Joint Nordic Statement delivered by Ambassador Anna Karin Eneström on behalf of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden at the Executive Board of UNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS, UNOPS Segment, 30 November 2022, New York
Thank you, Chair,
Madam President, Acting Executive Director, Dear Colleagues,
- I have the pleasure to deliver this statement on behalf of Denmark, Finland Iceland, Norway, and my own country, Sweden. We fully align with the statement that will be held by New Zealand on behalf of a group of countries.
- Let me start by thanking the Acting Executive Director Jens Wandel for his efforts to handle the situation, and for leading UNOPS in these trying times.
- The two KPMG reports provide a clear description of severe wrongdoings, where senior management actions led to a grave abuse of power. We are all now managing the devastating consequences for UNOPS, S3i investment activities, and trust in the UN system.
- Extensive work lies ahead for UNOPS and the Executive Board. We [the Nordic countries] want to underline the following key aspects to restore trust.
- First, the importance of retrieving the missing funds to show that the UN system will go the extra mile, and beyond, to secure and safeguard public funding. All wrongdoings must be fully investigated, and all those involved must be held fully accountable.
- Second, the forward-looking report provides extensive recommendations to address the problems. We welcome the draft response plan, it must be ambitious, with a corresponding timeline and organizational responsibility with clear ownership of each action. When completed, a third-party review of the implementation of the response plan is needed to ensure satisfactory delivery.
- Reestablishing trust in UNOPS requires a refocus on the core mandate, an early mid-term review of the strategic plan, and a suspension of all investment activities and an end to further accumulation of reserves.
- Third, we take note of the work already undertaken with regards to UNOPS’ Internal Audit and Investigation Group, and the Ethics Office, and underline that the offices must have the adequate human and financial resources, capacity, and full access to necessary information to carry out their work independently and in line with best practice.
- We would like to ask the directors of the IAIG and the EO how they assess the independence and current structure with regards to staffing and resources of their respective offices?
- Risk management, internal controls, independent auditing and oversight are crucial for an effective UN system, and must be part of a continuous learning process, delivering services to the highest possible standards.
- Implementation of an efficient and protective whistleblower mechanism is an essential part of strengthening the organizational culture within UNOPS.
- Finally, we should all learn from the misdeeds in UNOPS to minimize the risk of this happening again in the UN system.
- We, the Nordic countries, stand ready to continue our constructive contributions to restore trust and effective operations of UNOPS – a journey that needs both swift and thorough actions and commitment from all those involved.
Thank you for your attention.