VOL. 66, NO. 5 - aafi-afics - UNOG

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Coherence is not a slogan. It is a reality. Wehave to make it work – within the Secretariat andthroughout the system.Climate change is not a purely about the weather.I would like to see an internal climate change atthe UN. The purpose of our gathering here,together, is to renew ourselves. To think aboutnew ways of working together, to think about howto better meet the challenges of our changingtimes.You have often heard me speak about reform,competence, mobility, accountability andtransparency. Performing well – and being fullyaccountable to our public – is a sacred duty, partof our responsibility to protect. This is so, purelyand simply, because our work is so important. Solet us ask ourselves, today and tomorrow and thenext day – how can we do better?We can no longer go about our business as usual.The demands on us are growing larger all thetime. The world is turning to us, increasingly, tosolve more and more problems.This is good. But it also means we must find newways to work more effectively as an organization– to deliver more fully on our promises, asenshrined in our Charter, one of the most nobledocuments in the history of humankind. We canbe faster. More flexible. Not so wedded to thestatus quo. More open to new ideas and ways ofoperating. We must be more modern.Let us, together, open the windows of our UN andlet in fresh air. Let us look in the mirror, honestly,and ask every day: am I doing my best? Whatcan I do better, today, to advance our commoncause?I tell my own staff: “Do not be complacent”.Whatever we have achieved in the past, we willbe judged in the future on the actions we taketoday – on results. Too often, we seem to placemore importance in process, how we go about ourjobs internally. Please, let our UN put resultsbefore process.We must always remember that leadership doesnot mean that we merely occupy a top position ora big job. It means taking action. Makingdecisions. Setting benchmarks. Pushing thesystem to change and move faster. Prodding it toaction and getting results. Then be responsible.Lastly, let me say a few words about my personalprinciples:Because I believe in leadership from the top, Ihave made complete, public disclosure of myassets – in a way that no SG has done before. Ihave been loud and clear about honesty: our UNwill not tolerate corruption or abuse of power. I dohope top-down initiative should be complementedby bottom-up participation.In diplomacy, I believe in dialogue andengagement, not confrontation. I have stuckpatiently but persistently to the task of persuadingpeople to say “yes,” as in Sudan, rather than putup with a never-ending game of bluff and evasion.I want to make myself the voice of those not heard– those who suffer most from global poverty, as astart. But in all this I am very pragmatic, resultsoriented.I said earlier that I am a man of action, not finesoundingwords. I am not in the business ofgiving a speech that proclaims “Never again”,drawing applause and headlines. I am aboutquietly working the phone, being blunt behindclosed doors, to force us out of the status quo.Wearing down skeptics has always been one ofmy hallmarks. So has turning words into deeds.Changing our UN will take time. But for howeverlong I am Secretary-General, I will dedicate myselfto this.By the end of today in New York, my wife willhave left our temporary residence in a hotel andmove into our new official residence –symbolically, new and modernized. Among thefew things I will take with me is a framed coverstory picture from a news magazine, published inmy first months as SG. It suggested that I ambound to fall because the UN cannot be changed.It’s a reminder that failure is no option.I am determined to prove that that news magazinewas wrong.There is no alternative to our UN. If we did nothave the United Nations, we would have to createit. So let us improve the UN we have, and make itwork better and more efficiently. Our work,together, is vital. But let us never forget. We willbe judged by what we deliver – by results.Ban Ki-moon29
NEWS FROM AAFI-AFICSDATES TO REMEMBERThursday 24 January 200815h00 to 18h00AAFI-AFICS Information Seminar on Long Term careILO, Room GB (Governing Body). Level R3. Coffee and refreshments willbe served from 14h30 immediately outside the meeting roomTuesday 4 March 2008 9h45 : 67th AAFI-AFICS Annual General Assembly, Room II, ILOTuesday 4 March 2008 13h00 : Spring Lunch at the ILO Restaurant (aperitif from 12h30)Every WednesdayPermanence in Office C.544-1, Palais des Nations, Geneva09h30 to 12h30 Tel. 0041 22 917 33 301st & 3rd Wednesdayeach monthThe Amicale du Soleil meets for an informal lunch at the Café du Soleil,Petit-Saconnex, Geneva.AAFI-AFICS needs your helpIs there a member of AAFI-AFICS who would be willing/able to volunteer to do secretarial work in our officeone day a week (or two half days)?Qualifications : Good team spirit; excellent knowledge of French or English, and ability to understand andspeak fluently the other language; experience with working on a computer (Microsoft) – word processing,Internet, etc. Choice of day(s) and hours is left to the candidate but once fixed must be respected.Place of work: Office C.544-1, Palais des Nations, GenevaPlease phone 022 917 330, or write to above address, or send an e-mail to <strong>aafi</strong>-<strong>afics</strong>@unog.ch30
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