COMMUNITIES
Operational Cooperation with the United Nations System
Policy Dialogue and Partnership Strategy
UNESCO has a long-standing collaborative experience and working relations with almost all Funds, Programmes and Specialized Agencies of the UN System through established partnership, whereby working together they give Member Countries the benefit of their combined strengths.
UNESCO seeks partnership within the UN system, based on its areas of expertise defined by its mandate. In this framework, UNESCO is taking part into the on-going efforts to implement current UN reforms which main objective is to improve the UN system’s effectiveness and provide greater coherence to development programme at the country level. These reforms are also aiming at strengthening the UN country teams’ efficient response to global problems in the context of a changing aid environment. In 2001 UNESCO joined the United Nations Development Group (UNDG), which is the instrument for UN Reform, created by the Secretary-General in 1997, to improve the effectiveness of UN development at the country level.
Policy dialogue:
UNESCO, in favor of its mandate as one of the United Nations Specialized Agencies, is involved in the exercises undertaken by the United Nation System as this provides the Organization with the opportunity to participate in the System policy debates, reforms and joint activities.
Framework for cooperation:
This partnership and continuing policy dialogue favours opportunities for synergies that reflect and are consistent with both UNESCO’s overall strategic vision and issues flowing from relevant country needs, and with priorities of partners and sister agencies.
This two-fold approach helps UNESCO bring together partners from many different backgrounds to share resources, create networks, explore joint ventures and find adequate solutions. At UNESCO, it is well known from long experience that collaborative and operational relationships enlarge the potential for progress of beneficiary countries.
Common Objectives:
Aiming at enhancing dialogue and forging relations and partnerships across the UN System, UNESCO is engaged at the global level with UN Funds and Programmes in a collective effort to achieve common objectives in implementing all agreed commitments, goals and targets on international development objectives including the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
UNESCO also operates at the country level within the frameworks set by the UN various joint programming mechanisms and related instruments such as:
UNESCO’s modalities of cooperation:
UNESCO, based on its mandate, signs Framework Agreements, Memorandum of Understanding, Agreements for cooperation with a wide range of partners from UN Funds, Programmes and Specialized Agencies such as United Nation Development Programme (UNDP),the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Labour Organization (ILO), United Nations Foundation (UNF), Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), United Nations International Strategy Disaster Reduction (UN/ISDR) etc.
These modalities of cooperation set the framework of the actual cooperation and clarify the role of every party concerned by the implementation of a project/programme based on an agreed workplan. This is usually preceded by project proposals that UNESCO (both from Headquarters and Field offices) submits to its counterparts from the UN system. Complementarities, consistency and added value of each partner are sought in such cases.
Related Links:
United Nation Development Programme (UNDP)
United Nations Foundation (UNF)
Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)
United Nations International Strategy Disaster Reduction (UN/ISDR)
Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN/OCHA)