SPEAKERS IN SECOND COMMITTEE STRESS IMPORTANT ROLE OF UN INSTITUTE FOR TRAINING AND RESEARCH AND ORGANIZATION’S STAFF COLLEGE

Press Release
GA/EF/2940

SPEAKERS IN SECOND COMMITTEE STRESS IMPORTANT ROLE OF UN INSTITUTE FOR TRAINING AND RESEARCH AND ORGANIZATION’S STAFF COLLEGE

As the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) concluded its consideration of training and research this afternoon, speakers stressed the important role of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and the Organization’s Staff College, which is located in Turin, Italy.

Marcel A. Boisard, UNITAR’s Director-General, said that the United Nations now had an effective training tool. There had been real in-depth thinking on the purposes of training and capacity-building at both the theoretical and practical levels. The UNITAR was now looking to create synergies with other agencies, but much remained to be done to ensure that all of the training programmes were transferred to the States that needed them.

Nikhil Chandavarkar, Director, Division of United Nations Affairs, Bureau for Resources and Strategic Partnerships, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), said that, along with the United Nations University and UNITAR, the Staff College had the potential to help ensure that individual entities of the United Nations system reached and stayed at the cutting edge of their fields of expertise. The Staff College was a vehicle, through which knowledge on peace and security, as well as on economic and social development, could be shared and further enhanced.

The representative of Pakistan said that UNITAR and the Staff College played an extremely useful role by providing training and research services, not only to the United Nations system, but also to Member States. They had made a significant contribution to the goal of human resource development.

The representative of the Republic of Korea commended the work of UNITAR, which had successfully organized roughly 120 different programmes, seminars and workshops since 1996, benefiting more than 5,500 participants. Thanks to the positive results of the restructuring process, UNITAR’s functions had been more streamlined, particularly in the area of promoting institutional cooperation and partnerships. He hoped that the United Nations system, in particular, the funds and programmes, would continue to support UNITAR’s activities.

Statements were also made by the representatives of Nigeria (on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China), France (on behalf of the European Union), Haiti (on behalf of the Caribbean Community), Lesotho (on behalf of the Southern African Development Community), Jordan and Bulgaria. The observer for Switzerland and a representative of the ILO also made statements.

Second Committee - 1a - Press Release GA/EF/2940 33rd Meeting (PM) 9 November 2000

Patrizio Civili, Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Coordination and Inter-Agency Affairs, and John Machin, Director of the United Nations Staff College, made introductory remarks.

The Committee will meet again on Wednesday, 15 November, at 10 a.m., to take up various draft resolutions.

Second Committee - 2 - Press Release GA/EF/2940 33rd Meeting (PM) 9 November 2000

Committee Work Programme

The Second Committee met this afternoon to conclude its consideration of the report of the Economic and Social Council and to continue its consideration of training and research. For background information on the Council’s report see Press Release GA/EF/2939 issued on 8 November.

The Committee had before it the report of the Executive Director of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) (document A/55/14). The report highlights the ongoing programmes and statistics per region and country of UNITAR from July 1998 to June 2000.

According to the report, the primary responsibility of UNITAR is training and capacity-building for developing countries and personnel of diplomatic missions to the United Nations. The training programme in multilateral diplomacy and international affairs management includes courses on diplomacy training, peacemaking and preventative diplomacy, the application of environmental law, international migration policy, and correspondence instructions in peacekeeping operations. The training programmes in the field of economic and social development include courses on chemicals and waste management, climate change, decentralized cooperation, communication technologies, foreign economic relations, and debt management. The report also highlights the activities of UNITAR's New York office.

The Committee also had before it the report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Staff College project (document A/55/369). The report highlights the results of the Secretary-General's consultations with the Administrative Committee on Coordination and the relevant United Nations organizations regarding the report of the independent evaluation team on the United Nations Staff College Project.

According to the report, the Secretary-General recommends that the General Assembly decide to establish the United Nations System Staff College, effective 1 January 2002, as a system-wide knowledge management and learning institution for the staff of the United Nations system. The Secretary-General also recommends that the Assembly request that a final draft of the statutes of the College be submitted to it for its review and approval as soon as possible in 2001. The Assembly would also decide that, thereafter, there should be biennial reporting to the General Assembly on the work, activities and accomplishments of the College, including its collaboration with other relevant United Nations institutions.

Also before the Committee was an addendum to the report of the Independent Evaluation Team on the future of the United Nations Staff College (document A/55/369/Add.1). The report includes a summary of the team's evaluation and assessment process of the activities undertaken by the Staff College since it became operational in January 1996. It also includes the team's vision for the future role of the Staff College, as well as an operational strategy and programme framework for the institutionalized United Nations System Staff College.

The Secretary-General's report on the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (document A/55/510) provides a summary of the principle issues addressed in the General Assembly resolution 554/229 (1999) on the UNITAR. These include strengthening of inter-institutional cooperation, the systematic utilization of UNITAR by the United Nations funds and programmes, the need for continuity in the management of UNITAR, and the provision of additional facilities to the Institute.

The Committee was also expected to hear the introduction of a draft resolution sponsored by France on behalf of the European Union on the United Nations Staff College in Turin, Italy (document A/C.2/55/L.25). By the terms of the draft, the Assembly would decide to establish the United Nations Staff College as an institution for system-wide knowledge management, training and learning for the staff of the United Nations system, aimed, in particular, towards the creation of a framework for a common culture for economic and social development, peace and security and internal management.

By further terms of the draft, the Assembly would also decide that, after the establishment of the Staff College, a biennial report should be submitted to the General Assembly, including in collaboration with other relevant United Nations institution

Statements

MARCEL A. BOISARD, Director-General of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) said that the strengthening of UNITAR involved working with as many partners as possible in all States, as well as working together with specialized agencies in developing countries. Most members of the Board of Trustees of UNITAR had been reappointed by the Secretary-General. More attention was being placed on capacity-building programmes and the purposes of training.

The UNITAR was vulnerable financially, and there was still the question as to whether it could get a small subsidy from the budget of the United Nations. There was also the question of getting free premises and having them maintained by the United Nations. The Board of Trustees would like the General Assembly to take a clear decision on that matter.

An increase in inter-agency cooperation and joint programmes was now underway, he said. The UNITAR was looking to strengthen its presence on the ground. It was also establishing an inter-agency centre for training locals. This was being established in France and would focus on aspects of decentralization and new dimensions in international cooperation. There were also new programmes being designed for the Asia Pacific Region. In brief, over the past year, there had been a growth in UNITAR’s activities.

The United Nations, he said, now had an effective training tool. There had been real in-depth thinking on the purposes of training and capacity- building both at the theoretical and practical levels. The UNITAR was now looking to create synergies with other agencies, but much remained to be done to ensure that all of the training programmes were transferred to the States that needed it.

The UNITAR no longer carried out academic research, he said. All of its work focused on training. Various activities had been carried out in peacekeeping and diplomacy. More recently, it had added briefing and de- briefing programmes for special representatives and envoys of the Secretary- General.

In conclusion, he appealed to Member States to resume their contributions to UNITAR. Although the number of programmes initiated by UNITAR had doubled in the past five years, voluntary contributions had been cut in half. Now, more than ever before, UNITAR’s work depended on a stable economic foundation. The UNITAR needed a minimum of non-earmarked funds that were not available today.

PATRIZIO CIVILI, Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Coordination and Inter-Agency Affairs, said that the system owed a debt of gratitude to the Second Committee for the initiative it had taken last year calling for the independent evaluation of the Staff College project and for a report by the Secretary-General on the future status of the College. That initiative had turned out to be a very timely one. The report of the independent evaluators was a reminder that the idea of a Staff College had a long history.

The reasons for the institutionalization of the College were more compelling than ever, he said. A policy framework now existed, which ensured that maximum benefit could be drawn from it by Member States and the international community. The next step, in light of the actions to be taken by the Assembly at its current session, would be the development of an implementation plan, prioritizing functions and specifying programmes to be undertaken by the College. This would be done by an inter-agency group that would draw on the analysis and illustrative proposals contained in the evaluation team’s report.

In conclusion, he expressed his appreciation that the report before the Committee had recognized the support of the International Labour Organization (ILO). He also thanked the generous contributions of Italy, the United Kingdom, and other donors that had made it possible for the College, as a project, to operate. The Secretary-General trusted that such contributions would continue to be forthcoming in the future.

JOHN MACHIN, Director of the United Nations Staff College, said that he wanted to add a couple of observations to the comments by the Assistant Secretary-General. It was clear that now was a critical time for the Staff College and its future within the United Nations. The Secretary-General had recommended a new status for the College. There had been a complete review of the College and its activities in order to fulfill an extremely important criterion. That criterion was that it respond to the priority needs of United Nations agencies. The College was very well placed to respond to the Secretary- General‘s recommendations, which were included in the report before the Committee.

AUSTIN PETER ETANOMARE OSIO (Nigeria), speaking on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, welcomed the adoption of the 2000 Strategic Plan, as well as the Secretary-General’s report on the Staff College in Turin. He looked forward to the early completion of the process envisaged in the report and the implementation of the proposals contained therein. The primary responsibility of UNITAR had been much evident during the past year. It was gratifying to note that developing countries, especially those in Africa, were among the biggest beneficiaries of UNITAR’s programmes.

The inadequate funding of UNITAR continued to generate concern, he said. Most of its main contributors had had to suspend their support during the late 1980s. Now that the Institute had completed its metamorphosis, it was necessary to provide adequate funding, as called for in the relevant Assembly resolution. He hoped that the major contributors that had suspended their contributions would now resume their support. He appreciated the Secretary-General’s efforts to alleviate some of the Institute’s difficulties. From the Secretary-General’s report, it was clear that the ability to waive UNITAR’s rental costs lay with the Assembly.

He added that the reformed UNITAR had a policy of cooperation with regional, national and local institutions. He applauded that policy and would recommend that UNITAR expand its programmes to include aspects of information and communication technology in order to narrow the digital divide.

YVES DOUTRIAUX (France), speaking on behalf of the European Union, Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Cyprus, Malta, Turkey and Iceland, said he regretted that voluntary contributions to UNITAR’s General Fund remained inadequate. That relative weakness reduced the Institute’s capacity to adapt swiftly to the demands of developing countries and inhibited its capacity for initiative. He urged the Institute to broaden the range of its contributors, to include foundations and the private sector, and to continue efforts to make its training programmes better known. Also, in view of the training services, which the Institute provided for the United Nations, appropriate facilities should be made available free of charge wherever they were needed.

The Union, he said, welcomed the adoption of the 2000 Strategic Plan by the Governing Council of the United Nations University last December and approved its broad outlines. It was necessary to maintain a balance between the four main tasks of the University -– to constitute an international community of scholars, to serve as a bridge between the United Nations and the international academic community, to act as a think-tank for the Organization and as a builder of capacities, particularly in developing countries. The University must not simply be a reservoir of ideas, but also help reinforce the link between the international scientific community and political decision-makers.

He said that the formal establishment of the Staff College of Turin would enable it, through a management culture that was both coherent and dynamic, to make a significant contribution to United Nations reform by boosting the operational efficiency of its staff. The Union was pleased to table a draft resolution on the Turin Staff College, which reflected the conclusions of the Secretary-General’s report.

JEAN MAXIME MURAT (Haiti), speaking on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), said that CARICOM countries regarded UNITAR as a tool that could better help them face the new century. The new teaching methodologies were important in aiding the development of developing countries. The CARICOM member States would like the discussions to focus on the economic, financial and social aspects of sustainable development. The group was pleased with the decision to recruit specialists from different countries.

He welcomed the adoption by the United Nations University of its 2000 Strategic Plan, he said. He also appreciated the closer links developed between the University and the various research organs of the United Nations system, such as the United Nations Educational, Social and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and UNITAR. On the financial situation of UNITAR, he welcomed the aid provided by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), as well as the support received from some donors. Considering the Institute’s fragile financial situation, he appealed to the developed countries to resume making voluntary contributions. He believed UNITAR’s New York offices should be strengthened and that the Secretary-General should provide additional space to host those in the training programmes.

OLIVIER CHAVE, the observer for Switzerland, said he wished to comment on both the role of the training programmes of UNITAR and the role of the financial means made available to the Institute. The portfolio of UNITAR included diplomatic training and the management of economic and social development. The programmes organized by UNITAR accounted for 14 and 16 per cent of its total activities. Seventy per cent of its activities were decentralized and at the national level. The UNITAR was effective in supporting developing countries and economies in transition. This was particularly the case with the implementation of Agenda 21.

His delegation was of the opinion that UNITAR deserved increased support, he said. Switzerland wanted to draw the attention of the Member States to the financial situation of UNITAR. The financing under the general fund and the special purpose fund was under decline. The money coming into the general fund was insufficient and had been declining. This limited the margins of independence of UNITAR. The UNITAR remained hostage to its donor countries and could not plan its programmes based on the actual needs in the field. It was also important to point out that the financing of the special purpose fund came from a limited number of donors and, at times, a single donor, namely Switzerland. Having a single donor seriously called into question the goal of multilateralism.

He also wanted to comment on the report of the Secretary-General and of the Independent Evaluation Team on the Staff College, he said. He regretted that those documents had been made available so late. Moreover, Switzerland, a country that had contributed to the financing of the Staff College project, could not understand why it had not been consulted in the process. His delegation believed that the College was in an excellent position to help with the reform process taking place within the United Nations, and that it should continue to play the role of catalyst. It was only logical that the members within the United Nations system should finance the College, since its work would benefit them.

SHAMSHAD AHMAD (Pakistan) said that UNITAR, the Staff College and the United Nations University were playing an extremely useful role by providing training and research services not only to the United Nations system but also to Member States. They had made a significant contribution to the goal of human resource development. The Staff College could play a catalytic role in improving the quality of the leadership and the people that staffed the United Nations system. The University had made strides in producing research documents that had not only provided intellectual input to the work of the United Nations, but also contained action-oriented proposals. It should continue to develop more diverse and creative ways to effectively build on the intellectual resources of universities and specialized research institutes around the world.

To maintain the level of services being provided by UNITAR, continuity in the leadership of its management would be critical, he said. That should be a primary consideration in making any decisions about its future. Another important factor was the increased flow of resources to UNITAR’s General Fund. Despite explicit calls by the General Assembly, the level of contributions had not really improved. Moreover, UNITAR had received no subsidies whatsoever from the regular budget of the United Nations since 1993. Notwithstanding those constraints, UNITAR continued to provide free training facilities to Member States.

PERCY M. MANGOAELA (Lesotho), speaking on behalf of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), said that UNITAR, through its eminent delivery of services to the Member States, had emerged as a symbol of efficiency. For almost a decade, UNITAR had managed to continue its activities without a deficit. Most notably, it had been able to expand its activities by utilizing earmarked voluntary contributions. Through staff reorganization, it had become more focused and operational. It had also made commendable progress in responding to the need for greater cooperation within the United Nations system.

At the country level, he said, UNITAR had used a top-down approach, which allowed it to design its programmes in collaboration with the beneficiary governments and donor community. The UNITAR’s debt and financing management training programme had conducted regional training for African government officials. In southern Africa, UNITAR had worked to conduct joint workshops for senior and mid-level government officials. The UNITAR had also supported efforts of SADC countries to protect human health and the environment.

Despite its efficiency and relevance, he said, the Institute had had to turn down requests for training and assistance by Member States because of a lack of funding. His delegation requested that the international community increase its voluntary contributions to the Institute to ensure that it continued to be autonomous and stable. His delegation also supported the waiver of rental and maintenance costs for the premises occupied by UNITAR in Geneva and New York.

WALID A. AL-HADID (Jordan) expressed his appreciation to the Secretary- General of UNITAR and to all the staff of its New York office. He said he had had the privilege of personally participating in a number of their activities, including courses on international economics and the World Trade Organization (WTO), as well as on the work of the General Assembly and its various committees. As stated in the Secretary-General’s report, the Institute, since 1996, had organized about 120 programmes, seminars and workshops all over the world. In addition, more than 5,500 participants had benefited from its programmes.

It was essential, he continued, that the United Nations system support the Institute, since it was the organ responsible for providing free training to Member States. That support could come in various forms, including the provision of conference services. It should also consider appropriate means to exempt the Institute’s offices from rent and maintenance fees. Further, the United Nations must find better facilities for UNITAR’s New York office. Also, there was an urgent need for coordination between UNITAR and the secretariats of the Assembly’s main committees. In addition, the Second Committee should consider discussing the item on training and research before its consideration of United Nations operational activities for development.

Lastly, he welcomed the Secretary-General’s report on the evaluation of the Staff College in Turin and the recommendations contained therein.

GARETH HOWELL, Officer in Charge, International Labour Organization (ILO), said that, as noted in the report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Staff College project, the College had been set up in 1996 as a five-year project administered by the ILO. By the same agreement between the United Nations Secretariat and the ILO, the project had been placed in Turin, Italy, on the campus of the International Training Centre of the ILO. Each year, the activities of the Turin Centre exceed 300 programmes and projects, and the number of participants exceeded 6000. Customized programmes for ILO constituents and their staff sought to promote the ideal of decent work in developing countries and countries in transition.

It had been a source of pride and satisfaction for the ILO over the last several years to host and administer the United Nations Staff College project at the Turin campus, he said. This had enabled the ILO to lead an important new inter-agency and system-wide team-building initiative to enhance the effectiveness of in-country development efforts. The Board of the Centre had welcomed the recommendation of the Secretary-General to establish the College as a system-wide knowledge management and learning institution of the staff of the United Nations system. The ILO had followed with great interest and had contributed substantively to the continuing consultations for bringing to fruition this exciting new phase of United Nations system training. It looked forward to playing a full part in the upcoming discussions.

NIKHIL CHANDAVARKAR, Director, Division of United Nations Affairs, Bureau for Resources and Strategic Partnerships, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), said that the Staff College had now come of age. The UNDP had, over the years, seconded senior staff to the College and, along with the College, organized many training and learning activities for resident coordinators and country teams, as well as other activities on programme and operational subjects. As a continuing stakeholder of the College, the UNDP looked forward to being able to take an active part in its new governance structures.

The Staff College represented a concrete forum and vehicle, through which the knowledge of the system on peace and security, as well as economic and social development, could be shared and enhanced further, he continued. Along with the United Nations University and UNITAR, the Staff College had the potential to help ensure that individual entities of the United Nations system reached and stayed at the cutting edge of their fields of expertise -– whether that expertise was technical, normative or operational.

He added that beyond information and knowledge management, the other goals that had been proposed for the College by the evaluation team were extremely important, particularly the creation of a common managerial culture throughout the United Nations system and a shared set of basic common organizational values that went beyond the institutional differences between agencies.

SEOK-YOUNG CHOI (Republic of Korea) commended the work of UNITAR, which had successfully organized roughly 120 different programmes, seminars and workshops since 1996, benefiting more than 5,500 participants. Thanks to the positive results of the restructuring process, UNITAR’s functions had become more streamlined, particularly in the area of promoting institutional cooperation and partnerships. It was all the more encouraging that, since last year, UNITAR had been conducting programmes funded by the United Nations Foundation and the United Nations Foundation for International Partnership.

However, he was concerned that UNITAR’s financial situation remained fragile, despite some improvement in recent years. He hoped that the United Nations system, and in particular, the funds and programmes, would continue to support UNITAR’s activities. At the same time, donor countries and the private sector were encouraged to contribute to the promotion of UNITAR’s activities. Regarding UNITAR’s areas of training, higher priority should be given to enhancing the capacity to better understand and adequately deal with the process of globalization, as well as the role of information and communication technology.

ZLATI KATZARSKI (Bulgaria) said that his country had a longstanding relationship with UNITAR. Many of Bulgaria’s lawyers had attended the Institute’s training courses. In addition, the Institute had made a significant contribution in the field of anti-corruption. In 1995, Bulgaria had become a member State of the International Institute for the Development of Law. He believed that it would be opportune for the United Nations to formally recognize the role played by that Institute.

Committee Chairman Alexandru Niculescu (Romania) announced that Argentina had joined as a co-sponsor to the draft resolution on the integration of the

economies in transition into the world economy. Also, Brazil had decided to co- sponsor the text on cooperation between the United Nations and the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization and the United States had joined as co-sponsor to the draft on enhancing complementarities among international instruments related to environment and sustainable development.

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