Take a walk up and down the corridors of the UN in Geneva.
Each floor, each turn, each door a window into the work of the
UN - UNCTAD, UNITAR, UNEP, UNIDO, UNECE, ITC, UNICEF,
OCHA, CEB, JIU, a multitude of logos, acronyms, wall hangings,
posters, photographs tell the story. Leave one corridor and you are
in a different world. Unfortunately, too many of us are unfamiliar with
the work of our colleagues, even those only two or three doors away. We
pass those doors every day. How many of us are curious or even interested
enough in finding out what they do and how our work is related to
theirs? I am fortunate to sit next door to a number of very special persons,
the staff of the Joint UNEP/OCHA Environment Unit. In recent
years due to a large number of tragic events, this department and its staff
have become well known in different parts of the world. Their courage,
devotion to their commitment is to be admired. I do not know how many
of them have a military background or have special military training but
I assume most of them are specialists in very peaceful professions.
Nonetheless, in reality they have to live in an “à la guerre comme à la
guerre” regime in other than “war conflict” situations. These are not “blue helmets” of the United Nations, but rather humanitarian “helmets” of the UN. I am fascinated with all I know they are doing, and I would
like to share my fascination with the readers of UN Special.
Last January I met with Mr. Vladimir Sakharov, Deputy Chief of the Emergency
Services Branch, Chief of the Joint UNEP/OCHA Environment Unit, UN
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, who was back from an
emergency mission to Sri Lanka. At that time I was collecting material on
tsunami affected countries and was interested to learn more about the situation
in the tsunami affected region, and also about the Joint Unit, and we agreed on
the interview. The sad irony of events postponed this interview for almost a year.
Caribbean hurricanes, floods in Guatemala, potential dam collapse in Cameroon,
floods in Guyana, hurricane Katrina in the USA, floods in El Salvador, forest
fires in Peru, earthquake in Pakistan,… the list of the tragic events which
occurred in the passing year was almost the longest. Over the last months I
hardly saw Mr. Sakharov. Recently I met him by chance in the Palais. Feeling
how busy he was, I nonetheless reminded him about our agreement on the interview. “It will be my pleasure, I will be ready to answer any of your questions”,
Mr. Sakharov told me, “I’m just back from a mission, let’s talk tomorrow if nothing
happens…” Unfortunately, that very day a bad accident happened in China
(toxic spill) and my interview risked being postponed again, since Mr. Sakharov
had to go urgently to China. Suddenly he phoned from Cointrin airport that the
UN mission had to be postponed, and due to that our interview became possible.
In the subtitle I called you humanitarian “helmets” of UN, in fact, you are saving countries from disasters. It must be an incredible challenge.
Saving? Definitely not. We are just trying to help affected countries to better cope in the acute emergency phase.
Natural disasters are growing. Nature is becoming nastier with mankind. Why?
We do use the term “natural disasters”, but I think it is misleading. You may be surprised to hear that I do not believe in “natural” disasters. There are no “disasters” in nature, there are natural “phenomena” such as earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, etc. Disasters are created by man. Earthquakes kill people because houses are not built according to standards. Floods destroy villages and towns because they are set in the wrong places. And so on. It is easy to blame nature. It’s much more difficult to look critically at ourselves.
You are also dealing with environmental emergencies. What does that mean?
Mostly they are industrial and technological accidents, including chemical/toxic spills such as the recent accident in China, which may also affect Russia. Also large-scale forest fires, as most of them are man-made.
You must be terribly busy, especially with industrial accidents. Almost every day the press reports about explosions, spills, toxic leaks all over the world. How do you cope?
We are much more busy with natural disasters than with environmental emergencies.
Why so?
In the case of natural disasters, affected countries normally do not hesitate to request international assistance, because it is felt that nobody is responsible for such disasters – whether it is right or wrong. It is totally different in the case of industrial accidents. By definition, there is always someone responsible. And it changes everything. There is always secrecy. Affected countries are reluctant to release information, they hesitate to request assistance and invite outsiders to come. Very often we ask the affected country for permission to come to help. And very often we fail. Sounds strange? But it is real life. Some 15 years ago, when we were establishing a special response mechanism, we thought that countries would rush to us asking for environmental assistance. That was an illusion. However, we are not discouraged. We are explaining to countries that our aim is not to put blame, but to provide neutral and impartial assistance.
A few words about the Emergency Services Branch and about the Joint UNEP/OCHA Environment Units.
The Emergency Services Branch (ESB – as we call it) is one of several branches and divisions in OCHA. I would say that ESB is the most “operational” and certainly the most interesting branch to work in (at least I think so). It is relatively small – about 30 people altogether – professional and general staff.
Who are you in ESB?
A group of dedicated people.
What is special about you people?
Probably, nothing. The work is special, it is very dynamic and demanding. Either you do it, or not. There is nothing in between. Also considerable stress, not daily – that would be impossible. Crisis stress – by the way not only in the field, but also in the office.
Your background. Do you have military education? Special training?
Master in Biochemistry. PhD in Ecology. University military education – Nuclear, Biological, Chemical Weapons (helpful in my work), but I never served in the army. Like most of us, I am trained for the UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC).
The Joint Unit responds to environmental emergencies. How many are you? How do you work?
The Unit dealing with environmental emergencies is really very small – only three professionals. But that is much better than two (as we were for several years), and even better than one (I was the only professional for a number of years). So, there is progress. But as we are integrated in a larger branch, we can always count on support from other colleagues (which is reciprocal).
I’ve heard that the history of the Unit dates back to the time of Mr. Gorbachev’s Presidency.
True. At a session of the UN General Assembly, President Gorbachev put forward an idea to establish a special mechanism in the UN to respond to environmental emergencies. We went through a long and complicated process to set up such a response system. Now we are known and recognized. But it was not easy to achieve.
The Unit operates on the joint basis of two organisations, OCHA and UNEP. Does that mean that there are two organisations working together? Or how does this cooperation take place in reality?
I guess, like with most UN organizations. Good on paper, more complicated in reality. But it works.
Photo of the Unit taken in 2005 - comment by ER.
How in real life do you learn about the emergency (if this is a confidential information, please answer to the extent you can)?
On natural disasters – there is a system. For example, in the case of earthquakes we receive information pretty quickly from the US and Swiss Geological Services. It is different in the case of industrial accidents – normally we learn about them from the press (I already explained why).
What is “the field” or field missions?
Emergency field missions to disaster sites. Typically, they last 2-3 weeks. Hard work, without free days or weekends. Quite often, living and working conditions are rudimentary. Office space may consist of a chair and a table (if we are lucky).
You must be entitled to an attractive compensation for all this hardship?
Professionals are not entitled to compensations. But I do not remember hearing any complaints. The work is done – this is what counts.
Mobilization and coordination – which is more difficult?
Mobilization of international assistance is relatively easy, particularly in
highprofile cases, especially with the Under-Secretary-General Mr. Jan Egeland,
who is extremely good with advocacy.
Coordination is a different story. Much more difficult than mobilization. Many
are reluctant to be coordinated. We try to avoid the term “coordination”,
using “facilitation” instead. In fact, this is what we are doing
– we facilitate dialogue between various actors, stimulate cooperation,
provide platform for common action.
You are working for a noble cause, why these difficulties?
Many reasons. Sometimes, there are too many actors. They all, or most of them, have good intentions, but often they have little experience in disaster management.
You need to be available 24 hours a day; what does this mean in real life?
It means exactly what you ask –ready at any moment.
So, you cannot afford any leave, any vacation. What kind of life do you have? With all my admiration for your assignments, it’s difficult to even imagine your out-of-office life. You cannot have private plans, afford any intimacy or hide away in a lost paradise. You should be always reachable and available, always on call. Does it impose constraints on your private life? To your relationship with the people close to you?
I did not have normal vacations for several years, when I was the only professional in the Unit. That was exceptional. We can plan our life, but it should be very careful and flexible. We are always ready for a busy weekend, ready to cancel a non-emergency mission, cancel vacations under exceptional circumstances. However, normally solutions could be found as we help each other. Yes, there are many constraints. Different colleagues cope in different ways. I guess that to many people my way of life would not be acceptable. There is always a choice. I made mine, and I do not regret it.
Do you believe in what you are doing?
Definitely yes, especially when I am in the field – close to people, and involved in real action. Staying in the office, attending endless teleconferences – well, sometimes I ask myself… But I try to remain positive, otherwise it is difficult to work. A negative attitude is a deadly trap. In my UN career, I have seen a few people who lost the purpose – they were finished.
Is your work useful?
Yes, I think reasonably useful, if we do not pretend that we are saving the world. If our mechanism did not existed, it would to be created.
What would happen if tomorrow a large earthquake hits a major city in a developing country? Are you fully ready to act?
Generally, we are ready. We have some 30 years experience of responding to various disasters, including earthquakes in populated areas. I would not say that our tools work absolutely like a clock, but they do work. Of course, there is always room for improvement.
What are these tools?
The principal tool is the UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC), which is based on a roster of disaster managers, provided by many countries and UN agencies. It is not just another roster, but a practical mechanism with clear standard procedures, which ensures a rapid deployment of UNDAC teams to disaster sites. We can dispatch several teams to different countries at the same time, as in the case of the tsunami disaster.
How quickly could such teams, and you personally, be deployed?
UNDAC teams can be dispatched in a matter of hours. Before, the problem was to find seats on a commercial airplane. Now, there is a plane always on standby at Geneva airport, kindly made available to OCHA by the Swiss Government. I keep at home a special suitcase containing the most necessary items. I would be ready for deployment in an hour or so, depending on how quickly we can get to Cointrin.
Special clothes?
Yes. Both at home and in the basement here at the Palais.
Special equipment?
Yes. In the basement.
Is it true that there is always confusion when disaster strikes?
In the case of a major earthquake, there is normally confusion on the disaster site in the first hours or even days. We have learned from experience that it is important to avoid getting frustrated by an initial confusion, and prevent confusion from becoming chaos.
How do you feel when on a rescue mission? What does it represent for you?
I feel motivated. I’m glad to be with the national authorities and local people, being a part of international rescue support, and doing a useful job.
Need to assist, to bring help? Other feelings?
I often ask myself how we are perceived on the ground. Sometimes, I have the very uneasy feeling that I am a disaster tourist when I visit hospitals and camps for displaced people.
Disaster tourist? What a strange combination of words! Why such a feeling?
I do not represent UNICEF, or UNHCR, or other “operational” agency that brings physical, real help to people. I am coordinating. Why am I visiting hospitals and camps? Quite often, this is my personal initiative. On the one hand, I’m not obliged to visit. On the other hand, if I do not see the real situation, if I do not meet with victims, it is difficult to talk to donors and convince them to provide assistance, because first of all I myself need to be convinced. And when I come to a hospital without bringing anything, I have that uneasy feeling of being a disaster tourist, even knowing that it is not true. It may be something very personal.
Career opportunities?
Yes and no. In the field. Especially for younger people. We are in the system.
What do you feel representing the UN? How are you perceived by others, by the local population?
I’m often asked what organisation I’m from, and I am pleased to answer that I am representing the United Nations. Strange enough, but often people, not only the local population but even leading newspapers, do not take us as a single entity, and ask exactly which agency I represent: UNDP, UNICEF? By the way, I never say that I am from OCHA, but from the United Nations. I believe that we are all together doing the same job.
Are your missions risky? What is the highest risk?
Helicopters…
Photo of Mr. Sakharov together with Gerry Le Claire in 1998.
Published in the memory of Gerry, who lost his life two years later,
in the mission in Mongolia, together with Sabine Metzner-Strack,
in the helicopter crash. See details in UNS Nos. 593 & 601.
The helicopter in this very photo crashed the following day after
Mr. Sakharov and Gerry’s mission). Comment by ER.
What is your most striking or most special memory?
One of the strongest memories is in Khabarovsk, The forest fire of 1998. We arrived by helicopters in a small village by the Amur river. The picture was one of total disaster, all burned out, nothing left. In the middle of this burned out nothingness I saw a boy [a photo with this boy is in the header of this interview – comment by ER]. The boy was crying, I was trying to calm him down, I keep the photo and this image as one of the dearest in my memory. Besides that image, it was a very difficult mission. A local leader told me that with the forest fire they lost everything. Not asking for anything whatsoever, these people were impressed that we came, that we from the United Nations came to their place. They told me that for them the UN is the most important organisation in the world, but it is far away, in another continent, in New York, and they could not even expect or imagine that the UN would come to help them. I did not know what to offer immediately, what to say. We mobilized international assistance to the affected region as a result of that mission. It remains as one of the most striking moments in my memory.
How do you feel coming back to the very peaceful life here and very slow pace of life in comfortable Geneva? Do you feel lost here? Do you feel needed? Where do you feel more needed – here or there? Sorry, if I ask too delicate questions.
(…)
Do you have a message to Senior Management?
I recall one engineering rule. Please don’t fix something which works.
A question using the UN reform word “mobility”. How, if at all, do you see yourself in a different department? Will you miss something important working elsewhere?
Mobility in the short term is field missions. There is always an opportunity
to go there. Mobility in the long-term – our offices are all around the
world – means Afghanistan, Angola, South Africa, Sudan… There are
different factors to consider. Family situation. Languages, an important factor
by the way; one would have a lot of difficulty without Spanish in Latin America
in Spanish-speaking countries, or without French – in French-speaking
countries of Africa. Health. To your very last question, I just want to say
that many refuse to go to work at Headquarters and prefer to stay in the field.
If they need to
change, they would prefer to change to another field duty station.
I wanted to raise many more issues, e.g. the important issue of forgotten or neglected emergencies. I wanted to ask you to share your experience on, for example, the earthquake in Pakistan, Angola, Sudan, China.
You may address these questions to my colleagues, they are all dealing with that. I am just one of them.
