Dear Colleagues,
I hope this message finds you well. I know this is a difficult time for all staff. The funding situation we are facing, as you all know, continues to be challenging.
In view of that, on 5 May, I shared a set of decisions from the Future Focus Initiative aimed at enhancing and realigning our efforts across all levels of the organization. I also committed to sharing additional updates as decisions are made.
After a thorough and considered analysis and discussions, I have made the following additional decisions:
* Consolidation of the East Asia and the Pacific Regional Office and the Regional Office of South Asia into one Regional Office based in Bangkok, with plans that the new Regional Office would be operational by June 2026.
* Consolidation of the Europe and Central Asia Regional Office and the Middle East and North Africa Regional Office into one Regional Office based in Amman, with plans that the new Regional Office would be operational by December 2026.
* Transition of the Djibouti and Sudan Country Offices to the Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office.
* Phasing out of UNICEF programming in high income countries in Europe, taking into account ongoing commitments and country programme cycles.
*The Centers of Excellence will be located in Nairobi, Amman, Panama City and Bangkok. This aligns the centers with the presence of our Regional Offices.
I have not taken these decisions lightly. These decisions are driven by the financial realities we face, so that we can ensure the long-term sustainability and future impact of our organization.
We will continue working together as one team to manage this transition, in full recognition of the impact this will have on staff. I am confident that together we will be able to navigate the challenges ahead and emerge stronger and better prepared to deliver on our mission and our mandate.
Kind regards,
Cathy
I have not taken these decisions lightly. These decisions are driven by the financial realities we face, so that we can ensure the long-term sustainability and future impact of our organization.
We will continue working together as one team to manage this transition, in full recognition of the impact this will have on staff. I am confident that together we will be able to navigate the challenges ahead and emerge stronger and better prepared to deliver on our mission and our mandate.
Kind regards,
Cathy
But here are some quickie thoughts;
ReplyDelete1. Putting EAPRO and ROSA together has been talked about for some time now. Effectively "serving" the many countries in both regions, with some 4 billion population, is another matter; India might like better being served out of Bangkok than Kathmandu !
2. ECARO and MENA, served by Amman, may have some logic but with most of MENA countries in conflict areas and humanitarian needs, while Central Asia is relativley well off countries, makes it dicey.
3.Djibouti may be OK , but placing the Sudan in ESARO may constitute a political faux pas..it is still a member of the Arab League and has been served by the MIddle East since inception. South Sudan is OK which is why it broke away from Khartoum in the first place.
4. Absolutely,;they dont mention countries, but I am sure most of them are not really "programme countries" to start with. I note that Azerbaijan was the one singled out to disengage....why that one?
5.These "hubs" are still a mystery..no one seeems to know what or how they will operate seeing as they are in the same locations of Regional Offices. For the record, I recall that the SIAR in 1973 recommended that RO's be scaled down and that RD's should act as "Senior Professinal Colleagues". Is this a case of "what goes around, comes around"???
Fouad..