ECOSOC Operational Activities Segment

Panels

This substantive session of ECOSOC follows the Triennial Comprehensive Policy Review (TCPR) of operational activities for development of the United Nations system, which took place at the General Assembly in 2004 and led to the adoption of resolution 59/250 . That resolution highlights the importance of strengthening the role and capacity of the United Nations development system to assist developing countries in achieving the internationally agreed development goals contained in the Millennium Declaration and other major UN conferences and summits, and calls for a number of actions that the organizations of the United Nations system to ensure coherence and effectiveness in their work at the country level to the benefits of recipient countries. Many of these actions have already been launched and will be presented at this session of ECOSOC, at its operational activities segment, when the report of the Secretary-General on the “ management process” of the implementation of that resolution will be considered.

The operational activities segment will focus on three main elements: (1) an interactive dialogue among senior government representatives and senior officials of UN funds, programmes, specialized agencies and other UN entities, on the reforms being introduced by UN development system with the aim of enhancing the effectiveness and relevance of its development support work at the country level.; (2) a debate on funding options and modalities to enhance financing of the United Nations development cooperation for the pursuit of the new development agenda; and (3) a dialogue with the Executive Heads of United Nations funds and programmes.

The Council will have before it, three main reports on: (a) Management process for the implementation of the General Assembly resolution 59/250 on the triennial comprehensive policy review of operational activities for development of the United Nations system – Report of the Secretary-General ( E/2005/58 ); (b) Funding options and modalities for financing operational activities for development of the United Nations system – Report of the Secretary-General ( A/60/83- E/2005/72 ); (c) Comprehensive statistical data on operational activities for development for 2003 - Report of the Secretary-General ( A/60/74 - E/2005/57 ).

In addition, the Council will consider a programme of work prepared by United Nations Development Group (UNDG) of reform measures to implement the resolution 59/250 on the TCPR . The implementation of that programme of work is expected to be completed in 2007.

3 Panel events will be held during the segment:

• July 8 (10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. -6:00 p.m.): Interactive dialogue on operational activities for development of the United Nations system on “Introducing reforms in the United Nations development system in the pursuit of the Internationally Agreed Development Goals, including those contained n the Millennium Declaration ” A number of senior government officials and senior officials of United Nations funds, programmes, agencies and other UN entities will be debating on these issues in an open discussion forum.

• July 11 ( 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. ): “ Funding of the United Nations development cooperation for the pursuit of the Internationally Agreed Development Goals, including those contained in the Millennium Declaration: alternative options and modalities for financing operational activities for development of the United Nations System ”. The panel will comprise a selection of government representatives, international experts, senior UN officials, who will focus on resource mobilization issues to support UN development cooperation in view of achieving the objectives of the Millennium Declaration.


• July 11 (3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.): “ Dialogue with the Executive Heads of the United Nations Funds and Programmes (UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, and WFP )”.This dialogue will be an opportunity to address issues that affect the coherence and coordination of the UN system at the country level, tackling themes such as the resident coordinator system, the need for aligning objectives and procedures of UN programme at the country level, the role of regional structures in supporting operational effectiveness, and the implications of sector-wide programmes and budget support for the UN development system, in particular its role to support national capacity development.

The session on July 12, 2005 : ( 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. ) will provide the opportunity to delegations for a formal debate on follow-up to the triennial comprehensive policy review of operational activities for development of the United Nations system. The session will provide an opportunity to shape the deliberations of the Council, orienting the negotiations of a possible resolution in the area of operational activities for development, which could contribute to the preparation of the 2005 review of the implementation of the Millennium Declaration.