THE DEVELOPMENT MANDATE
The actual check of restoration is whether or not it interprets into seen enhancements in folks’s lives
Marc-André Franche
In a rustic the place resilience has develop into a part of the worldwide vocabulary, Marc-André Franche arrived with a profession formed by years of labor throughout growth, restoration and peace constructing contexts around the globe. His work has taken him from post-earthquake Haiti to Libya, Pakistan, Colombia, Bolivia and the corridors of the UN in New York Metropolis.
Appointed by UN Secretary-Basic António Guterres because the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Sri Lanka in July 2023, Franche now leads the UN Nation Workforce at a pivotal second within the island’s journey.
The UN’s function in Sri Lanka is to help nationwide priorities, strengthen partnerships, and assist advance inclusive and sustainable growth that leaves nobody behind.
His mandate is deeply grounded: to carry collectively businesses, funds and programmes in help of the nation’s growth priorities, whereas advancing the UN Sustainable Growth Targets (SDGs) in partnership with the federal government, the non-public sector, civil society and communities.
With greater than 28 years of service inside the United Nations, Franche’s profession displays a dedication to international locations navigating transition.
Previous to his appointment in Sri Lanka, he served as UNDP Resident Consultant in Libya, supporting governance, native peace constructing and sustainable progress. From 2016 to 2021, he led the Secretary-Basic’s Peacebuilding Fund within the Division of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, overseeing investments in additional than 50 international locations geared toward sustaining peace.
Franche’s earlier roles corroborated his expertise throughout growth, restoration and institutional rebuilding. He served as UNDP Nation Director in Pakistan (2013-2016) and Deputy Director in Haiti (2008-2012), the place he contributed to post-earthquake restoration and reconstruction.
Between 2004 and 2008, he labored with the UNDP in New York Metropolis as Programme Adviser for Battle Prevention in Latin America and the Caribbean. Earlier than that, his work with the UNDP in Colombia (2001-2004) focussed on utilized analysis and coverage dialogue, whereas in Bolivia (1998-2001) Franche labored on poverty discount and native governance.
Throughout his assignments, he has labored on the intersection of coverage and folks.
Educated on the London College of Economics and Political Science (LSE), Lund College and Université de Montréal, the Canadian brings to Sri Lanka not solely world experience however a layered understanding of what inclusive growth calls for.
At this time, collectively along with his spouse and two kids, Franche calls Sri Lanka ‘house’ – and he leads the UN’s work right here with a deal with partnership, progress and shared accountability.
– Compiled by Tamara Rebeira
Q: Because the world navigates a interval of uncertainty marked by financial fragility and geopolitical tensions, what provides you confidence within the skill of worldwide establishments – together with the UN – to ship stability and progress?
A: One of many clearest classes from current crises is simply how interconnected our world has develop into. What begins in a single area is rapidly felt throughout economies, markets and households worldwide.
Latest army escalations within the Center East are a living proof with the World Financial institution projecting vitality costs to surge by 24 p.c this 12 months – the steepest rise because the invasion of Ukraine – and the IMF warning that world progress may sluggish to three.1 p.c.
In accordance with UNDP estimates, greater than 30 million folks may very well be pushed into poverty because of this.
That is exactly the sort of disaster no nation can handle alone. It calls for collective, multilateral responses – which is why establishments such because the United Nations exist: to carry international locations collectively to take care of peace, handle dangers and tackle shared challenges.
There may be additionally a deeper lesson. There isn’t any sustainable path out of cycles of battle with out adhering to worldwide regulation – together with worldwide humanitarian regulation. These frameworks shield civilians and assist create the circumstances for stability and sustainable growth. When they’re weakened, the results are speedy and far-reaching.
We have to do not forget that the interval of relative peace and extraordinary enhancements in livelihoods following World Warfare II was pushed partly by multilateralism and a stronger set of worldwide guidelines. The previous few years have bolstered a easy reality: lasting options can’t be achieved by means of pressure. They’re constructed by means of dialogue and diplomacy, which is tragically missing in help and assets at this time.
At a time when multilateralism is underneath pressure and its relevance is more and more questioned, the demand for cooperation is paradoxically rising. Massive, medium and small states alike are in search of methods to handle dangers.
For smaller states, a breakdown in world guidelines is an existential concern. For bigger powers, rising competitors can also be making a shared curiosity in guardrails, because the dangers of unintended battle, unregulated applied sciences – together with AI and proxy confrontations – carry prices for all.
Because of this establishments such because the United Nations matter greater than ever. However multilateralism solely works when it’s backed. Any member state that seeks stability and progress for its personal folks has a direct curiosity in supporting, empowering and adequately financing the UN so it could ship on its mandate.
Q: In view of prevailing geopolitical tensions – together with within the Center East – how do such conflicts reshape world safety dynamics? And what implications may they’ve for economies equivalent to ours?
A: Conflicts at this time are forcing international locations to rethink how they method safety and financial stability. The present Center East disaster illustrates this vividly.
One seen shift is in how international locations are responding. Confronted with uncertainty and the rising weaponisation of important commodities equivalent to vitality, many are shifting to cut back exterior dependence by diversifying provide chains and constructing better self-reliance.
Whereas this will cut back publicity to shocks, it dangers fragmenting, making key items and commodities tougher to entry and costs considerably increased. I discover it hanging that world defence spending reached US$ 2.9 trillion globally in 2025 – the very best on file since 2009 – and but, the assets allotted to peace constructing and battle prevention stay a fraction of that.
Because the UN Secretary-Basic has identified, the world may get rid of excessive poverty for a fraction of what it spends on arms. Each greenback redirected to militaries is a greenback not invested in colleges, hospitals or infrastructure. For economies equivalent to Sri Lanka, these shifts have direct and worrying penalties.
And as a rustic reliant on imports of gasoline, fertiliser and different important inputs, disruptions to world provide chains will rapidly translate into increased costs and tighter provide. This places stress on agriculture, transport and vitality with knock-on results throughout the financial system.
For a lot of households already recovering from successive shocks, these added pressures will deepen vulnerabilities and sluggish restoration.
This won’t be a short-term disruption; it is going to have a pervasive affect, weighing on progress, discouraging funding, and limiting fiscal area with longer-term penalties for financial stability and growth.
On this setting, stability in world markets and predictable worldwide cooperation with a broader set of allies aren’t summary targets; they’re important for international locations to handle danger, shield hard-won features and maintain restoration.
The function of the UN is to advocate for that consistency however our effectiveness in the end relies on Member States performing in step with their obligations
Q: To what extent do exterior shocks – whether or not geopolitical conflicts, vitality value volatility or provide chain disruptions – pose dangers to fragile financial recoveries in growing nations – Sri Lanka being a living proof?
A: The nation’s current historical past illustrates how rapidly exterior shocks can unravel a fragile restoration. The World Financial institution has projected that 70 p.c of commodity importers worldwide may see weaker progress this 12 months as a result of Center East battle.
For a rustic like Sri Lanka, nonetheless engaged on regaining its footing within the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah and the 2022 financial disaster, this compounds an already troublesome trajectory.
What we see on the bottom is that these shocks don’t act in isolation. A current survey by the United Nations Financial and Social Fee for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP) means that they reinforce each other, amplifying their affect. Rising vitality costs feed straight into inflation and the price of dwelling. Disruptions to provide chains drive up the worth of meals and important imports. On the similar time, geopolitical tensions can have an effect on tourism and remittances, each of that are important sources of international alternate.
Taken collectively, these pressures can derail progress, pressure international alternate reserves and erode family resilience, pushing the bounds of what a recovering financial system can take in.
Sri Lanka’s expertise displays a broader actuality throughout many growing international locations. When restoration is incipient, externally dependent and fiscally constrained, exterior shocks can rapidly reverse hard-won features and push weak populations additional into danger.
Addressing this requires wanting past speedy disaster response. It means not merely restoring what existed earlier than however strengthening resilience at its core by diversifying vitality sources, prioritising and quick monitoring home vitality technology, and constructing social safety programs that may reply extra successfully to shocks.
It additionally means lowering overdependence on a restricted variety of exterior inflows. Restoration isn’t solely about regaining stability however about constructing an financial system that’s higher in a position to face up to the following shock.
Q: Within the wake of the conflict in Ukraine and hostilities within the Center East, how is the United Nations adapting its function to stay efficient in battle prevention, mediation and peace constructing? Put one other manner, what modifications are needed for the likes of the UN to play a extra outstanding function on this?
A: Conflicts at this time are extra advanced, extended and more and more interconnected. The Safety Council stays fragmented, and that’s reshaping how the UN engages in peace and safety.
The Secretary-Basic has burdened the necessity to ‘spare no effort’ to cease the combating and obtain simply and lasting peace in Ukraine, whereas remaining totally dedicated and tireless in efforts to advance peace and forestall additional escalation in crises equivalent to these within the Center East. This factors to a transparent precedence: sustained diplomacy, even in essentially the most troublesome contexts.
In the meantime, the rule of regulation is a cornerstone of worldwide peace and safety, and lies on the coronary heart of the UN Constitution. However authorized frameworks solely maintain when they’re utilized persistently. The function of the UN is to advocate for that consistency however our effectiveness in the end relies on member states performing in step with their obligations.
In apply, this requires sustained presence, flexibility and the flexibility to interact throughout a number of tracks over time. By the United Nations Division of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA), the UN helps mediation efforts by deploying envoys and particular representatives, offering technical experience to peace processes, facilitating dialogue between events, and supporting electoral and constitutional processes that may assist cut back tensions.
In the course of the years that I led the Secretary-Basic’s Peacebuilding Fund, which has invested in over 60 international locations to maintain peace, I persistently noticed that peace is sustained not by one-off interventions however steady engagement – usually in locations which have lengthy since left the headlines however the place the chance of relapse stays excessive.
The continued choice of the following Secretary-Basic has introduced these questions into sharp focus. Many member states have known as on the UN to play a extra energetic function in peace and safety, and that is entrance and centre of the dialogue with every of the candidates.
Whereas the setting is harder, the crucial is obvious: diplomacy, grounded within the UN Constitution and supported by member states stays important to stopping additional escalation, and constructing the circumstances for lasting peace.
Each greenback redirected to militaries is a greenback not invested in colleges, hospitals or infrastructure
Q: The UN performs a central function in linking peace, growth and human rights. How does this built-in method translate into sensible outcomes in international locations equivalent to Sri Lanka?
A: In Sri Lanka, the hyperlink between peace, growth and human rights isn’t summary however shapes how we work in apply.
The Sustainable Growth Cooperation Framework for 2023-2027, which guides our help to speed up progress in direction of Sustainable Growth Targets (SDGs), brings these parts collectively in order that progress in a single space reinforces the others.
A key a part of that is strengthening nationwide establishments by drawing on worldwide greatest practices and adapting them to the native context. Take parliamentary oversight: the UN has supported the restructuring of committees and opening proceedings to the general public, making the legislative course of extra clear and accountable.
On anti-corruption, our help has contributed to stronger legal guidelines and a nationwide motion plan aligned with worldwide requirements. Throughout the justice and public service sectors, coaching and technical help are serving to officers ship companies extra successfully and persistently.
The identical method is utilized at neighborhood degree. The UN continues to help the federal government in making certain dignified resettlement and financial reintegration for battle displaced communities, together with securing entry to land titles and possession.
We additionally work with unbiased commissions to strengthen their skill to combine points equivalent to gender equality into their mandates and day-to-day work.
An space that has taken on new urgency is the unfold of misinformation, countering which is important to stopping tensions earlier than they escalate. Monitoring dangerous speech throughout social media, in partnership with civil society, helps establish dangers early and form focused responses – together with working with know-how platforms and policymakers to deal with dangerous content material.
For instance, throughout Cyclone Ditwah, misdata and faux movies added confusion to an already chaotic scenario – underscoring why this work isn’t peripheral however central to each peace and growth.
What makes this method work is that none of it operates in silos. Strengthening establishments builds belief, addressing grievances helps peace and selling inclusion strengthens growth outcomes – that is how an built-in method interprets into actual outcomes.
Q: Sri Lanka has made some progress in financial stabilisation following a number of crises with help from worldwide companions together with the Worldwide Financial Fund. From a UN perspective, how sustainable is that this restoration – and what dangers nonetheless have to be addressed?
A: Clearly, Sri Lanka has made vital progress in stabilising its financial system after a sequence of extreme shocks, supported by robust nationwide efforts and the backing of many worldwide companions together with the IMF.
Inflation has eased, international alternate reserves have improved and public funds have begun to stabilise. These are hard-won features, reflecting troublesome however needed reforms to revive stability.
However stabilisation is barely step one. The actual check of restoration is whether or not it interprets into seen enhancements in folks’s lives and creates a basis for sustained, inclusive progress.
The World Financial institution’s 2025 Public Finance Overview discovered that whereas Sri Lanka’s fiscal adjustment – practically eight p.c of GDP over three years – was needed, it additionally put stress on households by means of increased oblique taxes, decreased actual wages and decrease public funding.
Poverty stays roughly double the 2019 degree. Development has not but translated into widespread welfare enhancements. This can be a concern as a result of funding is crucial to generate jobs, enhance productiveness and help long-term progress.
Whether or not this restoration holds will rely upon how Sri Lanka strikes from stabilisation to progress. Fiscal area stays tight and the nation nonetheless has restricted buffers to soak up future shocks.
On the similar time, it continues to face overlapping pressures, from the legacy of the debt disaster to recurring local weather dangers. There are additionally sensible constraints as challenges in planning, monitoring, delays in determination making and implementation, notably procurement can sluggish the pressing investments wanted to maintain momentum.
Whereas these challenges are addressed, we have to leverage and unlock capital investments by the non-public sector, which additionally should do its half.
The main focus now must be on turning stability into concrete outcomes. Meaning better efforts to prioritise and plan, strengthen how establishments ship, attracting and enacting funding that creates jobs and helps progress, and making certain that help reaches those that stay most affected.
Social safety programs additionally must evolve, turning into extra sustainable and attentive to shocks and extra anticipatory in nature in order that households are protected earlier than crises deepen.
When restoration is incipient, externally dependent and fiscally constrained, exterior shocks can rapidly reverse hard-won features
Q: Past macroeconomic stabilisation, what structural reforms are important to make sure that the nation’s restoration is inclusive, resilient and never weak to future shocks?
A: Macroeconomic stabilisation is a vital first step however by itself, it won’t ship an inclusive and resilient restoration.
The main focus now should shift to how successfully insurance policies are carried out and whether or not establishments can translate them into outcomes.
A key problem is strengthening the state’s skill to plan and ship. Implementation could be slowed by coordination gaps, procurement delays or underused assets. Bettering how priorities are set, how funds are spent and the way progress is tracked will assist rebuild confidence.
Restoration additionally relies on a extra coordinated ‘entire of presidency’ method in order that efforts throughout sectors are aligned and reinforce one another.
We additionally must create the circumstances for the non-public sector to drive progress. Meaning simplifying regulatory processes, rising transparency in commerce and funding, and lowering the price of doing enterprise. Clear, predictable programs can help non-public sector progress and job creation.
Digitalisation might help by making companies extra accessible, bettering effectivity and lowering alternatives for undue affect. Strengthening income programs and public monetary administration may also be vital to maintain important companies. Restoration must be grounded on the neighborhood degree.
Investing in local weather tailored agriculture, diversified livelihoods and extra sustainable manufacturing might help cut back publicity to future shocks. Strengthening social safety programs may also be key to reaching these most in danger.
The Aswesuma programme for example, represents an vital step in direction of a extra focused and responsive security internet nevertheless it must proceed evolving to achieve casual staff and communities in distant areas who are sometimes hardest hit however final to obtain help.
Guaranteeing equitable entry to land can also be important. I’ve met households within the north and east who nonetheless can’t entry land they had been displaced from a long time in the past. Till these points are resolved – transparently and pretty – restoration will stay incomplete for a lot of communities.
Honest and clear processes to grant land titles, return land the place attainable, and resolve excellent claims can be important to supporting inclusive restoration and long-term social cohesion.
Q: How can multilateral establishments complement Worldwide Financial Fund led programmes to make sure that financial restoration interprets into tangible enhancements in livelihoods, significantly for essentially the most weak?
A: The IMF programme has performed an vital function in serving to restore a level of stability after Sri Lanka’s financial disaster.
Our roles as multilateral companions is to work alongside that effort, serving to be certain that reforms translate into actual enhancements in folks’s lives, significantly for individuals who are most weak.
That is usually about how reforms are carried by means of. It contains working with the federal government to grasp how tax and subsidy modifications are skilled by low revenue households, and making certain that social safety programs are robust sufficient to cushion these impacts.
It additionally means strengthening the capability of establishments to ship help rapidly and reliably when folks come underneath stress. Performed effectively, this helps be certain that fiscal adjustment doesn’t deepen poverty or widen inequality.
Digital public infrastructure is among the most promising levers. Modernising social registries, integrating authorities knowledge programs and increasing safe e-payment platforms could make help extra environment friendly and clear, and prolong its attain to distant communities.
International locations equivalent to India and Kenya have demonstrated how digital ID and funds infrastructure can dramatically develop the attain and velocity of social transfers. Sri Lanka has the chance to construct on these fashions. The UN and growth companions are already supporting this work, serving to to strengthen these programs and make social safety simpler and accountable.
Multilateral companions even have a task in unlocking financing to help job creation and financial inclusion. This contains working with monetary establishments to develop entry to credit score for small companies – significantly these led by ladies and weak communities – and supporting the usage of revolutionary financing approaches, together with blended finance and focused thematic bonds, to mobilise assets extra successfully.
Taken collectively, these efforts assist be certain that financial restoration results in extra secure incomes, higher entry to jobs and stronger safety for these most in danger.
Throughout Cyclone Ditwah, misinformation and faux movies added confusion to an already chaotic scenario – underscoring why this work isn’t peripheral however central to each peace and growth
Q: How would you assess Sri Lanka’s progress on sustainable growth, particularly within the context of its current financial challenges?
A: Sri Lanka has made progress in sustainable growth however this has been uneven and in some areas, set again by current financial challenges.
Total efficiency has improved barely however Sri Lanka stays under the regional common with progress not preserving tempo throughout all sectors.
As I discussed beforehand, essentially the most notable setback has been the rise in poverty in recent times. Greater poverty ranges have had knock-on results throughout a number of areas, from meals safety and healthcare, to training and livelihoods.
There are nonetheless areas the place the nation has continued to maneuver ahead – progress in renewable vitality is one instance. That is vital not just for local weather targets but additionally for strengthening vitality safety and lowering publicity to future shocks.
However there are additionally areas the place progress has stalled or been disrupted – training is one among them.
Throughout my visits to communities affected by Cyclone Ditwah, I noticed how severely kids throughout all 25 districts had been impacted on account of broken college infrastructure, disrupted studying and months of progress misplaced. There are additionally gaps in sectors which are important for progress, equivalent to business and infrastructure.
What this highlights is that sustainable growth progress can’t be taken without any consideration. It requires deliberate prioritisation, significantly in areas the place progress has not saved tempo, and people who have an effect on livelihoods and long-term progress.
Shifting ahead would require a broader effort, bringing collectively authorities, growth companions and the non-public sector, to drive funding, help innovation and speed up progress in areas equivalent to vitality, agriculture, local weather resilience and the digital financial system.
Q: How successfully has Sri Lanka aligned its nationwide insurance policies with the Sustainable Growth Targets (SDGs), the place do essentially the most vital gaps persist, and what extra should be accomplished to make sure that its restoration path delivers equitable and sustainable progress?
A: Sri Lanka has aligned its nationwide insurance policies with the SDGs. Methods are additionally in place to trace progress, together with a nationwide coordination mechanism and comparatively robust knowledge.
The problem now could be much less about alignment and extra about implementation.
Progress has not been constant, significantly at provincial and native ranges, the place nationwide priorities aren’t all the time totally translated into motion. Frequent institutional modifications have additionally made it tougher to maintain momentum over time.
The financial disaster has additional set again progress, particularly in areas equivalent to meals safety, respectable work and inequality. Vulnerability has elevated, significantly amongst low revenue households, ladies, casual staff and rural and property communities.
On the similar time, restricted fiscal area has constrained funding in well being, training and social safety – sectors which are central to reaching SDGs and an inclusive restoration – whereas local weather dangers proceed to reveal communities already underneath pressure to additional shocks.
Wanting forward, restoration must be firmly anchored within the precept of leaving nobody behind. Meaning defending social spending, strengthening social safety programs, and making certain that reforms translate into actual enhancements in jobs, incomes and entry to companies.
It additionally presents a possibility to steer restoration in direction of a extra resilient and sustainable financial mannequin – together with by means of inexperienced progress and extra diversified sources of revenue.
Sri Lanka’s progress in renewable vitality for instance, factors to a viable pathway – one which addresses each the local weather crucial and the nation’s persistent vulnerability to imported vitality value shocks.
The duty now could be to show robust coverage alignment into outcomes by means of simpler and accountable establishments, higher coordination, and a transparent deal with supply, inclusion and accountability.
