Regional Centre LAC

Regional Centre for Latin America and Caribbean

Regional Centre LAC Port of Spain Office

Introduction to the Regional Centre

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Scope of Regional Service Centres (global policy)

Functional alignment of and implementation arrangements for Regional Service Centres

11 December 2007 • Johannesburg • Dakar • Bratislava • Cairo • Bangkok • Panama City (RCLAC)* Trinidad and Tobago Sub-Regional Centre • * RCLAC includes the Panama Centre and the Regional Centre LAC Port of Spain Office in Trinidad and Tobago 2

Standard Functions of the Regional Service Centre

The Country Office is defined as the primary client of the services provided and all activities must support the UNDP strategic plan

In order to strengthen development result

The RCLAC will provide and support the provision of Advisory Services and delegated Regional Programme Implementation functions

In order to strengthen coordination results

The RCLAC will provide support to the Regional Directors’ Teams

In order to strengthen management results

The RCLAC will provide and support the provision of Management Services to Country Offices 3

Support to Development Results

The primary objective of the RCLAC s is to support country offices in assisting programme countries to achieve development results through:

Advisory Services (Policy Advisory / Programme Development / Technical Support)

• A key function of the RCLACs is to consolidate and anchor the

practice architecture

in the regions to support country office work in development thematic areas managed from Panama (HIV/AIDS, Poverty Reduction, Democratic Governance, Crisis Prevention and Recovery, Energy and Environment ) which are the key elements articulated in the Strategic Plan.

• • Practice is understood as encompassing the entirety of UNDP experience, knowledge and expertise in a priority programmatic or management area and including, therefore, UNDP staff members and experts working at the country, regional and global levels, including through networks, communities of practice, knowledge products, advisory services, and capacity development.

4 The regional configuration of the

practice architecture

has the function of

Support to Development Results

•

HIV/AIDS

Seeks to urge people, governments, communities and institutions to change their perception and awareness on the HIV epidemic and promote multisectorial responses that give an effective response to the impact of HIV/AIDS on human development.

•

Poverty Reduction and MDG

Works as a knowledge support in the area of economics for regional strategy and Country Offices (COs), and to establish a conceptual perspective on policy priorities for the region and become a useful and visible reference on such issues.

•

Democratic Governance

Promotes the participation (especially women, youth, persons with disabilities, African descendants and indigenous groups) and the strengthening of government institutions to ensure better conditions for human development for countries in the Latin America and the Caribbean region.

•

Crisis Prevention and Recovery

Works to restore the quality of life for men, women and children who have been devastated by natural disaster or violent conflict. Provides a bridge between the humanitarian agencies that handle immediate needs and the long-term development phase following recovery. •

Energy and Environment

Addresses issues such as global climate changes, biodiversity and ozone layer depletion, and provides help to regional countries to strengthen their capacity to deal with these challenges, and to and build sustainable livelihoods.

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Support to development results (cont) / Cross practice and sector support

•

Evaluation

The RCLAC will support the evaluation function of country offices (evaluation quality assurance, planning/training, community of practice) •

Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment

A team of experts will provide advisory services and support to COs and support the implementation of Regional activities. Community of practice, Genera.

•

Capacity Development

A team of experts will provide advisory services and support to support the process through which organizations and societies obtain, strengthen and maintain the capabilities to set and achieve their own development objectives over time. This includes support to Aid effectiveness and South/South issues •

Knowledge Management

Platform, systematization, support to packaging lessons learnt and experiences 6

Implementation of the Regional Programme

•

The RCLAC is responsible for participating in the implementation of Regional Programmes with accountability to RBLAC HQ.

•

Functions include:

 Formulation (or support to formulation) of regional projects and support to evaluation  Implementation of DEX Regional projects and participation on regional project boards/steering committees as required 7

Support to Management Results

Management services support is available in the following areas:

 Procurement support through a regional Advisory Committee on Procurement (ACP) with a Regional Chief Procurement Officer function ;  Information and communications technology advisory services and support through Regional Information Officers;  Audit support through a team of auditors working out of the RCLAC Management Support Centre (Centre for business solutions – CBS – ).

 Business support through the Atlas held Desk and managment support office  Security advisory services and support  Legal advice  Communications Office 8

Support to UN coordination

• Within the context of UN coordination and coherence, a key function of the RCLAC is to provide support to the Regional Directors Team. • Involves participation in the RDT on behalf of UNDP, when appropriate and as determined by arrangements for UN coordination now under discussion . • The RCLAC may provide staff support and other services to the RDT, as determined by the Regional Director in consultation with the RDT. • It is expected that the support function to the RDT’s will evolve and be adjusted according to the requirements arising from UN reform (harmonization and simplification of UN operational activities in particular).

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