‘One UN’ gets nod from pilot countries

Countries implementing the “Delivering as One United Nations” initiative yesterday agreed to carry on with the approach in a more strengthened manner in a bid to harness the insititution’s effectiveness, coherence, and impact. Speaking at the closure of the three-day inter-governmental meeting on the Programme, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning James Musoni acknowledged the progress made by all pilot countries since the launching of delivering as one initiative. “This meeting has provided a unique platform to hear from countries from all over the world. We have taken a large step forward from last year’s meeting in Maputo,” he said. The meeting also developed a country-led evaluation process for the implementation of the initiative which will guide the future of the Delivering as One. “The country-led independent evaluations launched in this meeting will ensure credibility and ownership and will be an important feed into the global evaluations”, Musoni added. Musoni’s remarks were supported by the visiting UNHCR boss Antonio Guiterrez who also highlighted the importance for the UN member states to simplify business practices to ensure meeting of targets in a more efficient way. “The impact of development cooperation has to be internalized. The most important achievement of the Delivering as One UN is the increase of the national ownership of the development process,” Guiterrez said. Speaking at the same event, UN Resident coordinator in Rwanda, Aurélien Agbénonci, said; “It is urgent today to maintain momentum and ensure that commitments are met; this implies an on-going role for the evaluation framework which our colleagues at the country level will constantly refine in the coming weeks.” The three-day meeting that brought together representatives from the eight pilot countries; as well as representatives from countries that have voluntarily adopted the programme will be followed up by a similar one in Hanoi in 2010. Rwanda volunteered to be one of the eight pilot countries in January 2007, to test and implement this reform. Meanwhile 400 UN staff members will today donate blood to the National Centre for Blood Transfusion (CNTS) to save lives of those who need it in different health facilities. The blood drive, to be held at the World Food Programme (WFP) premises in Kicukiro will be set in motion by Agbénonci. The drive will be carried under the ‘Donate blood, save lives’ is part of the activities organized during the UN week to commemorate the foundation of the United Nations celebrated on October 24 every year. Ends