Strategic Planning Unit

Our Vision

A more strategic and integrated United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs

Our Core Functions

Pursuing strategic priorities

  • Supporting the Under-Secretary-General in defining DESA’s strategic priorities and devising plans of action
  • Facilitating implementation, including through support to the Assistant Secretaries-Generals and DESA Divisions
  • Enabling departmental reviews and action on new and emerging challenges, especially cross-cutting issues
2010-2011 strategic priorities and related activities of SPU
  • Sustainable Development

    Providing strategic assistance to the Under-Secretary-General as Secretary-General of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development – Rio+20

  • Millennium Development Goals

    Developing department-wide action plan for follow-up on the Action Agenda adopted at the 2010 MDG Summit

  • Global Economic Governance

    Generating ideas, preparing discussion papers and statements, and helping organize informal discussions

Engaging stakeholders

Member States
  • Supporting the leadership of DESA in its engagement with Member States on shared priorities
  • Engaging and assisting Member States on specific issues and initiatives, fostering discussion, generating ideas and action
UN Secretariat and UN System
  • Serving as a counterpart to strategic and policy planning units in other UN departments, offices and agencies
  • Engaging key partners outside of the Executive Committee on Economic and Social Affairs (ECESA)
Knowledge and Advocacy Networks
  • Strengthening collaboration with knowledge and advocacy networks on strategic priorities

Serving as a focal point

Within the UN System
  • Providing the Secretariat of the Executive Committee on Economic and Social Affairs and sharpening the focus of ECESA collaboration
  • Strengthening DESA and ECESA engagement in the Secretary-General’s Policy Committee and the Senior Peacebuilding Group