USUNESCO - DG'S SURPRISE CHRISTMAS SHAKE-UP

UNCLAS PARIS 000098 SIPDIS FROM USMISSION UNESCO PARIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SCUL FR UNESCO SUBJECT: USUNESCO - DG'S SURPRISE CHRISTMAS SHAKE-UP IN THE EDUCATION AND SOCIAL AND HUMAN SCIENCE SECTORS ¶1. Just before UNESCO closed for the Christmas holidays, Director General Matsuura, on December 23, issued an internal memorandum shaking up parts of both the education and social science sectors. In a surprise move, the DG reassigned Wataru Iwamoto (Japan),the head of the Education Sector's Secondary, Technical and Vocational section to be the head of the Social and Human Science (SHS) sector's Management of Social Transformations (MOST) program. This change will likely have positive implications for the Education Sector while potentially limiting the reach of SHS. ¶2. Iwamoto will now assume a D1 post, replacing Pierre Sane (ADG/SHS) as acting director of the MOST program. Part of Iwamoto's new portfolio will be the monitoring of the anti-doping convention (which was previously in the education sector) and other sports-related activities such as CIGEPS and MINEPS. Iwamoto assumes his job just before the major MOST meeting in Argentina and Uruguay next month. ¶3. ADG for Education Peter Smith's deputy, Qian Tang, who formerly handled the Secondary, Technical and Vocational section will temporarily handle the section again when he returns from his holidays. The section will probably be in disarray for some time as it will not only be changing leadership, it will also be moving imminently into new offices as part of the UNESCO headquarters renovation. ¶4. Comment. This shake-up has mostly positive implications for U.S. interests. The DG will now be able to exert more direct control over the MOST program, and Pierre Sane's hold over his prized program will be weakened. Though the core budget for implementing the anti-doping convention will be moved from the Education Sector, any future costs will have to be borne from the already limited SHS budget. While most of this bodes well for the U.S., one area of concern is Iwamoto's perceived weakness as a leader. Though he will have the DG's backing it remains to be seen whether he will be as effective a bureaucratic in- fighter as Sane. ¶5. Comment continued: The shake-up also shows the DG's deep distrust of Sane. While Peter Smith is being given free rein to restructure the Education Sector, we are told the DG told a senior staff meeting several months ago that he intends to be directly involved in the restructuring of SHS. Sane loses the opportunity to place an ally in an important D1 position while a D1 position in the Education Sector is vacated just before Smith's reforms are implemented. KOSS