On behalf of UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner, let me start by thanking Under Secretary General Vladimir Voronkov and the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism for convening the second meeting of the Global Counter-Terrorism Compact Coordination Committee.  UNDP is proud to take part in this collective effort for enhancing internal coordination and coherence to ensure that the United Nations system provides stronger and more efficient capacity-building support to Member States on countering-terrorism and preventing violent extremism (PVE).

The establishment of this framework, the largest coordination framework in the UN system, is of fundamental importance, given the challenging and ever more complex and evolving nature of counter-terrorism and violent extremism globally.

UNDP believes that the best way forward is by joining forces and working together, guided by the One-UN approach. We need to leverage our comparative advantages, while respecting our mandates. We should strengthen coordination, coherence and better equip ourselves to successfully respond and tackle the numerous and complex challenges that lie ahead.

Let me highlight the following points on the revitalization of the Global Compact Committee working groups:

o   First, we welcome its streamlining from 12 to 8 working groups, the establishment of results-oriented work plans, and their alignment with the four pillars of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.

o   Second, UNDP advocates for a strong Human Rights lens across all working groups and we are pleased to see this included in the Terms of Reference and work plans. This is imperative to avoid doing harm and/or exacerbating threats, both in development and security interventions.

o   Third, we support the participation of civil society representatives, academics and the private sector in working groups’ discussions.

o   Fourth, we support the convening of joint working groups meetings, particularly when discussing cross-cutting issues, such as a gender-sensitive approach. In this spirit, I would like to propose that the minutes of all working groups are shared.

o   Fifth, I would like to emphasize the need to strengthen coordinated efforts between Headquarters, regional hubs and the field, in strong collaboration with Resident Coordinators’ Offices and UN Country Teams. UNDP is committed to act as a convener and bridge-builder in this regard.

o   And sixth, we fully support the establishment of a new working group on resource mobilization and monitoring and evaluation. Our aim should be to benefit from shared resources for increasing, where possible, evidence-based joint programming. Measuring and assessing the impact of our results is our shared obligation and will help us mobilize much needed additional resources. For example, UNDP has developed a monitoring and evaluation toolkit on PVE programming which we would be happy to share more widely.

UNDP is committed to play a key role within the UN system on PVE. Thus, under UNOCT’s able chairmanship, we are pleased to continue serving as vice-chair of the PCVE working group together with our excellent partners UNESCO and the UN Alliance of Civilizations.

I will not enter into the details of the PCVE working group work plan, which will be covered by our colleague from UNESCO. Instead, I would like to underline UNDP’s four main objectives as vice-chair:

(1)  Further strengthen knowledge sharing, research, policy development, quality assurance and impact assessment among UN entities;

(2)  Enhance and strengthen the quality of and evidence-base for joint programming;

(3)  Demonstrate concrete deliverables/results in implementing the joint work plan, including in the design and monitoring phases; and

(4)  Strengthen our work on communications to feed into and support the Secretary-General’s High Level PVE Action Group and the UN system as a whole.

In the current UNDP’s Strategic Plan (2018-2021), we have placed stronger emphasis on PVE programming and policy contributions to guide UNDP offices in their assistance to members states. Through this, UNDP aspires to better respond to the Secretary General’s Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism and to advance the Prevention-Sustaining Peace and 2030 agenda, in particular SDG 16.

In doing so, UNDP attaches importance to the following 5 aspects:

1.    Balance short-term and longer-term responses to address immediate challenges, such as reintegration of former combatants, alongside the longer-term development solutions needed to address grievances, promote peaceful resolution of conflict and prevent radicalisation that can lead to violent extremism.

2.    Take a multidimensional approach to addressing both the socio-economic as well as the governance and human rights related drivers of radicalization that can lead to violent extremism.

3.    Promote social cohesion and tolerance for diversity as a key building block of our increasingly multi-cultural societies in a gender-responsive manner.

4.    Engage local communities, both in terms of early warning approaches and in terms of finding local solutions to address the push and pull factors of radicalization.

5.    Harness partnerships and multi-stakeholder engagement in particular working with religious leaders, women and youth organisations to reach the most marginalized and ensure successful interventions.

UNDP is respecting our commitment to work in partnerships. In May last year, UNDP Administrator and Under-Secretary Voronkov signed an MOU, which has already yielded some results, such as:

o   Establishment of a liaison focal point to support joint policy, programming and impact assessments.

o   Deployment of the first joint scoping missions to Sudan and Kyrgyzstan in October and November 2018 to support the development and implementation of PVE National Action Plans with the participation of UNOCT, UNDP, UNODC, UN Women and UNESCO.

o   The recently agreed joint EU-UN 4-year project to Strengthening Resilience to Violent Extremism in Asia (STRIVE Asia) that will be jointly implemented by three UN entities (UNOCT, UNODC and UNDP).

o   Support of UNOCT’s recent initiative to develop a global Youth Programme, along with other member entities such as the Office of the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth, UNESCO, ILO and the UN Alliance of Civilizations.

To conclude, allow me to congratulate USG Voronkov and his office for leading this revitalization and new generation of inter-agency working groups in a highly transparent and inclusive manner, guided by the One-UN approach. UNDP, building on its comparative advantages, is determined to contribute in implementing the Global Counter-Terrorism Compact with sister-UN entities, guided by the principles of collaboration, constructiveness and action. We stand ready to work with all of you as we move forward together.

Thank you