Excellencies,Distinguished participants,Dear colleagues,
I would like to thank all participants and congratulate you for making the 12th Meeting such a successful event.
As I mentioned in my opening remarks, this is the very first time that I attend a Biennial Meeting on the JPO Programmes, and I am happy to see the impressive spirit of cooperation which animates all your sessions and endeavors.
The attention that I have seen throughout these days, to make the JPO Programmes more harmonized, in the interest of all the stakeholders involved illustrates once again how effective interagency coordination is really beneficial to all partners.I hope the Meeting has fulfilled your expectations! This is really the most important thing!
Let me go through some of the aspects which I see as most valuable.
First of all, clearly the exchanges among all participants to put in place best practices in the context of the JPO Programme in order to ensure transparency of the processes and the fairness of the selection, based on rules and regulations, and on the recommendations that these Biennial Meetings have produced over the years.
This year as well a wide array of issues was discussed and several important recommendations were adopted.
Another very important aspect that I appreciated very much is the commitments made by all participants to continue supporting the development of the Programme, by measuring its different aspects against specific criteria.
The little play we were invited to yesterday was a smart way to remind all of us that the quality of the Programme is the result of a good understanding of the programme’s nature and its purpose as well as a convergence towards common best practices, that both old and new donors and all agencies endeavor to apply.
Third, I am particularly grateful for the recommendation issued today with the intention to support the sponsorship of developing countries’ candidates.
This initiative further strengthens capacity development, in line with one of the main mandates of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs that I represent.
Fourth, the renewed commitment by the UN Secretariat to continue to improve the service we provide, as managers of the JPO Programme, working with all of you. Our long term objective is ultimately to nurture future generations of motivated, qualified international civil servants and more generally citizens of the world, who believe in multilateral dialogue and cooperation as the best way to address and solve global issue.
On a more immediate level, finally, as mentioned earlier today, I reiterate the importance of generous contributions to now put the Multi-Donor Trust Fund into concrete action and gladly acknowledge the announcement by Finland to contribute substantially.
As you have also heard in the presentation provided by Ms. Aruna Thanabalasingam, Director of the Administrative Law Unit in the UN Secretariat, many things are changing in the United Nations.
One of the aspects that she touched upon, is the reform of the Development System, in which the Department that I represent has been deeply involved.
The establishment of (quote) “impartial and empowered Resident Coordinator – fully devoted to the needs that you require to fulfill the 2030 Agenda, drawing on experience, skills and knowledge across the system” (unquote), as Secretary General Guterres described it, represents another challenge for all of us and the whole UN System, particularly since these offices lack adequate resources to succeed in their tasks and are pulling the participating countries’ contribution to these offices through the provision of young and skilled professionals such as JPOs who could play a critical role to support the new generation of UN Country teams and enable all of us to achieve the ambitious goals of the 2030 Agenda.
In addition to that, assigning JPOs to these offices would also expose these young professionals to a unique set of activities, including the challenges of coordinating multiple agencies and working with the beneficially country government for achievement of the SDGs; clearly a kind of skills that would enhance their future career opportunities.
I therefore encourage all participating donor countries to take into consideration the possibility to support these offices through the provision of JPOs.
The Department of Economic and Social Affairs serves as the interagency focal point in the field of the JPO Programme, I would like to reiterate that we remain at your disposal for anything we can do to facilitate the continuous exchange of information on the Programme.
Finally, I would like to thank the Government of Italy for hosting our works in such a generous and pleasant way; and all participants for making this Meeting such a meaningful event. I would also like to thank the Chair, Mr. Juergen Stoerk, for his efficient and substantive steering of this event.
I encourage all participants to continue the excellent cooperation with each other, as well as to take all necessary steps to put the recommendations issued during this Meeting into action, between now and the next Biennial Meeting in two years.
I am looking forward to hearing more about the implementation of the outcomes of this Meeting during the 13th Meeting of National Recruitment Services and United Nations Organizations on the JPO Programmes in two years in Kuwait.
On behalf of the United Nations Secretariat I can assure that we will also do our part.
I wish you all a safe return home.
Thank you.
I would like to thank all participants and congratulate you for making the 12th Meeting such a successful event.
As I mentioned in my opening remarks, this is the very first time that I attend a Biennial Meeting on the JPO Programmes, and I am happy to see the impressive spirit of cooperation which animates all your sessions and endeavors.
The attention that I have seen throughout these days, to make the JPO Programmes more harmonized, in the interest of all the stakeholders involved illustrates once again how effective interagency coordination is really beneficial to all partners.I hope the Meeting has fulfilled your expectations! This is really the most important thing!
Let me go through some of the aspects which I see as most valuable.
First of all, clearly the exchanges among all participants to put in place best practices in the context of the JPO Programme in order to ensure transparency of the processes and the fairness of the selection, based on rules and regulations, and on the recommendations that these Biennial Meetings have produced over the years.
This year as well a wide array of issues was discussed and several important recommendations were adopted.
Another very important aspect that I appreciated very much is the commitments made by all participants to continue supporting the development of the Programme, by measuring its different aspects against specific criteria.
The little play we were invited to yesterday was a smart way to remind all of us that the quality of the Programme is the result of a good understanding of the programme’s nature and its purpose as well as a convergence towards common best practices, that both old and new donors and all agencies endeavor to apply.
Third, I am particularly grateful for the recommendation issued today with the intention to support the sponsorship of developing countries’ candidates.
This initiative further strengthens capacity development, in line with one of the main mandates of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs that I represent.
Fourth, the renewed commitment by the UN Secretariat to continue to improve the service we provide, as managers of the JPO Programme, working with all of you. Our long term objective is ultimately to nurture future generations of motivated, qualified international civil servants and more generally citizens of the world, who believe in multilateral dialogue and cooperation as the best way to address and solve global issue.
On a more immediate level, finally, as mentioned earlier today, I reiterate the importance of generous contributions to now put the Multi-Donor Trust Fund into concrete action and gladly acknowledge the announcement by Finland to contribute substantially.
As you have also heard in the presentation provided by Ms. Aruna Thanabalasingam, Director of the Administrative Law Unit in the UN Secretariat, many things are changing in the United Nations.
One of the aspects that she touched upon, is the reform of the Development System, in which the Department that I represent has been deeply involved.
The establishment of (quote) “impartial and empowered Resident Coordinator – fully devoted to the needs that you require to fulfill the 2030 Agenda, drawing on experience, skills and knowledge across the system” (unquote), as Secretary General Guterres described it, represents another challenge for all of us and the whole UN System, particularly since these offices lack adequate resources to succeed in their tasks and are pulling the participating countries’ contribution to these offices through the provision of young and skilled professionals such as JPOs who could play a critical role to support the new generation of UN Country teams and enable all of us to achieve the ambitious goals of the 2030 Agenda.
In addition to that, assigning JPOs to these offices would also expose these young professionals to a unique set of activities, including the challenges of coordinating multiple agencies and working with the beneficially country government for achievement of the SDGs; clearly a kind of skills that would enhance their future career opportunities.
I therefore encourage all participating donor countries to take into consideration the possibility to support these offices through the provision of JPOs.
The Department of Economic and Social Affairs serves as the interagency focal point in the field of the JPO Programme, I would like to reiterate that we remain at your disposal for anything we can do to facilitate the continuous exchange of information on the Programme.
Finally, I would like to thank the Government of Italy for hosting our works in such a generous and pleasant way; and all participants for making this Meeting such a meaningful event. I would also like to thank the Chair, Mr. Juergen Stoerk, for his efficient and substantive steering of this event.
I encourage all participants to continue the excellent cooperation with each other, as well as to take all necessary steps to put the recommendations issued during this Meeting into action, between now and the next Biennial Meeting in two years.
I am looking forward to hearing more about the implementation of the outcomes of this Meeting during the 13th Meeting of National Recruitment Services and United Nations Organizations on the JPO Programmes in two years in Kuwait.
On behalf of the United Nations Secretariat I can assure that we will also do our part.
I wish you all a safe return home.
Thank you.
File date:
Friday, May 10, 2019