Navigating Change: The Future of UN Agency Mergers

The idea of merging United Nations agencies is occasionally discussed, often as part of broader UN reform initiatives aimed at improving efficiency, coherence, and effectiveness.

Although such mergers would be a complex and politically sensitive process requiring approval from UN member states, the General Assembly, and possibly other governing bodies, it’s highly likely to witness it in the near future considering:

i.?Pressure for Coherence: Member states and stakeholders demand better alignment among UN agencies to reduce fragmentation and duplication of efforts, especially with the public perception criticizing what they see and call “UN bureaucracy”.

?ii.?Strengthening the UN’s Global Influence: A more streamlined system can enhance the UN’s legitimacy and effectiveness in addressing global challenges like climate change, migration, and conflicts.

?iii.??Accountability and Transparency: Calls for greater transparency in the use of resources have grown, particularly from donor countries. So, mergers are seen as a way to simplify oversight and improve reporting mechanisms.

?iv.?Financial Constraints: Many UN agencies face funding crises, as contributions from member states stagnate or decline. So, mergers are seen as a way to cut administrative costs and direct more resources to program delivery.

Today, we will tackle some possible areas of integration based on overlapping mandates and UN Reform principles, alongside some challenged and how to overcome them.

A) Merger Scenarios:

1. Development Sector: Merging or Integrating UNDP, UNFPA, and UNICEF

• Rationale: These agencies focus on interconnected aspects of sustainable development: UNDP: Development and poverty reduction. UNFPA: Population and reproductive health. UNICEF: Children’s welfare and rights.
• Reform Proposal: Create a unified structure for delivering development programs at the country level to streamline efforts under the UN Resident Coordinator System.
• Outcome: A consolidated development-focused agency could reduce administrative costs and improve holistic programming for vulnerable populations.

2. Humanitarian Response: Integration of UNHCR, OCHA, and IOM

• Rationale: UNHCR handles refugee protection. OCHA coordinates humanitarian response. IOM focuses on migration management.
• Reform Proposal: Enhance coordination for mixed migration flows and displacement scenarios. Establish joint operational frameworks in crises, potentially leading to a merger of overlapping functions.
• Outcome: A unified humanitarian agency could streamline refugee, migration, and humanitarian aid delivery.

3. Environmental and Climate Agencies: UNEP and UNFCCC

• Rationale: UNEP focuses broadly on environmental issues. UNFCCC addresses climate change mitigation and adaptation.
• Reform Proposal: Integrate UNFCCC into UNEP to create a single, globally recognized environmental authority.
• Outcome: This merger would align climate change mitigation with broader environmental sustainability goals, offering a coherent platform for action.

4. Food Security: FAO, WFP, and IFAD

• Rationale: FAO leads on agricultural development and policy. WFP focuses on emergency food aid and logistics. IFAD finances rural development projects.

• Reform Proposal: Create a unified food security organization, with FAO providing technical expertise, WFP managing logistics, and IFAD driving financial mechanisms.
• Outcome: A consolidated agency would improve coordination on food systems, addressing hunger and rural poverty more effectively.

5. Gender Equality: Further Strengthening UN Women

• Rationale: While UN Women was created by merging four entities, some duplication with other agencies (e.g., UNICEF, UNDP) remains in gender-related programming.
• Reform Proposal: Expand UN Women’s mandate to absorb more gender-focused programs from other agencies.
• Outcome: UN Women becomes the singular authority on gender equality and women’s empowerment within the UN system.

?6. Health Sector: WHO and UNAIDS

• Rationale: WHO addresses global health policy and pandemics. UNAIDS focuses on HIV/AIDS-specific initiatives.
• Reform Proposal: Merge UNAIDS into WHO to integrate HIV/AIDS efforts into broader global health strategies.
• Outcome: A unified approach to health could reduce silos and better address cross-cutting health challenges, such as pandemics and chronic diseases.

7. Peacebuilding and Conflict Resolution: DPPA and DPO

• Rationale: Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) focuses on conflict prevention and mediation. Department of Peace Operations (DPO) manages peacekeeping missions.
• Reform Proposal: Merge DPPA and DPO into a single entity to create seamless transitions from conflict prevention to peacekeeping and peacebuilding.
• Outcome: Improved coherence in managing conflicts and post-conflict recovery.

8. Trade and Development: UNCTAD and ITC

• Rationale: UNCTAD (UN Conference on Trade and Development) promotes trade for development. ITC (International Trade Centre) supports trade capacity-building.
• Reform Proposal: Integrate ITC into UNCTAD to align trade policy and capacity-building efforts.
• Outcome: A single entity could offer more comprehensive support for developing countries in global trade systems.

9. Merging Regional Economic Commissions

• Rationale: The UN has five regional economic commissions (e.g., ESCAP for Asia, ECLAC for Latin America) that sometimes overlap in thematic focus areas.
• Reform Proposal: Consolidate regional commissions to create fewer, more efficient bodies or integrate their functions into global agencies like UNDP.
• Outcome: Enhanced resource utilization and reduced administrative redundancy.

?B) Challenges to overcome:

1. Mandate Preservation: Specialized mandates risk dilution in broader entities. So the revision should involve thoroughly reconciling overlapping roles while ensuring no critical functions are lost.
2. Systems and Policies: Advance alignment of systems and policies during a merger of UN agencies is critical to ensure operational efficiency, consistency, and smooth transitions.
3. Funding Mechanisms: Differing reliance on assessed vs. voluntary contributions complicates integration. So, the merger must align funding mechanisms with the core mandate of the new agency. This might require revising the funding base to reflect a broader, integrated mission.
4. Staff Impacts: Mergers often lead to job redundancies, requiring careful management, and staff management is a mission by itself!

Considering my HR portfolio, I will delve a bit into the staff implications.

Staff are the CORE asset for the agency performing the functions on ground. So the management involved in the merger preparations should have a dedicated team focusing on identifying talent and quality staff to ensure that the newly merged agency retains the best skills, knowledge, and leadership while maintaining operational continuity and efficiency. The process requires careful consideration of individual and organizational capabilities, especially in terms of staff experience, expertise, and alignment with the new agency’s goals. Below are some strategies for identifying top talent during a merger:

-?Conducting a Skills and Competencies Audit

-?Performance Reviews and Historical Data (AI tools and PEAKON is better that personalized performance reviews)

-Structured Interviews and Assessments

-Identifying Key Functional Areas

-Building a Talent Pool for the Future alongside development plan

-Employee Engagement vs. Retention: Identify staff who are most engaged and likely to stay with the organization through the merger and beyond

-Conducting Cross-Agency Talent Reviews

-Leveraging HR Systems and Data Analytics

-Managing External Talent Pools

-Transparency and Fairness: Ensure that the process of identifying and selecting talent is fair, transparent, and free from bias.

Finally, transparent communication with staff. It’s crucial for fostering trust, minimizing uncertainty, and ensuring a smooth transition. Effective transparent communication is key to successfully managing change and ensuring that staff are informed, motivated, and part of the process. Here’s why transparent communication is important during a merger:

-Builds Trust and Reduces Uncertainty

-Fosters a Culture of Inclusion and Engagement and subsequently mitigating resistance to change and promoting positive working environment

-Enhances talent retention

-Reduces corridor talks and rumors ??

-Last but not least, reflects positively on the leadership,

In conclusion, the merger of UN agencies presents both opportunities and challenges, requiring careful planning and strategic execution. By focusing on aligning systems, policies, and communication, ensuring transparency, and prioritizing staff welfare, the integration process can be a catalyst for greater efficiency, effectiveness, and innovation in delivering on the UN’s global mandate. The success of such mergers will ultimately depend on how well these elements are managed and how the transition is communicated to both staff and external stakeholders.

The question remains: will we witness a merger among UN agencies in the near future?