IRFFI Terms of Reference| UNDG ITF Steering Committee Terms of Reference & Rules of Procedures
International Reconstruction Fund Facility for Iraq (IRFFI)
The IRFFI enables donors to fund activities administered by UNDG ITF on behalf of the Participating UN Organisations and/or activities administered by the World Bank ITF (WB ITF) under a joint coordination and monitoring mechanism that operates in accordance with the IRFFI Terms of Reference.
Coordination is achieved through the Donor and the Executive Committees. The Executive Committee is chaired by the Iraqi Ministry of Planning and Development Cooperation (MoPDC), and is comprised of the Donor Committee Chairperson, and representatives of the United Nations and the World Bank. The Executive Committee ensures alignment between IRFFI activities and the overall Iraqi priorities, including those in the ICI, and coherent planning, monitoring, and reporting between UNDG ITF and WB ITF activities.
The Donor Committee is comprised of donors who have made a minimum contribution of US $10 million to either or both the WB ITF or UNDG ITF. In addition, two seats on the Donor Committee are given to representatives of other donors contributing less than US $10 million. The Word Bank, UNDG, IMF and MoPDC hold observer status. The Chairmanship is drawn from members of the Donor Committee. Its responsibilities include ensuring coherence and collaboration between the IRFFI, and the Iraqi National Development Strategy (NDS) and International Compact with Iraq (ICI). It oversees monitoring and evaluation, and reviews progress of the IRFFI activities. Solicitation of new contributions and donors are also within its mandate.
UNDG ITF Steering Committee
The UNDG ITF is governed by a coordination structure that ensures inter-agency, donor, and government participation in the identification, design, development, approval, implementation and monitoring of UNDG ITF activities.
The Steering Committee is established to oversee and coordinate the operations of the UNDG ITF in accordance with the UNDG ITF Steering Committee Terms of Reference and Rules of Procedure, which are designed to guide and facilitate the work of the Committee. The Steering Committee provides overall strategic guidance and oversight as well as makes decisions on fund allocation.
The UNDG ITF Steering Committee operates under the supervision of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) and is chaired by the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General (DSRSG). The Committee is composed of the Heads of each Participating UN Organizations and, as of September 2008, two members of the donor committee. The European Commission and the Government of Canada will be members of the Steering Committee for a one year period from September 2008 to September 2009.
The Steering Committee operates by consensus and meets bi-monthly or anytime it should be required, upon initiation from the Chair. The Committee instituted a ‘fast-track process’ for members to respond and decide on project proposals electronically so as to expedite urgent time-bound projects particularly election related projects. The Committee is supported by a Steering Committee Support Office (SCSO) that facilitates the work of and assists the Steering Committee in its various obligations. The SCSO reports to the Chair.
UNCT Baghdad Policy Group (BPG)
There are four UN Policy Groups: Essential Social Services, Projection, Governance and Economic Development. The pillars are comprised of senior advisory staff from Participating UN Organizations and based in Baghdad to enable close cooperation with the Government of Iraq (GoI) and to review draft project submissions to ensure they are aligned with the priorities of the GoI in relation to the NDS and ICI.
Sector Outcome Team (SOT)
The SOTs are designed to increase strategic planning, programming and coordination with the GoI to achieve improved and equitable access to essential social services, strengthened civilian protection, accelerated and inclusive economic development, and strengthened governance. The SOT serves as a coordinating mechanism for technical review, planning, prioritization and approving projects working closely with the relevant counterpart ministries. Membership includes Participating UN Organizations and NGOs active in the various sectors.
Peer Review
The Peer Group is comprised of the BPG members and donors. Its primary responsibility is to review documents that have been reviewed by the SOTs and the SCSO to ensure they are strategic and responsive to the current needs identified by the GoI before they are forwarded to the ISRB, as indicated in the ICI. It does not undertake a technical review.
The ISRB provides overall policy and strategic guidance for donor assistance and it is the final approving authority for all programming in Iraq including IRRFI/UNDG ITF funded projects. Chaired by the Ministry of Planning and Development Cooperation (MoPDC), the ISRB reviews all IRFFI projects before they are submitted to the UNDG ITF Steering Committee for final approval.
The MoPDC chairs the ISRB and is the GoI’s primary interlocutor with the Facility. It ensures that resources are applied toward Iraq’s prioritized needs and equitably distributed. The MoPDC works closely with the Ministry of Finance to ensure conformity with the overall budgetary framework, and maintains an overview of the project development and implementation processes of the two Trust Funds.
Administrative Agent
The Participating UN Organizations have designated UNDP’s Multi-Donor Trust Fund (MDTF) Office to serve as the Administrative Agent for the UNDG ITF. Its responsibilities include the receipt, administration and management of contributions from donors; disbursement of funds to the Participating UN Organizations, in accordance with instructions from the Steering Committee; and consolidation and dissemination of narrative and financial reports, produced by each of the Participating UN Organizations to the Steering Committee and donors. The Administrative Agent will also commission independent lessons-learned and review exercises of the entire UNDG ITF operations, as requested by the Steering Committee.
