Assistance Strategy
Need for an Assistance Strategy
During most of the 20th Century, Uruguay was considered a relatively developed society within Latin America. According to the 2006 Human Development Report, Uruguay ranks 43rd among 63 countries with "high human development". With life expectancy of around 75.6, a literacy rate of 97.7% in the age bracket over 15, a combined school enrolment rate of 89% and per capita GDP of USD 9.421 (PPP 2004), Uruguay is still one of the most developed societies in the continent. In addition to these rather positive indicators - in comparison with other countries in the region - Uruguay has historically stood out within the region for its low levels of poverty and inequality.
Because Uruguay is one of the 96 countries in the world labelled as a "Middle Income Country" - and, within that group, one of the 44 countries labelled as "high-middle income countries"-, it has not been eligible to receive sufficient cooperation. Nevertheless, over the last four decades, the Uruguayan society has faced serious problems or obstacles to reach higher levels of human development: in particular, to achieve sustained and sustainable economic growth, to reduce the incidence of poverty and inequality in income distribution and to strengthen the quality of its institutions and policies. The fact of being a "high-middle income" country (the only among eight "pilot" countries in the United Nations System Reform, "Delivering as One") does not imply that Uruguay has assured, in the mid and long term, the human development indicators reached. In fact, Uruguay has not been able to develop sustained and sustainable growth trajectory, or to prevent the dramatic erosion of the social progress previously made as evidenced by the 2003 economic downturn.
The universal principles of the United Nations and its Charter lead us not to exclude any State, not even to consider that there is a "full stop" in terms of development. A country does not "graduate" from development. There are more or less critical or vulnerable situations in different sectors of the economy, society, institutions of the Member States that the international community must cooperate with. The internal challenge is to recover that capacity to approach development with a vision that is compatible with the whole set of values enshrined in our mandate. The need to redefine cooperation involving "middle-income countries" is crucial, as their positive indicators cover borderline situations. Just like Uruguay, such countries have high human development indicators but simultaneously suffer severe structural vulnerabilities in key areas. These vulnerabilities, in addition to domestic imbalances and inequities, require high-level policy advice.
The One UN Programme as an Assistance Strategy
Therefore, to provide assistance in addressing the country's development needs the One UN Programme was developed conjunctively by the UN Resident Coordinator, UN Agencies, and the Government. The One UN Programme development process employed three complementary intervention modalities: (a) support for the design, execution and evaluation of public policies; (b) support for capacity building; (c) implementation of "pilot" experiences in the territory, which can serve as examples, with emphasis on citizen participation and empowerment. Such intervention modalities have certain specific features in Uruguay, as a result of its condition of a "high-middle income" country and its budgetary capacities to face expenses, shown in a high degree of public spending in comparison to GDP. In a "high-middle income" and "high human development" country, the UN System added value depends a lot more on its capacity to support the design, execution and evaluation of high-quality public policies to strengthen national capacities, to encourage dialogue among different stakeholders and to promote model experiences in the territory, rather than the financial contribution it can make. Through the One UN Programme, the UN System in Uruguay has developed capacities and strategies not only to align its cooperation with national priorities but also to include the valuable collaboration of Non-Resident Agencies and at the same time look after and foster cross-cutting issues such as Human Rights, Gender and local Development.
The One UN Coherence fund will provide funds and assistance in the following strategic objectives:
- By 2010, the country will have advanced in the generation of capacities for the incorporation of knowledge, innovation and diversification in the process of production of goods and services.
- By 2010, the country will have advanced in the formulation and management of policies to eradicate extreme poverty and reduce poverty.
- By 2010, the country will have advanced in the formulation and management of policies that facilitate access to high quality, equitable social services, the reduction of discrimination and the promotion of social integration processes.
- By 2010, the country will have advanced in the effective harmonization of its legislation and national practices relative to international commitments and in strengthening public institutions and the civil society to formulate, execute, follow-up and evaluate public policies.
