Remarks by Permanent Representative of Armenia Mher Margaryan during the Meeting between UN Resident Coordinators with Member States

15 November, 2023

Madam Deputy-Secretary-General,
Madam President of ECOSOC,

Thank you for convening this meeting and providing an opportunity for member states to get first-hand information on the role of the Resident Coordinator system.

As a middle-income landlocked developing country, Armenia prioritizes the efforts of the United Nations Development System in assisting governments to respond to a multitude of complex, interlinked challenges, and supporting the accelerated implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Five years into the reform of the RC system, we are yet to assess the full added value of the restructuring of the UN country teams. Armenia recognizes the challenges that RC system faces today, especially, the lack of the adequate, predictable and sustainable funding, which is a prerequisite for the unimpeded functioning of the system. In this regard, the ongoing consultations on the reform of the funding model of the RC system and the Secretary-General’s upcoming report on this topic have an important role to play in contributing to an inclusive and well-informed process.

Madam Deputy-Secretary-General,

Today, some of Resident Coordinators from different regions shared their experiences in demonstration of the practical impact of the RC system on the ground, especially, in times of environmental, humanitarian and conflict emergencies. In this context, it is of utmost importance to ensure that the RCs are well equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to fit the needs of the host country and are able to demonstrate the critical degree of resilience to maintain the credibility and integrity of the UN representation. Notwithstanding the measures to advance the recruitment process, such as for example – the launch of the Talent Pipeline, improvement is needed in order to guarantee timely selection and appointment of RCs, as in the case of Armenia.

The need for closer coordination and synergy across all UN pillars – peace and security, human rights, rule of law and development and stronger cooperation between all UN agencies and bodies is another important element for the successful functioning of the UN development system.

Madam Deputy-Secretary-General,

Attempts to instrumentalize the RC system and the UN programmatic cooperation to legitimize violations of the international law are unacceptable. Recently, in our region we have observed one such disturbing example, whereby the long overdue visit to Nagorno-Karabakh conducted by the UN mission led by the Resident Coordinator in Azerbaijan with the involvement of the OCHA was subsequently manipulated by the Azerbaijani authorities to whitewash the ethnic cleansing of the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh, which, as it is known, have involved a 10-month-long blockade imposed and maintained contrary to the legally binding orders of the International Court of Justice, as well as the use of military force, and other forms of grave and massive violations of international humanitarian law, which amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Notably, the press release issued by the RC Office in Azerbaijan fails to reflect the fact of the forcible displacement of the ethnic Armenian population from their homes, undermining the credibility and the integrity of the RC system as a whole.

We expect that an inquiry will be launched to promptly look into the matter and we stand ready to cooperate with your Office and other relevant UN mechanism in this regard. Armenia remains committed to strengthening cooperation with the Development Coordination Office and in support of the improved capacities of the RC system.

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