US embassy cable - 03ZAGREB1299

UNCLAS ZAGREB 001299 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
FOR IO/EDA AND PRM/POP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AORC, EAID, PREL, HR, UNDP, Trade 
SUBJECT: UNDP/UNFPA PROGRAMS IN CROATIA 
 
REF: STATE 137010 
 
UNDP PROGRAM IN CROATIA 
----------------------- 
 
1. UNDP MAINTAINS A SMALL PRESENCE IN CROATIA; UNFPA IS NOT 
    ACTIVE IN THE COUNTRY.  POST RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS CONTAINED 
IN REFTEL PARA 7 FOLLOW. 
 
2. UNDP IS ENGAGED WITH THE CROATIAN GOVERNMENT IN THE 
DEVELOPMENT PLANNING PROCESS.  SPECIFICALLY, UNDP HAS WORKED 
WITH LOCAL AUTHORITIES TO PRODUCE COUNTRY-LEVEL DEVELOPMENT 
PLANS.  OTHER THAN THE COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLANS, UNDP HAS 
DONE VERY LITTLE WORK IN THE AREA OF GOVERNANCE AND RULE OF 
LAW. 
 
3. HIV/AIDS AND ECONOMIC REHABILITATION OF WAR AFFECTED AREAS 
ARE THE MAJOR COMPONENTS OF THE UNDP PROGRAM.  THE UNDP 
PROGRAM HAS BECOME MORE FOCUSED IN RECENT YEARS, SHIFTING 
FROM A BROADER HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE MANDATE TO TARGETED 
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND HIV/AIDS PROJECTS.  THE PROGRAM IS 
NOT FOCUSED ON REDUCING POVERTY. 
 
4. THE UNDP PROGRAM SUPPORTS MARKET-ORIENTED APPROACHES AND 
ENTREPRENEURIAL DEVELOPMENT THROUGH SUPPORT TO LOCAL ECONOMIC 
DEVELOPMENT AGENCIES, AND FAMILY-BASED AND SMALL AND MEDIUM 
SCALE ENTERPRISE CREDIT SCHEMES.  THESE AREAS ARE APPROPRIATE 
FOR THE NEEDS OF THE COUNTRY.  YES, GOVERNANCE/DEMOCRACY AND 
ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVES ARE APPROPRIATE FOR THE COUNTRY 
PROGRAM. 
 
5. THE UNDP RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE HAS PLAYED A COORDINATING 
ROLE ON THE ISSUE OF HIV/AIDS.  THE RESREP DOES NOT 
COORDINATE FOREIGN ASSISTANCE WITH THE GOVERNMENT, BILATERAL 
DONORS, MULTILATERAL INSTITUTIONS, NGOS, AND CIVIL SOCIETY. 
 
COMMENT ON UNDP COUNTRY PROGRAMME OUTLINE FOR 2004-2006 
    --------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
6. ON "PAST COOPERATION AND LESSONS LEARNED," WE AND OTHERS 
ARE SKEPTICAL ABOUT THE REPEATED CLAIMS OF SUCCESS FOR THE 
ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION PROGRAMME (PARAS 10-13).  BY AND 
LARGE, THERE HAS BEEN NO ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION IN THESE 
AREAS.  WE UNDERSTAND UNDP HAS BASED THE NUMBER OF 4000 JOBS 
CREATED SOLELY ON THE NUMBER OF CREDITS THEY HAVE EXTENDED. 
UNDP IS NOT "THE RECOGNIZED CENTRAL UNITED NATIONS SYSTEM 
PROVIDER" NOR DO WE SEE THAT ROLE INCREASING IN THE WAKE OF 
THE DEPARTURE OF UNLO LATER THIS MONTH. 
 
7. WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE FINANCIAL AND STAFFING CAPACITY 
OF UNDP TO CARRY OUT THE PROPOSED PROGRAM AS OUTLINED IN 
PARAS 14-21.  UNDP'S PRESENCE IN CROATIA CONSISTS OF A 
HEADQUARTERS STAFF OF A FEW PEOPLE, AND FOURTEEN PEOPLE 
DIVIDED BETWEEN FOUR FIELD OFFICES.  UNDP SIMPLY HAS NOT 
"PLAYED THE LEAD ROLE IN CROATIA IN SUPPORTING LOCAL ECONOMIC 
DEVELOPMENT."  THEIR ROLE HAS BEEN MINOR, AT BEST, AND 
CONSEQUENTLY WE QUESTION THEIR ABILITY TO PROVIDE EFFECTIVE 
POLICY ADVICE BASED ON THEIR EXPERIENCES (PARA 17). 
 
8. WE ARE NOT AWARE OF ANY CROSS-BORDER INITIATIVES (PARA 21) 
UNDERTAKEN BY UNDP.  CURRENTLY, THERE ARE SEVERAL ONGOING 
CROSS-BORDER INITIATIVES IN EASTERN SLAVONIA IN THE AREA OF 
BRCKO, AND ALONG THE UNA RIVER IN WESTERN SLAVONIA, BUT WE 
ARE NOT AWARE OF ANY UNDP INVOLVEMENT.  GIVEN THE STAFFING 
AND FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS UNDER WHICH UNDP IS OPERATING, WE 
QUESTION THEIR ABILITY TO IMPLEMENT THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND 
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES OUTLINED IN PARA 21 -- AND 
THE SAME WOULD APPLY FOR THE PROGRAM MANAGEMENT, MONITORING, 
    AND EVALUATION ACTIVITIES DESCRIBED IN PARAS 22-25. 
ROSSIN 
 
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