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FAO Regional Conference for the Near EastThirty-Second Session

24 – 28 February 2014, Rome, Italy

Decentralization and the Decentralized Offices Network

Towards a More Effective Decentralized Offices Network in the Near East and North

Africa

Agenda Item 14: NERC/14/3

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Overview of Document NERC/14/3

Update on significant transformations undertaken by FAO to reinforce decentralization and enhance the effectiveness of its decentralized network in the Near East and North Africa (NENA) region

Seek Guidance and support of NERC on actions taken

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Overview of Document NERC/14/3

Structure of the document based on the themes framed by previous deliberations of NERC and FAO Council decision on decentralization, namely:

Improved Planning and Priority Setting Improvements in the DOs Network Integrated Model for Programme Delivery

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Alignment of the planning process and priority setting in the region with the overall corporate Strategic Framework and the 5 Strategic Objectives:

SO1: Contribute to the eradication of hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition

SO2: Increase and improve provision of goods and service from agriculture, forestry and fisheries in a sustainable manner

Actions for Improved Planning & Priority Setting

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SO3: Reduce Rural Poverty SO4: Enable more inclusive and efficient

agricultural and food systems at local, national and international levels

SO5: Increase the resilience of livelihoods to threats and crises

Corporate Programmes Monitoring Board (CPMB) established to provide strategic direction, oversight and coordination and continuously review the delivery mechanisms

Actions for Improved Planning & Priority Setting

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Completion of Country Programming Frameworks (CPFs) for 17 countries in the region

Formulation of Regional Initiatives anchored in the New Strategic Framework

that address major challenges based on CPFs and Regional Priority Framework

Mapping and securing consistency between CPFs, the Regional Initiatives and the new Strategic Objectives

Actions for Improved Planning & Priority Setting

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Review of the technical skill-mix at the regional level and in DOs of the region to align human resources capabilities to the strategic priorities set out in CPFs and the Regional Initiatives

New positions established in the areas of Strategic Planning, natural Resources management, gender, Investment, partnership and communication, south-south cooperation

Several JPO positions: Policy, Agro-Industry; Water Effective succession planning of FAO Representatives

Actions for Improved DOs Network in NENA

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Establishment of Deputy FAO Representative positions in countries with high potential for large field programmes (funded by extra-budgetary resources)

Methodical Review of the Organizational Design of Country Offices and strengthening their capacity through alignment of their programmes and structures

Actions for Improved DOs Network in NENA

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Strengthening the Regional Office to promote greater strategic management and oversight, in terms of programmes and administrative compliance, of country offices in the NENA region

Actions for Improved DOs Network in NENA

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The decentralization process, including the integration of emergency and development activities, is now effective in all countries of the region with the exception of Syria

The Regional Offices and Sub-regional Offices are playing the leading role in CPFs and programmes formulations and backstopping.

Integrated Delivery Model

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The Sub-regional Office for the Gulf Cooperation Council States and Yemen is fully operational, and is providing backstopping to several projects in the sub-region.

The Regional Office has met the Fund mobilization target for the biennium of USD 100 Million

The Regional Office used all its allocation from the technical cooperation program for the biennium

Integrated Delivery Model

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Two principal challenges:

Adequate skilled technical staff at the country level to upscale programmes and secure FAO’s responsiveness to country needs

FAO programmes in the region remain dependent on traditional funding sources and resource mobilization from within the region is limited

Challenges

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Support the actions being taken to strengthen the alignment of activities to the established priorities and strategic objectives

Encourage funding from the region for regional programmes, including through the regional solidarity trust fund

Guidance sought from the Conference

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Support the conduct of methodical organisational design reviews to strengthen the capacity of country offices

Endorse the measures pursued to reinforce the capabilities within the Regional Office and the decentralized network

Guidance sought from the Conference

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THANK YOU for your attention

ANY QUESTIONS?