EU Statement – ECOSOC: Dialogue between Resident Coordinators and Member States

Ms. Deputy Secretary-General,

Excellencies,

Resident Coordinators,

Dear colleagues,

To start with, I would like to express a strong message of support to RCs for their work in the very challenging international context that we know.

We see good progress in the implementation of the reform and especially:

a/ in the recognition of the RCs key role in countries;

b/ in the ability of the RC Teams to mobilise the UN family in countries in an efficient way. Many good examples can be taken and some have been mentioned this afternoon;

c/ in that the RC’s role has contributed to reinforce coordination among partners in general.

There remain key challenges of course. Among them:

a/ a widely shared concern that the “One UN” approach has not yet fully materialized everywhere;

b/ at times, in specific situations, the reform has not gone far enough to provide the RC with an effective mandate within the UN family;

c/ there can also be cases of clear mismatch between the RC’s resources and the complexity of tasks.

Overall the reform is where we could expect it to be in its 4th year of implementation. However we have to keep the momentum and to enhance it wherever possible.

It is essential that the good examples are systematically  identified and talked through for them to be replicated across the system, and that work remains targeted at asserting the role of the RCs vis a vis the agencies.

For our part, the EU is working alongside you DSG and the Development Cooperation Office to strengthen the links between the RCs and the EU Heads of Delegations, who themselves are in a position to convene the ambassadors of the EUMS. It is crucial to ensure coherence of the support provided to country policies and we see the UN and EU working closely together in countries as a major step forward – in the challenging context that we know.

Thank you.