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FIFTY-EIGHTH WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY
WHA58.25
United Nations reform process and WHO’s role in harmonization of operational development activities at country level
The Fifty-eighth World Health Assembly, Taking note of the report on collaboration within the United Nations system;1 Recognizing the primacy of national planning and priorities and, in this respect, the leadership of national governments for coordination of development activities; Mindful of the crucial importance of the United Nations reform process related, inter alia, to operational activities for development launched by the United Nations Secretary-General and aimed at both ensuring a better coordination of field-level activities and delivering services in a coherent and effective way; Recognizing the contributions that WHO makes to such development activities; Mindful also of the need to ensure that United Nations operational activities for development include focus on achievement of the internationally agreed development goals, including those contained in the Millennium Declaration; Mindful in particular of the ongoing exchanges of views among Member States generated by the United Nations Secretary-General’s report “In larger freedom: towards development, security and human rights for all”, which outlines actions he believes would make the United Nations a more effective and efficient instrument for forging a united response to shared threats and shared needs, including the reforming, restructuring and revitalizing of its major organs and institutions where necessary, to enable them to respond effectively to the changed threats, needs and circumstances of the twenty-first century;2 Determined to reduce the transaction costs of international cooperation in the field of health for both recipients and providers, and to improve its efficiency, monitoring, and reporting; Eager to realize the unused potential offered by effective collaboration between organizations of the United Nations system, bilateral donors, global initiatives, and other stakeholders in advancing health development; Recalling the adoption of United Nations General Assembly resolution 59/250 on the Triennial comprehensive policy review of operational activities for development of the United Nations system (22 December 2004), which calls for better coherence and coordination between United Nations entities at country level and for the simplification and harmonization of their rules and procedures; Taking note of the Rome Declaration on Harmonisation (2003) and of the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness: Ownership, Harmonisation, Alignment, Results and Mutual Accountability (2005);
1 2
Document A58/40. Document A/59/2005.
RESOLUTIONS AND DECISIONS
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Willing to ensure a more effective use of human and financial resources at country level, avoiding in particular duplication of activities within the United Nations development system and the Bretton Woods institutions; Noting the preliminary work under way at WHO on ownership, alignment, harmonization and results, WHO’s active role as a member of the United Nations Development Group, and its efforts to strengthen country-level response in accordance with its mandate and through its country focus policy; Underlining the importance of applying the “Three Ones” principle launched by UNAIDS and approved in resolution WHA57.14, 1. URGES Member States to ensure that operational development activities are planned and implemented in dialogue with, and under the stewardship of, the national government and in conformity with its priorities, while being aware of the coordinated efforts of bodies of the United Nations system carried in the context of the United Nations Development Assistance Framework; 2. REQUESTS the Director General: (1) to ensure that WHO continues to implement country-level activities in accordance with Member States’ priorities, as agreed by the governing bodies, and to coordinate the activities of WHO with those of other organizations of the United Nations system and, where appropriate, with other relevant actors working to improve health outcomes; (2) to ensure that WHO staff and programmes at headquarters, and regional and country offices adhere to the international harmonization and alignment agenda, as reflected inter alia in the Rome Declaration and Paris Declaration, and actively participate in the preparation and implementation of the United Nations Development Assistance Framework, working closely with other members of the United Nations country team and in close collaboration with the United Nations Resident Coordinator at country level, in order to ensure coherence and efficiency; (3) to take into account the Triennial comprehensive policy review of operational activities for development of the United Nations system, including gender mainstreaming and the promotion of gender equality, in order to guide WHO actions at country level, and to participate actively in examination of the Triennial comprehensive policy review at the Economic and Social Council and at the United Nations General Assembly; (4) in particular, to examine ways and take specific steps to further rationalize procedures and reduce transaction costs as outlined in Chapter 4, paragraph 36, of United Nations General Assembly resolution 59/250; (5) to submit to the Fifty-ninth World Health Assembly, through the Executive Board, an interim report on progress in implementing this resolution and, to the Sixty-first World Health Assembly, a comprehensive analysis of WHO’s contribution to implementation of United Nations General Assembly resolution 59/250, in particular the alignment of WHO’s operational development activities at country level with those of the United Nations system and the impact of such coordination effort on aid effectiveness and its monitoring. (Ninth plenary meeting, 25 May 2005 – Committee B, fourth report)