VZCZCXRO1197
RR RUEHPA
DE RUEHGV #0643/01 2121342
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 311342Z JUL 09
FM USMISSION GENEVA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9024
INFO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3108
RUEHLGB/AMEMBASSY KIGALI 0498
RUEHPA/AMEMBASSY PRAIA
RUEHTO/AMEMBASSY MAPUTO 0318
RUEHDR/AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM 0458
RUEHTI/AMEMBASSY TIRANA 1477
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 5211
RUEHHI/AMEMBASSY HANOI 0957
RUEHMN/AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO 0302

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 GENEVA 000643 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR IO/EDA, IO/T, AF/EPS, PRM, EEB/OIA for Heather Goethert, 
IO/S for George Abrahams 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KUNR UNCTAD XA EAID
SUBJECT:  ECOSOC - ONE UN RWANDA WORKING WELL 
 
¶1. SUMMARY.  In a July 15 special session on the One UN Rwanda 
program, organized by the UN Chief Executive Board (CEB) Interagency 
Cluster on Trade and Productive Capacity during the Operational 
Activities Segment of the Economic and Social Council meeting in 
Geneva, the UN Resident Coordinator for Rwanda and the Rwandan 
Ambassador praised the One UN program in Rwanda and emphasized their 
commitments to measurable results, transparency, and good 
governance. Rwanda is one of eight pilot One UN countries worldwide 
and was highlighted by the UN Cluster for its successful program. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
Goals 
------ 
 
¶2.  UNCTAD Deputy Secretary General Petko Draganov outlined three 
main goals for the special session on One UN Rwanda: first, to learn 
about the progress achieved in Rwanda under the One UN program; 
second, to explain through the example of Rwanda, how operational 
and financial agendas under one UN can be implemented to enhance 
development; and third, to show how the CEB Interagency Cluster on 
Trade and Productive Capacity operates. 
 
Review of Progress of "One UN" Process in Rwanda 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶3.  The UN Resident Coordinator (RC) for Rwanda, Mr. Aurelien 
Agbenonci, said the basis for One UN operations in Rwanda was laid 
out in the Common Operational Document (COD) which was signed by the 
Government of Rwanda and the UN in July 2007. This programmatic 
document specified how the UN in Rwanda would construct and 
implement the United Nations Development Assistance Framework 
(UNDAF) for Rwanda, so that the UNDAF would provide a collective, 
coherent and integrated United Nations response to national needs 
and priorities, as outlined in the Rwandan Government's Economic 
Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDRPS) and Vision 2020. 
 
 
¶4.  The RC emphasized that the clear definition of UN agencies' 
roles and mechanisms for interaction with the GOR contained in the 
COD, and the deliberate effort to elaborate Rwanda's UNDAF so that 
it was consistent with Rwanda's EDRPS and promotes Rwanda's Vision 
2020, were crucial to the positive impact of the One UN effort. 
Those well defined relationships and expectations have allowed 
streamlining of UN interactions with the GOR, and have ensured that 
the UN programs in Rwanda have measurable results that contribute to 
the GOR's overall development objectives. 
 
¶5.  The RC reported that Rwanda expects progress in internal and 
external communications as a common Communication Strategy is being 
developed by the UN Communication Group, which is composed of 
communication focal points in each of the 13 UN agencies working in 
Rwanda. The common Communication Strategy will govern: how 
information is shared within, and among, UN agencies; and how each 
agency and the country team communicate externally (with a strong 
emphasis on consistency of messaging and brand management). 
 
¶6.  Following the presentations, US Mission Officer inquired about 
the methods of performance measurement. According to the RC, there 
are six UNDAF theme groups (Governance; HIV; Health, Nutrition and 
Population; Education; Environment; Sustainable Growth and Social 
Protection) that serve as coordination mechanisms to ensure the 
development, implementation, quality, coherence and consistency of 
the UNDAF results and to report on program implementation.  The six 
groups compile UNDAF results, including indicators of achievement 
identified in the UNDAF Monitoring and Evaluation Plan, outcomes and 
output-level data throughout the program life cycle.  The monitoring 
and evaluation process is well defined.  However, since the One UN 
Rwanda program only has a one year track-record, the RC said it is 
too early to show development impact from Delivering as One. 
 
Implementation of Operational and Financial Frameworks 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
¶7.  According to the RC, Rwanda implemented its One UN Program to 
improve its chances of meeting the Millennium Development Goals 
through great coherence and efficiency.  The program is fully 
aligned with GOR's national priorities, and is based on principles 
such as joint programming, strategic focus on a results-driven UN, 
and inclusiveness of government and UN bodies. The RC mentioned 
achievements made in Rwanda in 2008 and its ongoing commitment to 
enhancing trade capacity to emphasize Rwanda's progress in 
 
GENEVA 00000643  002 OF 002 
 
 
development under the One UN Program. The RC attributed the 
successful implementation of the One UN Program in Rwanda to the 
high level GOR commitment to making One UN Rwanda effective. 
 
¶8.  On the financial side, resources are allocated out to the most 
effective programs under the One budgetary framework. According to 
the RC, the implementation of such financial mechanism has 
encouraged agencies to be results-oriented. The Minister of Finance 
and Economic Planning of Rwanda chairs the One UN Steering 
Committee, which provides guidance and oversees the implementation 
of the One UN effort. The Steering Committee is also responsible for 
ensuring that the One UN Program is closely aligned with, and 
implements the UNDAF Outcomes (e.g. development goals), the Rwandan 
Government's EDPRS (Economic Development and Poverty Reduction 
Strategy), Vision 2020, and the MDGs. 
 
CEB Inter-Agency Cluster on Trade Productive Capacity 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
¶9.  The CEB Inter-Agency Cluster on Trade Productive Capacity 
consists of 13 members: UNCTAD, which chairs the Cluster, UNIDO, 
FAO, ITC, WTO, UNDP, the 5 UN Regional Commissions, UNEP, and UNOPS. 
A senior officer from the Office of the Director General of UNIDO, 
Richard Kennedy, praised the Cluster for promoting more effective 
program delivery and inclusion of non-resident agencies' programs in 
UNDAFs. Kennedy said that the Cluster has become an important 
interagency mechanism that allows the 13 participating agencies to 
build a coherent and cooperatives set of trade and 
development-related programs into a beneficiary's UNDAF. 
 
¶10.  Panelists described various successful Cluster activities in 
Rwanda. They highlighted trade capacity building and technical 
assistance related to trade, training for UN Country Teams on 
trade-related programs, and a series of other training programs for 
RCs to help the RC raise his country teams' awareness of the 
government's national priorities and economic agenda. 
 
¶11.  Rwandan Ambassador Sebudande praised the efficiencies gained 
from the One UN effort and the commitment of the UN inter-agency 
team to ensure its work aligned with national priorities. She 
confirmed the Rwandan government's commitment to constructing a base 
for economic growth and food security while building resilience 
among its people to social and economic shocks. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶12.  The UN Resident Coordinator in Rwanda gave an extremely dynamic 
presentation about the success of the One UN effort in Rwanda, and 
the enormous commitment of the GOR to good governance and measurable 
results for official development assistance.  His commitment and 
enthusiasm, which was reinforced by the Rwandan Ambassador's 
emphasis on good governance, left a positive impression of the One 
UN program in Rwanda. 
 
¶13.  In response to the US delegate's query as to when there would 
be an independent evaluation of the eight One UN pilot programs, the 
UN representatives provided vague responses focusing on the newness 
of the program and consequent difficulty of evaluating it.  After 
the meeting, one panelist clarified that a timeline for evaluation 
will likely be agreed during the UN General Assembly meeting in the 
fall.  He further explained that a true evaluation of the One UN 
programs will be difficult, since each of the eight One UN programs 
worldwide is different, there having been no detailed criteria or 
indicators for achievement of the programs in place when the 
programs were designed. 
 
GRIFFITHS #