“A fresh challenge”

Interview with Mr. Sergei Ordzhonikidze, United Nations Under-Secretary-General, Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva

What were your previous assignments before coming to Geneva ? 
I have been with my national diplomatic service since 1969 and have held a number of very different and challenging posts. For most of my professional career, I have been involved with international organizations, particularly with the United Nations. In fact, my very first overseas post was with the Permanent Mission to the UN in New York, and I returned to the Permanent Mission in New York in 1991 as Deputy Permanent Representative. In 1996, I came back to Moscow as Director of the Department of International Organizations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which gave me the opportunity to continue my involvement with the UN from another angle. In 1999, I was appointed Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs – a post which I held until I arrived here at UNOG in March 2002.

What is the role of UNOG’s Director-General ? 
The Director-General is responsible for all activities of the United Nations Office at Geneva. This is no small charge considering that we provide services for approximately 3,500 staff members and support over 9,000 multilateral meetings a year. As Director-General, I represent the Secretary-General in relations with the 165 permanent missions and observer offices based here in Geneva, with our host country authorities, as well as with regional organizations and arrangements. As the Secretary-General’s representative, I also undertake special political assignments and representation as requested by the Secretary-General. The Director-General maintains cooperation with the specialized agencies and programmes based in Switzerland and Europe and with other intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, including academic and research institutions. In addition, I am Secretary-General of the Conference on Disarmament, and provide the Secretary-General with advice and support on the work of the Conference. With such a wide brief, the Director-General needs to be a jack-of-all-trades, and hopefully a master of at least some of them!

How do you like your new job as compared to what you were doing in Moscow ? 
After having worked extensively for many years with the UN, but from a national perspective, or from the ‘outside’, so to speak, it is interesting and inspiring to work ‘within’ the system. Having tried both gives me a better understanding of the constraints but also of the vast potential and possibilities of the UN to bring about real change in the world. I am a firm believer in the value of multilateral efforts in the framing and execution of solutions to the pressing problems of our world today. So, it is especially stimulating to be part of an organization that is devoted to facilitating such multilateral cooperation, and I think that my experience from ‘both sides of the fence’ puts me in a position to contribute constructively to the work of the Organization.

Why did you accept this position ?
As a diplomat, I am used to changing positions and briefs regularly. I think that these regular changes are very healthy and beneficial. Working in various functions, in different types of environment, in different countries, with very different types of people – it all gives you vital experience and insight. Therefore, I am always interested in fresh challenges that I feel will add valuable knowledge, broaden my horizon, and add to my skills. When I was offered the position, I immediately realized that being at the helm of UNOG would be one of those challenges. And I have not been disappointed. As I said earlier, I also think that my particular combination of experience from ‘outside’ and ‘within’ the system is an asset, and I hope that my participation in the work of UNOG will be beneficial both for UNOG and for the Organization in general. It may sound trite but it was really an offer that was too good to refuse.

How much can Geneva be independent of New York ? 
I don’t think that it is possible – or helpful – to think about Geneva and New York as separate entities that are either ‘independent’ or ‘dependent’. We are all integral parts of the same system: the UN family. Within the United Nations, the Secretariat is united as well. Geneva, New York, and all the other duty stations have clearly defined roles and responsibilities that supplement and complement each other to ensure that we optimize our use of resources and maximize efficiency. Each duty station has particular assets and advantages. Within that context, we are all dependent on each other. Geneva has a special role to play as the seat of many of our specialized agencies, the home of the Conference on Disarmament, and with particular expertise in humanitarian affairs, human rights and assistance to refugees. The concentration of know-how in these different areas makes Geneva especially well placed for formulating original and creative solutions to the many complex problems that face us today. Only by drawing on the particular competencies and capabilities of each duty station – indeed of every individual staff member – can we hope to achieve our substantive goals.

What do you think of the way New York is ‘decentralising’its authority ? 
I enthusiastically support the Secretary-General’s reform programme. The key word in the reform plans is exactly decentralisation. To ensure coherence and strategic direction, however, it is necessary that overall policy be formulated in one place. It is therefore only natural that UNHQ plays a central role in policy planning. But implementation and execution of policy lies with the individual duty station. Existing responsibilities in the areas of management, finance and personnel will remain unchanged. It is worthwhile, however, to bear in mind that policy formulation in New York does not take place in a vacuum. On the contrary, policy is set in close consultation with individual duty stations. For example, the Secretary-General’s Senior Management Group (SMG), which meets once a week via video-conference, includes heads of the main duty stations outside headquarters. The SMG allows senior managers to plan together, coordinate efforts, share information, and in this way avoid duplication. Through the SMG and in personal consultations with the Secretary-General and his Under-Secretaries-General, heads of duty stations outside UNHQ are involved in setting the agenda of the Organization. Just as I think that it is unproductive to think about Geneva and the rest of the Organization in terms of ‘dependence’ and ‘independence’, I believe that the dichotomy ‘centralisation/ decentralisation’ can be misleading. Strategic direction and planning is necessary for the Organization to be effective, but at the same time responsibility and accountability for the implementation of policy must rest with the individual duty stations. That is what the reform programme is all about.

How do you like Geneva and its ‘international’atmosphere ? 
I very much enjoy the international atmosphere in Geneva. The strong international presence in the City and the Canton is a source of inspiration for me. The many ‘internationals’ here are all dedicated to improving conditions for all the peoples of the world. This sense of purpose and dedication motivates me every day. I know that we share this commitment with our host country. Over the past year, I have enjoyed a very good working relationship with the outgoing Foreign Minister of Switzerland, Mr. Joseph Deiss, and I hope to further develop my good relations with the incoming Foreign Minister, Ms. Micheline Calmy-Rey, whom I know well from her time as President of the Conseil d’Etat. It is no coincidence that the very international Canton of Geneva has provided the Confederation with its chief foreign affairs officer.

What would you like to achieve during your stay in Geneva ? 
I hope to see Geneva play an increasingly active role as the main duty station in Europe. I believe that the Swiss decision to join the UN presents the City of Geneva, the Swiss Confederation and our Organization itself with an unprecedented set of opportunities to fortify Geneva’s role in multilateral diplomacy. Swiss membership of the Organization will be a boost for ‘international Geneva’. Geneva is more than merely a place on a map. It is also a state of mind. The City is imbued with a spirit of cooperation and has brought together a unique combination of talent and expertise across many fields – from humanitarian assistance and promotion of human rights, to development, disarmament, research, science and technology. We need to build on that. This is not just in the ‘narrow’ interest of Geneva – or of UNOG. It is in the interest of the UN in general. I expect to see Geneva continue its role as a favoured place for multilateral and bilateral consultations and meetings and to enhance its role in support of the activities of the Security Council, the General Assembly and other main organs of the UN. For example, the recent meeting between the Presidents of Cameroon and Nigeria at the invitation of and in the presence of the Secretary-General to follow up on the decision of the International Court of Justice on the border dispute between the two countries is an illustrative example of how Geneva can be a convenient and constructive venue for multilateral diplomacy. I want to work to strengthen that role. As I said earlier, I am a firm believer in the Secretary-General’s reform efforts, and I am dedicated to implementing the reforms here at UNOG. At the personal level, I am working to learn to speak French while I am here. I have been taking lessons since I arrived. To paraphrase Neil Armstrong, it will be a small step for mankind, but a giant leap for one man!

Interview by Jean Michel Jakobowicz.