Global Push To Achieve SDGs Vision and Words with Action Agenda 33

ISPE       EAG

INTERATIONAL SOCIETY FOR POVERTY ELIMINATION                   ECONOMIC ALLIANCE GROUP

Comments on Statement from UN Secretary General designate Antonio Guterres at Swearing In Ceremony 12 December 2016

Executive Summary

The UN Secretary General designate Mr. Guterres made a powerful and inspiring Statement at his Swearing In Ceremony on 12 December 2016. The Statement identified 3 Thematic Strategic Priorities from which we have articulated 21 Point Agenda that he desires to pursue with determination during his watch as UN Secretary General.

The 21 Point Agenda encompass the 3 Global Agreements in 2015: AAAA, SDG and COP21 which aim to reset our World towards achieving Goal of World without Poverty, that is, refocus our World towards Fighting and Winning more effective and more efficient War on Poverty and War on Terror in each Community in each of the 193/306 UN Member States by 2030 Target date and the Comprehensive Agenda’s 3 Thematic Strategic Priorities coincide with the 3 Pillars of the UN System: Peace and Security; Sustainable Development and Human Rights.

As Aid, Trade, Debts, Anti Corruption and Counter Terrorism Interventions from Community to Global levels have much to contribute, if the Global Goals in these 3 Global Agreements and the 21 Point Agenda are to be achieved in each Community in each UN Member State, by the 2030 Target date, a need arises for really finding clear and correct answers to why Paris Declaration, PD recorded the flaws and failures it did and what corrections could and should be made if these flaws and failures are not to still be re-occurring decimals in Bussan Declaration, BD.

ISPE/EAG in this Paper set out thoughts on priorities and directions moving forward as Community to Global Stakeholders adopt Joined Up Approach with Mr. Guterres towards sustainable solutions to all identified real and complex BD, AAAA, SDG, COP21, Agenda 21 and 21 Point Agenda aligned and harmonized with Community and Country Development Plans real problems on the ground in each Community in each of the 193/306 UN Member States.

Key Points

The highlights of the Paper are need for Paradigm Shifts as well as need for correct answers to How questions that help convert AAAA, SDG, COP21, Agenda21 and 21 Point Agenda into Vision and Words with Action from Community to Global levels in each North and South Country.

Conclusion

The real and complex BD, AAAA, SDG, COP21, Agenda 21and 21 Point Agenda problems on the ground in each Community in each of 193/306 UN Member States are difficult but not impossible to solve. Indeed, there are Bright Prospects of Success, if all good ideas and pertinent suggestions generated in UN System: UNO, WBG and IMF Study Reports, Conferences and Meetings Outcome Documents as well as Global Consultations are harvested, fully implemented with effective monitoring and evaluation of same and Ideas Creators involved.

Main Paper

Introduction

The UN Secretary General designate Antonio Guterres was sworn in as 9th UN Secretary-General during a UN General Assembly (UNGA) meeting on 12 December 2016, following which Mr. Guterres highlighted 3 Thematic Strategic Priorities for Driving Change from Community to Global levels: work for peace and security; support for sustainable development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); and advance UN internal management aimed at Reforming the UNO to be International Institution fit for the 21^st Century.

Mr. Guterres in the Statement set out ambitious 21 Point Agenda that needs to be converted into Vision and Words with Action within his first 90 Days in Office.

This Paper set out ISPE/EAG Thoughts on New Priorities and New Direction for Mr. Guterres, if there is to be increasing convergence between his 21 Point Agenda Vision Intention and Reality by 31 December 2021 that help him leave lasting legacies in the empowerment and unification of humanity in both North and South Countries as well as North North, North South and South South Partnerships for Sustainable Development that Work for Good of humanity.

The 21 Point Agenda

We have distilled 21 specific Strategies within the 3 Thematic Strategic Priorities set out in the Statement that could be described as the 21 Point Agenda Mr. Guterres desire to pursue with determination during the 5 years of his tenure in office. These are:-

1.      Applied History Strategy

2.      Voter Education Strategy

3.      Citizens and Leaders Engagement Strategy

4.      Gender Equality Strategy

5.      Youth Empowerment Strategy

6.      Conflict Prevention and Resolution Strategy

7.      Counter Terrorism Strategy

8.      Sustaining Peace Strategy

9.      Transparency, Accountability and Participation Strategy

10.  Ownership, Alignment and Harmony Strategy

11.  Learning, Results and Measuring Success Strategy

12.  Universal Human Rights Strategy

13.  Humanitarian Response Strategy

14.  Sustainable Development Implementation Strategy

15.  Sustainable Development Evaluation Strategy

16.  Coordination Mechanism Strategy

17.  Management Reform Strategy

18.  Human Resources Management Strategy

19.  Communication Strategy

20.  Partnership Strategy

21.  Values and Trust Strategy

Mr. Guterres in his Statement is promising that this 21 Point Agenda for achieving the 3 Thematic Priorities would be delivered through New UNO Approach and indeed New UN System: UNO, WBG and IMF Approach that relates to a New UN System: UNO, WBG, IMF Way of Working to better support UN Member States in achieving the 17 Goals of the SDG and in a way that ensures No One is Left behind and he envisages this would need a clear Roadmap with benchmarks to achieve specific targets in 2030 Global Agenda – AAAA, SDG, COP21, Agenda 21 and 21 Point Agenda aligned and harmonized with Community and Country Development Plans in each of the 193/306 UN Member States by specific dates - 2020, 2025 and 2030. This way High Flying Countries could reach the Global Targets well before 2030 and Lagging Countries could be given all necessary support to ensure that they also reach the Targets by 2030.

It appears Mr. Guterres is either concerned about UNO only or using UNO interchangeable with UN System: UNO, WBG and IMF. Our study finding is that seeking to Reform the UNO Entities without simultaneously seeking to Reforming the UN System: UNO, WBG and IMF Entities, is not likely to help in the work towards achieving 2030 Agenda by target date in each Community in each of the 193/306 Member States. There is, therefore a need to ensure that the 21 Point Agenda is fully implemented with effective monitoring and evaluation of this implementation by the entire UN System: UNO, WBG and IMF and not just UNO alone.

Original Vision – UN System: UNO, WBG and IMF 1945 and Paris Declaration 2005

Mr. Guterres identified need to return to the Original UN System: UNO, WBG and IMF 1945 Vision. We add that there is a need to simultaneously return to Original Paris Declaration, PD 2005 Vision. In returning to both Original Visions each Community in each Member State needs to be effectively and efficiently connected with UNO Headquarters New York, WBG and IMF Headquarters Washington as well as FAO and ILO Headquarters Rome.

It will be recalled that the Original UN System Vision intended the UNO to be the Global Platform for Effectively Mobilizing Global Collective Action for Political Stability; the WBG to be the Global Platform for Effectively Mobilizing Global Collective Action for Economic Stability and the IMF to be the Global Platform for Effectively Mobilizing Global Collective Action for Financial Stability. Something went wrong at inception to undermine this Original Vision and this accounted for the 70 years Scorecard of Successes, Flaws and Failures in 2015.

Given realities of resurfaced hidden contradictions and tensions; new wars multiplied and old ones reignited; progressively greater unpredictability and impunity due to lack of clarity in power relationships; more complex conflicts producing horrific violations of international humanitarian law and human rights abuses; global terrorism; climate change, population growth, migration, rapid urbanization, food crisis, financial crisis, fuel crisis, water scarcity etc that individually and collectively contribute to increased competition for resources and heightened tension and instability, the probability is low that our Fragile Planet could avoid self destruction, if the same Scorecard of Successes, Flaws and Failures are recorded in the next 70 years from 2015. This underlines the urgent need for all Community to Global Stakeholders to support Mr. Guterres to ensure that the 21 Point Agenda for achieving his 3 Thematic Strategic Priorities are given practical Roadmap that leads to achieving Global Goals Targets by 2030.

It will be recalled that key objectives of the Paris Declaration 2005, PD was to significantly improve Aid Effectiveness. However, the 2010 PD Evaluation report was damning. Had 2016 Evaluation of Bussan Declaration, BD that replaced PD in 2011 been done, it could have been equally damning. This underlines the need to go back to the Original PD Vision alongside Original UN System: UNO, WBG and IMF Vision because without addressing fundamental issues of Trade, Aid, Debts, Corruption, Terrorism, Insecurity, Inequality, Inclusive Growth, Poverty, Hunger, Climate Change on one hand and Development, Diplomacy, Defense, Democracy, Data, Digitization, Communication, Applied Research, Applied History, Attitudinal and Behavioral Change on the other hand it would be uphill task seeking to achieve the 21 Point Agenda for driving the 3 Thematic Strategic Priorities Vision Ambitions in most UN Member States.

21 Point Agenda – Conversion into Vision and Words with Action

This 21 Point Agenda is important to guide the work of the UNO under Mr. Guterres watch. However, it need to first be converted into Vision and Words with Action, if concerned community to global stakeholders are to have good understanding of where the 21 Point Agenda as specific to each location context, is now from Community to Global levels (A); where 21 Point Agenda as specific to each Community to Global location context, need to be if Global Goals – AAAA, SDG, COP21, Agenda 21 and 21 Point Agenda aligned and harmonized with Community Development Plans and Country Development Plans in each of 193/306 UN Member States are to be achieved by their 2030 Target date (B) and What needs to be done to move effectively from (A) to (B) – (C).

It is pertinent to note that presently AAAA, SDG, COP21, Agenda 21 is each Vision and Words without Action and need to be speedily converted to be Vision and Words with Action and that this greatly depends on finding clear answers to AAAA, SDG, COP21, Agenda 21 and 21 Point Agenda How questions, especially DOING of How.

Multi Stakeholder Platforms, MSPs and Community of Practices, COPs

What is the Scorecard of the implementation of 2010 PD Evaluation Report recommendations? Are the realities of Aid Effectiveness and Development Cooperation real and complex problems on the ground today, not evidence that 6 years later, not much may have been achieved in the implementation as well as the monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the PD Evaluation Report? Can the implementation as well as the monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the PD Evaluation Report that could deliver sustainable benefits in design and delivery of Aid Effectiveness and National and International Development Cooperation Policy, Program, Project Interventions, 3PIs and 3PIs Training as One be done without Political Community: Decision Makers and Policy Makers; Practice Community: Professionals and Practitioners and Research Community: Researchers and Academics significantly improving collaboration, cooperation, cohesion, coordination from Community to Global levels?

Can these Interactions be Institutionalized without each of the 3 Communities having Research and Data; Planning and Implementation; Monitoring and Evaluation: Learning, Results and Measuring Success: Multi Stakeholder Platforms, MSPs that are Community of Practices, COPs that Work from Community to Global levels, with a level of official recognition?

The traditional separation between the Political Community: Decision Makers and Policy Makers; Practice Community: Professionals and Practitioners and Research Community: Researchers and Academics has largely proven unhelpful, hence the need to design inclusive Multi Stakeholder Platforms, MSPs with a level of official recognition and having Membership drawn from the 3 Communities in 6 Major Blocks – 193/306 Member States; UN System: UNO, WBG and IMF; CSOs/NGOs; Private Sector; Researchers and Academics and Internal and External Consultants that are High Level Political Forums, HPLFs that Work. This could help build closer and more integrated working relationships over prolonged periods that are more capable of fostering cross boundary understanding between the 3 Communities as well as between the 6 Major Blocks. Doing so, however, is not cheap or organizationally straightforward and it raises some serious concerns about independence and impartiality that need to be effectively addressed for the sustainable benefits of such MSPs to be actualized.

The Big Questions – Integrated Monitoring and Evaluation Strategy, IMES

We have consistently submitted that in the work towards achieving 2030 Agenda Vision; What questions have been over answered and How questions avoided or evaded in UN System: UNO, WBG, IMF Events. We have now discovered that some What questions are still outstanding alongside these How questions and related questions. For example, on the Monitoring and Evaluation side:-

1.      What research and evaluation designs are appropriate for specific research questions and what are the methodological characteristics of robust research (development research rather than academic research?

2.      What is an appropriate balance between new primary research and the exploitation of existing research through secondary analysis?

3.      What approaches can be used to identify gaps in current knowledge provision and how could the filling of such gaps be prioritized for better success in the work towards achieving National and Global Goals?

4.      How can the need for rigor be balanced with the need for timely findings of practical relevance?

5.      How should research and evaluation be commissioned (and subsequently managed) to fill all identified gaps in (3)?

6.      How can research and evaluation capacity be developed to allow a rapid increase in the availability of research based information?

7.      How are the tensions to be managed between the desirability of “independent” researchers and evaluators free from the more overt forms of political contamination and the need for close cooperation (bordering on dependence) between research users and research providers?

8.      How should research and evaluation findings be communicated and more importantly, How can research and evaluation users be engaged with the research and evaluation production process to ensure ready application of its findings?

Integrated Reforms

Aid is in the spotlight and has been for some years now, especially since the amount of aid being provided has been increasing and in the near future could reduce should looming Global Recession become reality.  Yet in the absence of major improvements in the quality of aid, budge increases on their own will not help to reduce poverty, not to talk of eliminating poverty. Matters could be worse when stakeholders have to do more with same or less. Therefore, What is required and has been missing is ambitious reforms, which essentially answer all What, Why, Where, When, Who and How, including DOING of How questions in the aid and cooperation system that is integral part of same answers to same questions in other ambitious systems reform – trade and investment system; justice and anti corruption system; economic and finance system; defense and security system; citizenship and leadership system as well as research and data/statistics system; planning and implementation system; monitoring and evaluation system; learning, results and measuring success system.

This underlines the timeliness of Mr. Guterres 21 Point Agenda to help get our World back on track towards achieving the 2030 Agenda by target date, since 1 of 15 years of Implementation is gone and fundamental issues of Implementation Framework and Evaluation Framework that ought to have been settled 2 years ago are still outstanding and constituting drawbacks, hindrances and shortcomings at end 4^th quarter 2016.

Our study finding is that one reason why the UN System: UNO, WBG and IMF reforms have been slow to materialize is the weakness of accountability mechanisms within National and International Development Cooperation systems. All too often, neither donors nor developing country governments are truly accountable to their citizens on the use of development resources. Significant progress towards making aid more effective requires stronger mechanisms for accountability for both donors and partner countries.

The PD sought to address this “accountability gap” by promoting a Model of Partnership to continuously improve Transparency, Accountability and Participation in the use of International Development Cooperation Resources. However, the Scorecard of PD and subsequent Bussan Declaration, BD provide evidence that unless donors change the way they provide Aid and unless developing countries enhance the way they manage aid, increased Aid flows are unlikely to make serious dent into global poverty. The 21 Point Agenda needs to address this gap.

More than ever the Scorecards present evidence that the real PD / BD Challenge is to meaningfully Reform the way donor and partner countries work together on common objectives to make best use of limited development resources, that is PD / BD is essentially about changing Attitude and Behavior of donors and partner countries. This Change requires a Common and Systemic Approach – One Worldwide Approach described in this Paper, to Reforming the aid and cooperation system that is integral part of other ambitious systems reform – trade and investment system; justice and anti corruption system; economic and finance system; defense and security system; citizenship and leadership system as well as research and data/statistics system; planning and implementation system; monitoring and evaluation system; learning, results and measuring success system. The 21 Point Agenda need to help achieve this much required Change as Main Driver of all the other Changes the 21 Point Agenda seek to achieve during Mr. Guterres watch as UN Secretary General.

It is pertinent to note that stakeholder involvement, (including citizens and leadership engagement– 1 of the 21 Point Agenda Items), in the creation of wide ranging integrated monitoring and evaluation strategies is crucial and such strategies need to effectively address capacity building (3 levels: Individual, Institution, Society on Member States; UN System: UNO, WBG, IMF; CSOs/NGOs; Private sector; Researchers and Academics; Internal and External Consultants sides) as well as priority areas for future research and evaluation. Also Developing Countries are demanding more and more coordination and harmonization among Donor Countries and International Agencies that includes common monitoring and evaluation plan.

It is pertinent to note further that disputes between researchers and evaluators about superiority or inferiority of quantitative versus qualitative studies, or experimental versus experiential research designs are not productive. They can lead to poor evidence or to evidence that is technically very good but of little use to policy makers or anyone else. Also much research and evaluation is flawed by unclear objectives; poor design; methodological weaknesses; inadequate statistical reporting and analysis; selective use of data and conclusions which are not supported by the data provided.

To effectively address all of these fundamental issues from Community to Global levels demand renewed commitment from Member States; UN System: UNO, WBG, IMF; CSOs/NGOs; Private Sector; Researchers and Academics and Internal and External Consultants towards design and delivery of Integrated Reforms – International Development Cooperation Reform, IDCR, that Works to promote and protect Pro Poor Institutional Reforms and Pro Poor Economic Growth.

It is tempting, but dangerous to view monitoring and evaluation as having inherent value. The value of monitoring and evaluation does not come from conducting monitoring and evaluation or from having such information available, rather the value comes from using it to help improve UN Member States government: executive, parliament, judiciary entities performance as well as the performance of: UN System-UNO, WBG, IMF; CSOs/NGOs; Private Sector; Researchers and Academics; Internal and External Consultants, in the design and delivery of IDCR Policy, Program, Project Interventions, 3PIs and 3PIs Training as One, from Community to Global levels.

Decision Makers were looking to monitoring and evaluation as the strategic function to turn PD Key Principles into reality. This did not happen. It is also not happening in BD. Hence the need for reflection by Member States; UN System: UNO, WBG, IMF; CSOs/NGOs; Private Sector Leadership, as we enter 2017 the 2^nd year of Implementation of the SDG, COP21 and AAAA.

Integrated Frameworks

The Integrated Reforms need to be designed and delivered within Integrated Frameworks of Implementation with focus on Research, Planning, Data/Statistics and Implementation; Evaluation with focus on Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning, Results and Measuring Success; Budget with focus on Finance and Programming; Competences with focus on Hard Competences: Learning and Skills and Soft Competences: Character, Courage and Mindset etc

Integrated Solutions

The Integrated Reforms and Integrated Frameworks need to be operationalized in practice within Integrated Solutions – Political, Cultural, Economic, Financial, Social, Spiritual, Technical, Legal, Climate Change, Environment etc. However, the Technical and related Solutions remain meaningless if not accompanied by Political Solutions.

Utilization

A distinction can and should be made between people who are users of research and evaluation and those who are doers of research and evaluation. Whilst it may be unrealistic for professional decision makers and practitioners to be competent doers of research and evaluation, it is both reasonable and necessary for such people to be able to understand and use research and evaluation in their professional practice. Integrating research and evaluation into practice is a central feature of professions.

It is getting clear that increasingly necessary competences: learning and skills, for professional policy makers and practitioners, is to know about the different kinds of economic, social and policy research and evaluation which are available; how to gain access to them, and how to critically appraise them. Without such knowledge and understanding, it is difficult to see how a strong demand for research and evaluation can be established and hence how to enhance the practical application of research and evaluation.

Joint training and professional development opportunities for policy makers and analysts may be one way of taking this forward and for match making strong demand with a good supply of appropriate evidence. This calls for strengthening Creating Demand for Evaluation and Creating Supply for Evaluation Mechanisms. It is Member States and UN System: UNO, WBG and IMF that can meaningfully address this call.

Dissemination

Whether the focus is on primary research or on the systematic review of existing studies, a key issue is how to communicate findings to those who need to know. The strategies used to get research and evaluation findings to their point of use involve both dissemination (pushing information from the centre outwards) and provision of access (web based and other repositories of information which research and evaluation users can tap into). Dissemination is not a single or simple process. Different messages may be required for different audiences and different time.

Incentives

Governments need to continuously improve processes by which policy is made that include recommendations for increasing use of evidence. Practitioners need incentives to use evidence and to do things that have been shown to be effective. These include mechanisms to increase “pull” for evidence, such as requiring spending bids to be supported by an analysis of the existing evidence base and mechanisms to facilitate evidence use, such as integrating analytical staff at all stages of the policy development process. Also there should be Incentives that encourage Individual Performance, including Financial Rewards and Non Financial Rewards as well as Initiatives that respond to Procurement Choices thus determining which Policy, Program, Project Interventions, 3PIs and 3PI Training get funded.

Delivery on Promises

The 3 Global Agreements in 2015 are updated Global Agreements to ensure Results in Winning the War on Poverty and War on Terror and coming as 3 in 1, is Value Added for all Stakeholders. Monitoring and Evaluation is expected to play a strategic role in ensuring these Global Agreements are translated into reality. Monitoring and Evaluation can do this by providing evidence needed to take informed policy decisions. In this way, monitoring and evaluation plays an essential role in keeping the promise to improve the lives of billions of people across our World. The National and International Evaluation Community have a clear responsibility to deliver. The 21 Point Agenda should help achieve Delivery on these Promises.

The same analysis needs to be done for Research and Data / Statistics; Planning and Implementation as well as Learning, Results and Measuring Success.

It is clear that points made in this Paper, underline lack of convergence between Original PD Intention and Reality and as long as these points remain unaddressed in any meaningful way, lack of convergence between Intention and Reality will remain re-occurring decimal in BD, National Resilience, Mitigation and Adaptation Plan, NRMAP, NRMAP-Ag (Agriculture), AAAA, SDG, COP21, Agenda 21 and 21 Point Agenda.

21 Point Agenda Reforms: Make or Break Partnerships and Partnerships: Make or Break 2030 Agenda – AAAA, SDG, COP21, Agenda 21

The current largely unhealthy / bad Partnerships demonstrate the following characteristics:-

1.      The parties don’t share common values and don’t trust one another

2.      The parties don’t agree on common goals, targets and indicators; especially when it is time to domesticate Global Agenda at Country, Sub-national and Community levels.

3.      One or both (Bilateral) / One or more (Multilateral) of the parties must compromise their convictions

4.      One party selfishly demands the other party surrenders

5.      One party benefits and the other loses or one party enjoys disproportional benefit at the expense of the other.

Healthy/good partnerships do not foster codependence or independence but interdependence, inter-linkages and interconnectivity. This way every party feels secure, is stretched, enjoys proportional benefits and enjoys synergy, alignment, harmony and ownership. This type of partnership multiplies the productivity of the parties, resulting in sustainable benefits to each party that none of the parties could achieve going it alone.

It is good Reforms that make good Partnerships and it is Good Partnerships that help achieve increasing convergence between 2030 Global Goals: AAAA, SDG, COP21, Agenda Vision Intention and Reality in each Community in each of 193/306 Countries and this includes achieving 21 Point Agenda, NRMAP-Ag, NRMAP and BD Visions from Community to Global levels and by 2030 target date.

Member States and UN System: UNO, WBG, IMF New 21 Point Agenda Capacity Building

In the Member States as well as the UN System: UNO, WBG, IMF New IDCR, Policy Makers and Decision Makers need to recognize that Effective and Efficient Capacity Building needs to be on 3 Levels:-

1. Individual: Hard Competences – Learning and Skills and Soft Competences – Character, Courage, Discipline and Mindset.
2. Institution: Systems and Processes operating at minimum certain levels of performance and productivity to support Individuals to deploy Hard and Soft Competences acquired in their day to day work.
3. Society: Political, Cultural, Economic, Financial, Social, Environment, Peace, Security, Religious, Moral, Technical and Legal Space for Institutions to Thrive on Chaos.

in each of the 6 Major Blocks of Stakeholders – Member States, UN System: UNO, WBG and IMF; CSOs/NGOs; Private Sector; Researchers and Academics and Internal and External Consultants, in the New 21 Point Agenda Processes that is Integral Part of the 21 Point Agenda, NRMAP-Ag, NRMAP, BD, AAAA, SDG, COP21, Agenda 21 aligned and harmonized with Community Development Plans and Country Development Plans in each of 193/306 Member States.

Our Study Finding is that there are Research and Knowledge Gaps in each of the 6 Major Blocks that need to be filled. To achieve this, there are Capacity Building Gaps in each of the 6 major Blocks that also needs to be filled and without delay, if there is to be increasing convergence between UN System: UNO, WBG, IMF New 21 Point Agenda Vision Intention and Reality that is integral part of work towards achieving increasing convergence between NRMAP-Ag Vision, NRMAP Vision, BD Vision as well as AAAA, SDG, COP21 and Agenda 21 Visions Intention and Reality in each Community in each of the 193/306 Member States. Also, Capacity Building Challenge is not only on Developing Countries side.

These Capacity Building realities on the ground challenges World Leaders and National Leaders in each of the 6 Blocks to Individually and Jointly find ways and means of continuously improving Collaboration, Cooperation, Cohesion and Coordination from Community to Global levels, because the threat of Climate Change in Agriculture and remaining identified NRMAP 8 Components are real and failure to come up with credible Community to Global Climate Change Mitigation, Resilience and Adaptation Sustainable Solutions Framework could have ultimate catastrophic consequences for our fragile Planet.

Member States and UN System: UNO, WBG, IMF New 21 Point Agenda Interventions – Selecting Preferred Consultants

The Member States as well as the UN System – UNO, WBG and IMF Entities have standard guidelines for selection of Consultants. However, the UN System – UNO, WBG, IMF Procurement Process needs to appreciate the difference in regular Consulting Services Procurement such as Financial Audit where standards exist and qualified Service Providers deliver to these standards and so any Pre Qualified Consultant can deliver equally on the Assignment, therefore NO HARM is done in selecting the Lowest Financial Proposal to Definite Quantity Contract and Reform Consulting Services Procurement.

In Reform Consulting Services Procurement, such as Policy Reform where no standards exist and Innovation and Creativity are Keys and so all Pre Qualified Consultants cannot deliver equally on the Assignment, therefore MUCH HARM is usually done in selecting the Lowest Financial Proposal, if this does not coincide with the Highest Technical Proposal. Thus, the selection of Preferred Consultant that consistently Deliver Good Reform Policies, Programs, Projects, continues to pose major Challenge for UN System Entities and Member States.

The New 21 Point Agenda, covering all Reforms identified above, that would help UN System: UNO, WBG, IMF achieve increasing convergence between 21 Point Agenda Vision, NRMAP-Ag Vision, NRMAP Vision, BD Vision that is integral part of 2030 Agenda – AAAA, SDG, COP21, Agenda 21 aligned and harmonized with Community Development Plans and Country Development Plans in each of 193/306 UN Member States needs to have New Procurement Processes, with New Rules that effectively respond to this difference and in ways that ensure Accountability is effectively promoted and protected through ensuring that each Preferred Consultant deliver on promise made in their Technical Proposal. This way Preferred Consultants who consistently deliver flawed or failed Technical Proposals are no longer rewarded with renewed Patronage and Procurement Commissioners and Managers who consistently select Preferred Consultants who consistently deliver flawed or failed Technical Proposals are sanctioned.

Saddling CSOs/NGOs with Consulting Duties and Responsibilities

The Member States and UN System: UNO, WBG, IMF often saddle CSOs/NGOs with Consulting Duties and Responsibilities in the work towards achieving 21 Point Agenda, NRMAP-Ag, NRMAP, BD, AAAA, SDG, COP21 and Agenda 21 Visions aligned and harmonized with Community Development Plans and Country Development Plans in each of 193/306 UN Member States. Our study finding is that in doing this, ostensibly to save fund, Member States and UN System: UNO, WBG, IMF are in reality losing because, in most cases, the CSOs/NGOs are operating at their levels of incompetence. Moving forward CSOs/NGOs should be saddled with Duties and Responsibilities within their areas of Competence – Hard Competences: Learning and Skills and Soft Competences: Character, Courage, Discipline and Mindset and Consultants (Internal and External) should be saddled with Duties and Responsibilities within their areas of Hard Competences and Soft Competences.

Development Cooperation is Ineffective Versus Development Cooperation is Effective

The dispute between Academics, Researchers, Practitioners and Professionals that Development Cooperation is Ineffective or Effective are not productive. They can distract from focus on achieving increasing convergence between 21 Point Agenda, NRMAP-Ag, NRMAP, BD, AAAA, SDG, COP21, Agenda 21 Vision Ambitions in each Community in each of 193/306 UN Member States by 2030 Target date. Should work towards achieving these Visions Ambitions be guided by the paradigm shifts, other good ideas and suggestions harvested from Global Consultation leading to 2016 HLM2 Nairobi as well as good ideas and suggestions harvested from HLM2 itself, the dispute will simply atrophy should all concerned Community to Global Stakeholders genuinely commit to keeping promises freely made to each other.

21 Point Agenda, BD and 2030 Global Goals: AAAA, SDG, COP21, Agenda 21 – Acid Test of Credibility

The Acid Test of Credibility of the 21 Point Agenda, BD and the 2030 Global Goals: AAAA, SDG, COP21, Agenda 21 is How it Delivers from Community to Global levels:-

1. Better Agriculture Crops, Livestock, Forestry, Fisheries and Aquaculture Information Services, Cooperatives Services and Commodity Markets
2. Better Innovation and Creativity in Climate Change Resilience, Mitigation and Adaptation Solutions Management as well as in the Optimization of Climate Change Gains and Minimization of Climate Change Losses.
3. Better Trade, Aid, Debts, Anti Corruption and Anti Terror Solutions Management
4. Better Multi Stakeholder Partnerships for Driving Policy, Program, Project Interventions, 3PIs and 3PIs Training as One within (1) – (3)

New UN System: UNO, WBG, IMF Vision – Paradigm Shifts

It is clear that in the work towards transforming UN System: UNO, WBG, IMF into Institutions Fit for the 21^st Century, the UN System needs to be Reformed within a New UN System Vision. In the work towards achieving increasing convergence between New UN System: UNO, WBG and IMF Vision, Mission and Mandate that effectively reinforce UN System - UNO, WBG, IMF Delivery as One, as the UN System work better towards achieving 21 Point Agenda and the 2030 Agenda - AAAA, SDG, COP21, Agenda 21 Visions by 2030 Target date, there is a need for UN System: UNO, WBG, IMF Internal and External Publics to have genuine recognition that; our world today needs a paradigm shift from Talking and Thinking to Action and Accomplishments for Results.

That is at the community level, at the sub-national level, at the country level, at the sub-regional level, at the regional level, and at the global level, we all need to make these things happen:

a)      jointly making paradigm shifts from working in silos to working intersectorially in synergy;

b)      from multiple approaches to common approaches that continuously improve convergence, alignment and harmony;

c)      from business as usual to business unusual;

d)      from parrotting change to practicing change;

e)      from academic research aimed at advancing frontiers of knowledge to development research aimed at significant improvement in critical contemporary measures of service, speed, costs, quality and where necessary revenue;

f)       from talking and thinking to Action and Accomplishment.

A platform such as the IMF 2016 Annual Research Conference, ARC and similar Platforms in IMF as well as in remaining UN System Entities: UNO and WBG are Global Public Goods that help all parties engage in meaningful and productive dialogue and agree on way-forward actions.

Global Partnership HLM2 Nairobi Outcome Document

There is urgent need for Negotiators  within each of the 2030 Agenda Processes  to genuinely appreciate that our Fragile Planet is accelerating on MADning (Mutually Assured Destruction) Road to DOOM; that 2010 Evaluation of Paris Declaration, PD was damning; that had 2016 Evaluation of Bussan Declaration, BD been done it would have been equally damning and that 2016 HLM2 Nairobi Outcome Document is evidence that the overarching lessons learnt in the past 11 years of Aid Effectiveness Interventions within PD and BD is that No Lessons have been Learnt.

It is not helpful for 2016 HLM2 Nairobi: Organizers, Facilitators and Participants to have worked HARDer doing the same old things in the same old ways and expect New Results. The Bright Prospects for getting New Results in the Implementation and Evaluation of 2030 Agenda through working SMARTer doing New Things in New Ways was in reality lost.

DCF Accountability Survey 2016 identified Challenges of Targets, Data, Competences, Funding and Results but did not go further to make sound recommendations on How these Challenges could be effectively tackled from Community to Global levels. We urge Mr. Guterres to take critical look at the HLM2 Discussion, especially Theme 1 led by Moderator Lidia

http://effectivecooperation.org/events/2016-high-level-meeting/?section=discussions&tab=3#tab-link-1
and compare to the 2016 HLM2 Nairobi Outcome Document

http://effectivecooperation.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Global-Partnership-Nairobi-Outcome-Document-FINAL-1-December-2016.pdf

and see if he would not agree with us that significant number of good ideas and pertinent suggestions that could have made the 2016 HLM2 Nairobi Outcome Document Vision and Words with Action had been omitted or ignored and this explains why the HLM2 Outcome Document is Vision and Words without Action. Also HLM2 Discussions and our Organizations submissions to the HLM2 GP Joint Support Team set out practical ways and means of tackling these Challenges. As long as the Implementation and Evaluation of 2016 HLM2 Nairobi Outcome Document do not effectively tackle these DCF identified Challenges, it will be uphill task seeking to achieve 2030 Agenda Vision Ambitions.

The 2016 HLM2 Nairobi Representative System described to us by a HLM2 Nairobi Steering Committee Member raise fundamental issues of Accountability - How are Representatives being Accountable to their Constituents?; Competences - Do the Representatives have adequate levels of Capacity to deliver on their Duties and Responsibilities? and Credibility - Do the Representatives Performance deliver adequate levels of Result? that, needs to be urgently addressed. These fundamental issues are integral part of the Challenges identified in the DCF Accountability Survey Report 2016 that needs to be effectively tackled.

We submit that Negotiators on both North and South sides need to better appreciate that our fragile planet is accelerating on MADning (Mutually Assured Destruction) Road to DOOM; that every effort need to be made to ensure our World does not get to Irreversible Point. Our World is much closer to this point than many are willing to accept or many are ignorant of. Negotiators therefore need to quickly cross over and start accelerating on MAPing (Mutually Assured Prosperity) Road to BOOM. We submit that doing this greatly depends on finding sustainable solutions to Poverty, Inequality, Insecurity, Climate Change, Migration, Inequality, Inclusive Growth and Corruption etc as One, real and complex problems on the ground, from community to global levels in our World as is and not as any stakeholder, no matter how powerful wish it to be. We submit further, that achieving 21 Point Agenda Vision ambitions on successful and sustainable basis, greatly depends on doing this.

Again, it is pertinent to note that 2010 Evaluation of Paris Declaration, PD, was damning; that had 2016 Evaluation of Bussan Declaration, BD, been done, it could have been equally damning and that 2016 HLM2 Nairobi lost opportunity to actually learn lessons from flaws and failures of PD and BD. As long as lessons are not learnt from mistakes of history, these mistakes would remain re-occurring decimals in the implementation of Trade, Aid, Debts, Corruption, Migration, Terrorism etc: Community to Global Interventions. Allowed to continue, the ultimate consequences could be catastrophic for Citizens in both North and South.

If effective Bridge is to be built between lessons learning and lessons forgetting from Community to Global levels, Stakeholders on Member States (North and South); UN System: UNO, WBG, IMF; CSOs/NGOs; Private Sector; Researchers & Academia need to be effectively supported  by Internal and External Consultants who demonstrate minimum certain levels of hard and soft competences, to help them deploy whole of Community / Country / Bank / Institution / Region / World Thinking towards the sustainable solutions to whole of Community / Country / Bank / Institution / Region / World  real and complex problems on the ground. Records show that ISPE/EAG first introduced this idea during the WB Global Consultation on New Public Sector Management, PSM Vision in 2011 along with complementary ideas– Correct: Diagnosis, Prescription, Surgery and Recovery Management as One and related ideas.

It will be recalled that UN Member States are looking up to UN System: UNO, WBG, IMF Entities to help them in the Design and Delivery of Implementation Frameworks and Evaluation Frameworks that help them achieve 2030 Agenda - AAAA, SDG, COP21, Agenda 21 Vision and 21 Point Agenda Ambitions by target date and that UNDESA has been saddled with responsibility to Re-engineer itself as first step to UN System acceding to the request of UN Member States. However, UNDESA itself and other UN System: UNO, WBG, IMF Entities need help to first Re-engineer themselves before they can be in a position to help UN Member States and CSOs/NGOs Re-engineer themselves. This explains why fundamental issues that ought to have been settled before 1st quarter 2015 are still outstanding by end 4th quarter 2016 and may remain outstanding for a very long time. Allowed to occur, the ultimate consequences for Citizens in both North and South Countries could be catastrophic.

It will be recalled that HE the Kenya Vice President, at the HLM2 closing ceremony urged Countries to consider fully implementing the HLM2 Outcome Document. However, the Outcome Document does not have Implementation Framework and Evaluation Framework that is each Action Agenda.  Without speedy conversion into Vision and Words with Action, it would be uphill task Implementing and Evaluating HLM2 Outcome Document in ways that achieve meaningful Development Impact and Development Results in UN Member States.

The fundamental issues we have consistently raised cannot be wished away. They need to be discussed, negotiated (by Partners/Representatives/Negotiators with minimum certain levels of competences) and agreed on time. Improving collaboration, cooperation, cohesion and coordination between DCF and GPEDC on one hand and DCF; GPEDC; UN System: UNO, WBG, IMF Entities; 193/306 UN Member States; CSOs/NGOs; Private Sector; Researchers & Academics; Internal and External Consultants on the other hand demand MSPs that are HLPFs and COPs such as the type of MSPs described in this Paper.

The Challenges

DCF Accountability Survey Report 2016 identified 5 Challenges – Targets, Data, Competences, Funding, Results that need to be tackled and NEHAP/ISPE/EAG identified 8 Systems that need to be overhauled – Implementation, Evaluation, Complaints, Corruption, Communication, Measuring Success and Procurement. The UN System: UNO, WBG and IMF would be in better position to tackle these Challenges and overhaul these Systems, if the UN System: UNO. WBG and IMF authorities address fundamental issues of Technology – Management, Bio, Energy, ICT; Funding ; Equity, Loan, Grant and Capacity: Society, Institution, Individual (for Individual – Competences: Hard Competences – Learning and Skills and Soft Competences – Character, Courage, Discipline and Mindset) and these greatly depends on finding answers to How questions especially the DOING of HOW; all Community to Global Stakeholders adopting One Worldwide Approach (not One Cap fit All but New Common and Systemic Approach to replace the Past and Current Multiple Approaches some of which are divergent) and Pilot Programs and Scale Up Programs. DOING Means DOING.

As long as the UN System: UNO, WBG, IMF Entities are not Institutions Fit for the 21^st Century that Deliver as One, the UN System will be unable to be effective Central Actors in the work towards achieving 2030 Agenda – AAAA, SDG, COP21, Agenda 21, EUGS and 21 Point Agenda by target date and in ways that help find sustainable solutions to real and complex Poverty, Inequality, Insecurity, Climate Change, Migration, Inequality, Inclusive Growth, Corruption  etc problems on the ground in each Community in each North and South UN Member State. Allowed to occur, the ultimate consequences could be catastrophic for Citizens in both North and South Countries, especially the over 2 billion poor Children, Youth, Women, Men and Elders that UN System: UNO, WBG, IMF claim to serve.

One Worldwide Approach

We note that there are different approaches, visions, models and tools available to each country to achieve NRMAP in all its 9 Components including Agriculture, Infrastructure, Health – Plant, Animal, Human etc; BD; AAAA; SDG; COP21 and Agenda 21, in accordance with its national circumstances and priorities as well as its own development context. However, if there is to be continuously improving collaboration, cooperation, cohesion and coordination in the design and delivery of Policy, Program, Project Interventions, 3PIs and 3PIs Training as One, a need arises for United Community to Global Visions whose implementation and evaluation is built upon One Worldwide Approach that is a Common and Systemic Approach for improving Ownership, Accountability, Harmony, Results, Transparency etc that has clear Principles, Instruments / Tools corresponding to each Principle, Practices and Database. The New UN System: UNO, WBG and IMF IDCR Vision needs to coincide with such United Community to Global Vision and needs to effectively connect each Community in each of the 193/306 Member States to UNO Headquarters New York, WBG Headquarters Washington, IMF Headquarters Washington, FAO/IFAD Headquarters Rome and ILO Headquarters Rome.

3PCM is an Advance One Worldwide Approach that is sufficiently all inclusive, all embracing and ambitious to meet the implementation as well as evaluation demands of an all inclusive, all embracing and ambitious SDGs, that is essentially the over-arching 2030 Global Agenda and which in reality includes 21 Point Agenda, NRMAP-Ag, NRMAP, BD, AAAA, COP21 and Agenda 21 Visions. Please take a look at these Documents on 3PCM and related matters:-

http://www.un.org/en/ga/second/70/input_3pcm_long.pdf   3CPM

https://cpr.unu.edu/lets-start-at-the-very-beginning-governing-the-un-development-system-in-the-age-of-sustainable-development.html   CPR Paper on UN System Reform

http://blogs.worldbank.org/publicsphere/neglected-universal-force-peace-and-stability-love#comment-6229  WB Blog on Love

http://developmentchangechampions.blogspot.com.ng/2016/10/global-push-to-achieve-sdgs-vision-and.html US$5 Trillion and US$15 Trillion Wars  

Way Forward

Innovation and Creativity are Keys as we face Community to Global Challenges of Modernization and Climate Change in the 21^st Century. The 21 Point Agenda should promote and protect Innovation and Creativity from Community to Global levels.

The correct answers to SDG, AAAA, COP21, Agenda 21, 21 Point Agenda etc How questions could be found first, in selecting One Worldwide Approach, and second in establishing Pilot Programs to test Innovative and Creative Solutions that are good ideas and pertinent suggestions harvested from Global Consultations and Scale Up Programs at National, Regional and Global levels for ideas and suggestions that Pilot Programs identify as Working.

As long as Stakeholders continue to use multiple, sometimes divergent Approaches and as long as ideas and suggestions cannot be tested to determine what works and how it could be expanded and what is not working and how it could be corrected, it would be uphill task achieving increasing convergence between New UN System: UNO, WBG, IMF Vision Intention and Reality that is Integral Part of Member States Visions Intention and Reality as well as CSOs/NGOs Visions Intention and Reality and 21 Point Agenda Vision Intention and Reality – a condition for saving our Fragile Plant from imminent self destruction.

Conclusion

Our World is accelerating on MADning (Mutually Assured Destruction) Road to DOOM and we are much closer to irreversible point than many are aware of or willing to accept. If our World is to change to accelerating on MAPing (Mutually Assured Prosperity) Road to BOOM National Leaders and World Leaders on UN Member States; UN System: UNO, WBG, IMF; CSOs/NGOs; Private Sector, Researchers and Academics and Internal and External Consultants sides need to demonstrate:

1. Willingness to accept New Ideas, New Thinking and New Ways of Doing Things
2. Willingness to accept new Partnerships, New Collaboration, New Cooperation, New Cohesion and New Coordination
3. Readiness to accept Past Failure, Past Flaws, Past Hindrances, Past Drawbacks and Past Shortcomings and
4. Readiness to accept Bridge Building between Lessons Learning and Lessons Forgetting and actually Learn Lessons from Lessons Learnt.

The time is now for National Leaders and World Leaders to ensure that Globalization is Force for Good; Lobbying is Force for Good; Brexit is Force for Good; Multi Stakeholder Partnerships MSPs that is High Level Political Forum, HLPF/ Community of Practice, COPs is Force for Good, if sustainable solutions are to be found to real and complex World Political, Cultural, Economic, Financial, Social, Environment, Peace, Security, Religious, Moral, Legal and Technical problems on the ground from Community to Global levels in each of the 193/306 UN Member States.

To achieve these there is urgent need to revert to Original UN System: UNO, WBG, IMF Vision in the great work towards Reforming the UN System: UNO, WBG, IMF to be International Institution Fit for the 21^st Century, if our Fragile Planet is to be saved from Self Destruction. Things are really bad. One Day Delay in undertaking required Community, Sub-national, National, Sub-regional, Regional and Global Reforms may be One day too late. However, should Right Choices be Made and on time, there are Bright Prospects of Success.

Should the Mr. Guterres be genuinely interested in promoting and protecting Applied History, Values and Trust driving Citizens and Leadership Engagement, the UN System: UNO, WBG and IMF needs to recognize urgent need to answer Transparency, Accountability, Participation, Ownership, Alignment, Harmony, Learning, Results and Measuring Success– TAP-OAH-LRM How questions that is Integral Part of answer to AAAA, SDG, COP21, Agenda 21, EUGS and 21 Point Agenda aligned and harmonized with Community Development Plans and Country Development Plans in each of 193/306 UN Member States: How questions, hence the need for Mr. Guterres to be Co Chief Champion Driving Change for Good in the International System.

It is against this background that we urge Mr. Guterres to consider: converting his 21 Point Agenda into Vision and Words with Action; ensuring that fundamental issues that ought to have been settled by end 1^st quarter 2015 that are still outstanding by end 4^th quarter 2016 are resolved by end 1^st quarter 2017; ensuring that 21 Point Agenda Roadmap actually delivers by 2030 Target date and ensuring that all necessary Steps are taken and on time to ensure that the Bright Prospects of Success of UN System: UNO, WBG and IMF Central Actor Role in the Work towards achieving 2030 Agenda Vision and 21 Point Agenda Vision Ambitions by target date, in each of 193/306 UN Member State, is not Squandered.

It is our prayer that at the end of Mr. Guterres tenure he would have Institutionalized 21 Point Agenda for delivery on successful and sustainable basis by 2030 target date and left lasting legacies in the empowerment and unification of humanity in both North and South Countries.

Contact:

Director General

International Society for Poverty Elimination / Economic Alliance Group

Akure – Nigeria, West – Africa.

M: +234-8162469805

Email: nehap.initiative@yahoo.co.uk                                            15 December 2016.