The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS)
Statement by Grete Faremo to the UNOPS Executive Board
Under-Secretary-General Faremo delivers statement to Members of the Executive Board of UNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS in New York.
Ms. Faremo’s presentation focused on this year’s Annual Statistical Report on UN Procurement, which is compiled each year by UNOPS on behalf of the UN system, as well as gender equality and wider UN reform initiatives.
“UNOPS experience and unique business model may be of great value to this reform as we have been putting a premium on effectiveness and efficiency for several years,” said Ms. Faremo from the podium of the UN Economic and Social Council’s Chamber, pointing to the organization’s fee-for-service model.
Referencing the Secretary-General’s gender parity strategy, Ms. Faremo also presented UNOPS work in this area: “We set ourselves ambitious targets, to ensure that women, at all levels, see a future career for themselves at UNOPS, recognizing that women and men sometimes have different needs.”
The statement to the Executive Board – the third and final presentation to Members in 2018 – discussed UNOPS expertise in infrastructure and procurement, and work to mainstream gender into its operations on the ground.
The Annual Statistical Report highlighted this year that the spending of 40 UN organizations exceeded $18.6 billion in 2017.
“Aligned to repeated UN resolutions, spending on goods and services from least developed countries increased by more than $600 million, to reach $3 billion in 2017,” said Ms. Faremo.
Finally, the Joint Inspection Unit, which undertook a review of UNOPS management and administration, provided a summary of their report from teleconference in Geneva.
