The UN Communications Group Working Group on Communication at the Country Level produces inter-agency decisions, agreements, tools, and guidance to promote more strategic, coherent and effective joint communication and advocacy by UN country teams for the collective benefit of the UN system and its stakeholders. The group was established by the UN Communications Group 2008 Annual Meeting in response to requests from UN country teams—particularly the Delivering as One pilots—for more robust systemic support and guidance on communications issues. The group is mandated to explore means for increasing internal and inter-agency communications to support greater coherence and effectiveness in country operations.

Among other responsibilities, the group has been tasked with determining “the ways and means of creating an inter-agency communications knowledge network, additional guidelines for strengthening UN Communication Groups at the country level, a roster of communications specialists available to assist country teams, and some common UN system communications materials describing development operations.”

To support UNCTs, the working group also develops guidance notes and messages for communicating about UN Coherence and other system-wide communications issues; joint communication planning guidance and support; strengthening internal and inter-agency communication; guidance on issuing joint statements; means of jointly providing training and learning opportunities for UNCT staff; issues related to visual identity and graphic guidelines; and UNCT website templates and other information and communications technology (ICT) issues as they pertain to communication. The working group is facilitated by the UN Development Operations Coordination Office. Its specific themes and subjects are determined in its annual work plan.