أخبار وأحداث

Review of United Nations system support for landlocked developing countries to implement the Vienna Programme of Action (JIU/REP/2021/2)

The present report assesses the challenges, opportunities, good practices and lessons learned in the work of UN system organizations to support the 32 landlocked developing countries (LLDCs) to address their lack of access to the sea, remoteness and isolation from international markets, through the implementation of the Vienna Programme of Action (VPoA) during its first five years.

The review found that UN system entities cover all the priority areas of the VPoA, to varying degrees, and in ways that are complementary to their mandates and capacities. They do so with a focus on soft assistance, through measures that tap into their expertise in normative work, knowledge development, capacity development and convening power.

JIU engages in a dialogue with the executives of its participating organizations

Following the periodic meeting with the management committee of the United Nations Secretariat since July 2021, JIU initiated a series of high-level meetings with the heads of its participating organizations. The JIU bureau composed of Inspector Flores Callejas as chair and Inspector Roscher as vice-chair met the executive heads and other officials of ILO, ITU, UNOG, WHO, WIPO and WMO to discuss interactions between the Unit and the organizations. The cooperation shown by participating organizations, their support in data collection such as responding to questionnaires together with the effort made in facilitating interactions, of particular relevance since COVID-19 outbreak, were acknowledged and praised by JIU as an essential aspect of the oversight work conducted by the Unit.

Review of management and administration in the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) (JIU/REP/2021/1)

Established in 1950 as a successor of the International Meteorological Organization, WMO recognizes the need to continuously adapt to a rapidly changing world. The need for regular reform is driven by environmental degradation, resource constraints, increased competition and scientific and technical advances. WMO also sees the need to enhance wider engagement of all its Member States and Territories, private and academic sectors, the science community and partner organizations.

Interview of Inspector Tesfa Seyoum

Date: 1 April 2021

Please say a few words about “who you were” in your professional life before joining the JIU

A large part of my career resides within the United Nations, where I served in various roles for 27 years. I was a delegate of my country, Eritrea, at the Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York for 21 years and served on the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) for 6 years. Now, I am elected by the UN General Assembly to serve at the JIU for the next five years. In a way you could say that the UN is in me and I am in the UN. Before that, I worked as the Executive Director of a humanitarian organization, assisting victims of wars and famine in the Horn of Africa for 10 years. I was also Accounts and Budget Analyst for the Africa Region with an international NGO based in Nairobi, Kenya, for 5 years in the early years of my career.

Blockchain applications in the United Nations system: towards a state of readiness (JIU/REP/2020/7)

The report intends to provide a contribution to the collective efforts triggered by recent overarching strategies on new technologies and the future of work, which address the issue of innovation and the use of digital technologies by the United Nations system in an action-oriented approach.

Blockchain is among the technologies whose interaction and blending of physical, digital and biological systems define the profile of the fourth industrial revolution. Although the technology is still young, weighing the trade-offs and determining regulatory action and operational frameworks should be a subject for multi-stakeholder dialogues, including in the United Nations system. The 2030 Agenda and the strategic calls for innovation that have followed it prompted some organizations to take the lead and pilot blockchain applications, mostly for operational activities. 

Interview of Inspector Victor Moraru

Date: 17 March 2021

 

Please say a few words about “who you were” in your professional life before joining the JIU?

I have an extensive work experience in the field of multilateral affairs, with a focus on United Nations activities and programmes. During my diplomatic career, I served as Moldova’s representative to various legislative, functional and subsidiary organs of the United Nations system organisations, including bodies concerned with coordination, evaluation and budgetary matters. Over the years, I participated in many specialised meetings and debates, including on various reform proposals aimed at improving organizational effectiveness, accountability and the UN system-wide coherence with a view to support the implementation of UN global agreements and mandates.

Interview of Inspector Jesús Miranda-Hita

Date: 9 March 2021 

 

Please say a few words about "who you were" in your professional life before joining the JIU?  

I worked for 38 years in the Spanish Administration, in a wide variety of roles, including executive, political and, during the last nine years, control and supervisory functions, as an Inspector of Services of Economy and Finance. To put it briefly, I can say that I am very used to studying and transforming organizations, leading people, designing and drafting policies, budgets and regulations and rules, and measuring results. 

Review of mainstreaming environmental sustainability across organizations of the United Nations system (JIU/REP/2020/8)

The current context provides an opportunity for the United Nations organizations to reimagine the system by making their policies, practices and operations, including internal management, environmentally sustainable. They should move away from advocacy practices aimed merely at raising awareness and should instead assume responsibility for implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development within their operations and activities. They should fully seize the opportunities arising from the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic for serious digitalization and resource footprint reduction, including in the realm of travel. 

The Joint Inspection Unit of the United Nations system elects its Chair and Vice-Chair for 2021 and adopts its programme of work

The Inspectors of the Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) on 12 January elected Inspector Jorge Flores Callejas (Honduras) as Chair and Inspector Gönke Roscher (Germany) as Vice-Chair of the Unit for 2021. The Unit also adopted its programme of work for 2021 at its resumed Winter Session. The programme of work includes five system-wide projects and the reviews of management and administration in two of its participating organizations and will be presented to the General Assembly at its seventy-fifth resumed session later this year.

Farewell to three Inspectors leaving the Unit

December 2020 marked the departure of Ms. Aicha Afifi (Morocco), Mr. Petru Dumitriu (Romania) and Mr. Jeremiah Kramer (Canada), who served the Joint Inspections Unit for a five-year term since 2016.

JIU/REP/2020/6 Multilingualism in the United Nations

Multilingualism is both an asset and a shared commitment for all organizations in the United Nations system. Multilingualism is critical for the governance of the organizations in the United Nations system, but also for reaching out to its mandate beneficiaries, the peoples of its Member States.

JIU/REP/2020/5 Enterprise risk management: approaches and uses in United Nations system organizations

Enterprise risk management (ERM) has its roots in the private sector and has value in all sectors, including United Nations system entities. United Nations system organizations are exposed to a myriad of risks while delivering on their mandates –– from fraud and corruption, reputational risks and cybercrime to risks of a political nature, natural and human-made disasters. In its resolution 61/245, the General Assembly endorsed the adoption of ERM in the United Nations system to enhance governance and oversight.

 

JIU/REP/2020/3 Common premises in the United Nations system: current practices and future prospects

This review examines progress achieved in developing common premises in countries where United Nations country teams operate. It identifies barriers to progress and recommends a range of measures to enable the efficiency and other gains common premises have been intended for, as well as a more far-reaching transformation of the management of the United Nations system’s extensive real estate portfolio in the field.

JIU/REP/2020/1 Review of the state of the investigation function: progress made in the United Nations system organizations in strengthening the investigation function

The report assesses the current state of the investigation function in the United Nations system organizations and the progress made in strengthening the function since the last JIU reports of 2000 and 2010 on the same topic, in particular the distribution of responsibilities for investigations and organizational set-up of the function, its level of independence, investigation capacity and resourcing, as well as system-wide coherence and cooperation.

JIU/REP/2019/9 Review of contemporary practices in the external outsourcing of services to commercial service providers by United Nations system organizations

The present report assesses the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of utilizing the option of external outsourcing to commercial service providers, outlines the existing enabling legislation and policy in this realm, and provides a tool-kit for organizations to improve how such outsourcing is conducted and managed. The topic is being reviewed by the JIU after 17 years, following a proposal from the United Nations Secretariat.

JIU releases its annual report for 2019 and programme of work for 2020 to the UN General Assembly (A/74/34)

Inspector Eileen A. Cronin, Chair, and Inspector Keiko Kamioka, Vice-Chair of the JIU for 2020, are pleased to share the Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) 2019 annual report and 2020 programme of work.

Impact story: contributing to the Staff College’s six-week course on change management

Impact story: contributing to the Staff College’s six-week course on change management

The JIU’s review of change management in the United Nations system (JIU/2019/4) has been recognized by the United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC) as a significant addition to knowledge base on change management across the UN system. 

JIU/REP/2019/8 New review concludes that inter-agency mobility policies do not serve the needs of organizations or the aspirations of staff well enough.

The concept of inter-agency mobility has long been prominent, but remains limited and the opportunistic application of the 2012 inter-organizational Agreement, largely driven by the desire to avoid responsibility for financial liabilities, is eroding the functioning of the regime to the disadvantage of staff.

JIU prepares the first-ever ‘Easy Read’ version of a report summary

The Joint Inspection Unit has released an ‘Easy Read’ version of the executive summary of the JIU review (JIU/REP/2018/6) on enhancing accessibility for persons with disabilities to conferences and meetings of the United Nations system.

General Assembly adopts dedicated resolution on the JIU review on enhancing accessibility for persons with disabilities to conferences and meetings of the United Nations system

On 27 December 2019, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a dedicated resolution (A/RES/74/253) on the review of the Joint Inspection Unit on the topic of enhancing accessibility for persons with disabilities to conferences and meetings of the United Nations system (JIU/REP/2018/6).