WHO Regional Director for Africa underscores the need to work to further the aims and objectives of the United Nations and its specialized agencies.

The World Health Organization's Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Sambo, has stressed the importance of a constructive, transparent and open dialogue between staff and management of the United Nations (UN) and its specialized agencies to overcome some of the current challenges facing the world. He made the remarks at the 66th session of the Federation of International Civil Servants’ Association (FICSA) which is taking place in Brazzaville, Congo.

The event is attended by representatives of FICSA which is a federated group of 29 staff associations/unions from organizations belonging to the United Nations common system notably WHO, FAO, ILO, UNESCO, UNAIDS, ITU, UPU, and others. The meeting will discuss United Nations reforms, age of retirement, pensions, among others.

The Regional Director told the participants that the UN plays a crucial role in Africa through peace keeping, development aid, capacity building, emergency and humanitarian assistance, as well as promoting health. The United Nations Millennium Declaration of 2000 has provided new opportunities and defined a frame of reference that puts health at the core of human development, he said.

Dr Sambo observed that the impact of the global financial crisis has adversely affected the UN and its specialized agencies resulting in scaling down of activities, budget cuts and reduction of staff in many UN Organizations, including   WHO and its Regional Office for Africa. 

In his opening address, Mr Kingston P Rhodes, Chairman of the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) underscored the importance of working with FICSA along with other staff representative bodies at formal sessions of the Commission as well as other bodies. He told participants that their contributions during the past year on various joint working groups established by the Commission such as the Pensionable Remuneration scales, the review of Standards of Conduct for the International Civil service, the bi-annual review of duty stations and others are essential to the advancement of undertakings steered by the Commission.

Echoing Dr Sambo’s remarks, the ICSC Chairman pointed out that, the impact of the global financial crisis has left no one unscathed. Countries have had to manage resources more stringently than ever before and organisations are now faced with budget cuts end economic measures resulting in shrinking of HR budgets. He said the work of the Commission continues amidst these turbulent economic times and called on participants not to be discouraged. “This may be an opportunity to restock with innovative ideas, rethink pay and benefits to appeal to multiple generations of workers and to further invest in and engage our staff. We need your cooperation as we try to fulfill our mandate,” he said.

The President of FICSA, Mr Mauro Pace, expressed his gratitude to the WHO/AFRO Staff Association for their generosity and efficiency in hosting this session. He recalled that 20 years ago, the session of the FICSA Council was opened by the then Regional Director, Dr Gotlieb Monekosso.

The 66th session of the Federation of International Civil Service Association (FICSA) is expected to end on Friday 8 February 2013.
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For more information, please contact:

Mr Jean Tchicaya +4724139133  E-mail: Tchicayaj [at] afro.who.int
Collins Boakye-Agyemang, + 472413 9420 E-mail: Boakyec [at] afro.who.int
Sam Ajibola +4724139378  E-mail ajibolas [at] afro.who.int