The United Nations Development Framework (UNDAF) for Viet Nam sets out concrete development objectives for the United Nations agencies over the 2006-2010 period. These objectives were identified on the basis of a consultative process involving Government, United Nations agencies and other development partners. The Common Country Assessment (CCA) for Viet Nam, published in 2004, and the Government’s Strategy for Socio-Economic Development and plans derived from it provided analytical inputs into the UNDAF formulation process. The rights-based approach to development adopted in the CCA also informs the analytical approach of the UNDAF.

The UNDAF results matrix contains three main themes and a limited number of crosscutting issues identified in the CCA. The themes are reflected in the three UNDAF Outcomes: government economic policies support growth that is more equitable, inclusive and sustainable; the quality of delivery and equality in access to social and protection services improves; and, policies, law and governance structures support rights-based development to realise the values and goals of the Millennium Declaration. Crosscutting issues include equity and the inclusion of vulnerable groups; Vietnamese youth in transition; participation for empowerment and accountability; and the challenge of HIV/AIDS. In addition, gender is mainstreamed throughout the UNDAF in order to address traditional stereotypes about the roles of women and men, and to improve systematic sexdisaggregated data and information on gender-specific issues.

The One UN Initiative in Viet Nam predates the recommendations contained in the report of the High Level Panel on System-wide Coherence (HLP) by over one year. As early as September 2005, a discussion paper on UN reform was prepared by the then UN Resident Coordinator and the current UNICEF Representative in Viet Nam to stimulate thinking on necessary change in UN operations at the country level. The note was timed to coincide with the 2005 World Summit in New York, with UN reform a prominent item on the Summit agenda. A more detailed paper on the One UN Initiative was prepared in early 2006 by the representatives of UNDP, UNICEF and UNFPA outlining the necessary UN reform measures within the context of the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness and its contextualisation in Viet Nam, the Ha Noi Core Statement on Aid Effectiveness.

Since mid-December 2006 the United Nations Communications Team has been operating as a single unit, with staff members from UNFPA, UNDP and UNICEF sharing a single office and working from a joint workplan. This is the first example of a collocated, fully-functioning team formed as part of Viet Nam’s “One UN Initiative.” As such it has become both a model and inspiration for the One UN in Viet Nam and a source of interest for those outside the country.

In September 2005, Viet Nam’s UN Resident Coordinator and UNICEF Representative jointly presented a paper on UN reform in Viet Nam as a contribution to the global discussion on this vital topic. The paper made a case for bold and rapid steps towards One United Nations at country level, and enjoys the support of the UN Country Team, government and many donors in country. This interest has led to requests from a number of development partners to elaborate on how the ideas of that paper might be realised in practice.

United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan presented his first reform plan to member states in July 1997. The plan, entitled ‘Renewing the United Nations’, set out an agenda to strengthen the United Nations to make it a more effective instrument for pursuing its global mandate and for supporting its Member States and the world’s people. A series of other initiatives have followed, including more recently a comprehensive reform strategy elaborated in the Secretary General’s report In Larger Freedom prepared for the 60th Session of the General Assembly in 2005.