The role of UNDESA and the UN system as a whole

Small Island Developing States Unit Division for Sustainable Development Department of Economic and Social Affairs United Nations

 Sustainable development mainstreaming in the UN  UN system activities to support implementation of the SIDS agenda  UNDESA activities to support Caribbean SIDS in implementing the BPOA and Mauritius Strategy

 The Rio+20 Outcome Document, “The Future We Want” acknowledged the need to further mainstream sustainable development at all levels. [para 3]

 The Outcome Document also called for the further mainstreaming of the three dimensions of sustainable development throughout the entire UN system. [para 93]

 Sustainable development aims to ensure the promotion of an economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable future for the planet and for present and future generations.  It emphasizes a holistic, equitable and far-sighted approach to decision- making at all levels.

 A sustainable development approach broadens the frame of reference and community in which development issues are understood, decisions are taken, and implementation is evaluated.

 The UN has a unique role and responsibility to help in the pursuit of sustainable development through its analytical, normative, policy, and operational work.  Individual UN system entities have to strengthen measures and efforts to ensure mainstreaming of economic, social, and environmental dimensions at the level of strategies/policies, programmes/projects, and administration/operation.  They must also work collectively to support integrated policy making at national, regional, and international levels.

Coherent guidance from Member States is important in steering efforts through UN system intergovernmental processes.

In the recent negotiations in New York on the high level political forum, the co-facilitators proposal envisaged that meetings of the forum would devote adequate time to discuss the specific sustainable development challenges facing developing countries, including the most vulnerable countries, including SIDS.

 The High Level Committee on Programmes (HLCP) addressing the issue of sustainable development in the post 2015 development agenda.  The Creation of a task team on the post 2015 development agenda and a technical support team on SDGs to support intergovernmental processes in those areas.  UN-Energy, UN-Water, UN- Oceans, the High Level Task Force of Food Security, and the High Level Committee on Programmes Working Group on Climate Change, have worked to enhance coherence and coordination in response to specific sustainable development challenges.

The SIDS Unit has been entrusted with a broad range of functions aimed at providing support for the implementation of the BPOA/MSI, including but not limited to: -Technical assistance and advice -Support to the intergovernmental process -Coordination -Reporting on progress made The Office of the High Representative of Land Locked, Least Developed, and SIDS (OHRLLS) is mandated to undertake advocacy work in support of SIDS, and to mobilize resources for the implementation of the BPOA/MSI.

The regional commissions have the responsibility of advocacy and the coordination of support to SIDS. UNDP has sought to provide assistance at the national level on implementation

 UNEP  FAO  UNIDO  UNESCO  UNCTAD  IFAD  WHO  UNFPA

So as to ensure that the many activities by the agencies are linked and collaborate with each other, the inter agency consultative group helps to promote and ensure coordination. The SIDS Unit/UNDESA Chairs this inter agency consultative group.

 Mainstreaming and integration of activities related to SIDS into the work programmes of the UN system have been identified as critical for the implementation of the BPOA and MSI. The ways in which this is done differs among agencies. The various agencies present today can speak to their activities.

 Financial Contribution  Advocacy within the UN system  Knowledge Management  Analytical Support  Data Collection  Monitoring Framework

 The vulnerability resilience assessment profiling allows for the development of assessment profiles for countries based on a series of criteria that cover environmental, economic and social dimensions, and that reflect both a country’s vulnerabilities to exogenous and endogenous risks and threats, and its resilience or coping capabilities.

 Activities of UNDESA have been initiatives brought about in response to mandates from Member States.

 Strengthening the UN system support to SIDS is a Means of Implementation that can stand with technology transfer, and financing

 Coherent guidance from Member States is important in steering efforts towards the strengthening of the UN system support to SIDS in the further implementation of the BPOA and the MSI.