The UN Development Operations Coordination Office (DOCO) promotes social and economic progress by helping UN organizations deliver coherent, effective and efficient support to countries. The Secretary-General created DOCO (formerly the Development Group Office) and the UN Development Group (UNDG) in 1997 to unite the UN system and improve the quality of its development assistance. Coordination leads to more strategic UN support for national plans and priorities, makes operations more efficient, reduces transaction costs for governments, and ultimately helps people attain the Millennium Development Goals and other internationally agreed development objectives.

1. Provide direct support for effective UN country operations that deliver high-quality development results.

2. Strengthen the role of the UN at the country level by facilitating UNDG dialogue on development policies and efforts to build consensus on coordination.

3. On behalf of the UNDG, act as the guardian of the Resident Coordinator System, protect its role and integrity, and sustain the gains it has made at all levels.

4. Collect and disseminate UN development system knowledge and best practices in support of UNDG efforts to set global standards for country operations.

5. Enhance the internal operational efficiency of DOCO.

Much of DOCO’s work focuses on supporting and strengthening the Resident Coordinator system with funding, policy guidance and training. DOCO advises RCs on how to make country programmes more efficient, effective and aligned with national priorities, and work to streamline coordination mechanisms. DOCO administers the UN Country Coordination Fund, which provides Resident Coordinators with resources to improve their capacity to coordinate.

DOCO helps the UNDG develop and introduce simplified and harmonized policies and procedures that are vital to country office operations in areas such as communications and IT systems, human resources, procurement, financial rules and regulations, standardized auditing and financial reporting, cost recovery, and funding to partner organizations.

DOCO provides targeted support specifically to RC Offices and UNCTs operating in transition countries. Our crisis and post-conflict specialists help teams conduct post-conflict needs assessments and develop transitional results frameworks, launch strategic planning exercises, and develop financing mechanisms for transitions. Depending on the country context and available resources, DOCO may provide transition funding to enhance the staff capacity of RC Offices in strategic planning, coordination, monitoring and evaluation, and donor relations.

At UN Headquarters, DOCO provides technical support for the UNDG’s work. DOCO staff work with UNDG members to prepare system-wide issues, policies and guidelines for decisions by the group and the UN Chief Executives Board. DOCO is organized into four thematic clusters, each headed by an Associate Director. DOCO staff have extensive expertise with UN country operations, coordination, strategic planning, development policy, crisis and post-conflict situations, and strategic communications.

The Director of DOCO is Debbie Landey, a former Deputy Executive Director of UNAIDS, Resident Coordinator and senior manager in UNDP’s Bureau of Management. DOCO is organized into four clusters, each headed by an Associate Director. DOCO staff have extensive expertise with UN country operations, coordination, strategic planning, development policy, crisis and post-conflict situations, and communications. The office is administered and funded by UNDP.

Contact Information
UN Development Operations Coordination Office
One UN Plaza, DC1-1600, New York, NY 10017 USA
Telephone: +1 212-906-5500, Fax: +1 212-906-3609
Email: doco@undg.org