Cablegate: Undp/Unfpa Programs in Croatia
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS ZAGREB 001299
SIPDIS
FOR IO/EDA AND PRM/POP
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AORC EAID PREL HR UNDP
SUBJECT: UNDP/UNFPA PROGRAMS IN CROATIA
REF: STATE 137010
UNDP PROGRAM IN CROATIA
-----------------------
1. UNDP MAINTAINS A SMALL PRESENCE IN CROATIA; UNFPA IS NOT
ACTIVE IN THE COUNTRY. POST RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS CONTAINED
IN REFTEL PARA 7 FOLLOW.
2. UNDP IS ENGAGED WITH THE CROATIAN GOVERNMENT IN THE
DEVELOPMENT PLANNING PROCESS. SPECIFICALLY, UNDP HAS WORKED
WITH LOCAL AUTHORITIES TO PRODUCE COUNTRY-LEVEL DEVELOPMENT
PLANS. OTHER THAN THE COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLANS, UNDP HAS
DONE VERY LITTLE WORK IN THE AREA OF GOVERNANCE AND RULE OF
LAW.
3. HIV/AIDS AND ECONOMIC REHABILITATION OF WAR AFFECTED AREAS
ARE THE MAJOR COMPONENTS OF THE UNDP PROGRAM. THE UNDP
PROGRAM HAS BECOME MORE FOCUSED IN RECENT YEARS, SHIFTING
FROM A BROADER HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE MANDATE TO TARGETED
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND HIV/AIDS PROJECTS. THE PROGRAM IS
NOT FOCUSED ON REDUCING POVERTY.
4. THE UNDP PROGRAM SUPPORTS MARKET-ORIENTED APPROACHES AND
ENTREPRENEURIAL DEVELOPMENT THROUGH SUPPORT TO LOCAL ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT AGENCIES, AND FAMILY-BASED AND SMALL AND MEDIUM
SCALE ENTERPRISE CREDIT SCHEMES. THESE AREAS ARE APPROPRIATE
FOR THE NEEDS OF THE COUNTRY. YES, GOVERNANCE/DEMOCRACY AND
ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVES ARE APPROPRIATE FOR THE COUNTRY
PROGRAM.
5. THE UNDP RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE HAS PLAYED A COORDINATING
ROLE ON THE ISSUE OF HIV/AIDS. THE RESREP DOES NOT
COORDINATE FOREIGN ASSISTANCE WITH THE GOVERNMENT, BILATERAL
DONORS, MULTILATERAL INSTITUTIONS, NGOS, AND CIVIL SOCIETY.
COMMENT ON UNDP COUNTRY PROGRAMME OUTLINE FOR 2004-2006
--------------------------------------------- ----------
6. ON "PAST COOPERATION AND LESSONS LEARNED," WE AND OTHERS
ARE SKEPTICAL ABOUT THE REPEATED CLAIMS OF SUCCESS FOR THE
ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION PROGRAMME (PARAS 10-13). BY AND
LARGE, THERE HAS BEEN NO ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION IN THESE
AREAS. WE UNDERSTAND UNDP HAS BASED THE NUMBER OF 4000 JOBS
CREATED SOLELY ON THE NUMBER OF CREDITS THEY HAVE EXTENDED.
UNDP IS NOT "THE RECOGNIZED CENTRAL UNITED NATIONS SYSTEM
PROVIDER" NOR DO WE SEE THAT ROLE INCREASING IN THE WAKE OF
THE DEPARTURE OF UNLO LATER THIS MONTH.
7. WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE FINANCIAL AND STAFFING CAPACITY
OF UNDP TO CARRY OUT THE PROPOSED PROGRAM AS OUTLINED IN
PARAS 14-21. UNDP'S PRESENCE IN CROATIA CONSISTS OF A
HEADQUARTERS STAFF OF A FEW PEOPLE, AND FOURTEEN PEOPLE
DIVIDED BETWEEN FOUR FIELD OFFICES. UNDP SIMPLY HAS NOT
"PLAYED THE LEAD ROLE IN CROATIA IN SUPPORTING LOCAL ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT." THEIR ROLE HAS BEEN MINOR, AT BEST, AND
CONSEQUENTLY WE QUESTION THEIR ABILITY TO PROVIDE EFFECTIVE
POLICY ADVICE BASED ON THEIR EXPERIENCES (PARA 17).
8. WE ARE NOT AWARE OF ANY CROSS-BORDER INITIATIVES (PARA 21)
UNDERTAKEN BY UNDP. CURRENTLY, THERE ARE SEVERAL ONGOING
CROSS-BORDER INITIATIVES IN EASTERN SLAVONIA IN THE AREA OF
BRCKO, AND ALONG THE UNA RIVER IN WESTERN SLAVONIA, BUT WE
ARE NOT AWARE OF ANY UNDP INVOLVEMENT. GIVEN THE STAFFING
AND FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS UNDER WHICH UNDP IS OPERATING, WE
QUESTION THEIR ABILITY TO IMPLEMENT THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES OUTLINED IN PARA 21 -- AND
THE SAME WOULD APPLY FOR THE PROGRAM MANAGEMENT, MONITORING,
AND EVALUATION ACTIVITIES DESCRIBED IN PARAS 22-25.
ROSSIN
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