SUMMARY OF
PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION

92. The main achievements of the Organization during the biennium are summarized here, as well as important work that could not be completed. The structure of the Programme of Work and Budget (PWB) 2000-01 is followed. Tabular information is provided at the major programme and programme level on resources available for the programme of work and on expenditures and Field Programme delivery related to Trust Funds (TFs), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), extrabudgetary emergency activities, the Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) and the Special Programme for Food Security (SPFS). For the technical programmes, tabular information is also provided on the status of outputs planned in the PWB plus new outputs introduced during programme implementation to respond to changing circumstances and requests for assistance from Member Nations. To supplement this report, outputs and implementation status are on the FAO Internet site (http//www.fao.org/pir/). for those who need more detailed information on programme implementation.

PWB CHAPTER 1: GENERAL POLICY AND DIRECTION

Major Programme 1.1: Governing Bodies

Achievements

93. This Major Programme covers support to meetings of the Governing Bodies, services to other FAO meetings and use of headquarters conference facilities for consultations by accredited government representatives and for non-FAO meetings. Indicators of activity are given in Table 1.1-1.

TABLE 1.1-1. SUPPORT TO GOVERNING BODIES (SELECTED INDICATORS)

94. In keeping with Conference recommendations, efforts continued throughout the biennium to achieve savings and efficiency in the governance process and streamline work processes. The period was characterized by intense activity, mainly in preparation for the World Food Summit: five years later (WFS:fyl), originally scheduled for November 2001 but subsequently postponed. Preparations were also undertaken for the Thirty-first Session of the Conference of FAO, held in November 2001.

95. The overall volume of translations carried out for meetings, other FAO documents and publications increased by 28 percent as measured by the number of words translated, particularly in Chinese and Arabic, which increased by 71 and 48 percent, respectively. The translation service continued to implement computer-assisted translation tools and new technologies in areas such as remote translation for major meetings away from headquarters, workflow control, document distribution and archiving.

96. The number of interpretation days provided for meetings of all categories increased by 25 percent compared with 1998-99, mainly because of the expanded use of Arabic and Chinese. Improved scheduling of meetings and greater use of interpreter exchange arrangements with other UN agencies facilitated the provision of these services.

97. The number of policy-level circular communications to heads of state/government and ministers increased by 38 percent, mainly as a result of the preparation for and rescheduling of WFS:fyl. Circular and agreement letters to host governments related to meetings and other official correspondence increased by 5 percent.

Major Programme 1.2: Policy, Direction and Planning

Achievements

98. This Major Programme covers the work of offices in the Office of the Director-General (ODG), including the:

• Immediate Office of the Director-General;
• Office of Programme, Budget and Evaluation (PBE);
• Office of the Inspector-General (AUD);
• Legal Office (LEG), concerning legal services provided to the Organization;
• Office for Coordination of Normative, Operational and Decentralized Activities (OCD), relating to coordination between headquarters and FAO field offices.

Programme 1.2.1: Director-General's Office

99. This programme covers the immediate Office of the Director-General and the Deputy Director-General including the Cabinet and the Special Adviser to the Director-General dealing primarily with high-level relations with the Host Government.

100. The team, led by the Director-General, attends to the core management of the Organization at the highest level.

Programme 1.2.2: Programme Planning, Budgeting and Evaluation

101. The programme, carried out by PBE, continued to assist in policy matters related to the Organization's objectives, programme formulation and budget monitoring and control. Evaluation of the Organization's activities and implementation of savings in administrative areas, including the abolition of headquarters Management Support Units and the decentralization of field programme execution to Country Offices helped ensure that resources were used to maximum effect.

102. A key document presented to the Governing Bodies was the Medium Term Plan [MTP] 2002-07 (CL 119/17) which, for the first time, took full account of the planning framework and strategic objectives of The Strategic Framework for FAO 2000-2015 and incorporated the new programme model for the technical programmes. The Programme of Work and Budget 2002-03 (C 2001/3) largely reflected the proposed programme of work for the first two years of the MTP 2002-07, although adjustments were required to account for the lower level of resources approved in the PWB. Post facto reporting was fulfilled with the production of the Programme Implementation Report 1998-99 (C 2001/8) and the Programme Evaluation Report 2001 (C 2001/4) - see further below.

103. Work was initiated to replace the current corporate planning systems with a new Programme Planning, Implementation Reporting and Evaluation Support System (PIRES). High-level business requirements were reviewed, alternative software solutions researched and an overall plan for system development prepared and endorsed by senior management.

104. The thrust of evaluation work continued through gradual implementation of the new evaluation regime endorsed by the Governing Bodies in 1999. The Director-General's Bulletin on "Strengthening the FAO Evaluation System" (DGB no. 2001/33) was issued in November 2001, and preparatory work for the introduction of a new auto-evaluation system during the 2002-03 biennium began, with drafting of guidelines for the technical and economic programmes, in consultation with concerned departments and Regional Offices.

105. The programme evaluation process for the biennium followed the new regime, with five individual evaluation/review reports submitted to the Programme Committee and Council during the biennium. Summaries of these reports, together with comments of programme management and the Programme Committee, were issued in the biennial Programme Evaluation Report 2001 (C 2001/4). The new process generally met with the satisfaction of management and the Governing Bodies. Support was also given to the implementation of external evaluation of the SPFS by a team of consultants, who prepared a report for submission to the Programme Committee in May 2002.

106. Support for the evaluation of field projects continued, including participation in selected individual project evaluations. Annual thematic evaluations of clusters of TCP projects were carried out on policy support and animal health. In addition to the official launch of the Web site on evaluation in 2001, the Evaluation Service (PBEE) contributed to interdepartmental efforts in the preparation of the field programme formulation tool kit and the new staff training course on field programmes. Selective indicators of the work carried out are summarized in Table 1.2-1.

TABLE 1.2-1. EVALUATION WORK (SELECTED INDICATORS)

Programme 1.2.3: Audit

107. The programme, through the Office of the Inspector-General (AUD), has responsibility for internal audit and inspection as well as monitoring and evaluating the adequacy and effectiveness of the Organization's system of internal control, financial management and use of assets. AUD is also responsible for investigating misconduct and other irregular activities. Accordingly, the scope of audit embraces the role of inspection and managerial control within the concept of comprehensive auditing and includes special investigations and other assignments for senior management.

108. AUD continued to provide independent advice to the Director-General and to senior management both at headquarters and decentralized locations on a wide range of issues, and to participate in various committees and working groups. The budget of the programme also covered the fees of the external auditor, the French Cour des Comptes.

109. The Charter for AUD outlines the audit regime at FAO, which is consistent with international professional internal auditing standards. It was communicated to all staff in a Director-General's bulletin, formally acknowledging the strategic importance of internal oversight in FAO management, and emphasizing the right of staff to communicate with the Inspector-General in full assurance of confidentiality and without fear of reprisal.

110. AUD consists of three groups:

• Special Management Assignments, headed by the principal auditor;
• Decentralized Activities, headed by a senior auditor; and
• Headquarters Activities, also headed by a senior auditor.

111. The Special Management Assignments group was responsible not only for practically all special inquiries, inspections, special audits and investigations as well as tender panel operations, but also covered the audit of the Oil-for-Food Programme in Iraq, where an auditor has been outposted. The Decentralized Activities group, which included auditors outposted to each of the four major Regional Offices and a management unit at headquarters, had prime responsibility for all audits at the Regional, Subregional, Liaison and Country Offices. The headquarters group conducted comprehensive audits covering the administration and finance department and technical departments.

TABLE 1.2-2. INTERNAL AUDIT REPORTS, REVIEWS AND SERVICES

112. Audits, reviews and investigations were conducted on a wide range of activities, as shown by the following representative sample:

• the Oil-for-Food Programme in Iraq
• employees' educational qualifications
• local purchase orders
• letters of agreement
• euro migration
• the Information Products Revolving Fund (IPRF)
• information technology security
• Regional and Subregional Offices
• Country Offices
• field projects
• Oracle matters, including data conversion and accounts payable
• commissary matters
• tobacco company strategies in respect of FAO
• investigations of irregularities
• TeleFood
• the Credit Union

113. In addition, a large number of smaller audits were conducted in accordance with the plan of work sanctioned by the Director-General.

114. The level of tender panel operations increased considerably as compared with the previous biennium, mainly because of the Oil-for-Food Programme in Iraq, activities in Kosovo and deliberate more frequent and wider testing of the market for procurement activities.

Programme 1.2.4: Legal Services

115. In line with its constitutional mandate, the Legal Office (LEG) provided legal services required for the management of the Organization. It ensured that FAO's activities were carried out on a sound legal and constitutional basis, consistent with the Basic Texts and the status of FAO as an intergovernmental organization of the UN system. Legal counsel was provided to the Director-General, the Governing Bodies and units of the Organization and to the World Food Programme (WFP). LEG's activities dealt with international legal affairs, including:

• drafting of treaties or amendments to treaties, including participation to negotiations;
• actions to be taken by the Director-General as the depositary of treaties;
• relations with host governments and Member Nations at Regional and Subregional Offices and with FAO Representations;
• global and regional agreements involving the Organization;
• legal aspects of personnel matters.

116. Development of documentation services continued, supporting legal work in the Organization, including the programme's home page.

117. Attention was given, in particular, to:

• assistance in elaboration and negotiation of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, culminating in its adoption by the Conference of FAO in November 2001;
• assistance in negotiation and adoption of the Agreement for the Establishment of a Commission for Controlling the Desert Locust in the Western Region (2000)⁷;
• negotiation for the adoption of the Convention of the African Network for the Development of Horticulture (2000); the Agreement for the Establishment of the International Organization for the Development of Fisheries in Eastern and Central Europe (2000)⁸; and the Convention on the Conservation and Management of Fishery Resources in the Southeast Atlantic Ocean (2001)⁹;
• servicing the new interim Commission on Phytosanitary Measures and the Codex Alimentarius Commission.

118. The Legal Office also provided a lead and services on certain interdepartmental issues, in particular regarding the right to food, and continued to assist various interdepartmental working groups (NGO/CSO, Strategic Framework, Biotechnology, etc.) as well as the Panel of Eminent Experts on Ethics in Food and Agriculture.

TABLE 1.2-3. OFFICE OF THE LEGAL COUNSEL AND GENERAL LEGAL AFFAIRS SERVICE (SELECTED INDICATORS)

Programme 1.2.5: Programme and Operational Coordination

119. OCD responsibility under this programme is to ensure coordination of activities between headquarters and decentralized offices. Other OCD activities are reported under Major Programme 3.4 and Programmes 1.3.2 and 3.5.3. This programme dealt with:

• the formulation and monitoring of, implementation support to and reporting on the Organization's decentralization policy;
• assistance to the Technical Cooperation Department (TC) in the delegation of operational responsibility for national projects to FAO Representatives (FAORs);
• support to operational coordination, including UN system-wide activities on management issues related to decentralized offices and the Resident Coordinator system;
• reports from and to decentralized offices (e.g. FAORs' Annual Reports, OCD Bulletin, technical and management reports from Regional and Subregional Offices);
• biannual Guidance Notes to FAORs (management letters); and
• coordination of the Regional Conferences.

120. The programme also included the management of the Small-Scale Facility which allows FAORs to respond to urgent short-term needs through the use of local consultants. A total of 287 activities were approved under this facility for an amount of about US$430,000.

Major Programme 1.3: External Coordination and Liaison

Programme 1.3.1: External Relations and Coordination

121. The programme is carried out by the Office of the Special Advisers to the Director-General (SAD) and comprises promotion of World Food Summit follow-up, including organization of the WFS:fyl and the Unit for Relations with the United Nations System (SADN).

122. SADN remained a small unit, with only one professional staff member at P-5 level, although, until September 2000, the unit had benefited from assistance provided by an associate professional officer (APO).

123. SADN prepared and supported FAO participation in the United Nations System's Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB), formerly known as the Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC), which groups executive heads of the UN system. Following the reform of its subsidiary machinery, which led to the creation of a new High-Level Committee on Management (HLCM) and on Programmes (HLCP) as well as to the abolition of all other subsidiary bodies, SADN has represented FAO at meetings of the HLCP and the CEB sherpas. It continued to prepare and assist the Director-General's participation at CEB sessions. During the biennium, handling of ACC/CEB-related matters continued to be an important part of SADN's output.

124. The unit also participated in internal working groups which collaborated on FAO papers and statements for major UN system meetings such as the International Conference on Financing for Development and the World Summit on Sustainable Development. It contributed to briefs for FAO participation in the meetings of the United Nations Development Group (UNDG).

125. Numerous ad hoc and recurrent requests were handled by SADN. External requests were mainly for FAO input to UN system reports and exercises, originating from other UN system organizations. Internal requests were for policy advice related to FAO activities coordinated or pursued jointly with other UN organizations, originating from FAO units. Both covered a wide range of topics of interest to the Organization, including follow-up to the Millennium Declaration and system-wide efforts aimed at realizing the Millennium Development Goals, sustainable development, biological diversity, food safety and security.

126. The unit facilitated and coordinated FAO representation at external meetings organized by UN organizations, with a view to implementing FAO policy regarding attendance at external UN meetings, thus ensuring optimal use of travel funds and a coordinated approach to representation.

127. The receipt, distribution and storage of UN-system documentation are ongoing functions of the Documents and Reference Centre in SADN, which responds to requests for documents throughout FAO. Since May 1999, with the advent of the UN Optical Disk System, UN-system documents and publications relevant to FAO are downloaded electronically and forwarded by e-mail to FAO focal points, including field offices. UN-related electronic news items are also screened and those of interest to FAO are circulated daily to relevant staff.

TABLE 1.3-1. UN DOCUMENTATION AND MEETINGS REQUESTS

Programme 1.3.2: Liaison Offices

128. This programme covers the Liaison Offices with the United Nations (LONY in New York and LOGE in Geneva); for North America (LOWA in Washington, DC); with the European Union and Belgium (LOBR in Brussels); and with Japan (LOJA in Yokohama). LONY and LOGE assisted decision-making at FAO headquarters in relation to developments in the UN system by representing FAO at intergovernmental and inter-agency meetings taking place in New York/Geneva; liaising with intergovernmental, non-governmental and private institutions, including foundations associated with UN-system activities and development in general; contributing to public information and public relations at UN headquarters; dealing with local public information requests; and providing briefing on UN affairs to visiting FAO officers. LOWA continued to assist FAO headquarters in formulating and implementing policy and maintaining communications and cooperation between FAO and the North American governments and public, as well as with Washington-based international organizations. LOBR and LOJA performed similar functions with regard to the European Union/Belgium and the Japanese Government, respectively.

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