can provide the best support to their national partners.
- To ensure strengthened programmatic performance through improved efficiency gains.
The director also made note that the focus of the plan is on the harmonization and simplification of ongoing UN practices. As such the plan does not constitute an additional reform initiative to supplant current management reform efforts being undertaken by the Secretariat, or the General Assembly’s Fifth Committee.
Member States’ statements generally noted their support for the work of the CEB, and for the “Plan of Action”. Despite the Director’s commentary to the contrary, several Member States noted ongoing concerns for a potential overlap between the “Plan of Action” and the UN’s existing mandates and ongoing management reforms, including:
Cuba (on behalf the JCC): Believes that many of the issues being addressed by the “Plan of Action” are already before the General Assembly’s Fifth Committee, and system-wide coherence discussions on business practice should not detract from, or infringe upon, the role of the Fifth Committee.
Russia: Echoes the comments from the Cuban delegation on the importance of respecting existing mandates and the division of labor between the various UN organs.
Switzerland: Considers CEB to be an important mechanism of the UN system, and one of the key instruments for implementing Triennial Comprehensive Policy Review (TCPR) resolutions, but noted that it is unfeasible to have a system wherein individual UN agencies, funds and programmes respond individually to resolutions and decisions.
Canada (on behalf of CANZ): Supports the six objectives outlined by the plan, and recognizes how UN progress is being limited by current business practices.
Co-chair Augustine Mahiga of Tanzania concluded that there was a general agreement to proceed with further consultations on the harmonization of business practices issues.
Next Steps
Consultations on the gender aspect of system-wide coherence – which were begun on 16 May - will resume on Monday, 16 June.
Documents
CEB High-level Committee on Management (HLCM) “Plan of Action for the Harmonisation of Business Practices in the UN System” (11 June 2008)
Member States’ Statements on Gender Aspects of System-wide Coherence: Cuba (13 June 2008)
Co-Chairs' Letter Convening SWC Consultations on Business Practice (6 June 2008)
Delivering as One – Report of the High-level Panel on UN System-wide Coherence (9 November 2006)
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