Interview with Ambassador Mohammad Khazaee, President of the Executive Board of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Populations Fund (UNFPA)

By Kaveh L. Afrasiabi


Afrasiabi:Please explain what the responsibilities of the UNDP/UNFPA Board consist of, and what are the main issues dealt with by the Board in 2009?

Ambassador Khazaee:Well, the Executive Board supervises the activities of UNDP/UNFPA in accordance with the overall policy guidance of the General Assembly and Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), not to mention the responsibilities set out in the UN Charter. The Board is presently tackling a number of key issues, including how to foster UNDP's partnership with the developing countries in today’s context of the financial, energy, and food crises as well as climate change. There is also a need for UNDP to continue stocktaking and gauging progress towards achieving the MDGs worldwide. Some other issues addressed by the Board are:

  • Financial regulations and rules of the United Nations Office for Project Services;
  • A more sustained effort by UNDP and UNFPA at gender issues;
  • The realignment of cost classification activities of UNDP;
  • Improving transparency and efficiency in the work of the UNFPA and UNDP through the Accountability Framework;
  • The resumption of activities in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea;
  • The need to keep international public sector accounting standards (IPSAS) implementation on track.

Afrasiabi: What steps have been taken to “rationalize” the decision-making process?

Ambassador Khazaee: I think the most important step is General Assembly resolution 48/162, section III. A. 3, which has provided a timely guidance to the Executive Board with regard to streamlining the decision-making process and ensuring that it is transparent and participatory. The Board has allotted adequate time for informal consultations on decisions before and during the sessions, and has ensured the presence of the appropriate officials at the consultation when necessary. In the Bureau we make sure that background information for each single agenda item is well prepared in advance, and disseminated among members.

Afrasiabi: In terms of harmonization of work by the various United Nations agencies and their respective executive boards, what actions are underway?

Ambassador Khazaee: There are three elements to a full response to this question: First, the Executive Board: In September 2005, the Executive Board adopted decision 2005/32 on its working methods. It encourages joint meetings of the Executive Boards of UNDP/UNFPA, the United Nations Children’s Fund and the World Food Programme, to confer on issues. During the first regular session this year we allocated two full days for the joint meetings. Also, it invites the various UN organizations, funds, and programmes taking part in the UN Development Assistance Framework to participate in this joint exercise.

Second, Operational harmonization: The High-Level Committee on Management (HLCM), which is an interagency committee, has developed a plan of action with 19 steps to simplify and harmonize projects covering a variety of issues in procurement, human resources, IT, and finance. Many projects are already being implemented using available agency resources. Examples of projects are:

  • Feasibility study for putting in place common treasury services;
  • UN system cost recovery policy;
  • Implications of International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) on UN System Budgeting Practices;
  • Senior Management Network Leadership Development;
  • UN system-wide Financial Statistics Database and Reporting System;
  • Common framework to deal with suspect vendors.

Finally, third, Programmatic harmonization: United Nations Development Group (UNDG) is currently developing guidelines for how UN country teams can better address the need for a more integrated implementation of the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF). In this context, the UNDG/MDG Policy Network, as an inter-agency service, will assist UN country teams.

Afrasiabi and Ambassador Khazaee

Ambassador Mohammad Khazaee (right) with Kaveh Afrasiabi (left). (Photo/Afrasiabi)

Afrasiabi: What is your assessment of how the United Nations has tackled the global food crisis so far?

Ambassador Khazaee: The UN’s initiative in setting up a High Level Task Force has been instrumental in devising a comprehensive plan of action that has the support of all the major development organizations. This is a significant achievement as the problem itself is inherently multi-dimensional. At this point, the challenge is in translating the recommendations of the plan to concrete country-specific interventions, and to attract funding for them. We feel that there needs to be continuing momentum towards meeting this objective, and the UN has an important role in this regard. The recent summit in Madrid was a step in this direction. At the operational level, UN agencies and WFP in particular have employed all possible means to ensure the supply of food stuff in some programme countries with critical conditions. Food security was one of the themes for our joint Board Meetings in January. We need to keep our focus on this important matter and think of long term strategies with the participation of all stakeholders.

Afrasiabi: In light of the global economic crisis and its ramifications for the fulfillment of the Millennium Development Goals, what adjustments has the United Nations made to ensure the viability of MDG goals?

Ambassador Khazaee: Both UNDP and UNFPA are very concerned that the economic crisis will slow or reverse progress made towards the MDGs. We are advocating that donors meet their existing commitments and help to shield the poorest and most vulnerable countries through the crisis. Beyond activities within UNDP/UNFPA, we are also discussing with the World Bank and other UN organizations on how we can work collaboratively to reduce duplication and provide comprehensive support.

Afrasiabi: Are you optimistic about the prospect of future United Nations reforms that would make the United Nations development system stronger and more relevant with respect to global economic policies?

Ambassador Khazaee: The current economic and financial crisis poses very serious challenges to the UN development system. Collaboration between UNDP/UNFPA, the United Nations family, the World Bank, and other partners will be critical to identifying the most vulnerable situations and designing and implementing effective responses. Because of the interdependence of these organizations, reforms are the only way to ensure efficiencies in policy development, reduction of organizational overlap, budgetary savings and genuine impact on the ground. South-South and triangular cooperation will also be crucial. We will have a good opportunity to discuss this issue during the upcoming UN Conference on South-South Cooperation in Nairobi, Kenya, in June.

To many developing countries the support of the UN development system will be crucial in addressing current and future challenges. The ability of the system in providing such support to those in need will depend on the commitment and importance given by the global community to multilateralism. The UN development system in turn will need to clearly articulate its role, and how it can clearly deliver on development results, in an effective and efficient manner. Accountability and transparency will be vital in this regard. Considerable strides have been made in all these areas.

Afrasiabi: The recent Doha conference on financing for development called for dialogue between the ECOSOC and the Bretton Woods Institutions - the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. How is it to be pursued?

Ambassador Khazaee: Dialogue between the Breton Woods Institutions and ECOSOC on international economic policy will be taken forward at the Special High Level Meeting of ECOSOC with the Breton Woods Institutions, World Trade Organization, and UNCTAD. In 2009, this meeting will take place on April 27, immediately following the spring meetings of the World Bank and IMF held in Washington, DC.

I hasten to add that the United Nations conference on the impact of the economic crisis on developing countries will be an important opportunity to assess how the conference is affecting growth, employment and social outcomes, including progress on the MDGs. Here I should highly appreciate the President of the General Assembly for his timely initiative. UNDP is working closely with the United Nations: The Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) is in preparation for the conference, which will follow closely behind other important meetings, including the G20 Leaders’ Summit in London on April 2.

Biography

Kaveh L. Afrasiabi is a frequent contributor to the UN Chronicle and is the Director of the Non-Governmental Organization, Global Interfaith Peace.

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