Summit on Staff Security

AM Meeting

THEME OF SIXTH SUMMIT ON STAFF SECURITY IS ‘AFTER BAGHDAD:

UN WORKERS UNDER THE GUN’

Speakers Call for Ratification of Convention on Protection of UN Staff,

Appropriate Investment in Security, Staff Involvement in Security Processes,

With the United Nations still searching for answers in the wake of the deadly 19 August terrorist attack on its headquarters in Iraq, the world body’s staff union today convened its annual Summit on Staff Security to examine the new realities and challenges the Organization faces in carrying out its mission.

Working from the theme “After Baghdad:  UN Workers Under the Gun”, the sixth annual Summit brought together the principal heads of United Nations bodies and relevant departments to consider the way forward and examine the delicate balance staff faced every day in carrying out their duties while at risk.  It also reflected on the report of a panel led by Martti Ahtisaari -– a former President of Finland and United Nations Under-Secretary-General -– which found United Nations security systems “dysfunctional” and lacking in accountability.

The United Nations pulled its international staff out of Iraq following the August bombing in Baghdad, in which 22 people were killed, including Sergio Vieira de Mello, Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s top envoy.  A subsequent attack on the compound in September, attacks targeting other relief agencies, and lingering insecurity have further hampered the world body’s relief efforts.

Following a moment of silence in tribute to those staff that had been killed in the attack, Lynne O’Donoghue of the Committee on the Security and Independence of the International Civil Service set the stage for the discussions declaring that the Baghdad tragedy had “hit at the heart of the United Nations”, and that perhaps from now on, the blue United Nations flag could no longer offer the protection that its staff had always taken for granted.

Keynote speaker Julian Robert Hunte (Saint Lucia), President of the General Assembly, said it was important for everyone to realize that although the Baghdad attack had been a “shocking and defining moment for the United Nations”, it was not the first instance in which the world body’s staff had been attacked.  Sadly, the names of those that had lost their lives in Iraq would be placed alongside some 2,000 –- including former Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld –- who had been killed or who had disappeared throughout the Organization’s 58-year history.

The 19 August attack had signaled a profound change in how military groups saw the United Nations, as well as how the Organization should operate in the future, he said.  But host governments bore the primary responsibility to ensure that humanitarian workers were granted safe and unfettered access to vulnerable populations.  The United Nations must recognize the need to treat each dangerous situation as unique; one model, no matter how carefully developed, could not serve every situation, he said.  The United Nations must also work harder to ensure that host populations understood what their duties were.

Rosemarie Waters, President of the United Nations Staff Union, began her remarks by thanking the Secretary-General for the quick and effective actions he had taken in response to the Baghdad bombing.  All had seen the negative comments directed at the Organization and its security procedures in the press, and all were motivated to ensure that such labels were never again applied to the United Nations system.  But the tragic events of 19 August, nevertheless, provided an “excellent block to build mutual understanding to move forward to an era where risks were minimized, and protection maximized”, she said.

Looking forward, she said the facts and reports on the incident should be made public.  Member States should take the message back that the Convention on the Protection of United Nations Staff must be ratified.  Also, those whose actions and faulty decisions had led to the Baghdad tragedy should be identified, rather than sacrificing lower-level employees to satisfy public opinion, and appropriate funds must be invested to give staff tools to survive in dangerous conditions.  She also urged the Secretariat to consider involving staff in the security process, as they would be able to provide a wealth of information and perhaps had even learned the weaknesses of the various security procedures.

Gert Rosenthal (Guatemala) said that, although he was addressing the Summit in his capacity as President of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), his comments would be informed by the fact that he was an ex-member of the Staff Union and had very strong feelings on the issue of security.  He reflected on his days working in Santiago, Chile for the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and recalled that while he and others on the staff there had experienced open hostility, there were no armed guards, no daunting fences, and easy access.  Still, those in the international civil service felt that the United Nations was impartial, and that its flag and moral authority would protect it from overt aggression.

And for the most part, that had been true, he continued.  But the 19 August attacks had been a rude awakening, thrusting the issue of staff security to the forefront.  In the wake of the Ahtisaari report, he was now convinced that the dilemmas he and his colleagues had faced in Santiago paled in comparison to the tradeoffs faced by humanitarian staff today.  It was more important than ever to find ways to reconcile staff security with the indispensable role of the United Nations on the ground, he added.  There must also be more collaboration with non-governmental organizations.

Stefan Tafrov (Bulgaria),President of the Security Council for the month of December, said the issue of United Nations staff security was a priority for the Security Council, particularly in the wake of the tragedy in Baghdad.  “Our Organization is no longer seen by terrorists as a neutral force but rather as an enemy”, he said.

He noted the Security Council had responded by adopting a resolution on protecting United Nations staff in the field.  The resolution condemned acts of violence against United Nations personnel as a violation of international humanitarian law and sent a clear message of the Council’s resolve to take the necessary measures to ensure the security of United Nations personnel.

The Organization’s work to protect staff was never more critical than it was today, said Catherine Bertini, Under-Secretary-General for Management and United Nations Security Coordinator (UNSECOORD), who was also representing the Secretary-General.  “In more and more crises the United Nations flag has become a target rather than a shield”, she added, noting the increase in security incidents during last three years, culminating in the August 19 attack.  Still unresolved, she said, was the issue of the responsibility of Member States for actions that had occurred.

She noted that the Secretary-General had called for a strategic reorganization of United Nations security management and had asked that the entire United Nations system conduct an in-depth review of security systems and measures throughout the system.  Following the 19 August attack in Baghdad, affected staff and families had been provided support services, including access to counselling networks.  There were plans to heighten security measures when developing plans for operations in areas with difficult security concerns.  A course on security had been designed for staff members in the field to instruct them on procedures to help protect themselves.

Another critical issue being addressed was the need to have emergency contact information.  There were plans to install anti-shatter film on all windows in the Secretariat and other United Nations buildings in New York.  She stressed that ensuring United Nations staff security was a critical responsibility for Member States, and she asked them to take special note that the additional security measures would cost money.  Early next year they would be asked for additional resources to respond to the increased security threats to protect United Nations staff, the Organization’s highest priority.

When the floor was opened for comments from delegations, several speakers echoed the panel’s sentiment that there was a great need to change the perception of the United Nations and humanitarian work on the ground.  One speaker suggested that in many regions, humanitarianism was seen as “a Western campaign against Islam”.  He stressed the need for all States to engage in broad political dialogue to dispel such notions and to strengthen the integrity, legitimacy and security of humanitarian personnel.  The international humanitarian dialogue must be broadened to cut across traditional divisions.

Delegations also emphasized the absolute necessity of bringing perpetrators of crimes against relief workers to justice.  Further, the speakers remained convinced that the United Nations should continue its role in Iraq and urged Member States to remain steadfast in that regard.

Also participating in the discussion were John Almstrom, UNSECOORD Chief of Staff; Stephen Johnson of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs; and former spokesperson for United Nations operations in Iraq, Salim Lone.

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