Page 8 - DIVA_1_2009

Geneva is the Humanitarian Capital of the World!

Interview with Rashid Khalikov, Director of OCHA,
New York

You are now the Director department is doing a lot to
of OCHA NY. Before that, co-ordinate our activities w'th
r you were the Deputy the work of the Deparhnent of
Director here in Geneva. Political Affairs, the
Is there a big difference Peacekeeping Operations, to
between NYC and support iSSueS related to peace
Geneva? and security in the Security
Council from the huinanita-
First of all, thank yori so much rzan perspechve.
for yorir congratulations.
Second, it is very different, Q: You were in charge of
becarise the job is different. In the co-ordination of all
Rashid Khalikov, a New York my responsibilities the humanitarian assis-
graduate of the Moscow cover branches that deal with tnce for the earthquake
State Institute for the development of policy, in Pakistan - the NGOs,
International Relations, infonnation management and the different UN
started his career as a advocacy, and I also oversee agencies. Do you miss
diplomat with several the units that deal with being in the field?
postings to his credit. external relations with
However, it was not in Member States, fiind-raising Yes, I miss it veiy much. I just
diplomacy that he was and the Central Emergency came back from Pakistan. I
going to conduct an Fund, which is a big enteipri- was asked by the Under-

interesting career, but as se. In that sense, the list of Secretary-General to go there
a humanitarian. responsibilities is much and look into a couple of
longer andvery different from issues. One of them was to

At the time that the what it used to be in Geneva. see how things were going
United Nations created now, years after the earthqria-
the Department for Q: You are in charge of ke, and how successful was
Humanitarian Affairs, Mr. obtaining money which the move from relief to reha-
Khalikov was in a pos- is to be spent here in bilitation and development.
ting in New York, and Jan Geneva. Is this the case? When flying by
Eliasson, the first Under- helicopter from Islainabad to
Secretary-General for No, we are cariying out fund- Muzaffarabad, which used to
Humanitarian raising in both places. be the headquarters for co-
Assistance called Mr Member States in New York ordination outside the capital,
Khalikov in to work with have their plates fiill with lots it was very heartening to see
him. This proved to be an of political and socio- how the landscape has
excellent choicel Ever economic ISSueS, enVffOn- improved.
since that day, Mr ment, development, General
Khalikov's life has been Assembly, ECOSOC, various In October 2005, when I flew
filled with emergencies, commissions, etc. Therefore, there for the fu'st time, yori
humanitarian cata- theyreally do nothave tin'ie to worild fly only over nibble.
strophes and natural dis- focus on OCHA's fieldwork Everything was completely
asters. When he talks or policy dialogue in the same destroyed and the situation
about his work, you feel way that they do in Geneva. was very bad. Then, towards
that he is the right man in the end of October/beginning
the right place at the So I think that donors are of November yori could see
right time. Mr Khalikov more engaged in Geneva, and more and more tents. By the
has a heart of gold and it really shows that Geneva is end of November the whole
has the capacity to give the Humanitarian Capital of area was covered by very
everything in order to the World. brightly coloured tents, wich
help others. A real could be seen from the
humanitarian, you might Q: Do you feel that you helicopters.
sayl are more involved in
political work? Just before I left, a lot of

Q: First of all, congratula- materials started to atrive -

tions upon your new job. NOt personauyi Bllt tne plastic sheets, special metal
6 1 2009 Diva

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