1. Rethinking Partnerships for Development
JPO Workshop Monday June 14, 2004
Bureau for Resources and Strategic Partnerships

2. Objectives To share UNDP’s vision on strategic partnerships
To briefly introduce the Bureau for Resources and Strategic Partnerships

3. Why partnerships?
Complex and interdependent world requires various sectors to come together to effectively respond to development challenges – no one can do it alone
Combining of organizational cultures and competencies lead to innovative approaches and solutions
Diverse access to networks and relationships through various sectors

4. What is a partnership?
A collaborative alliance between two or more actors,
be it public, private or NGOs or any group of individuals
which could fundamentally have different objectives,
values, cultures, structures, but that are sharing risks,
responsibilities, resources and competencies while
committed to a common task which will also help to
achieve their specific individual goals.

5. Key Partnership Principles
Partnership greater than sum of its parts
Clear & frequent communication - Transparency
Sharing of risks
Ensure benefits for all partners
Clear, measurable goals
Strive to ensure equity among partners
Complementary contributions - build on core strengths of partners
Agreed partnership governance structure is key for success
Patience!

6. Partnership benefits Organizational innovation
Improved operational efficiency
Development of human capital
Better access to information
More effective / appropriate products & services
Enhanced legitimacy & credibility
Increased access to resources (pooling)
Increased participation – social capital!

7. UNDP Resource Trends

8. Old UNDP Culture 80-90% of resources were “core”
Success measured by disbursement volume
Process-driven, measured by inputs
Donors invested in transfer mechanism
Partners viewed as disbursements agents
Partners were external face of internal process.

9. New UNDP Culture
Development results requires complex interventions by multiple actors - partnerships
70% of resources non-core
Non-core = partnerships built around results and common objectives
Partner priorities co-determine interventions
Results-driven, results = partners & resources
Success = partnerships must be at heart of UNDP

10. New Partnership Culture Requires…
Partnerships start at home – staff, culture
‘Extroverted’ networking culture, client focus
Listening skills – understand different cultures
Flexibility, adaptability
Connecting, sharing, reporting – internally & externally – knowledge management
Responsive leadership, real-time decision making
Not an add-on – the way we do our work!

11. Ever-Changing External Environment
UN Reform – UNDP within UN system
Globalization, corporate responsibility
Global Compact, Private Sector Commission
MDG Campaign
World Social Forum
Recession in donor countries, and an ongoing debate on financing development activities

12. Ever-Changing External Environment
Proliferation of new development actors, new funds and ways of allocating these funds
World Bank: IDA XIII – IDA XIV, percentage of loans will become grants
Millennium Challenge Account – USA
Future International Finance Facility

13. Consequences
Building partnerships and mobilizing resources have become integral part of UNDP doing business.
Establishment of the Bureau for Resources and Strategic Partnerships according with Administrator Business Plans 2000 – 2003.

14. UNDP well positioned for partnerships
Inclusive and consensus building approach – not imposing conditions
Legitimacy with governments, civil society
Impartial – facilitating role
Strong values – attracts partners
Universality – scale up partnerships
Development expertise
Local knowledge

15. UNDP Strategic Partnerships
Administrator’s Business Plan
Policy, people, partnership, performance, resources
MYFF:
Strategic partnerships for development effectiveness
Prioritize partnerships in all programme areas
Partnerships - leverage UNDP expertise
Need enhance CO capacity in partnership building
Specific focus on private sector & CSOs

16. Bureau for Resources and Strategic Partnerships (BRSP)
Created (a) to develop UNDP’s institutional capacity to build and strengthen strategic partnerships; and (b) to strengthen the Organization’s resources mobilization function
BRSP as:
Change agent, facilitator
Connecting, aligning, relationship builders & managers

17. External constituencies

18. BRSP Directorate Japan Affairs Unit Operations Unit
Division for United Nations Affairs
Division for Resources Mobilization
Support to Country Offices Unit
Donor Relations Unit

19. BRSP Millennium Development Goals Unit
United Nations Foundation Affairs Unit
Division for Business Partnerships
Civil Society Organizations Unit
Executive Board Secretariat

20. Private Sector and the MDGs
“I believe that it will be the building of the private
sector that will be the critical next challenge in
development – very much the way that democratic
governance was so much the challenge for the past decade.”
Mark Malloch Brown

21. Why private sector and development?
Globalization
Both business culture & development culture changing – convergence
New global business environment – Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), “sustainable business”, etc.
New development “paradigm” – public-private partnerships (multi-stakeholder) post-WSSD
Resource Mobilization, FfD - FDI and domestic private investments dwarf ODA

22. UNDP & Private Sector Strategic priorities
UN Global Compact
Private Sector Commission Report: “Unleashing Entrepreneurship”
Brokering investments and commercial activities: Growing Sustainable Business
Partnerships across UNDP focus areas and MDGs, Thematic opportunities

23. Civil Society Organizations
A working definition
Civil Society Organizations
Civil society constitutes a third sector, existing alongside and interacting with the state and market.
CSOs comprise the full range of formal and informal organizations within civil society: NGOs, CBOs, indigenous peoples’ organizations, trade unions, social movements, etc.
Civil
Society
Market
State

24. Changing context CSO Profile
Enormous growth in number, diversity and influence of CSOs.
Greater influence in shaping local/global agendas.
Growing mobilization through global assemblies such as World Social Forum.
Increasing resources channeled through CSOs.

25. Broad Areas of Engagement
CSOs
Broad Areas of Engagement
• Engagement with civil society in key national planning processes (PRSPs, MDGRs, CCA/UNDAF)
• Small grant mechanisms to promote policy-level partnerships (e.g., BCPR/BRSP Global Initative)
• High-level internal initiatives with civil society(e.g., CSO Advisory Committee, RR/RC Champions’ Initiative, National & Regional CSO Advisory Committees)
• Engaging NGOs and community organizations in sustainable development, conflict prevention and recovery, and HIV/AIDS (Equator Initiative, community dialogue spaces, Community Based Initiatives)
• Policy dialogue with and programmes for indigenous peoples

26. What our Partners Say UNDP partnership survey 2003
Strengths (aggregated, all partners):
Closely associated with MDGs, governance
National ownership, country knowledge
Information, interpersonal skills
Technical competence
Country office efficiency
Resident Coordinator function

27. What our Partners Say Weaknesses / Challenges:
Policy advice, policy reform, advocacy
Environment & energy relatively low profile
Operational services
Overwhelmingly NOT seen as actively working with Private Sector (but p.s. itself sees us as quite active..!)
Host governments in general more favorable
Bilateral donors in general more critical
Civil society and private sector in the middle