UN Operations Management Team Explores Ways to Enhance Operational Efficiency in Delivering the SDGs

Members of the UN Operations Management Team (OMT) convened for their annual strategic meeting to advance the UN system’s operational efficiency and effectiveness in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Ethiopia. Operating under the guidance of the UN Country Team (UNCT), the OMT provides leadership in implementing efficiency initiatives and managing common business operations in a coordinated, effective, and streamlined manner at the country level.

This year’s meeting focused on strengthening knowledge related to targeted efficiency initiatives such as the Business Operations Strategy (BOS), the Common Back Office (CBO), and Common Premises. The team also identified key areas for harmonizing operations across UN agencies within each Common Working Group. The strategic session further served as a platform to raise awareness among members about the current economic context in Ethiopia and the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF), highlighting its operational linkages.

In the two-day meeting, Common Working Groups—including those for Human Resources, Logistics & Procurement, Finance, ICT, and Common Administration—presented their plans. Overall, OMT identified 46 common services for implementation in 2025 with an expected cost avoidance of $2.5 million. Discussions also addressed the importance of a Business Continuity Plan for the UN system in Ethiopia, with members expressing a strong commitment to actively contribute to its development. 

The planning process builds on the OMT’s ongoing achievements in driving operational improvements and resource efficiency to support the UN’s delivery on national priorities and the SDGs. In the past year, the OMT implemented 41 common services, resulting in a cost avoidance of $1.8 million. It also launched the Information Knowledge Management Platform to enhance information sharing among the OMT and its Working Groups.

Other key accomplishments include conducting PSEA awareness sessions for human resources focal persons (with a broader staff rollout planned), mapping Organizations of Persons with Disabilities, and assessing the physical accessibility of UN premises in Addis Ababa. The team developed and shared an SOP on protocol services, provided capacity development training for joint implementing partners, and co-organized a business seminar with the Addis Ababa Chamber of Commerce.

OMT also analyzed gender parity data, which currently reflects 35.18% female representation, with a target to reach 50/50 parity. The team evaluated the impacts of recent economic reforms on the UN system, reviewed proposed harmonized DSA rates for government and partner officials, and championed the inclusion of disability, gender equality, and environmental sustainability in procurement processes. Additionally, the 2024 Country Premises Plan data was finalized, and multiple awareness and training sessions were conducted on topics such as carpooling, back-office operations, disability inclusion, MPOX, and stress management.