Mr. President,

UN Development System reform has now become a matter of necessity that can no longer be delayed. For the reform to succeed however, an equally important process to change the mindset of the working culture within the UN system needs to be initiated. For in order to attain system-wide coherence, we need to build together system-wide confidence and mutual trust. At a time of profound collective challenges faced by the international community, the centrality of development ought to be emphasized.

Mr. President,

UN Development System reform has now become a matter of necessity that can no longer be delayed. For the reform to succeed however, an equally important process to change the mindset of the working culture within the UN system needs to be initiated. For in order to attain system-wide coherence, we need to build together system-wide confidence and mutual trust. At a time of profound collective challenges faced by the international community, the centrality of development ought to be emphasized.

In December 2016, the General Assembly adopted its landmark resolution 71/243 on the Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review of the United Nations operational activities for development. The resolution delineated a roadmap by member-states to improve the UN development system so that it is more strategic, accountable, transparent, effective, efficient and coherent, thereby making the system better positioned to support countries in their efforts to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

In this vein, the Secretary General presented his vision and concrete proposals in his June and December reports on the repositioning of the United Nations Development system. The President of the General Assembly subsequently appointed the two co-facilitators H.E Mr. Sabri Boukadoum, Permanent Representative of Algeria and H.E. Mr. Ib Petersen, Permanent Representative of Denmark to lead the intergovernmental consultations. We would like to seize this opportunity to thank the co-facilitators for their arduous efforts in steering the general membership towards a consensual text.

During the course of the last few weeks, the G77 and China actively and constructively engaged in these negotiations, in order to ensure that the resolution adopted reflects the best spirit of the QCPR. Here it is important to note that the QCPR is the guiding framework for the implementation of this resolution, including with regards to those issues that have not been explicitly addressed in it. The group is satisfied with the outcome of these negotiations as many of the concerns of the group were incorporated in the text. The resolution retains the development focus of the RC system, and the eradication of poverty, in all its forms and dimensions, as its overarching objective. It further guarantees that the purpose of the RCs is the effective and coordinated implementation of the UNDAF, under national leadership and ownership.

In this regard, we would like to note that the resolution explicitly states that the UNDAF should be prepared and finalized in full consultation and agreement with national governments, through an open and inclusive dialogue between the host Government and the UN development system, and in accordance with national development policies, plans, priorities, and country needs.

It requests the Secretary-General to work through the United Nations Sustainable Development Group, and in consultation with concerned Member States, to determine appropriate criteria regarding the presence and the composition of the United Nations country teams, based on country development priorities and long-term needs. We would like to note here that the criteria to be developed at headquarters must inform and support, not jeopardize, the essence of the Secretary General's proposal, which is to establish a needs-based system.
 
It also states that the Resident Coordinator should report to the Secretary-General and to the host government on the implementation of UNDAF, thereby guaranteeing accountability to national governments and ensuring national ownership and leadership over developmental processes, and supporting the developing countries to pursue development paths suited to their own national conditions.

Yet it is also important to seize this opportunity to raise some of the concerns of the Group. We all have a vested interest in the successful implementation of the resolution and it is our view that flagging these concerns now and reaching a common understanding on what they entail would facilitate the proper and timely translation of the resolution into actionable commitments for all governing bodies across the UNDS. We note that the member-states of the group will bear the brunt of the costs if the resolution is poorly implemented, with those costs especially felt by the smallest and most vulnerable countries. Throughout this strenuous process we have lived up to our responsibilities; this is our duty. In the time ahead we will be emphasizing the need to guaranteeing reciprocal accountability; this is our right. Please allow me now to highlight some of these concerns with regards to the implementation of the resolution.

First, we need to guarantee transparency and inclusiveness when formulating the implementation plan for the inception of the reinvigorated RC system. In this vein, the Secretary General should undertake periodic consultations and provide regular briefings to the Member States when formulating the said plan, respecting the ideas and thoughts expressed by the Member States, especially developing countries. Member States must also have access to the implementation plan and give their inputs to the Secretary-General.

Second, we must ensure accountability to member-states. In this regard, the group of G77 and China requests the Secretary General to closely monitor implementation of the said plan on the ground and report back to member-states through regular progress updates on the gains made.

Third, the implementation of the plan should be data-driven. Data needs to be presented to member-states by the secretariat at every stage of the process.

Fourth, the Fifth Committee procedures must not be bypassed and must be respected at all times. The cost-sharing arrangement envisages that the contributions of the UN Secretariat will come from the UN regular budget. That component of the cost-sharing arrangement must be thoroughly considered in the context of the Fifth Committee within the established rules.

Fifth, the resubmission of the strategic document must be done in alignment with the original mandate of the QCPR.

Finally, the Group believes that the technical note circulated to member states pertaining to the funding of the reinvigorated RC system constitutes an integral part of the understanding achieved pertaining to the adoption of the resolution. In this regard, the technical note should guide the implementation process. The implementation plan must retain the exclusions of the levy on South-South cooperation and local government contributions and not overestimate the role of efficiencies gains as a source of funding.

In conclusion, we would like to note that the adoption of this resolution is the beginning of our collective work on the QCPR process this year. Active engagement by all delegations is required so that we can guarantee the successful implementation of both the QCPR and this resolution to ensure that the UN development system is better positioned to meet the development needs of us all. We are well aware that the arduous journey to reposition the UN development system, which we have embarked upon, is an ongoing reform process; one that requires close cooperation between the G77 and China, along with our partners and the UN Secretariat. With this resolution we have shown our solidarity in support for enhancing the capacity of UNDS to implement the 2030 Agenda, and we believe the Secretariat will act according to the letter and spirit of the resolution, in supporting the developing countries to achieve the SDGs, while fully respecting their national ownership and leadership. Now it is time to deliver on the promises.

I thank you