UNITED NATIONS Pearebuilding Support Office

NATIONS UNIES Bureau d'appui d la coniolidntion de la p i x

Issues Paper REVISION OF THE TERMS OF REFERENCE OF THE UNITED NATIONS PEACEBUILDING FUND Preparedfor an informal meeting ofthe Peacebuilding Commission Organizational Committee, United Nations New York, 19 November 2008

I. Background:
The Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) Terms of Reference stipulate that the head of the Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO) may initiate a formal process to amend the TOR following consultation with the Advisory Group and following the outcome of an independent evaluation. To this end, PBSO has initiated a revision process, the outcome of which will be informed by: (a) the findings and recommendations of an independent OIOS evaluation; (b) lessons learned from the past two years; (c) recommendations of the PBF Advisory Group meeting on 15-16 October 2008; and (d) the suggestions of Member States articulated during the General Assembly debate on the PBF Report of the Secretary-General on 9 and 13 October 2008.

H. Issues to be addressed in the revision of the PBF terms of reference:
1. Increase the speed, agility and accountability of the PBF through the clarification of roles and responsibilities of lcey actors in the management, administration and implementation of the Fund. These actors include PBSO and UNDPMDTF at the HQ level, and Joint Steering Committees, UNCT, recipient organizations and implementing partners at the country level. 2. Conduct a strategic internal resource assessment to strengthen PBSO's h d management capacity and its bacltstopping function.
3. Enhance PBF procedures and guidelines to facilitate faster, transparent, and more strategic decision-making on the selection of countries (eligibility criteria), deployment of resources, identification of priorities including early recovery, traclung of performance and reporting, and mobilization of resources.

4. Deploy peacebuilding and planning capacity to new countries eligible for PBF funding to speed-up the formulation of priority plans and disbursement of funds. This capacity would assist with in-country critical data collection; capacity needs assessments; and project planning, training, and identification of potential national implementing partners.
5. Adopt measures to enhance PBF accountability mechanisms and assure proper financial and operational risk management.

6. Facilitate systematic good practice documentation and knowledge sharing across PBF countries, in partnership with the in-country PBF Secretariats.

7. Formalize a more systematic interaction and increase the synergy between the work of the
PBC and the operations of the PBF.