The UN Agencies have a long history of co-operation with Georgia. A UN member since 31 July 1992, the country is now home to 9 UN Country Team (UNCT) Agencies. These are:

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (UNFAO)

United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)

United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM)

United Nations World Food Programme (UNWFP)

World Health Organization (WHO)

International Organization for Migration (IOM)

The UNCT is led by the UN Resident Co-ordinator (UNRC), who is at the same time the UNDP Resident Representative.

Globally, UNDP acts as the manager and main funding agency of the Resident Co-ordinator system. At country level in Georgia, UNDP supplies much of the support services for the UN Country Team members, such as administration, IT support and maintenance of the UN House.

Some UN Agencies, such as the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) do not have permanent representation in Georgia and work through their regional offices, located outside the country (e.g. Moscow or Geneva).

In early 2003, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) embarked the gradual phase out from Georgia and handed-over some of its functions, such as IDPs and conflict areas to UNDP. As a part of these transitional arrangements between OCHA, UNDP and UNDG, after the closure of OCHA office in Georgia in the end of 2004, the Transition Unit (at present Humanitarian Affairs Team) was created under the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator to ensure continuation of some of the humanitarian and transitional coordination functions, including disaster preparedness and response. Since 2005 the UN Humanitarian Affairs Team (UNHAT) of the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator, carries on key humanitarian coordination work of three inter-related types: disaster preparedness and response, humanitarian information management, and strategic and support activities for humanitarian community. The UNHAT has been actively involved in managing the Disaster Management Team (DMT), the mechanism by which the international preparedness and response is strengthened and coordinated and where the UNDP is also a member. The DMT has been mobilized few times during emergencies (e.g. Earthquake, 2002; Floods, July 2004, Floods/landslides, 2005) and supported the Government in overcoming consequences of disasters. Under the DMT framework, emergency relief aid was provided by member organizations, including UNDP (US $50,000 emergency cash grant) as a response to severe floods in Spring 2005. This emergency funding was used for the distribution of agricultural inputs (primarily potato, maize, and bean seeds) to the population of Upper and Lower Svaneti, and Racha-Lechkhumi regions for the 2005 planting season. This unit acts as a highly efficient hub that collates, identifies and disseminates information on priority humanitarian needs and issues. Activities carried out range from hosting monthly info-sharing meetings for the international community and the annual Humanitarian Assistance and Transition to Development Conferences to producing various publications, e.g. the biannual Directory of Humanitarian and Development Contacts, monthly newsletter, special briefing notes and situation reports. These works will continue in 2006 - 2007, complemented by further work related to disaster management in cooperation with the UNDP.

The United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG), established in 1993, is not formally part of the Country Team but actively co-operates with the UNCT Agencies. Headed by the Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG), UNOMIG has a specific mandate regarding Abkhazia, ranging from the observation of the ceasefire in the 12-km wide Security Zone in Gali and Zugdidi, to finding a comprehensive political settlement to the Abkhazia conflict.

Common Country Programming is a process of planning and prioritisation carried out every five years, which ensures that the UN assistance programmes are well targeted and consistent with national priorities. This joint exercise involves the UN Agencies and host country partners so as to guarantee co-ordination and avoid duplication and overlapping. The Common Country Programming Process includes the following two main steps:

I. Preparation of the Common Country Assessment (CCA). This assessment results in the identification of national development priorities and goals from a MDG perspective. These are also the areas where the UN Agencies can make significant contributions.

II. Preparing the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF). The UNDAF describes what the UN Agencies plan to do in partnership with the Government, civil society and donor organisations over a 5-year period to help address national priorities.

CCA and UNDAF. The first CCA/UNDAF for Georgia was prepared in 2001. In January 2004, the UN Country Team launched the second CCA/UNDAF exercise. The outputs were as follows:

- An in-depth analysis of the situation in the country;
- Identification of critical problems and their causes;
- Identification of areas of joint work with the government for the period 2006-2010;
- Outline of specific goals to be achieved for the period 2006-2010;
- A defined operational framework for the UN Country Team in the next five years.

The Office of the United Nations Resident Co-ordinator (UNRCO) and UNICEF led the process, which involved all the UN Country Team Agencies, the Georgian Government, development organisations, donors and civil society. The priority areas of co-operation identified by UNDAF are: Poverty and Economic Growth, Governance, Basic Social Services, Volatility and Instability, and  Environment.

The effectiveness and sustainability of development programmes heavily depend upon how well aligned they are with national priorities and the MDGs. Through the Common Country Programming Process, the UN Country Team ensures that UN assistance is well targeted, best reflects the needs and priorities of the country, and that implementation timeframes are co-ordinated with national plans, programmes and the MDGs.

UNCT PUBLICATIONS:

United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) For Georgia, 2006-2010

Common Country Assessment, Georgia 2004

Common Country Assessment / United Nations Development Assistance Framework (CCA/UNDAF) 2001
Language:   English    Georgian

UNCT LINKS:

www.ungeorgia.ge

UN Country Team Contact Directory

The UNDP office is headed by the Resident Representative, who is also the UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator. He is assisted by a Deputy Resid Representative.