435.Inintroducing thereport, theDirector oftheInterorganizational Co-operation andJointPlanning BranchoftheOfficeforProgramme Planning and co-ordination invited th~Committee, inthiscontext, toreviewbroadly the concept, structure andfuturedevelopment ofcross-organizational programme analysis asatoolforitswork. Indoingso,heidentified fourareasinwhich theCommittee mightwishtoguidethefutureworkoftheSecretariat: (a)therole thatcross-organizational programme analyses shouldplayinassisting the~mmittee inperforming itsfunctionsi (b)thecriteria tobeusedinselecting thesubjects forsuchanalyses, (c)thecriteria tobeusedindefining thescope,orcoverage, ofeachanalysis, and(d)theformofpresentation ofthereports onsuch analyses. Asregards theselection ofthesubject foranalysis in1987,he recalled thattheAdministrative Committee onCo-ordination hadconsidered three subjects: environmenti science andtechnology fordevelopmenti andactivities relating towomen. Forthereasons outlined inthereportbeforetheCommittee, environment hadbeenconsidered themostappropriate. 2.Discussion 436.Itwasgenerally agreedthatcross-organizational programme analyses werean extremely important andusefultoolfortheworkoftheCommittee inpromoting greater efficiency, co--operation andco-ordination intheactivities oftheunited Nations system. Theirbasicfunction hadbeenwelldefined duringprevious sessions oftheCommittee andremained valid. Briefly, theyshouldprovide a critical andanalytical assessment oftheactivities oftheorganizations ofthe UnitedNations systeminrelation totheirmandates, withspecial attention togaps incoverage, overlapping andduplication ofactivities, andproblems of co-ordination. TheCommittee welcomed theopportunity toreviewthecurrent status ofthoseanalyses, sinceitbelieved thattheycouldandshould befurther improved. Previous cross-organizational programme analyses had,forexample, tendedtobetoolong,toodescriptive andinSUfficiently critical andanalytical andtolackobjective insights andadequate conclusions bytheSecretariat • However, itwasimportant tomaintain acleardistinction between cross-organizational programme analyses andevaluations, whichwerelimited tothe UnitedNations andassessed thecontent andeffectiveness ofactivities inselected programme areas. 437.Anumberofcriteria wereconsidered important inselecting SUbjects for cross-organizational programme analysis. Aprimary criterion inthisregardwas thatthesubject should beofhighpriority toMemberStates. Othercriteria included participation intheprogramme areabyalargenumberaforganizations of thesystem, possible linkage withevaluations, strongpotential forfollow-up action, andperceived orpotential problems ofco-ordinatio~. TheCommittee agreed that,infuture,itshouldbeprovided withinformation onseveral SUbjects meeting thosecriteria soastohaveafirmbasisonwhichtomakeitsselection. 438.Itwasnotedthatarecurring problem indesigning cross-organizational programme analyses, particularly incomplex multisectoral andmUltidisciplinary areassuchasenvironment andeconomic andtechnical co-operation amongdeveloping countries, wastheformulation ofagreedoperational criteria todetermine ona case-by-case basiswhichactivities ofthesystemshouldfallwithintheirscope. -91-f;-j -n 'i ,j ~..i..(J I~·j·i,1 '1'IL Itwassuggested thatresolution ofthatproblem couldbe,initself, auseful resultoftheanalysis. /439.TheCommittee recognized thatconsiderable workhadalready beendonein refining andelaborating themethodology andstructure ofcross-organizational progra~~e analyses. Itwasfelt,however, thatgreater efforts should bemadeto tailoreachstudymoreclosely totheparticular circumstances ofthesubject considered. Insomeinstances, forexample, thismightentaillessdescription of activities andinstead aselective focusonacluster ofcrucial problems.. Inthe lightofthecriticism thatprevious analyses hadnotfullydealtwithsuchissues asgaps,overlaps andduplication, andco-ordination problems, somedelegations feltthatfuturereports shouldhavedistinct separate sections forsuchkey elements. TheCommittee agreedthatfutureanalyses shouldbestructured insucha wayastofacilitate itstaskinformulating action-oriented conclusions and
**Analysis**
The text discusses the concept, structure, and future development of cross-organizational programme analysis, which is a tool used by the United Nations system to promote greater efficiency, cooperation, and coordination in its activities. The analysis focuses on selecting subjects for study, defining the scope and criteria for the analysis, and presenting the results. The text also mentions the importance of considering gaps, overlaps, and duplication of activities, as well as coordination problems, in the analysis.

**Category**
Natural resources and environment, Science and technology