UN-REDD Programme Fund

Governance

The UN-REDD Programme is intended to facilitate and streamline the provision of donor resources to UN Joint Programmes to implement REDD activities at country level.

The UN-REDD Programme Policy Board provides overall leadership and sets the strategic direction of the UN-REDD Programme. It decides on Programme financial allocations, in line with the budget parameters set out in the UN-REDD Programme Framework Document, and develops monitoring mechanisms, with a view to ensuring Fund-wide success. The UN-REDD Programme Policy Board will ensure coordination with REDD actors at a global scale, such as the World Bank’s FCPF participants’ committee. It will include representation of major stakeholder groups.

The UN-REDD Programme Secretariat serves the Policy Board, using the capacities of the participating UN organizations, research institutions and recognized experts. It ensures policies and strategies decided by the Policy Board are implemented and adhered to. The Secretariat will manage the national joint programme review process. It will also manage the UN-REDD Programme’s overall monitoring and evaluation function which includes inter alia monitoring allocations to and delivery by the international support functions and country joint programmes, and tracking Programme-wide progress and ensuring that monitoring mechanisms are applied. It will include independent third party verification/evaluation of emission reductions, an on-line review and comment process, and an ombudsman system for complaints.

The UN-REDD Programme will be implemented through joint national programmes for country actions and global programmes for international support functions (hereinafter referred to as “Programme Documents”), as set out in the main text. While these programmes will be implemented by FAO, UNDP and/or UNEP, it is recognized that close coordination and participation with other REDD actors will be critical. The UN-REDD Programme is not an exclusive UN mechanism. National governments, Regional Development Banks and NGOs can receive funding through a participating UN organization and act as executing agencies. In addition, UN-REDD Programme will consult and coordinate closely with other relevant REDD initiatives and donors, particularly the World Bank, the GEF and bilaterals.

Administration of the UN-REDD Programme MDTF is entrusted to the Multi-Donor Trust Fund (MDTF) Office of UNDP, as the Administrative Agent who serves as the administrative interface with donors. UNDP’s accountability as the Administrative Agent is set out in the policy "UNDP’s Accountability when acting as Administrative Agent in MDTFs and/or UN Joint Programmes using the pass-through fund management modality". Participating UN organizations, in this case FAO, UNDP and UNEP, assume full programmatic and financial accountability for the funds received from the Administrative Agent.

The UNDP MDTF Office is the Administrative Agent of the Fund. The MDTF Office manages the distribution of resources and oversees the work of UNDP Country offices that may be involved in the provision of Administrative Agent function at the country level. The MDTF Office as AA will is responsible for:

1. Receipt, administration and management of contributions from donors;
2. Disbursement of funds to the Participating UN Organization, in accordance with the instructions of the UN-REDD Programme Policy Board;
3. Provide support to the UN-REDD Programme in their reporting functions;
4. Compilation of consolidated narrative and financial reports to the Policy Board through the REDD Secretariat, national steering committees and to donors. Participating UN Organizations are responsible for preparing and submitting the reports based on the UNDG standard narrative reports and financial reports to the Administrative Agent in accordance with the reporting schedule noted below.

The Administrative Agent will charge a one time fee of 1 per cent for fund administration and fiduciary responsibilities which will be deducted at the time of donor deposits.

The UN-REDD Programme will be supported by UN Resident Coordinators in their strategic leadership of the UN Country Team and relationships with national authorities. The UN Resident Coordinator will provide ongoing oversight to the joint programme at the national level, ensuring the participating UN organizations are meeting their obligations. The Resident Coordinator is entrusted with supporting the overall programme design under the government’s leadership, ongoing programmatic oversight of the UN-REDD Programme activities and UN coordination with the National REDD Office where such exist. The Resident Coordinator also facilitates ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the UN-REDD Programme activities in conformity with UN standards.

On receipt of consolidated country level reports, the Resident Coordinator will provide an overall assessment of the programme’s progress and results. He/she will also facilitate ongoing monitoring and evaluation of Fund-supported activities in conformity with UN standards and any guidance provided by the UN-REDD Programme Secretariat or Policy Board.

Each Participating UN Organization shall assume full programmatic and financial accountability for the funds disbursed to it by the Administrative Agent. Each Participating UN Organization shall establish a separate ledger account for the receipt and administration of the funds disbursed to it by the Administrative Agent. The Participating Agencies participate in the design, ongoing programmatic implementation and oversight of the country Joint Programme. Participating UN Organizations shall be entitled to deduct their indirect costs on contributions received according to their own regulations and rules, taking into account the size and complexity of the particular programme. Any indirect costs will be reflected in the Joint Programme submitted to the Secretariat. Indirect costs will not exceed 7 per cent of the project budget.

A National REDD Steering Committee mechanism will be established to provide operational coordination to the Joint Programme and integration under the UNDAF thematic structures in place at the country level. The establishment of a country-led National REDD Office will be encouraged to provide day-to-day management of the Joint Programme, coordinate national REDD activities, ensure whole-of-government responses, and integrate REDD into national development planning processes.

Resident Coordinators are encouraged to keep Country Team members fully-informed on UN-REDD Programme activities. Involvement of the Government in the deliberations concerning the Fund-related activities in the country is also crucial. The UN-REDD Programme also looks to Resident Coordinators to reach out to NGOs, CSOs, national governments and non-resident UN agencies, where appropriate.

Activities supported by the UN-REDD Programme at the country level are expected to take the form of Joint UN Programmes whereby multiple UN organizations collaborate around a common programmatic goal. Funds will be channelled to individual organizations to meet their commitments to the Joint Programme, through the Administrative Agent.