SECRETARY-GENERAL DISCUSSES STAFF MOBILITY WITH HEADS OF FUNDS, PROGRAMMES

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

The Secretary-General met today with Heads of Funds and Programmes to discuss the need to ensure staff mobility between the Funds and Programmes and the Secretariat, as a way to give real meaning to the concept of a truly mobile, multi-functional staff, serving one UN family, system-wide.

The Secretary-General told the Executive Heads he has decided to open a number of positions in his own office to expressions of interest from staff in all Funds and Programmes, in addition to Secretariat staff.  He proposed that the Funds and Programmes respond with reciprocity to this initiative.  The Executive Heads welcomed the Secretary-General’s initiative and promised to respond in a reciprocal manner by examining ways to open positions in Funds and Programmes to Secretariat staff.

The meeting followed the Secretary-General’s announcement on Friday that he would lead by example on staff mobility with a new practice of circulating positions in the Executive Office of the Secretary-General on iSeek, the intranet site for Secretariat staff.  He invited all qualified Secretariat staff, in both Headquarters and the field, to submit expressions of interest.  And he asked all Secretariat senior managers to follow suit and promote mobility among their staff in the same manner.

The Secretary-General thanks the Executive Heads for their support and cooperation in the work to transform the United Nations family so it can deliver as one.

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