Statement

by H.E. Ambassador Bui The Giang

Deputy Permanent Representative of Viet Nam to the United Nations

at the Fifth Committee of the General Assembly

on Human Resources Management

New York, 14 November 2008

 

 

Mr. Chairman,

          At the outset, let me join previous speakers in congratulating you and Bureau members for your election to this important body. I believe that your vast experience and able leadership will guarantee for our deliberations to be a great success.

          Let me also take this opportunity to thank Deputy Secretary-General Asha Magiro and Under Secretary-General Angela Kane for introducing the reports of the Secretary-General on human resources management. My thanks also go to Mrs. Susan McLurg, Chairperson of the ACABQ, for her report on this central topic and to other keynote speakers for their contributions.

My Delegation fully shares the views expressed by Ambassador Conrod C. Hunte of Antigua and Barbuda on behalf of the Group of 77 and China on this agenda item. At the same time, we wish to further elaborate on some issues that, in our opinion, need greater attention.

Mr. Chairman,

          Nobody would dare to challenge the vital role that strong and efficient human resources management plays in any organization. The U.N. is no exception. However, the definition and requirement of such management has evolved over the years, along with the development of humankind in every field of operation, demanding a continuous improvement of the work of management itself. As an all-time advocate of efforts for better performance and higher efficiency of the U.N. through different measures, including reforms, Viet Nam has reserved special support for the U.N.’s human resources management reform. As this reform deals with the most delicate factor – the human being - it must be well prepared, well planned, well managed and carried out with the greatest possible care. It must also be perceived and conducted as a process, a continuous one in which success may not come as a result of mere physical and financial efforts or wishful thinking.

          Indeed, U.N. staff are pivotal in the implementation of the multidisciplinary workload the Member States assigned to them. We have learnt of various, and sometimes bold, measures undertaken to make sure that U.N. staff better deliver their mandates. We understand that these measures in most cases take time to produce visible results. Given this easily disheartening reality, and also given the fact that like civil servants elsewhere U.N. staff need to be accordingly assisted, we believe that it is only fair and practical for the Organization to ensure that its staff enjoy equal treatment, that their legitimate necessities and enumeration be met, that equal opportunities for their career development be provided, and that experts who have proved to be highly qualified through their efficient performance in the interests of the Organization in the field be exempted from applying for the same job and satisfying all kinds of requirements from the very beginning on termination of their terms as if they were freshmen. Equally important, U.N. staff must held accountable, corresponding to their entitlements and tasks assigned.

          My Delegation is appreciative of the endeavors to simplify work contracts and intention to achieve a single unified set of regulations to be applicable across U.N. bodies, funds and programs. To this end, we urge that concrete actions be taken to accelerate the harmonization and integration of their conditions of service as well as their enumeration, healthcare and education benefits.

          Recruitment is an issue that concerns many delegations from developing countries, including mine. We welcome suggestions and recommendations that have helped reduce considerable complications. However, there are still discrepancies that hinder gender equality and balanced geographical representation, especially at senior levels. We believe stronger measures have to be taken to address this problem and further improve developing countries’ geographical representation in particular. Also, recruitment must be well planned to ensure continuity and avoid the likelihood of generational gap in U.N. personnel.

          Transparency is yet another thorny issue as shown in many cases. Again, we join the common call for effective and feasible measures to be worked out and put in place with a view to bringing about a radical change in the related situation.

          Finally, we take note of the Secretary-General’s request to suspend the mobility issue and to review the current policy before any further course of action concerning this matter could be realized. While concurring with the idea in principle, we wish to further request that such a review be inclusive, and that all resulting decisions be well-informed, taken into consideration the double-facetted nature of mobility: On the one hand, it helps people from the Headquarters understand the situation and make decisions in relation to things on the ground, but it entails quite a few hurdles for our staff as well as their families on the other. Our point here is that there need to be a kind of time frame, say 5 years in each location, before such a re-deployment may take place, so that the possible side-effects of mobility can be minimized.

          I thank you, Mr. Chairman.