UNESCO. General Conference; 36th; 36 C/5: volume 1: Draft ...

the Executive Board. The result will be an Organization that is more responsive, more closely attuned
to the needs of Member States, and which supports UN reform. We are now engaged in consultations
with all the regional groups to look together at ways of applying these common principles to
each situation. The main purpose of the reform is to improve the quality, effectiveness, efficiency,
accountability and relevance of our field network; this is also why the process implies strengthening
of the support functions at HQ. The field network reform is predicated on the basis of ZRG budget
being approved. Should this not be the case, this major reform will be difficult, if not impossible, to
implement.
The 36 C/5 will need to be adopted to the new field structure, as it emerges. The regional network
must be streamlined to align it with the regional UN systems and other regional entities (development
banks, larger political organisations/groupings) and more actively participate in the regional UN
activities; as well as to reinforce regional normative work. The reform and reinforcement of the Field
Office network will be accomplished over the next two biennia and within the overall budget envelope
provided by Member States. Specific measures to begin this implementation are under preparation.
Thus, for the time being, the existing field structure has informed the preparation of the sectoral
staffing submissions.
I wish to assure Member States that throughout the biennium I will pay maximum attention to
improve the quality of programme delivery, at the global, regional, and country level and to apply
optimal results-based management. I will also ensure that the Organization continues to pursue high
quality evaluations that support programme management decisions, with adequate accountability
mechanisms. I am committed to working closely with the external auditor who has rendered so many
good services to the Organization in all transparency. This will lay the foundation for accountability
for results, as well as financial and administrative transparency and efficiency, all of which are critical
for the sound functioning of the Organization.
For a number of bienna in the past, Member States had pursued a Zero Nominal Growth (ZNG)
policy in setting budgets. This was used as an instrument to bring about efficiencies. This policy has
to a large extent achieved its objectives, at times going beyond removing excess and cutting into the
bones of institutional infrastructure. It has succeeded in reducing staff and operating costs in support
areas significantly, at times at the expense of critical functions. Further pursuing such a policy will
seriously undermine our capacity to deliver and will have to be accompanied by major reductions in
programmes, which, I trust, Member States, would not want to do. At this stage of the Organization’s
life, our focus must and should be more on the pursuit of programme effectiveness, relevance and
visibility and less on input efficiency. I would like to underline the fact that if Member States were to
consider that zero real growth could not be endorsed, a zero nominal growth budget for the 36 C/5
(i.e., an unchanged budget level of $653 million) would also necessitate the abolition of a number of
posts and thus have a negative impact on several programmes detrimental to our leadership quests
and on programme delivery in general. This does not mean that I desire to continue business as usual
– quite to the contrary. Concentration, results-orientation, efficiency and transparency together with
a higher visibility and higher impact will be the hallmark of Programme implementation under my
direction.
We have made a new start. We are living through times of change – both inside our Organization
and in the world at large. I am deeply sensitive to the difficult situation in which many countries
find themselves. Change leaves us with little choice but to adapt and to innovate. This will be the last
C/5 document of the current Medium-Term Strategy (34 C/4). As such, the 36 C/5 has to achieve all
medium-term goals and show strong signs of change for the next Mid-Term Strategy. I, for one, pledge
to you to do my utmost to steer the Organization towards the fulfilment of our ambitious objectives, to
36 C/5 – Introduction
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