Why a Joint Office?

Call from Member States

Since 1997 as part of the UN Reform process called by Member States, the Secretary General charged the UN Development Group to identify ways for increasing the effectiveness, efficiency and coherence of the UN Development system at the country level.

Primary Objective: Programme Effectiveness and Efficiency

Following the Triennial Comprehensive Policy Review and ECOSOC recommendations, the Joint Office Initiative (JOI) was introduced to respond to national needs and plans, building on agency assets of the UN system for greater aid effectiveness at the country level.

While the Executive Committee agencies (UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, WFP) will continue to be in the forefront of the Joint Office Initiative, consultations are held with other Funds, Programmes, and Specialized agencies as members of UNDG.

What is a Joint Office?

Ex Com Agencies have agreed on a set of minimum principles that define a Joint Office. These principles are:

• One common programme
• One leader who is empowered and accountable
• One team working towards greater efficiency and effectiveness of programme and operations with shared support services to the extent possible

Joint Office versus Common Premises and Common Services

A Joint Office is fundamentally different from a UN House or common premises.

A Joint Office represents several Agencies led by one leader with also the Resident Coordinator, with one common programme and shared or harmonized support services.

A UN House implies the co-location of otherwise separate UN Agencies in one building or compound. Although in the same premises, these agencies have their own Representatives or Heads of Offices, their own programmes and back office support services. Some services in common premises (such as contracting of travel agent, local procurement of bulk items, security and maintenance services) may be shared.

Even though a UN House/common premises are different from Joint Offices, they are considered as a step towards and a prerequisite for a Joint Office.

Cape Verde: the first joint office

Cape Verde became the first pilot joint office of the UNDG Executive Committee agencies (UNDP, UNFPA,UNICEF,WFP) on 1 January 2006.