Review of 29 multilateral organisations

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has carried out a review of Norway’s cooperation with the 29 multilateral organisations and global funds that receive most Norwegian support.

Close to half of Norway’s international development budget is channelled through multilateral organisations and Norway is the fifth largest voluntary contributor to UN humanitarian and development programmes and activities. Effective cooperation with well-functioning multilateral organisations is crucial for the implementation of the Government’s foreign and development policy. For this reason Norway will continue to provide a high level of funding through these organisations.

The review of the organisations is based on experience gained at headquarters and country level, as well as key governing documents and other documentation, such as evaluations and joint donor assessments. A more systematic assessment section was included in 2011 than previously, in response to the wishes of the Storting and in accordance with the Ministry’s ongoing efforts to strengthen multilateral organisations.

The profiles of the organisations each contain a facts and figures section, which gives details of Norway’s financial contributions, a description of the organisation’s mandate and focus areas, and an overview of results achieved in 2010. The assessment section in 2011 has been extended and is more systematic than in 2009, and provides greater insight into how the Ministry assesses the various organisations. Particular emphasis is given to the organisations’ results-related efforts and control mechanisms, including their anti-corruption activities. The last section describes Norwegian policy towards the organisation in question.

The review indicates that the mandate of the organisations is largely in keeping with Norway’s foreign policy and development policy priorities, for example in the areas of good governance, human rights, protection of civilians , humanitarian relief, food security, maternal and child health, girls’ education, gender equality, the environment and sustainable development. Moreover, the organisations are able to report significant results from their efforts in areas such as the development of norms and standards, capacity building and the implementation of projects. Many of the organisations are in the process of carrying out important reforms with a view to targeting their efforts more specifically towards their core areas of activity, and have initiated extensive measures designed to make them more result-oriented and effective. Norway participates actively in these efforts.

The Ministry has strengthened its efforts to follow up the work of the organisations at board level and at bilateral meetings.

The following 29 organisations have been reviewed: 

 

Seven funds and programmes under the UN 

• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
• United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
• United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
• World Food Programme (WFP)
• The United Nations Human Settlement Programme (UNHABITAT)
• United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
• Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF)  

 

Five specialised agencies under the UN 

• United Nations Educational and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)
• Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations (FAO)
• International Labour Organisation (ILO)
• World Health Organisation (WHO)
• United Nations Industrial Development Programme (UNIDO) 

 

Eight other UN agencies 

• The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)
• United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
• Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
• The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)
• Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries (REDD+)
• The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN WOMEN)
• United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
• Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) 

 

Two global funds and one financial mechanism

• Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI)
• The Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM)
• Global Environment Facility (GEF) 

 

Five development banks 

• The World Bank (WB)
• Asian Development Bank (ASDB)
• The African Development Bank (AFDB)
• Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)
• International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) 

 

Other organisations 

• The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR)

 

Printed copies of the profiles are available from the Section for Budget and Administration (sbf-fn@mfa.no ).