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Our purpose

Arab States-Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region UN Regional Directors Team (RDT) – UN Country Team (UNCT) Meeting The United Nations Working as One Cairo, Egypt, 22-24 November 2007 Discussion Paper UN Development and Humanitarian Response in the Arab States/MENA Region. Our purpose

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Our purpose

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  1. Arab States-Middle East and North Africa (MENA) RegionUN Regional Directors Team (RDT) – UN Country Team (UNCT) MeetingThe United Nations Working as OneCairo, Egypt, 22-24 November 2007Discussion PaperUN Development and Humanitarian Response in the Arab States/MENA Region

  2. Our purpose To overcome dispersion, build synergy and achieve greater impact of our activities to deliver quality development results within the framework of MDGs and UN Agreements, Conventions, and relevant PoAs.

  3. Changing Context • Changing Aid Environment • UN reform, governance structures • Depleted share of UN resources as part of ODA, competition for resources • Direct Budget Support, new financial mechanisms • Strive for national ownership • Expanding mandates • Demand for coherence, accountability and results • New partners Widening joint programming, coordinating technical and managerial efforts and joint approach to mobilize resources. Strengthen partnerships with regional bodies and non-government sector and be accountable for such partnerships

  4. Changing Context • UN Image • Increased perception of UN ability to act impartially and effectively • Despite of different mandates and regardless of working or not working together, UN Agencies are increasingly perceived and assessed by public opinion as one UN Interpreting this context correctly may be a first step forward Developing common principles for a transparent and targeted response through media with a wide array of national stakeholders Rebuild image through increasing confidence in UN impartiality and ability to deliver results

  5. Regional Challenges: Achievements in Human Development and Contemporary trends of reversals • Overall rise in incidence of poverty (except for GCC) • Uneven Nature of Development and MDG attainment levels across the region • Slow democratic transitions and reform of governance and human rights • Complex conflict, emergency and security situations (OPT, Sudan, Somalia, Iraq, Lebanon) • Varied strides in improving status of women, enhancement of their rights including reproductive rights, and multi-faceted empowerment ( the role of socio-cultural and economic impediments, and the Human rights approach) • Population and development, migration; high fertility; conflicts; uneven economic growth and the youth bulge • Environment challenges and its consequences for the region • Rising risks and vulnerability to HIV/AIDS • Inter-cultural understanding and dialogue

  6. Regional Challenges: Sub-Regional Profiles • Low Income Group • Lowest levels of human development (MMR, education, unemployment, gender gaps, food insecurity, high population growth…) • Weak service delivery and institutional barriers • Asymmetry in assistance, low percentage of ODA to LDCs in ratio to overall percentage of ODA to the region • Middle Income Group • Structural reforms, UN contributing to minimizing social costs of reforms • Low priority for environment protection • Weak implementation and monitoring of policies • Aligning national legislation with international human rights treaties

  7. Sub-Regional Profiles: continued • High Income Countries, GCC (Net Contributing) • Gains in MDG attainment levels • Persisting human development disparities: gender equity/equality, youth participation, migration, employment/labor, trade challenges, governance • Investments in infrastructure, less in human capital, gaps in development policies and low diversification of economies • Crisis Countries (Countries in a Special Development Situation) • Protracted Humanitarian and Development crisis resulting in depletion of human capital and destruction of infrastructure • Impact on neighboring countries’ stability: social, political and economic • Existence of large vulnerable groups, refugees, minorities, female-headed households, issues of abuse of women and children etc. • Need for combined humanitarian and development approach to assistance delivery and need to strengthen our support to peace-building, conflict prevention and social reconciliation

  8. Common Ground, Joint Programming, and Collective Expertise • Priority setting by UN agencies for shared actions • Joint programmes, investing in a team-based approach • UN Agencies’ synergy in delivery of interventions • Enabling mechanisms: RC System; common partnerships and focus; common financial mechanisms; cooperation in lieu of competition • Avoiding competition for resources

  9. Mapping of resources to capitalize on shared knowledge and existing expertise • Enabling Capacity to address involvement of Civil Society, national authorities and development actors, including faith based and community groups • South-South cooperation, intra-regional ODA modalities, private sector development partnerships

  10. Next Step • In this meeting we are to discuss and agree on common priorities and possible modalities to deliver on these priorities. Some considerations may be given to: • Joint teams to support UNDAFs…….. • To establish National Human Development Report/MDGs…………… • Coordinated teams ………….. • Establish a joint roster of experts………. • Joint reporting databases……………… • Joint regional programmes focusing on transboundary priorities……………

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