Introduction toIntroduction to

UN-HABITAT’s Country-level UN-HABITAT’s Country-level

ActivitiesActivitiesDaniel BiauDaniel Biau

Director, RTCDDirector, RTCD

SevilleSeville15 October 200815 October 2008

LEGISLATIVE MANDATE

• MTSIP Action Plan 2008-2013 (ENOF) • Integrated Programme of normative

and operational activities in line with MTSIP focus areas and criteria for country-level activities (GC resolution 21/2)

• Also relevant: resolution 20/15 on HPMs and Regional Offices and resolution 19/7 on Regional and Technical Cooperation

REGIONAL STRUCTURE

• Regional and Technical Cooperation Division coordinating country-level activities

• Four Regional Offices (Nairobi, Fukuoka, Rio, Warsaw) managing country-level activities and regional exchanges

• Inter-divisional synergies (global programmes/ country projects)

• Agreement with UNDP on HPMs and UNCTs• 25 HCPDs formulated (as part of ENOF) in 2008 in

collaboration with national governments and UNCTs

OBJECTIVES1. Operational: to enhance capacities to

implement human settlements policies and programmes with focus on urban poverty reduction and response to disasters

2. Normative: to improve national policies on housing and urban development in line with UN-HABITAT global norms and to increase regional knowledge

3. Systemic: to improve coherence and integration of sustainable urbanization into UNDAFs (Delivering as One) and national strategies

TOPICAL PRIORITIESTOPICAL PRIORITIES

1. Land and housing for All 2. Urban Governance 3. Environment and basic

services (WatSan) 4. Housing finance (SUF/ERSO) 5. Post-disaster reconstruction

(In line with MTSIP focus areas)

DELIVERING AS ONE

• One Programme: more focused, more UN-inclusive than UNDAF, organized in multi-agency strategic pillars

• One leader: UN Resident Coordinator• One Fund: joint resource mobilization

for joint operations• UN-HABITAT active in 6 pilot countries

(MOZ, CVI, RWA, URT, PAK, VIE)• UN-HABITAT involved in inter-agency

programmes in MOZ and RWA (Spanish MDG Fund and One UN Fund)

FINANCIAL RESOURCES

• Extra-budgetary resources mobilized at country level (TC Funds): 70 M in 2007

• Extra-budgetary resources (trust funds) mobilized at HQ level (WATSAN, ERSO, SUF): 40M in 2007

• Management fees used to finance Regional Offices: 5M (+ host country contributions)

• Funding of Regional Offices and HPMs still problematic

• New partners (from UNDP to EC ?)

UN-HABITAT Focus Countries in Africa and Asia

GUIDING CRITERIA1. Thematic consistency with MTSIP focus

areas and with the biennial work-programme;

2. Functional consistency with the Enhanced Normative and Operational Framework (reinforced linkages between policy and capacity-building activities);

3. Inscription in the HCPD and/or UNDAF as an agreed country priority;

4. Financial and political commitments by the national government and its partners;

5. Availability of international support to complement national resources in funding UN-HABITAT inputs;

… GUIDING CRITERIA

6. Past experience and knowledge by UN- HABITAT in the concerned country;7. Actual and potential cooperation with other UN agencies under the “Delivering as One” approach;8. Potential for scaling up and dissemination, including at regional and global levels;9. Post-disaster emergencies, within the IASC framework;10. Need for geographical balance and prioritization of LDCs.

POINTS FOR DISCUSSION1. Should country-level activities be

concentrated on some of the six MTSIP focus areas or be cross-cutting?

2. Should normative activities at country-level be funded by core central resources or by locally-mobilized contributions?

3. Could UN-HABITAT rely on “One UN funds” for financing its country-level activities?

4. Should UN-HABITAT reduce its post-disaster portfolio or capitalize on its experience in this field?

… POINTS FOR DISCUSSION

5. Should UN-HABITAT limit its country-level activities to 20/30/40 countries?

6. If yes how to rank the proposed criteria?

7. How to reform the funding of UN-HABITAT Regional Offices to make them less dependent on overhead income?

Thank

You !