UNDP/UNFPA PROGRAMS IN CROATIA

UNCLAS ZAGREB 001299 SIPDIS FOR IO/EDA AND PRM/POP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AORC EAID PREL HR UNDP SUBJECT: UNDP/UNFPA PROGRAMS IN CROATIA REF: STATE 137010 UNDP PROGRAM IN CROATIA -------------- ¶1. UNDP MAINTAINS A SMALL PRESENCE IN CROATIA; UNFPA IS NOT ACTIVE IN THE COUNTRY. POST RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS CONTAINED IN REFTEL PARA 7 FOLLOW. ¶2. UNDP IS ENGAGED WITH THE CROATIAN GOVERNMENT IN THE DEVELOPMENT PLANNING PROCESS. SPECIFICALLY, UNDP HAS WORKED WITH LOCAL AUTHORITIES TO PRODUCE COUNTRY-LEVEL DEVELOPMENT PLANS. OTHER THAN THE COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLANS, UNDP HAS DONE VERY LITTLE WORK IN THE AREA OF GOVERNANCE AND RULE OF LAW. ¶3. HIV/AIDS AND ECONOMIC REHABILITATION OF WAR AFFECTED AREAS ARE THE MAJOR COMPONENTS OF THE UNDP PROGRAM. THE UNDP PROGRAM HAS BECOME MORE FOCUSED IN RECENT YEARS, SHIFTING FROM A BROADER HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE MANDATE TO TARGETED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND HIV/AIDS PROJECTS. THE PROGRAM IS NOT FOCUSED ON REDUCING POVERTY. ¶4. THE UNDP PROGRAM SUPPORTS MARKET-ORIENTED APPROACHES AND ENTREPRENEURIAL DEVELOPMENT THROUGH SUPPORT TO LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGENCIES, AND FAMILY-BASED AND SMALL AND MEDIUM SCALE ENTERPRISE CREDIT SCHEMES. THESE AREAS ARE APPROPRIATE FOR THE NEEDS OF THE COUNTRY. YES, GOVERNANCE/DEMOCRACY AND ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVES ARE APPROPRIATE FOR THE COUNTRY PROGRAM. ¶5. THE UNDP RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE HAS PLAYED A COORDINATING ROLE ON THE ISSUE OF HIV/AIDS. THE RESREP DOES NOT COORDINATE FOREIGN ASSISTANCE WITH THE GOVERNMENT, BILATERAL DONORS, MULTILATERAL INSTITUTIONS, NGOS, AND CIVIL SOCIETY. COMMENT ON UNDP COUNTRY PROGRAMME OUTLINE FOR 2004-2006 -------------- -------------- ¶6. ON "PAST COOPERATION AND LESSONS LEARNED," WE AND OTHERS ARE SKEPTICAL ABOUT THE REPEATED CLAIMS OF SUCCESS FOR THE ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION PROGRAMME (PARAS 10-13). BY AND LARGE, THERE HAS BEEN NO ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION IN THESE AREAS. WE UNDERSTAND UNDP HAS BASED THE NUMBER OF 4000 JOBS CREATED SOLELY ON THE NUMBER OF CREDITS THEY HAVE EXTENDED. UNDP IS NOT "THE RECOGNIZED CENTRAL UNITED NATIONS SYSTEM PROVIDER" NOR DO WE SEE THAT ROLE INCREASING IN THE WAKE OF THE DEPARTURE OF UNLO LATER THIS MONTH. ¶7. WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE FINANCIAL AND STAFFING CAPACITY OF UNDP TO CARRY OUT THE PROPOSED PROGRAM AS OUTLINED IN PARAS 14-21. UNDP'S PRESENCE IN CROATIA CONSISTS OF A HEADQUARTERS STAFF OF A FEW PEOPLE, AND FOURTEEN PEOPLE DIVIDED BETWEEN FOUR FIELD OFFICES. UNDP SIMPLY HAS NOT "PLAYED THE LEAD ROLE IN CROATIA IN SUPPORTING LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT." THEIR ROLE HAS BEEN MINOR, AT BEST, AND CONSEQUENTLY WE QUESTION THEIR ABILITY TO PROVIDE EFFECTIVE POLICY ADVICE BASED ON THEIR EXPERIENCES (PARA 17). ¶8. WE ARE NOT AWARE OF ANY CROSS-BORDER INITIATIVES (PARA 21) UNDERTAKEN BY UNDP. CURRENTLY, THERE ARE SEVERAL ONGOING CROSS-BORDER INITIATIVES IN EASTERN SLAVONIA IN THE AREA OF BRCKO, AND ALONG THE UNA RIVER IN WESTERN SLAVONIA, BUT WE ARE NOT AWARE OF ANY UNDP INVOLVEMENT. GIVEN THE STAFFING AND FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS UNDER WHICH UNDP IS OPERATING, WE QUESTION THEIR ABILITY TO IMPLEMENT THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES OUTLINED IN PARA 21 -- AND THE SAME WOULD APPLY FOR THE PROGRAM MANAGEMENT, MONITORING, AND EVALUATION ACTIVITIES DESCRIBED IN PARAS 22-25. ROSSIN NNNN