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Training for delegates

to the United Nations

Interview with

Sally Fegan-Wyles

Assistant Secretary-General,
United Nations Institute
for Training and Research

(UNITAR)

Q: You have been the Execu- In future UNI-
tive Director of UNITAR for TAR training
over a year now. What is the will, I believe,
true significance of United Na- become even
tions training and research? more closely
linked to the
We should first talk about UNI- work of the
Given
TAR's niche in the training world, UN.
because there are so many organi- that there are
zations around the world carrying so many trai-
out training. Most parts of the ning institu-
United Nations provide some form tions in the
of training, and then there are uni- world, what is
versities all over the place. There our specialty?
are more universities and research Why would you
institutions in Geneva than in any come to UNI-
other city in the world. One of the TAR instead of going to a university unequal playing field. Thus, the
reasons why it is important for or another UN organization? UNI- first mandate of UNITAR is to try to
UNITAR to be here is because we TAR has the mandate to help Mem- make it level, helping the delegates
greatly benefit from close associa- ber States assume their place in the from small missions -- usually poor
tion with local institutions; and also UN -- which has led to two key areas or smaller countries -- to acquire
from the students based here who of work.. One is to help delegates in the diplomatic skills to negotiate,
work for us as interns -- it is a won- Geneva, New York, Nairobi, Vien- to chair committees, to draft reso-
derful treasure. na, Addis Ababa or elsewhere to be lutions. This represent about 15% of
able to contribute to discussions on UNITAR's training.
There are 200 people working for new norms, new policies, standards
us at any one time. When I counted or programmes on an equal basis The other 85% of our work is to help
in October 2013, sixty-two were ei- with Member States who perhaps member states have the knowledge
ther interns or senior fellows -- reti- have much larger delegations, who they need to act on decisions made
red UN staff who are ready to work may even have subject specialists by the UN. For example, the UN
for their DSA (daily subsistence for every issue. There are some has agreed a series of conventions
allowance) and travel costs because Member States that have very small on the disposal of chemical waste.
they want to contribute and do missions. They may have one per- It's very technical and, because
something interesting. This makes son who has to cover twenty topics there is no UN agency for chemical
it possible for UNITAR to keep its and has to be able to discuss these waste, UNITAR runs training pro-
costs down and remain in business topics with specialists. He/she may grammes in all countries to help
in a competitive world. receive very little support from them understand what it means to
back home, so clearly it is a very implement the UN agreements.

8 International