Co-Chairs,
Thank you for your leadership and for steering an inclusive process, and not the least for preparing a focused, well-crafted Zero Draft.
We welcome particularly that the outcome of our work should have a system-wide application to achieve meaningful change.
Impactful reform will require a shift in culture.
Our mandates should be clear on what we expect to achieve, while allowing greater flexibility on how results are delivered.
We recognize the proposal also for a continuing Working Group, and we agree there is a need to build ways to ensure that what we decide will be meaningfully implemented and followed up on.
In addition to the SSG-statement delivered by Singapore which we aligned to, allow me to emphasize two additional points:
First, we firmly support an enhanced role and systematic involvement of the secretariat in supporting Member States through the entire mandate cycle.
This will be essential to avoiding duplication and the continued proliferation of mandates.
The secretariat should assist Member States, including through early costing, to improve our linking of mandated activities with resourcing ensuring that mandates are operationally feasible, and to help connect the dots of mandating bodies, including specialized agencies.
We must invest in efficiencies, the Secretariat should also have the flexibility to allocate resources effectively.
We welcome this is reflected in the draft, and see a strong link between actions for Member States, as in paragraph 6, and the requests made to the SG in paragraph 20 onwards.
Steps like the use of standardized concept notes, have the potential to deliver a genuine paradigm shift.
Second, digital coherence:
Today, the UN operates through a fragmented digital landscape, with separate institutional systems.
We welcome therefore inclusion in the draft proposals made for a database.
Norway envisions this as a comprehensive digital platform for mandates: a dynamic, up-to-date system-wide tool for documentation, results, and impact reporting.
We believe this will enhance the UNs legitimacy through transparency and accessibility and improve strategic oversight.
Co-Chairs,
In sum, we believe the zero draft serves as a good starting point. We remain committed to secure an ambitious outcome. Co-Chairs, you have our full support for the process ahead. We look forward to engage constructively and actively in the upcoming workshop sessions.
Thank you.