Per Knutsson, Executive Director (acting) was the discussant at the operational activities for development segment (OAS) in the ‘UN Development System Funding: Re-energising the Funding Compact for a more strategic, integrated and responsive UN development system’ session. The objective was to discuss the ‘new Funding Compact and its revised global monitoring and reporting framework’.
Per Knutsson’s input started by acknowledging ‘the mutual commitments of the UN and Member States under the Funding Compact is about making strategic choice, nothing less’. He presented some of the findings based on the Foundation’s extensive consultations at country level, listening to government representatives, UN leadership and member states/donors on the ground. It also ‘focussed on the potential of the Funding Compact and how it could drive effectiveness, not least at the country level’.
Another key message from the consultations he lifted was ‘that the funding compact is a tool and shared responsibility for making strategic choices and therefore depend on the collective leadership at ECOSOC and at the country level, to shift funding behaviour for more impactful results’.
Further saying, ‘Essentially it offers means to two types of strategic choices: Firstly, serving country governments with mandated expertise and require resourcing of UN agencies to do that. Critical levels of core funding are therefore needed. Secondly, to effectively respond to country’s development priorities – at scale and in comprehensive ways – require pooled funding modalities that allows system wide responses, allows the UN to support countries to bring together resources mandates, competencies, norms and standards for more impactful results. It cannot be either or, it is both’.
Learn more in ‘The Funding Compact going forward: More quality financing for critical outcomes’, by John Hendra, published in the 2023 annual report, Financing the UN Development System: Choices In Uncertain Times.
Watch the full session here