EU Presidency Statement - Research and training

Mr. Chairman,

I am pleased to speak on behalf of the European Union. The countries of Central and Eastern Europe associated with the European Union (Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia) and the other associated countries (Cyprus, Malta and Turkey) and Iceland align themselves with this statement.

I should like to make some comments today regarding all the training and research institutions of the UN system considered under item 97 of our agenda.

The European Union would like first, as in previous years, to thank the Executive Director of UNITAR for the quality of the work carried out by the Institute and welcome the new members of the Board of Trustees.

The European Union welcomes the improvement in UNITAR's situation that has been achieved in recent years. It notes with satisfaction that UNITAR's image has improved, not only in Geneva and New York but in the various developing countries in which most of its training programmes are conducted. UNITAR is a small, flexible, effective and well-managed institution.

The European Union regrets the fact that voluntary contributions to UNITAR's General Fund remain inadequate. This relative weakness reduces the Institute's capacity to adapt swiftly to the demands of the developing countries and inhibits its capacity for initiative, even though the level of contributions to the Special Purpose Grants Fund is much more satisfactory. As the Board of Trustees has requested, the European Union urges the Institute to broaden the range of its contributors, to include foundations and the private sector. It accordingly requests it to continue its efforts to make its training programmes better known.

The European Union is also concerned by the problem of UNITAR's rental charges, which has still not been satisfactorily resolved despite being repeatedly highlighted. In view of the training services which the Institute provides for the United Nations we feel that appropriate facilities, in particular premises, should be made available free of charge wherever they are needed in Geneva, New York and Nairobi. We hope that this session of the General Assembly will adopt a very explicit resolution on this matter so that a satisfactory and lasting solution can finally be adopted for UNITAR and all the Member States which benefit from its services.

Mr. Chairman,

The European Union welcomes the adoption of the Strategic Plan, 2000 by the Governing Council of the United Nations University last December and approves its broad outlines. It believes it is necessary to maintain a balance between the four main tasks which the UN University has to fulfil in accordance with its mission, i.e. to constitute an international community of scholars, to serve as a bridge between the UN and the international academic community, to act as a think-tank for the UN and as a builder of capacities, particularly in developing countries.

The two programme areas selected by the University, Peace and Governance and Environment and Sustainable Development, adequately reflect the main challenges faced by the world at the start of the new millennium. The European Union recalls the need for the UN University not simply to be a reservoir of ideas but rather to help reinforce the link between the international scientific community and the political decision-makers. It is also essential to encourage the development of solid academic communities in the developing countries and the establishment of international networks for the mutual enrichment of the academic communities in the various countries.

The European Union wishes to express to the Rector of the University its confidence that the Strategic Plan will be implemented and that the activities it has undertaken will be successful.

Mr Chairman,

The European Union welcomes the positive conclusions of the evaluation of the United Nations Staff College Project and fully shares the recommendation of the Secretary-General's report to the effect that a United Nations Staff College will be set up as a teaching and knowledge-management institution for the staff of all UN bodies. It considers that the formal establishment of the Staff College of Turin will enable it, through a management culture both coherent and dynamic, to make a significant contribution to the reform of the UN by boosting the operational efficiency of its staff as a truly international civil service. Accordingly, the European Union believes it is also very important for the Staff College to be able to act as a catalyst for change within the system as a provider of multi-sectoral learning and knowledge services for the leadership of all UN bodies.

The European Union takes note of the transitional arrangements that have been agreed between the UN Secretariat and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) for the temporary extension of the project and expresses its full appreciation to the ILO for the support given to the Staff College's work over the last five years. The European Union also welcomes the opinion of the Secretary General aiming at the early establishment - through an inter-agency working party of the Administrative Committee on Coordination - of the precise arrangements for the administration and funding of the College so that a draft statute can be submitted for discussion and approval by the General Assembly as soon as possible in 2001. The European Union considers it highly desirable that that discussion should take place at the General Assembly's 55th session so that the new College in Turin can become operational from 1 January 2002.

The European Union feels it is important that the training activities entrusted to the Staff College, like those of the other UN training centers, should include the subject of the transition between emergency and development which for several months has been a topic of discussion within the United Nations and between fund providers. The European Union emphasizes the importance of the prevention and management of conflicts and humanitarian crises and welcomes its inclusion in the Staff College training programme. It considers finally that it is essential to maintain a clear demarcation of responsibilities between the College and the other UN training centers, particularly UNITAR and the United Nations University. It is vital that the activities of these different institutions be as complementary as possible when the resources available to the UN are, by definition, limited.

In the light of the above the European Union is pleased to table a draft resolution on the Turin Staff College, which reflects the conclusions of the Secretary-General's report as faithfully as possible.

Mr Chairman,

The European Union would also like to pay fulsome tribute to the activities of the International Development Law Institute (IDLI) and thanks its former Director, Mr. Hager, for his work in developing training in public and private law in the countries that need it most. The membership of a growing number of countries testifies to the important role the Institute plays in promoting good governance. The mandate the IDLI received to train all the judges in East Timor merits special note.

The European Union urges its new Director, Mr Loris, to continue the work of his predecessor. The Union also calls on all donors to increase their financial contribution to the Institute, whose activity too often goes unrecognised.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

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• EU Presidency Statement - Training and Research (27/10/2003)