Statement by H.E. Ambassador Yasuhisa Kawamura, Deputy Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations, at the Annual Session of the 2018 Executive Board of UNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS: UNDP Segment

Thank you Mr. President,
 
And thank you Administrator Steiner for your comprehensive statement and your vision of addressing challenges and responses from the UNDP.
 
Last Thursday, the General Assembly adopted a resolution on the repositioning of the UN development system. It is just the first step toward our common goal of having a more efficient and coherent UN development system. Challenges lie ahead of us. In this regard, we would like to raise the following points regarding what we expect from UNDP.
 
First, the resolution requests the Secretary-General to ensure an effective and efficient transition to a repositioned United Nations development system, and in particular to a reinvigorated resident coordinator system, including by giving due consideration to the role of a responsive United Nations Development Programme as the support platform of the United Nations development system. In this regard, the role of the UNDP within the system will remain critical. However, UNDPs exact function as the support platform still needs to be further clarified. We hope that a detailed explanation will be provided to the Member States soon. We expect that UNDP’s experience and know-how will be utilized to improve the quality of delivery on the ground by UN country teams under the leadership of the Resident Coordinator.
 
Second, addressing the trend of decreasing core budgets is a major challenge for UNDP. Japan will work to sustain our level of contribution to the core budget. At the same time, we reiterate that UNDP’s finances will never be sustainable or predictable if only the top 10 donors continue to provide more than eighty percent of its entire core budget. We strongly welcome all efforts to expand and enhance the donor base. In this connection, we take positive note of UNDP’s recent success in acquiring contributions from the private sector for its core budget as well as increased various contributions from the private sector, foundations and NGOs. We look forward to continued and expanded partnerships going forward.
 
Based on our important partnership with UNDP, and recognizing importance of securing the core budget, Japan will provide approximately 64 million dollars to core resources. In addition, Japan has already provided approximately 150 million dollars to non-core resources this year. Our contributions through non-core resources are all aligned with UNDP’s Strategic Plan and Country Programmes as well as the programme countries’ needs. We call on UNDP to ensure high quality delivery of those resources on the ground.
 
Lastly, we would like to emphasize the importance of partnership. In order to promote the implementation of the 2030 Agenda in the most effective way, UNDP has to consider further partnership with other UN entities. Furthermore, the UN development system is requested to strengthen partnership with non-UN actors. For that purpose, we expect UNDP to support Resident Coordinators to become an effective node so that partnerships within and beyond UN development system are reinforced.
 
I thank you.