Second Daily Journal

Wednesday, 28 October 2020, marked the second day of the second session of the Executive Board of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) for the year 2020

Agenda Item 7: Status of implementation of resolutions and decisions adopted during the first session of the UN-Habitat Assembly

Issues/comments by member states :

Resolution 1/2 on United Nations system-wide guidelines on safer cities and human settlements

Today saw the continuation of discussions on Agenda item 7 which was introduced on Tuesday

• United States of America requested more information on how the resolution will be implemented. (More details on aspects of the concept note, including examples of initiatives that have been completed, and what is expected of champion country)
• Costa Rica supported the gender agenda. Also praised the initiative as useful and positive
• Serbia pledged commitment on Safer Cities, fighting against crime, violence and problems of the suburban poor. Called for geographic representation and balance on selection. Said there was need for coordination and coherence between stakeholders (transparency and inclusivity)
• Palestine called for enhancing capacity building - statement of support
• On behalf of the African Group, the Democratic Republic of Congo safety as key for the achievement of sustainable urban development. Further appealed for need for conversations to discuss key issues on Safer Cities review process; especially pertaining to implementation of the guidelines.

Secretariat responses

• The safer cities programme has several tools that deal with participatory and city-wide engagement and local governments.
• To scale up this programme, there has been demand by cities to devise a peer review process to support the sharing of specialised support or technical expertise to take it forward.
• The global network of partners for safer cities are heavily involved in many initiatives
• In terms of core resources, only one staff member is funded till the end of 2020, therefore the resolution and peer review mechanism require additional resources to move forward.
• The 48 countries and expectations of champion countries were identified (based on ongoing interventions interests expressed on urban safety, part of the network on safer cities).
• Champion countries are expected to engage with each other in a facilitated process, undertake a review of selected cities to see which policies are in place, what policies are required to enhance safety and engage with the network of implementing partners as well as other UN agencies, also looking at country assessment in several countries and seeing where safety has been mentioned as a concern and the support that can be provided.
• Activities are continuing (Partner’s Meeting with the Global Parliament of Mayors, Executive Group Meeting, Roundtable with UNODC, online survey, call for expressions of interest to host the Safer Cities Global Network)
• The Selection is based on the past collaborations on the theme Safer Cities (ex. Serbia during 2005-2010) and through the European Forum.
• Important to review and institutionalise the framework (more than 25 years of UN-Habitat engagement)
• UN-Habitat is in discussion with UNODC and through the Austrian government to host an inclusive roundtable, with the participation of all member states.
• Resolution 1/2, UN-Habitat has limited capacity, and require the support from member states to continue in implementation of this resolution and others as well.

Resolution 1/3 on enhancing capacity-building for the implementation of the New Urban Agenda and the urban dimension of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

China and Palestine expressed appreciation for the UN-Habitat Capacity Development Action Plan and Strategy (Enhancing capacities of member states on addressing urbanization in the implementation of the NUA). They also stressed the need for delivery of capacity building services to developing countries and operationalization to problems inherently associated with urbanization and allowing itself to be a leading organisation that responds to demands of member states. Finally said capacity building and development was key for global south countries

On behalf of the African Group, the Democratic Republic of Congo appealed for the development of new digital platform and E-training development for the Global South

Secretariat responses

Hybrid solutions needed, training would happen virtually and follow up by an in-person. The dual approach will be implemented by 2021.

Resolution 1/4 on achieving gender equality through the work of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme to support inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable cities and human settlements.

Costa Rica and Sweden thanked the Executive Director and secretariat for their support and reiterated their commitment to supporting resolution 1/4. They pledged to aim to continue allowing space for male and female members who will break down gender barriers and gather to exchange ideas to become a reality.

Secretariat responses

Expressed appreciation to the comments on work on resolution 1/4

Agenda Item 6: Implementation of the Strategic Plans

Agenda item 6(a) & 6(b): Annual report for 2019 on the strategic plan for the period 2014–2019 - Update on the final report on the strategic plan for the period 2014–2019 and the ongoing evaluation of the strategic plan for the period 2014–2019

The chair introduced Agenda Item 6 and informed delegates that items 6a and 6b were related and would be presented together. He highlighted the documents submitted for the Agenda items and called upon the Executive Director, Ms. Maimunah Mohd Sharif to give introductory remarks on the Agenda.

The Executive Director introduced the Agenda Item by briefly giving highlights of what UN-Habitat achieved during the implementation of UN-Habitat Strategic Plan 2014-2019, including restructuring, global campaign on water, slum upgrading, etc and referred for more details in the shared documents on the implementation of the 2014-2019 strategic Plan. She then called upon Director Christine Knudsen for power point presentation.

Ms. Christine Knudsen, Director of External Relations, Knowledge and Innovation Division first presented the annual progress report for 2019 highlighting results achieved in seven subprogrammes. She then gave updates on the final report on the Strategic Plan 2014-2019 and its final evaluation conducted by independent evaluation consultants.

The independent evaluators found that UN-Habitat had achieved the planned results satisfactorily, but gaps remained in integration approaches, insufficient resources for core functions, robust process for indicator development, data collection, quality assessment, etc

She highlighted six recommendations resulting from the evaluation and disclosed that UN-Habitat will develop a management response, on the evaluation, that will be shared with the Executive Board Members.

Interventions by Member States:

Sweden thanked UN-Habitat for implementation of the Strategic Plan and appreciated the evaluation and its recommendations adding that there should be a healthy balance between normative and operation work.

Germany noted that the results of evaluations underlined her position that UN-Habitat had value added in its normative work. Germany acknowledged the improvements of UN-Habitat’s outreach and communication strategies, as well as more transparent communication on internal reforms and recommended that UN-Habitat communicates the value of its normative work and highlight its comparative advantage vis a vis other organization.

Serbia seconded the position of Germany to enhance the normative and operational work of UN-Habitat. Serbia was concerned with the stated level of implementation of SP 2014-2019 as satisfactory, noting the funding challenges, but requesting for more transparency regarding on the number countries and people benefiting from UN-Habitat’s services. She finally pointed out that the number of beneficiaries was not good enough and the bar too low “1.8 million beneficiaries is just a small city and this cannot be all that UN-Habitat did, again, we note the limitation of funding.”

Decision: The chairman led the Executive Board in taking note of the documents discussed.

Agenda item 6(c): Implementation of the Strategic Plan for the period 2020-2023

Mr. Gary Landes, Director of Management Advisory, Compliance Service, made a presentation on the accountability framework whose elements include to the Organization’s governance mechanisms and on the mechanisms, policies and tools to support accountability. He also presented the main elements of the proposed financial plan including approved, proposed and projected budgets for the main funds of the Organization and for end-of-service benefits.

Ms. Christine Knudsen, Director of External Relations, Knowledge and Innovation Division started with a presentation of the results-based management policy and related roles and responsibilities to promote achievement of results and foster a results-focused organizational culture. She highlighted, with illustrations, the main components of the results framework to track the impact and reach of the Organization’s work and future work on establishing a monitoring and reporting system. She followed with a presentation of the Organization’s partnership strategy for better engagement of partners to improve knowledge, data innovation and advocacy and improve the design of programmes to ensure they are inclusive and sustainable. She also highlighted the Organization’s commitment to the UN wide reforms. She outlined the main elements of the impact communications strategy to raise the profile of sustainable urbanization and the role of UN-Habitat to support urban agenda and progress made during this year giving examples from advocacy on Covid-19, WUF10, campaigns and the Organization’s online platforms.

Finally, she presented the main components of the mobilization strategy which has been discussed with Member States at prior meetings, and is aimed at securing more flexible and predictable funding to support implementation of UN-Habitat’s Strategic Plan through more strategic partnerships, pooled funding, a more diversified and broader donor base, greater accountability and transparency and more innovative resource mobilization such as establishment of an endowment fund.

Interventions by Member States:

Egypt highlighted the importance of adopting the documents related to the Strategic Plan 2020-2023, resource mobilization and partnership as the adoption will allow the Executive Board to hold UN-Habitat accountable to the implementation and Member States to make suggestions and input.

On the Partnership Strategy, France welcomed UN-Habitat efforts to mobilize new partners and networks of actors in particular. The engagement of international authorities, the private sector or development banks is of equal importance. It should not be limited to financial aspects and the contribution to budgets but should emphasize UN-Habitats role as a facilitator of knowledge exchange and indispensable convener for actors engaging around the topic of urban governance and human settlements. For example, an increased partnership with the French Alliance for Cities and Territorial Development could be beneficial for UN-Habitat’s operations. France welcomed the impact communication strategy. The strategy will contribute to reposition UN-Habitat as a centre of excellence and innovation and increase transparency. France recommended that UN-Habitat relies on existing resources and methodologies to ensure better coordination and visibility of the work of partners. In a similar vein, the impact communication strategy should cover the flagship programmes and install a platform to track the progress of related projects.

Turkey requested that Member States be informed, and for transparency on UN-Habitat’s engagement with local authorities, civil society and other stakeholders, plan for implementation of partnership strategy and for all strategies to be aligned to the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework at national and local levels. Further requested for Results Based Management to focus more on national development goals and SDGs and for results framework to take into account requirements of with national and local partners. Request for Impact Communications strategy to take into account political and cultural sensitivities and focus on the impact.

Spain said the ambitious targets set in the resource mobilization strategy and required alignment with the approved annual budget and also welcomed the efforts of UN-Habitat to diversify its funding sources and asked all Member States to contribute.

United States of America took note of the concept note on the financial plan and requests UN-Habitat to project its budget on the basis of the previous three years income and expenditure levels. USA further asked for clarification on the use of UN-Habitat’s logo in reports and external documents. On the resource mobilization strategy, USA encouraged further consideration of private sector and alternative donors, noting the strategy was aspirational in view of the pressing financial situation many countries were facing.

Sweden requested further explanation of the financial plan of the annual income and expenditure in view of multiannual funding.

Germany welcomed the efforts to improve transparency of UN-Habitat’s financial situation, noting that the budget targets set in the financial plan and resource mobilization were not aligned with the approved budget.

Canada noted that the resource mobilization strategy was not to increase funding but to fill gaps in funding. Canada also asked for clarification on pledging events in view of the Executive Board’s role to conduct oversight. Canada requested further clarification on the Safer Cities Programme notably on cost plans and terms of reference, which are key to achieve consensus and help monitor progress and oversight.

Secretariat responses

- UN-Habitat is preparing yearly and monthly plans of expenditure.

- The Performance Management Plan is developed and will be shared in November 2021.

- The resource mobilization and pledging events – structure funding dialogue are a recommendation from the Secretary General (…) pledging event is building on the United Nations-Habitat Assembly to indicate the level of resource available to UN-Habitat and the timing of availability it is to address the issue’s predictability.

- Targets of the financial plan and resource mobilization strategy will be reviewed according to the new approved budget – figures will be aligned to 2020 and 2021 budget forecasts.

- A review of UN-Habitat’s is a long process and would have to go through the Office of Legal Affairs in New York. UN-Habitat uses the logo only when we have a signed agreement with the partner organization.

- UN-Habitat concurs that partnerships are very different from resource partnerships.

- UN-Habitat clarifies that the secretary will develop the TOR for the safer Cities Programme and will consult with Member States; the timeframe is first quarter of 2021.

Adoption: On invitation of the Chair, the Board adopted the draft documents on Accountability Framework, Financial Plan, Results-Based Management Policy, Results Framework, Partnership Strategy including UN-Habitat Engagement with the Private Sector and Non-governmental Partners, Impact Communications Strategy, Resource Mobilization Strategy and Review of Investment Funds.

Agenda Item 8: Development of the Capacity-building strategy

Mr Rafael Tuts, Director of Global Solutions Division presented the structure and principles of the Capacity Building strategy presented for approval to the Member States. The Strategy is based on two key objectives which aim at strengthening internal processes and impact at the country level and on three key workstreams:

1. Set up clear internal and external processes,
2. Implement catalytic actions at global, regional and country levels;
3. Strengthen strategic partnerships.

The Secretariat also presented the approach taken to develop the yearly implementation plan which was provided as information document for the session, in light of the current context (COVID- 19, Decade of Action and Digitization of services and need for online learning).

Interventions by Member States:

- Pakistan highlighted the need for better communication on and availability of capacity building activities and tools developed by UN-Habitat.

- On behalf of the African Group, the Republic of Congo highlighted the upcoming consultations with Member States as announced in the Strategy. In response to the prioritization of digital Capacity Building as proposed in the implementation plan, the African Group underlined the importance to keep developing physical training. The African Group also requested for information on the criteria used to select beneficiary countries. Finally, question was raised on the project of Center of Excellence on Housing in West Africa and if more sub-region would benefit from similar opportunities.

- United States of America supported the strengthening of UN-Habitat and improved coordination and monitoring of capacity building activities, support strengthening the capacities particularly where resources are limited. Supported the exploration of what knowledge and tools are already available through other institutions, before creating a new system and looks forward to the detailed action plan for the Capacity Building Strategy.

Secretariat responses

The Secretariat provided responses and mentioned the availability of the Catalogue of Services released earlier this year and the Learning page on the Urban Agenda Platform where UN-Habitat tools and resources will be featured, as well as all other relevant resources and platform available externally; The Secretariat also committed to strengthening the work with universities around the world.

The Capacity Building strategy was approved and received support from Member States, who highlighted the need for more visibility and availability of activities and tools undertaken by UN-Habitat. They mostly highlighted the importance to support less capacitated countries, through both digital and in-person training.