UNODC consultation meeting with government counterparts to review and strengthen cooperation despite Covid-19

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Programme Office in Indonesia, Bappenas and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs convened the 7th Programme Governance Committee (PGC) of the UNODC Country Programme (CP) to review and strengthen ongoing partnerships despite the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. The event convened over one hundred representatives from various government agencies and included a review and endorsement of the scope of work being implemented in support to the government.

The PGC follows consultations and analyses of UNODC-GoI cooperation at the technical level through Technical Working Groups (TWGs) which serves as mechanisms for this dialogue. The TWGs provide an opportunity to engage with partners at the substantive level, ensuring that proposed programmes continue meet the needs of the Government of Indonesia and are timely, high-quality and effective. Challenges and opportunities are also discussed. Subsequently, recommendations are made to the PGC for the approval of forward-looking programming for the remainder of 2020.

The PGC and TWG mechanisms were established as a component of the Country Programme (2017-2020) and is managed through a partnership between UNODC, Bappenas and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This CP builds on the foundation of previous UNODC programming in Indonesia and provides a coherent framework which is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) and the National Mid-Term Development Plans. Therefore, the PGC serves to identify and respond to the needs of partner agencies to prevent and interdict a variety of crime types, assist the government to achieve its commitment to the 2030 Agenda and it own national priority. The PGC is the vehicle for ensuring strategic oversight and governance of the implementation of the CP.

“The comprehensive workplan agreed between the Government of Indonesia and UNODC presents a strong framework to ensure that resources are allocated in the most efficient and effective manner,” stated Dr. Diani Sadiawati, Senior Advisor to Minister of National Development Planning on Institutional Relations.

This point was reiterated by Ms. Grata Endah Werdaningtyas, Director of International Security and Disarmament at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: “We look to our international and global partners, such as UNODC, to leverage our strengths in Indonesia as we tackle transnational organised crime. Applying a demand-driven, inclusive approach, we can pull upon our combined resources to address new and emerging threats.”

“UNODC is very proud of our continuing strong partnership with the Government of Indonesia and the progress that we have been able to jointly achieve as a team” said Mr. Collie Brown, UNODC Indonesia Country Manager. He further noted that “The Programme Governance Committee is the backbone of this partnership as it brings all entities together as mutually supportive partners with a joint mission to improve the safety and wellbeing of all Indonesians. During this challenging time with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, our partnership with the Government of Indonesia has never been more important.”