One UN Fund for Malawi

Decision Making Process

1. The UNCT Special Session will approve the Total Funding gap
2. In line with the Malawi Development Assistance Strategy Aid coordination mechanisms supported by the joint M&E Technical Working Group, the UNCT Special Session will first propose allocation at the level of the 5 UNDAF Programmatic Clusters based on the funding gap as expressed in the budgetary framework. Allocation from the One Fund within the 5 UNDAF clusters will be made in accordance with national priorities.
3. Allocations within each UNDAF Outcome will be proposed by the Cluster Convener to the UNCT Special Session. Once approved by the UNCT Special Session they will be presented to the Government of Malawi for information.
   1. Outcome Leaders are responsible for ensuring that proposed activities and budgets meet minimum criteria for eligibility for One Fund Allocation.
   2. Cluster Conveners are responsible for submitting requests to receive One Fund allocations according to pre-defined performance criteria.
   3. The Resident Coordinator will have the final decision on allocations in the event of lack of agreement.
4. Resources from the One Fund will be disbursed in 2 tranches.
   1. Requests for receipt of funds will be presented to the UNCT
   2. Following UNDAF reviews the UNCT Special Session will propose reallocations as deemed necessary:
      1. Performance
      2. Disbursement rate
   3. The UNCT Special Session will decide on the threshold of receipt of resources for the annual work plan year at the beginning of the year before allocating funds to Clusters
   4. UN Agencies will provide the Resident Coordinators Office with quarterly updates on their financial status vis a vis other resources.
   5. The Resident Coordinators Office will provide a financial statement to the UNCT on a quarterly basis reflecting the status of funds in the One Fund.

ONE FUND ALLOCATION CRITERIA

Criteria – Initial Allocation (to meet one or more criteria)

1. UNDAF and MDG Relevance
2. Unfunded gap at Outcome level
3. Implementation Capacity (Policy and Technical Capacity)
4. Comparative advantage in implementing the activities
5. Priorities which would otherwise not be funded
6. Realistic Outcome Budget

Subsequent allocations will include the following

7. Capacity of Agency to absorb

Previous track record:

1. Delivery
2. Results
3. Financial Management
4. Reporting

Decisions of the UNCT are made by consensus. In the event that no consensus is reached, the Resident Coordinator can make ultimate decisions on fund allocation (with documented process and rationale for these decisions). Programme implementation will be the responsibility of the Country Directors/Head of Participating UN Organisations.