외교부

Statement by Mr. KIM Soo-gwon,  Minister-Counsellor 
UNICEF Executive Board 1st Regular Session 2011
On Agenda Item 3 : Annual Report to the ECOSOC 

8 February 2011
New York

1.   At the outset, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to Mr. Anthony Lake, Executive Director, for the extraordinary energy and dedication he demonstrated in leading UNICEF last year. 

2.   UNICEF’s role in creating a favorable environment for children around the world is ever more important in the face of multiple crises, because children are one of the vulnerable groups who are hardest hit in times of crisis. In this regard, UNICEF should become more capable, responsive, and better equipped to effectively respond to multiple challenges, building upon a strong strategic partnership with national governments, UN development agencies, and various stakeholders. 

3.    My delegation notes, with great appreciation, the comprehensive annual report to the Economic and Social Council. In particular, the report provides valuable information about the direction UNICEF is taking to work closely with various stakeholders to ensure sustainable results for children in the context of system-wide coherence. We hope that further discussions on the report will help us identify where UNICEF stands and what gaps and challenges the UNICEF is facing, as well as constructive ways forward.

4.    My delegation would like to highlight the following four points. First, we would like to emphasize that it is of significant importance to diversify the donor base of UNICEF in the face of the continuing downslide in its annual income, as stated in the report. It is, however, welcoming that the thematic funds that directly support the achievement of the MTSP focus areas increased by 13 percent in 2009, despite an overall drop in core/regular resources. My delegation hopes that UNICEF continues to exert efforts to maintain an increase in thematic funds by promoting advocacy and to strengthen strategic partnerships with private sectors. Drawing lessons from best practices in national committees would be a good reference point as well. In this connection, we would also like to hear more from UNICEF on how it views the current financial situation and how it will respond to the growing imbalance of core and non-core contributions, with a focus on global public-private partnerships and relations with emerging donors. 

5.    Second, we would like to commend UNICEF for strengthening its strategic partnerships, including cooperation with the World Bank. In particular, we see it as very promising that UNICEF collaboration with the World Bank increased sharply from 60 % in 2008 to 84% in 2009. We strongly believe that partnerships and collaborative relationships add value to the fulfillment of the UNICEF mission and strategic priorities. Based upon its collaboration with the World Bank, my delegation hopes that UNICEF identifies specific challenges it faces in building partnerships while simultaneously further expanding its areas of collaboration with other partners. In particular, in the next report, we would like to see the steps UNICF has taken to strengthen its work with civil society organizations and corporate sectors.

6.    Third, we strongly commend UNICEF for providing support to national capacity development and development effectiveness. UNICEF’s focus on strengthening the generation and analysis of data on children is of great significance, on the grounds that correct data provides a solid basis for sound policy developments. In particular, as the Executive Director pointed out in a joint executive board meeting last week, we believe that it is time to focus more on various vulnerable groups among children, such as the poorest children, children with disabilities, child laborers, and abused children. In this regard, capacity development should focus on collecting data on key disparities in various contexts. Furthermore, we would like to encourage UNICEF to continue to facilitate the local and national partners in analyzing the capacity gaps and come up with the best possible remedies tailored to each individual case.

7.   Last but not least, my delegation is in strong support of UNICEF putting critical importance on women and girls in achieving health, education, and protection outcomes to impact overall sustainable development. Furthermore, we are very pleased to witness that UNICEF has been at the forefront in the promotion of gender mainstreaming and gender equality throughout the Organization. We do hope that UNICEF, in the years to come, will work closely with UN-Women in identifying the areas where further collaboration and synergies can be generated in the promotion of gender equality in the context of the protection of children’s rights.

8.   The Republic of Korea is fully committed to tackling all the challenges ahead, and stands ready to work with UNICEF to deliver on our collective promise for a better future for the world’s children. Thank you.