UNITED NATIONS
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL
LIMITED
E/CN.14/ECO/125
16 August 1977 Original: ENGLISH
ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR AFRICA Executive Committee
Seventeenth meeting "\
Dar 6 b Salaam? 10 - II
m
V
CO-OFERATION BETTTEEN ECA AND UNEP
">.,-,Note by the secretariat
1, The role of the regional^conomic comnissions in the field of the human environ
1\ment was spelt out in detail in the recommendations made at the. Ilnited.Nations. Con- . ference on the Human Environment, held in Stockholm in June 1972.' "" " ' -
2. Before the establishment of UNEP ECA established an Environment Unit to co ordinate environmental activities in Africa and to assist African countries, to, -, .
prepare for the Stockholm Conference. " *""'3. With the founding of UNEP, ECA co-operated closely, with all -UNJtP's- programmes . relevant to Africa, and has participated in all -Its Governing Council meetings. In addition, a joint ECA/UNEP mission has visi.te-1 several African countries to> assist \,\
in the establishment of national environment services and to evaluate" the. "functioning
of those already formed. . ,..
4, To carry these co-oparative efforts a stage further, a team of UNEP officials visited ECA in February 1977 to discuss possible, programming of ECA/UNEP projects for the coninp. years. The project document entitled "Strengthening environmental capabilities of United Nations regional commission (Africa)" (proiect number
FP/0302-77-02) is an attempt to institutionalize the agreement reached between'■" •■■•;■
ECA and UNEP in the ."joint programming exercises.
5, The advantage'of this arrangement is that the Environment Unit at ECA will '"
be stren.gthened to assist African countries to tackle their pressing environmental problems- and also to work closely, not only with UNEP, but alsb'wittfthe Environment Co-ordination Board and other United Nations agencies operating in Af-ricav- - -
M77-1433 " ' ' '' ' ' : :~ ' '
E/CH-14/cCO/125 Page 2
.- . . UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT
PROJECT DOCUMENT PROJECT IDENTIFICATION
SECTION 1 ■ ■ "
1.1 Title of project:
STRENGTHENING ENVIRONMENTAL CAPABILITIES 07? UNITED NATIONS REGIONAL COMMISSIONS
(AFRICA) ■' '' ■
1.2 Project number
FP/0302-77-02
1.3 Priority area
Technical assistance
1.4 Scope ■."-■- .
Regional
1.5 Co-operating agency:
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)
1.6 Duration of project: ~
Commencement: 1 July 1977
Completion: 30 June 1979 :
1.7 Cost of project:
Total cost: $471,000 Cost to IINEP: $309,000
(Balance of $162,000 to: be-contributed by ECA)
SIGNATURE:- ,..:..,. : . . . ■
For the Economic Cornmission for Africa For the fund of 11MEP Name and title: 1 Name
Date:
and
title:- '■'■■'- ' '■"•' - ■ "■
Date:
E/CN.14/EC0/125
Page 3
SECTION 2 ' OBJECTIVES . . ,
2CI' -Long~tern objectives
It is the intention of UNEP to ensure that activities of the agencies' of the United Nations system reflect an integrated approach to environmental management;
to promote, at conntry and regional levels, the'integrated approach to environment and- qualitative development and to develop methodologies of environmental management and encourage their application in real situations., The above mandate was entrusted to UNEP by the fourth session of the ^overninf* Council. Pursuant" to this decision . of the Governing Council UNEP organized and carried out a series of joint programming exercises with the specialized agencies and regional commissions of the United Nations system in order to ensure that their.programmes are carried forward in full ■
recognition of their environmental impacts and with a view to ensuring the best
management of the environment (UNEP/OC/61). ,':
2O2 Immediate objectives
UNEP proposes to strengthen the environmental capabilities of United Nations regional commissions through the establishment, within their secretariats, of.
appropriate machinery to deal with environmental problems. UNF.P will financially . ,,:
support"the setting up of such an administrative machinery for an initial period ".
of two-years starting 1977. ■
' ■ ■ i ■ . .
Through the provision of this kind of assistance UNEP seeks to promote institutional networks of environmental capabilities at the regional level (in addition to its own regional representations) which it may call upon for support in tlic accomplishment of its global task.
SECTION 3 PROJECT DESCRIPTION
3.1 Background dara
At the meeting of Executive Secretaries of the regional coranisslons in Geneva
?.n July 1976,. UNEPTs representative expressed his willingness to assist the United Nations regional commissions to set up appropriate machinery for co-ordinating en-zircirsar-tal activities within their purview. Subsequently the nature and modali
ties ,of that assistance were discussed and developed during 1oint programming exercises vith ECA, ESCAP, CEPAL and other latencies.- . . . .
As a result, the regional economic commissions expressed their willingness;;
to set up Environmental Co-ordination Units initially with UNEP support, and sub sequently to seek the necessary resources from-,their regular budgets. They also agreed to match any contribution from UHEP by.at least an eauivalent amount from
their own resources*
E/CNe14/ECO/l25
Page 4 ...
3.2 Summarized description of project
(a) It Is proposed to establish within the. secretariat of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (EGA) a spall Environmental Co-ordination Unit whose
main functions Hill be to co-ordinate the CoTmnission's activities, in the-environmental field and to ensure that environmental dimensions are taken into account in all
development projects initiated by the Coirniasion.
(b) The proposed Environmental Co-ordination Unit will .consist of two or.
three professional" staff' with appropriate technical and administrative backscopping.
It will function under''the'direction and supervision of the "Executive Secretary or of a'delegated authority as 'designated"by him (see terms of reference in annexes II and fli)"." ; . . ' ' ' ' " * ''."""...
(c) The'Environmental .Co-ordination Unit (ECU). - to he attached directly to the office" !df the "Executive Secretary, will work, hand in.hand with the existing UNEP liaison or'regional office 'in the'area in.furthering'UNEP's qoal and objectives.
The ECU is expected to perform, inter alia, the following functions':
1- To develop and maintain an assessment of the state of the environment
in the region;
2. Tp review1 the Co!mtissI6rrls"i>roRra!ro\ies and projects at the planning stage in order 'to ''ensure that environmental considerations are fully taken into account, and, thus, to strengthen the Co.tmission's efforts to give appropriate attention.to the environmental dimensions of national and regional activitie-j within its purview;
3e To plan the Coramission's environmental activities and keep UNEP Headquarters and Regional Office informed of ihe progress of the Commission's work in the field
of the environment; ' ' ■
A. To ensure fis CoTjnis^.cn.V, participation in the work of the Environment Co-ordination Board (iiCB) and of its subsidiary bodies, and thus play an appropriate
role in the design and implementation of the UNEP action iiro<*ramne;5. To improve the flo:-: of information from the Commission to UNEP Headquarters and Regional Office; and
60_ To undertakes-such other tasks, as1are considered appropriate in order for the Commission-to discharge its responsibilities in the;environmental sphere.
Staff of the .ECU who are.financed from.the: contribution of iriEF will be appointed by the CocjT?.ission in consultation with.'UNEB and employed-by the Commission as" their own staff reporting directly to the.Executive Secretary. \
3«3 Workplan and timetable:-' . -- :■''■■■:: ■■'■ . ■ ■-■ ■ ;'-■ ■
April.■- June 19/7: .. : ■ i.vDevelopip'ent /and -formulation'of project
July - August 1977: 'Approv.il'of proiect
Recruitment of staff February 197fl: Prepress report August 1978; Pvoeress renort
E/CN.14/ECO/125 Page 5
January - February 1979: Evaluation of project and review of recommendations June - July 1S79: Final report
3.4 Budget
See details in annex I, 3.5 Disbursement
To be made on sub-allotment basis.
3.6 Requirements
" Each United Nations regional commission is required to provide in support of the ECU a minimum of one professional and one general service staff as v;ell as office facilities, equipment and supplies. All these requirements should be reflected in
the project budget.
SECTION 4 REPORTS
4.1 The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa shall submit tn UNE? a semi annual report (5 copies) on the activities of its Environmental Co-ordination Unit and a final report (10 copies) at the conclusion of the project,
4.2 The co-operating agency shall submit to UNEP periodic and final accounts on the expenditures and obligations incurred and the cash position on the advance
received from UNEP in the following manner:
(i) Total figures for all projects shoving separately expenditures and
unliquidated obligations at 31 March; figures project-by-project at 30 June and at 30 September;(ii) Accounts as at 31 December to be received by UNEP as soon as possible after year end and on the completion of the project shall be certified by the*duly authorized agency official. UNEP proiect accounts should
be shown in the audited accounts of the agency distinctly or as a schedule appended thereto on a project-by-project basis;(iii) The annual audited accounts of the agency; and
(iv) A final accounting for each project in due course.SECTION 5 FOLLOW-UP ACTION
It is agreed that the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) after the initial two-year period durinp which financial assistance is received from UNEP will continue to maintain and support the Environmental Co-ordination
Unit with its own resources.
3*4Budget(Regional) UNEP 1Q771978 10Personnelcomponent 11Experts(professionalstaff) 1.Principalorseniorofficer(24m/m) 2.Programmeofficer(48m/m) 12Administrativesupport(3secretaries-72m/m) 16Travelonofficialbusiness 15Componenttotal: 40Equipmentcomponent 41Expendableequipment 42Non-exoendableequipment 4"Componenttotal: 50Miscellaneouscomponent 53Sundry 59Componenttotal: Grandtotal:
1979 337506750033750 280005600028000 120002400012000 200050002000
Estimatedcostsindollar3 ECA 19771978 75750 1000
50075750 130009000 30001000 100030001000 7675015550076750
1979 280005600023000 6000120006000 340006800034000 3 10
000 000
7 2
000 000
3 1
000 000 4000 470007700038000 Note:Seeappendixforglobalbudp.et
n >pi &o 3O
E/CN.14/ECO/125 Annex;. 11
Category and level:
Functional title:
Organizational location:
General functions:
JOB DESCRIPTION Principal or Senior Officer
Chief, Environmental Co-ordination Unit
Cabinet Office of the Executive Secretary, United Nations Regional Economic Commission ' .■•-■■" .
Under the guidance of the Executive Secretary, the in cumbent will be responsible for planning and supervising the work of the Environmental Co-ordination Unit. The Unit is charged v;ith the following functions:
1. collect and maintain^necessary information on environmental asoects of social and economic activities on a global- and regional level and to provide advice to the Executive Secretary, and his .staff, on such matters;
2. develop and maintain an assessment of the state of the environment; and prepare neriodic reports related to environment issues in the rccion;
3. review and co-ordinate within the Commission, all the programme and project activities from the plan- nine staae to completion, to ensure that environ mental consideration is fully taken into account and thus, to strengthen the Commission's efforts to brin£ appropriate attention to the environmental dimensions of national, subrepional and regional activities within its purview;
4. co-ordination of the Commission's activities with those of UFTEP with regard to environmental aspects;
5. monitoring the irapleraentation of the Commission's work programmes in the environmental field;
6. liaise uitb and keep TFTP headquarters and UNEP regional office for the region informed of the progress of the Commission's work in the field of environment;
7. prep-ire the Cof^raission's innuts and arrange for participation in the vork of the Environmental Co-ordination Eoard ar.d its subsidiary bodies;
3. to provide an input from the Commission in the development and implementation of U^sr programme;
and
E/CN.U/ECO/125
Ainnex II"
Page 2
9. ensure the floT-7 of information from the Commission to UMEP headquarters and the Regional Office for the region concerning the environmental aspects o'f the"
Commission's activities .
Qualifications: Postgraduate University degree or equivalent in one or more of these fields: environmental sciences, physical
planning,■public administration, sociology or economics
■ plus at least 8 years' experience in project management,
■ teaching or research in these fields.
Lauguages: Very pood knowledge of spoken and. T-nritten Spanish, English
or French with"a working knowledge of another.Working exnerience with an international organization will be an asset. "
E/CM.14/ECO/125
Annex III
JOB DESCRIPTION
Category and level:
Functional title:
Organizational locations
General function:
Qualifications
Languages:
Professional (P.4/3)
Programme Officer
Environmental Co-ordination Unit, United Nations Regional Commission.
Under the guidance and supervision of the Chief, ECU, the incumbent is expected to perform the following tasks:
1. assist the Chief of Unit in collecting and maintain ing information on environmental aspects of social and economic activities of the Commission;
2. assist the Chief of Unit in reviewing and co-ordinating within the commission, all programme and project activi
ties-
3. assist the Chief of Unit in monitoring the implementa tion of the Commission's work programme in the field of the environment; and
4. assist the Chief of Unit in nrovidin? input from the Commission in the design and implementation of UNEP programme at the regional level, and in preparing substantive and technical reports for submission to UNEP.
Postgraduate degree or equivalent in one or more of these fields: environmental science, physical planning, public administration, sociology or economics pluB at least 5 years' experience in project management, teach ing or research in these fields.
Very good knowledge of spoken and written English, French or Spanish with working knowledge of another.
Working experience with an international organization will be an asset.
GlobalBudget(UWE?contribution) RA/03O2-77-O1-StrengtheningEnvironmental CapabilitiesofUnitedNationsRegionalCommissions EstimatedcostsinUSdollars 1.EconomicCommissionforEurope(ECE) 2.EconomicCommissionforAfrica(ECA) 3.EconomicandSocialCommissionforAsiaandthePacific(ESCAP) 4.EconomicCommissionforLatinAmerica(ECLA) 5.EconooLcCommissionforWesternAsia(EC^A)
197719731979 70 76 60 54 59 3?0
000 750 200 500 500 950
140 155 122 121 121 659
000 500 400 000 000 900
70 76 60 54 59 320
000 750 200 500 500 950 Note:ForuseasdisbursementschedulebyUNEP. -OPI ao 9
