Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10USUNNEWYORK59
2010-02-03 15:03:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
USUN New York
Cable title:
UNDP/UNFPA Executive Board 2010 First Regular Session
how-toVZCZCXRO5318 PP RUEHRN DE RUCNDT #0059 0341503 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 031503Z FEB 10 FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8102 INFO RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0011 RUEHRN/USMISSION UN ROME
UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000059
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR IO/HS: CCHANG, RDOWNES, IO/MPR:BHACKET, LJACOBSON;
PRM/PIM:GGRIFFIN, KD'AURIAVAZIRA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: UNDP UNFPA EAID ECON
SUBJECT: UNDP/UNFPA Executive Board 2010 First Regular Session
-------
Summary
-------
UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000059
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR IO/HS: CCHANG, RDOWNES, IO/MPR:BHACKET, LJACOBSON;
PRM/PIM:GGRIFFIN, KD'AURIAVAZIRA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: UNDP UNFPA EAID ECON
SUBJECT: UNDP/UNFPA Executive Board 2010 First Regular Session
--------------
Summary
--------------
1. (U) The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) is the
flagship UN development agency with a billion-dollar annual
operating budget, to which the United States contributes around $100
million yearly. UNDP works in over 130 countries, focusing on
poverty, governance, environment/energy, crisis prevention, and
disaster/conflict recovery work. The United States is a member of
the UNDP Executive Board, which meets three times a year. This
cable summarizes the January 18-22, 2010 session in New York.
2. (U) Ambassador Rick Barton, the U.S. Representative to ECOSOC,
delivered the opening U.S. statement. He noted the progress UNDP has
made in becoming more transparent and accountable, and pledged to
work closely with UNDP management and Board members. USDEL and
several donors led the way in adopting a budget decision that
achieved two major U.S. objectives: 1) flexibility for the
management in allocating and increasing funding for crisis response,
and 2) sufficient resources to UNDP oversight functions. For the
first time in recent memory, USDEL made three joint statements with
several donor and developing countries addressing significant
budget, program, and management issues. End Summary .
--------------
U.S. Statement
--------------
3. (U) Ambassador Barton reiterated U.S. support for UNDP's work,
and pledged to work closely with UNDP management and the Executive
Board to achieve shared development goals. He made clear that
helping African countries achieve MDGs is a top priority, and that
UNDP can play a significant part through its focus on
governance-related issues. He praised UNDP leadership for its
continuing commitment to greater transparency and accountability to
improve the organization's management and programming activities.
He further requested that UNDP ensure that oversight functions,
especially the newly established Ethics Office, receive sufficient
resources to carry out mandated work effectively.
4. (U) Ambassador Barton's full statement can be found at
USUN Website:
http://usun.state.gov/briefing/statements/201 0/13537.htm
--------------
Board Decisions and other Activities
--------------
5. (U) USDEL worked closely with like-minded countries in crafting
two budget decisions that helped to advance several U.S. policy
objectives:
-- calling for a review for current resource allocation arrangements
(which are formula-based) to provide greater flexibility in
providing funding for least developed countries and for crisis
response;
-- calling for sufficient resources for critical oversight
functions: the Evaluation, Audit, and Ethics Offices (Note: we had
delivered this message to UNDP's top management prior to the Board
meeting and raised it in our Board statement.)
-- expressing concern with support budget increases and requesting
for greater efficiency savings.
6. (SBU) USDEL was invited to join in three statements with several
donor and developing countries, including the UK, Netherlands, and
Sierra Leon. The statements commented on UNDP's programming and
support budgets, and management's implementation of the audit
recommendation. (Comment: This is the first time in recent memory
that others invited us to join in their statements. It is
particularly noteworthy that these statements highlighted the need
for greater budget discipline, program effectiveness, and management
oversight -- subjects for which the United States has traditionally
been a lone advocate.)
7. (SBU) The Swedish delegation made a strong statement requesting
UNDP management to provide full access to its internal audit
reports. (Note: we understand that this position comes from the
senior levels of the Swedish government. The Development Minister
in particular is reported to be very interested in pushing for
greater transparency and accountability.)
RICE
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR IO/HS: CCHANG, RDOWNES, IO/MPR:BHACKET, LJACOBSON;
PRM/PIM:GGRIFFIN, KD'AURIAVAZIRA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: UNDP UNFPA EAID ECON
SUBJECT: UNDP/UNFPA Executive Board 2010 First Regular Session
--------------
Summary
--------------
1. (U) The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) is the
flagship UN development agency with a billion-dollar annual
operating budget, to which the United States contributes around $100
million yearly. UNDP works in over 130 countries, focusing on
poverty, governance, environment/energy, crisis prevention, and
disaster/conflict recovery work. The United States is a member of
the UNDP Executive Board, which meets three times a year. This
cable summarizes the January 18-22, 2010 session in New York.
2. (U) Ambassador Rick Barton, the U.S. Representative to ECOSOC,
delivered the opening U.S. statement. He noted the progress UNDP has
made in becoming more transparent and accountable, and pledged to
work closely with UNDP management and Board members. USDEL and
several donors led the way in adopting a budget decision that
achieved two major U.S. objectives: 1) flexibility for the
management in allocating and increasing funding for crisis response,
and 2) sufficient resources to UNDP oversight functions. For the
first time in recent memory, USDEL made three joint statements with
several donor and developing countries addressing significant
budget, program, and management issues. End Summary .
--------------
U.S. Statement
--------------
3. (U) Ambassador Barton reiterated U.S. support for UNDP's work,
and pledged to work closely with UNDP management and the Executive
Board to achieve shared development goals. He made clear that
helping African countries achieve MDGs is a top priority, and that
UNDP can play a significant part through its focus on
governance-related issues. He praised UNDP leadership for its
continuing commitment to greater transparency and accountability to
improve the organization's management and programming activities.
He further requested that UNDP ensure that oversight functions,
especially the newly established Ethics Office, receive sufficient
resources to carry out mandated work effectively.
4. (U) Ambassador Barton's full statement can be found at
USUN Website:
http://usun.state.gov/briefing/statements/201 0/13537.htm
--------------
Board Decisions and other Activities
--------------
5. (U) USDEL worked closely with like-minded countries in crafting
two budget decisions that helped to advance several U.S. policy
objectives:
-- calling for a review for current resource allocation arrangements
(which are formula-based) to provide greater flexibility in
providing funding for least developed countries and for crisis
response;
-- calling for sufficient resources for critical oversight
functions: the Evaluation, Audit, and Ethics Offices (Note: we had
delivered this message to UNDP's top management prior to the Board
meeting and raised it in our Board statement.)
-- expressing concern with support budget increases and requesting
for greater efficiency savings.
6. (SBU) USDEL was invited to join in three statements with several
donor and developing countries, including the UK, Netherlands, and
Sierra Leon. The statements commented on UNDP's programming and
support budgets, and management's implementation of the audit
recommendation. (Comment: This is the first time in recent memory
that others invited us to join in their statements. It is
particularly noteworthy that these statements highlighted the need
for greater budget discipline, program effectiveness, and management
oversight -- subjects for which the United States has traditionally
been a lone advocate.)
7. (SBU) The Swedish delegation made a strong statement requesting
UNDP management to provide full access to its internal audit
reports. (Note: we understand that this position comes from the
senior levels of the Swedish government. The Development Minister
in particular is reported to be very interested in pushing for
greater transparency and accountability.)
RICE