Page 487 - 100 Reflections that Crafted Geneva International_V-Petrovsky_private special edition

Taking Stock of the Past

take over human memory, further efforts should be taken to promote
innovative models for development, for building a new future. A future where
the right to life necessarily includes the guaranteed right to have decent work,
education, health as well as to water and land for everyone.

With all this in mind, I feel it important to stress the need for a systematic
rejuvenation of the Secretariat. This is very much in line with efforts of the
Secretary-General and with the strategy of Member States.

Now allow me to tell you about the fulfillment of UNOG’s mandate and to
share with you some thoughts on the most important events of the past years
and a new emerging challenging agenda for the future.

When we started the reform, top priority was given to human resources. In
my first address to you in 1993 I stressed that the United Nations human
resources "are its most precious asset". This remark has proved particularly true
throughout the past years. It is worth mentioning that the UN Administration
has on a number of occasions expressed its concern at the growing lack of
competitiveness of the conditions of service of staff as compared with those of
bilateral and other multilateral, financial and aid agencies, and tried its utmost
to attract and retain the best staff.

In order to provide a more effective functioning of UNOG a Task Force
was created to review the administrative, financial, human resources and
conference service sectors. The results of this work, submitted to the Secretary-
General, were to provide for a more effective functioning of UNOG, and in
particular, to obtain a more rational distribution of responsibilities, tasks and
competence between New York and Geneva. Emphasis was placed on
decentralization wherever appropriate and consequent delegation of authority
to managers at all levels along with transparency and accountability.

Other major preoccupations in our reform were technological innovation
and the introduction of a new management culture, and I am pleased to say
that much progress has been accomplished in these areas.

Reform for me is not a one-act play. It is a permanent process of adaptation
to a rapidly changing political and socio-economic environment.

This year, we have made a major breakthrough in the field of administra-
tion. UNOG's efforts in furthering common services aimed at enhancing

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