Programme 1.3.1: External Relations and Coordination
Inter-agency coordination
140. The Unit for Strategic Policy Advice on the UN System (SADN) continued to provide policy advice on inter-agency coordination matters both to ODG and to departments/units involved in UN system-wide coordination/cooperation arrangements. It prepared the participation of the Director-General at meetings of the United Nations System's Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB), which groups the Executive Heads of UN system organizations, including WTO and the Bretton Woods institutions.
141. The Unit continued to represent the Organization at meetings of the High-level Committee on Programmes (HLCP), the main preparatory body of CEB. Since the UNDG, which supports country-level coordination, increasingly addressed policy issues, SADN monitored UNDG meetings in close cooperation with the Technical Cooperation Department to ensure coherent FAO positions. Inputs were also provided to the Administration and Finance Department for preparation and representation of the Organization at meetings of the High-level Committee on Management (HLCM).
Policy advice on UN system issues of relevance to FAO
142. During 2004-05 there was an increase in demand for monitoring, analysing and advising on a rapidly evolving UN reform process. SADN provided information and analyses of UN reform proposals and decisions, including policy implications and policy options for FAO and its own change agenda. This included periodic reports and preparation of the principal input on UN reform at field level to the FAO policy paper on the MDGs entitled FAO and the challenge of the Millennium Development Goals: The road ahead. Work also focused on honing FAO initiatives, e.g. Anti-Hunger Programme and the International Alliance Against Hunger (IAAH), among others, within the overall UN context (see Table 1.3.1).
143. An integral part of UN and FAO reform was a perceived need to deepen and broaden FAO cooperation with other UN system entities in order to amplify impact, reduce fragmentation and ensure greater effectiveness of FAO and UN system activities. In this regard, SADN responded to increased demand for advice on cooperation opportunities and arrangements in terms of FAO policy, as well as best cooperative practice and modalities.
144. Coordinated responses were provided to external requests for FAO contributions on a wide range of issues including the annual reports of the Secretary-General to the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
Table 1.3.1: Policy Advice on Inter-agency Coordination and UN System Issues
Description |
2002-03 |
2004-05 |
|
Response to UN system requests: |
|
|
|
ECOSOC and General Assembly |
91 |
60 |
|
Various UN |
251 |
280 |
|
Policy Advice to FAO: |
|
|
|
Policy advice to FAO Units on UN system issues |
226 |
321 |
|
CEB and HLCP |
345 |
362 |
|
UN system documentation and meetings
145. The programme also continued to provide corporate servicing on FAO representation at external UN system meetings, aiming to ensure optimal use of travel funds and a coordinated approach to representation (see table Table 1.3.2). SADN continued to screen and distribute UN system documents of relevance to the Organization so that concerned units could situate their work within the broader context of the UN system.
Table 1.3.2: UN Documentation Meetings Requests
Description |
2002-03 |
2004-05 |
|
UN meetings: |
|
|
|
No. of invitations received |
856 |
882 |
|
No. of invitations attended |
558 |
561 |
|
UN documentation: |
|
|
|
No. of documents received, distributed throughout FAO, and stored |
4,800 |
5,300 |
|
UN news items electronically retrieved and distributed within FAO |
3,700 |
2,500 |
|
146. This programme provided the budget for "Contributions to jointly funded inter-agency mechanisms” including the JIU, the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), the ILO Administrative Tribunal, the HLCP and HLCM. It also included provisions for FAO’s cost share of the UN Department of Safety and Security (UN-DSS, formerly Office of the United Nations Security Coordinator, UNSECOORD), and the Malicious Acts Insurance Policy (MAIP), which was budgeted at US$ 6.3 million for the two items. However, as foreseen and previously reported to the governing bodies, expenditure was significantly lower, at US$ 3.3 million, due to an adjustment to the apportionment of the FAO cost-share of UN-DSS and MAIP covering Regular Programme and extrabudgetary activities, and the slower than anticipated implementation of the expanded UN-DSS programme in the biennium. This enabled a budgetary transfer of nearly US$ 2.3 million to partially offset the higher costs of field security, as reported in Major Programme 3.4.
Office of World Food Summit Follow-up (SADDW)
147. SADDW promoted and monitored, in collaboration with FAO departments and Rome-based agencies, the IAAH at national and global levels. In collaboration with various FAO units, it prepared documentation and communications for World Food Day observances and brochures and special communications were shared with countries’ officials and organizations, requesting their consideration to establish National Alliances. During the biennium, 14 National Alliances were established and there was expressed interest from another 16 countries.