Remarks by H.E. Mr. Mher Margaryan, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Armenia to the UN at the ECOSOC Operational Activities for Development Segment

17 May, 2022

Madam Chair,

I thank the President of ECOSOC and Vice-President in charge for the Operational Activities segment for convening this meeting and thank the SG and President of General Assembly for their interventions earlier today.

I thank the Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed and the Assistant Secretary-General Robert Piper for the presentation of the Report on the Development Coordination Office and the Resident Coordinator system.

Due to time limitations, I will confine myself to remarks on some challenges of the Development Coordination and the RC system.

We acknowledge and appreciate the efforts of the United Nations Development architecture in assisting governments in their response to the socio-economic and humanitarian consequences of the pandemic and supporting accelerated implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals with a special focus on vulnerable populations. The UN office in Armenia has been instrumental in the nationalization process of the SDGs.

Armenia supported the reform of the UN Development System to strengthen its efficiency and adaptability to evolving and future global challenges.

Four years into the reform of the RC system, we are yet to evaluate the added value of the separation of functions of the Resident Coordinator from those of the Resident Representative of the UNDP in terms of strengthening the coherence and integrity within the UN, as well as the accountability and efficiency of the system.

Madam Chair,

A proper functioning of the RC system requires stronger inter-agency coordination between the DCO and the relevant departments and entities of the UN, such as the DESA and the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, in particular in situations, where complex conflict context exists. It is imperative to make sure that the development efforts go hand in hand with the peace processes to support and reinforce one another.

In this regard, I would like to emphasize the crucial importance of upholding human rights-based and inclusive approach to all conflict-affected populations, while ensuring access to international development assistance for the people on the ground, to deliver on the pledge of leaving no one behind without distinction of any kind as to ethnicity, religion, political or any other status.

Another important indicator of efficiency of the system would be the timely selection and appointments of RCs. While appreciating the efforts of the DCO to ensure that the system is equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge, such as for example – the launch of the Talent Pipeline, we would also encourage putting in place a more efficient and time-conscious selection process of the relevant RC candidates in order to ensure continuity and appropriate leadership of the UN country teams.

We look forward to enhanced cooperation with the Development Coordination Office in order to promote coherent response to the complex challenges of the RC system and advance implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Thank you.

MFA RA
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