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STU/66th Council/14/020
23 October 2014

195 EX/13: Preliminary proposals by the Director-General on the preparation of the budget for the biennium (38 C/5)

STU Comments

STU has carefully studied document 195 EX/13 which presents the preliminary proposal by the Director-General for the preparation of the budget for the biennium 2016-2017 (38 C/5) and the determination of the budget envelope. Although the three options presented in the document with their different implications for the financial situation of UNESCO starting in 2016 address the possible financial scenarios which the Organization could envisage, the consequences of each will be felt in the programmes, structures and operational capabilities of UNESCO and, therefore also have its effect on the numbers, type and conditions of its staff.

The STU takes note of the three possible scenarios presented by the Director-General for the budget ceiling for the 38 C/5: zero-nominal growth (ZNG), zero-real growth (ZRG) and a scenario in-between ZNG and ZRG (ZNG+).

As is mentioned in the Para. 20 a) and b) of the document, the ZNG and the ZNG+  scenarios would result in significant reductions in programmes and, as clearly stated, also in staff, to the point that the capacity of the Organization to implement and maintain its leadership in several areas would be largely compromised. The STU welcomes that the Director-General has clearly warned about this and, it goes without saying, shares her concern for the future of UNESCO’s capacities and of its current levels of staff if one of these two scenarios were chosen.

Concerning the third scenario, ZRG, this is of course the best option from a staff point of view, not only because it would guarantee current levels of employment, but, more importantly, and in the interest of the Organization and its member States, the only one that would allow UNESCO to maintain a certain level of operational, intellectual and visionary programme work that would, if not enhance, at least not further reduce its leadership abilities and reputation in various areas of its mandate which have been built up over the years. As it has been clearly stated repeatedly in recent years by the Director-General and several representatives of member States at the Executive Board, the General Conference and other fora, there is a limit to how much the Organization’s budget, programmes, staff and capabilities can be further reduced without largely compromising its ability to operate and even the very essence of its existence.

Considering the large reductions in programmes and staff since 2011, the recently accomplished staff redeployment exercise (which caused great concern to staff and severely slowed down implementation of programmes due to a lack of clear organization and chaotic restructurings) as well as the lack of vision shown by an Administration acting more in case by case basis than on a coherent restructuring, visionary and organized strategic approach, the STU is very concerned that if the ZNG or ZNG+ (as suggested by the DG) are adopted, the necessary reductions that will have to be made in programmes and staff will again be done in a chaotic and unorganized manner, throwing the Organization into yet 2 more years of uncertainty, stagnation and lack of operational action, instead on concentrating on its main obligation, which is that of efficiently delivering its mandate and programmes in the service of its member States and their populations.

With this is mind, STU makes a call to member States to live up to their responsibility to ensure that the budget chosen does not put into existence the very essence or, at least, relevance of UNESCO and, if a scenario in which programme and staff reductions are needed ends up being chosen, that member States keep a close, effective and constant watch to make sure that any reduction is done only and exclusively in line with priorities set by Governing Bodies, in strict respect of rules and regulations and, above all, in a coherent, well thought, justified and clearly organized strategy overseeing the entire process, and not in a hesitant case by case or ad-hoc manner as has been the case up to now. The STU stands ready to assist, as has been the case up to now, the Administration and any other stakeholders in this domain, to ensure that, unlike the previous and current cuts, it is not the hard working and dedicated staff that ends up bearing the brunt of Management’s lack of organization, vision and strategic thinking.

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