PRESS BRIEFING BY ASSISTANT SECRETARY-GENERAL FOR HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
Press Briefing
PRESS BRIEFING BY ASSISTANT SECRETARY-GENERAL FOR HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
19980218
Rafiah Salim, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Resources Management, informed correspondents at a Headquarters press briefing this afternoon that the newly established task force on human resources management would submit its findings and recommendations to the Secretary-General before the next session of the General Assembly in September. He would make further recommendations to the Assembly, if necessary. The task force comprised persons with diverse human resources management experience in the public and private sectors from all over the world, she said, adding that she was the only member employed by the United Nations. Learning from "the best of the world" was the rationale for this. It was hoped that the United Nations would be able to benchmark itself with the best human resources practices worldwide. The task force would primarily focus on the need to align human resources management with the United Nations mission in light of the structure and culture of the Organization, Ms. Salim said. She recalled that the Secretary-General, in his report on the reform of the United Nations (document A/51/950), had stated that United Nations staff would have to be highly competent, multi-skilled, versatile and mobile. The United Nations was also moving towards developing a "mission driven" and "results oriented" culture. The task force would also review and recommend revisions to the current mechanisms of attracting, recruiting, developing and training staff, she said. Furthermore, it would review the current personnel rules and regulations -- which were very complex -- with a view to simplifying and, if need be, modernizing them. Emphasis would be placed on rendering the system more transparent, while enhancing managerial responsibility and accountability. Responding to a question, Ms. Salim said there were many weaknesses in the Organization's human resources management. One of the significant weaknesses she had identified in her four months at the United Nations was a failure to address the development needs of its staff. Very little attention was being paid to the training and development of managers and staff. When that happened, shortcomings were the natural result. If all the people on the task force were without a United Nations background, how could they be sure to make suggestions that would address the specific needs of the Organization? a correspondent asked. "We didn't want the recommendations to be coloured and limited by perceived limitations and restrictions within the United Nations", Ms. Salim said. The recommendations would be made to the Secretary-General, who was an extremely knowledgeable and experienced United Nations person. "He, in his wisdom, we believe, will be able to identify which part of the recommendations would be suitable, which parts need to be adapted and adopted." Was an underlying goal of the task force to be a model for the world? a correspondent asked. Ms. Salim said that, as of now, such a goal would be highly ambitious. "Our aim, currently, is to benchmark with the best practices around the world. Let's get there first."
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