A/S BRIMMER'S MEETINGS AT THE UNITED NATIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000564 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/04/2019 TAGS: PREL PGOV PREF UNAUS UNDP SUBJECT: A/S BRIMMER'S MEETINGS AT THE UNITED NATIONS Classified By: Assistant Secretary Esther Brimmer for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Assistant Secretary for International Organization Affairs Esther Brimmer traveled to New York on May 27 for a series of meetings with United Nations officials. Department of Management Under Secretary General Angela Kane told A/S Brimmer that the United Nations is enthusiastic about U.S. plans for payment of its budget arrears. Kane outlined a wide range of UN reforms in procurement, recruitment, promotion of staff, report production and information technology, emphasizing the need for greater efficiency to achieve savings. Under Secretary General for Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) Inga-Britt Ahlenius described efforts to restrict the independence of her office and limit access to its reports; Ahlenius characterized the selection of a strong successor as key. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Administrator Helen Clark outlined her plan to offer strategic advice to recipient countries, in lieu of small projects. Poverty reduction, climate change and women's empowerment are at the top of Clark's agenda. Clark expressed concern about some UNDP accountability methodologies, but agreed that the key to UN reform is delivery against agreed priorities. Under Secretary General Holmes urged greater funding for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, and emphasized a desire to work more closely with State/IO. He expressed concern about the security of Sri Lanka refugee camps, and stated that the humanitarian situation in Sudan had stabilized. A/S Brimmer's Meeting with Department of Management Under Secretary General Angela Kane -------------- -------------- Kane Focuses on UN Reform and Cost Efficiencies -------------- -------------- ¶2. (SBU) In her meeting with Department of Management (DM) Under Secretary General (U/SYG) Angela Kane, A/S Brimmer, referring to previous statements by the President and the Secretary of State, reiterated the USG's commitment to paying its budget arrears. Kane indicated that she and other high-ranking officials were aware of these statements, and that they were enthusiastically received within the Organization. Kane described the procedures for apprising Member States of the financial situation of the Organization and referred to the efforts being taken by the SYG to reform ;the budget process, as well as a recent retreat hosted by the Governments of Switzerland and Malaysia for Member States, and plans to follow up on that retreat. Kane elaborated on a host of reform initiatives that she is pursuing to enhance the efficiency of the Organization, and that she believes will also result in budget savings. She referred in passing to a wide number of reforms including in the area of procurement; recruitment, appointment and promotion of staff; mobility within the Organization; production of reports by the Secretariat; need for and use of more modern informational technology, including better communication and information tracking and sharing within the organization; as well as more effective use of UN web sites in regard to public dissemination of information relating to the activities of the Organization. ¶3. (SBU) In the course of this wide-ranging presentation, Kane expressed appreciation for the approval of recent reforms within the human resource area (streamlining of contractual relations),and the support of the USG in achieving those reforms. Kane also indicated that the Secretariat is struggling with the implementation of those reforms. She confessed that the reforms, which the Secretariat vigorously advocated, have proven more complicated than anticipated. During this discussion, A/S Brimmer expressed support in principle for management reforms that would enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the Organization and the prospect that these might also achieve savings in the budget. ¶4. (SBU) Kane also expressed appreciation to the USG for helping the Organization in dealing with the Host City and State authorities on the Capital Master Plan. She invited A/S Brimmer to have a "dirty tour" of the present facilities that are to be renovated, as well as a tour of the new temporary conference and SYG office facilities being constructed on the North Lawn. A/S Brimmer's Meeting with Internal Oversight Services Inga-Britt Ahlenius -------------- -------------- Ahlenius Emphasizes OIOS Challenges -------------- -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Under Secretary General for Internal Oversight Services Inga-Britt Ahlenius opened the meeting by stating that the U.S. was the "founding father and mother of OIOS" and has been the strongest supporter and defender of OIOS over the years. Ahlenius reported that while things may appear to be fine on the surface, reality is completely different. She stated that OIOS faces daily efforts to restrict their independence and operations and that while the Department of Management used to be a strong ally, it has become their biggest antagonist. Ahlenius stressed two critical areas that the U.S. needs to focus on: ensuring continued access to OIOS reports by Member States and the need to select a well-qualified successor for her position. Ahlenius' mandate expires in July 2010. ¶6. (SBU) Ahlenius mentioned that in the course of their work OIOS found a general fatigue among the leadership to address serious problems within the Organization with the exception of strong managers like DFS U/SYG Malcorra. Ahlenius also stated that OIOS continues to face stiff opposition from certain Member States regarding the investigations function, which is clearly evident in the current Fifth Committee negotiations on the OIOS restructuring proposal for the OIOS Investigation Division. -------------- -------------- Strong Successor, Access to Reports, Critical -------------- -------------- ¶7. (SBU) Regarding access to reports, Ahlenius reported that she has successfully thwarted attempts, to date, to restrict access to reports. A/S Brimmer acknowledged that access to reports and information from OIOS is critical to the U.S. as it allows Member States to know what is going on within the Organization. Regarding the selection of the next U/SYG, Ahlenius stressed that it was vital to select a well-qualified professional who understands oversight issues as well as the necessity of vigilantly protecting the operational independence of OIOS. A/S Brimmer agreed that the U.S. would engage on this matter. ¶8. (SBU) During the course of their discussion, A/S Brimmer expressed support for Bob Appleton as the Director of the Investigation Division and wondered if the disagreement between OIOS and the SG will be resolved soon. Ahlenius replied that she intends to submit her selection to the SG after the conclusion of the Fifth Committee consideration of the restructuring proposal. ¶9. (SBU) A/S Brimmer asked about status of the integration of the PTF into OIOS. Ahlenius replied by giving a brief overview of the establishment and work of the PTF over the last two years. Ahlenius further informed A/S Brimmer that the specialized white collar crime unit she created within the Investigation Division to continue the function of the PTF was nearly fully staffed with seven out of the eight positions filled and the head of the unit (Amcit) recently appointed. A/S Brimmer also inquired about the situation with the UN Office in Nairobi. Ahlenius indicated her knowledge of the current situation was limited, but that she was aware of the SG's decision to appoint a new head of office and, in her mind, essentially demote the previous head. A/S Brimmer's Meeting with UN Development Programme Administrator Helen Clark -------------- -------------- New UNDP Administrator's "Vision" -------------- -------------- ¶10. (U) New UNDP Administrator Helen Clark started her meeting with A/S Brimmer outlining her vision of the organization as an "empathetic consultant" for developing world governments. With reference to UNDP's Strategic Plan, she described an intention gradually to phase out small projects in favor of a more focused set of programme areas centering on "upstream" strategic advice to recipient countries. She acknowledged that this vision might require new skill sets among UNDP staff. Overall, she saw UNDP's comparative advantage in its global reach, trusted relationships with recipients, coordinating role within the UN system, and intellectual leadership. UNDP could also do things that bilateral donors and Bretton Woods Institutions could not because it was so widely trusted and "trust is invaluable." She noted that UNDP's primary activities in promoting democratic governance, crisis prevention and recovery, and sustainable development and environmental protection, should appeal to the United States. Clark also emphasized the importance of UNDP's crisis-related activities, since stability was a precondition for development; however, she noted that donors were more supportive of this work than the G-77. ¶11. (SBU) Clark explained that UNDP was reviewing their donor base to look at ways to capture new levels of support from emerging economies like China and India. (China had just announced at the Executive Board that it was increasing its core contribution to $ 3.5 million). She found it "odd" that Norway with its population of 5 million had become UNDP's largest donor whereas the U.S. had slipped to fifth, and she inquired about future U.S. support. A/S Brimmer replied that decisions were in the hands of Congressional appropriators but that UNDP has a historic base of support, especially if it continues to make the case that it is meeting critical needs with evident value added. ¶12. (U) Clark noted a constructive relationship between UNDP and the World Bank, including a joint proposal being developed at the request of the Chief Executives Board to address vulnerabilities created by the global financial crisis. She also described fruitful UNDP-IMF collaboration as part of the Secretary-General's initiative to develop "Gleneagles scenarios" for scaling up assistance to help African countries meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs),where they were also working closely with G8 sherpas. -------------- -------------- Clark's Top Priorities -------------- -------------- ¶13. (U) Clark highlighted poverty reduction and climate adaptation as at the top of her agenda where there was a potential virtuous circle to make greater progress against the MDGs through investments in climate change adaptation. She saw a possible "paradigm shift" at Copenhagen: monies for adaptation were likely to dwarf ODA as well as create space for developing countries to shape the agenda, which she described as an opportunity for a "new deal for development." ¶14. (U) Clark also emphasized women's empowerment as crucial to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). She additionally referred to S.C. Res. 1820 and the issue of sexual violence, which needed intensified effort to identify effective levers to get results. A/S Brimmer noted the recent Boxer-Feingold hearings and the depth of bipartisan interest in making real headway on this issue as a potential resource. -------------- UNDP Reform and Accountability -------------- ¶15. (SBU) In response to A/S Brimmer's raising the importance of a sustained reform effort, Clark referred to the need to "decode the mantra" of UNDP accountability. She expressed concern about accountability methodologies that overemphasized measurable results when some of the most important objectives (e.g., democratic governance) were hard to measure, especially in a short time frame. She also noted political sensitivities in host countries about some performance measures. On the Afghanistan case, Clark acknowledged that UNDP, for its part, could have supervised UNOPS more closely, but that it "took three to tango." Overall, she agreed with A/S Brimmer that the key to UN reform was results and delivery against agreed priorities. A/S Brimmer further emphasized the importance that UNDP communicate clearly with donors and supporters, as well as with critics, the rationale behind its strategies and actions. ¶16. (C) On the North Korea case, Clark said it was important now to move beyond the past. The previous session of the Executive Board had authorized re-engagement and they had just sent a team to start the process of re-establishing an office and staff. Given developments over the weekend, while they were not in a position to change gears, they could nonetheless make haste slowly which she saw as the most judicious course. -------------- -------------- Arab Human Development Report Unhelpful -------------- -------------- ¶17. (C) Clark alerted A/S Brimmer that the next iteration of the Arab Human Development Report, which took the theme of "human security," was long, poorly argued, and full of invective, which was in no one's interest but was hard to manage since it was authored by external experts. She did not offer specific detail about the timing of its release. ¶18. (U) Finally, Clark noted her intent to visit Washington after she had made an Africa tour. A/S Brimmer's Meeting with UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes -------------- -------------- Holmes Pleas for Greater OCHA Funding -------------- -------------- ¶19. (SBU) A/S Brimmer next met with John Holmes, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator. The discussion ranged from US funding of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) to several on-going humanitarian flash points including Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Sudan and the Gaza strip. ¶20. (SBU) Holmes opened the meeting by noting that he was keen to cultivate a stronger relationship with State/IO and would be sure to call upon A/S Brimmer during his next trip to Washington. He remarked that OCHA depends heavily on the generosity of member states since 95 percent of its budget comes from voluntary contributions. Holmes told A/S Brimmer that more regular funding from State/IO towards the OCHA budget would be welcome. A/S Brimmer responded that she would make the case to Congress for continued contributions towards OCHA's budget and hoped that the new atmosphere on the Hill would facilitate support for OCHA. Holmes replied that he looked forward to working with the new US administration. -------------- -------------- Sri Lanka Refugee Camps Face Challenges -------------- -------------- ¶21. (SBU) Holmes told A/S Brimmer that he just returned from his third visit to Sri Lanka this year. He remarked that the end of the conflict is a good thing, but that the recently-concluded fighting took a heavy toll on civilians resulting in unacceptably-high casualties. He went on to describe the conditions in the IDP camps as bad, but that this could be remedied over time with the provision of humanitarian assistance from the UN. He noted that the UN had the necessary resources, but would need time to upgrade facilities in the camps. However, the government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) imposed restrictions on access to the camps that makes the work of the UN and NGOs more difficult. Holmes told Brimmer that he hoped that the access issue would be resolved quickly. ¶22. (C) Holmes remarked that the nature of the camps troubles the UN. The GoSL has essentially established internment camps for the Tamils that had lived in LTTE-controlled territory. Holmes understood the security concerns of the GoSL, but feels that improved screening procedures could be put in place that would allow the separation of LTTE fighters from the civilians. The vast majority of people in the camps who do not represent a security threat could be released. The UN also remains troubled by the militarized nature of the camps. While the GoSL wants UN support for the camps, the UN wants to avoid providing assistance to what may become internment camps. Holmes informed A/S Brimmer that the Secretary-General pushed the GoSL on the importance of reconciliation. Holmes personally has doubts about the intentions of the GoSL although he admitted that they said the right things to the SG. -------------- -------------- Brimmer Urges Appointment of Senior Coordinator in Pakistan -------------- -------------- ¶23. (SBU) A/S Brimmer noted the importance that the US gives to humanitarian coordination in Pakistan given the humanitarian crisis resulting from conflict-induced displacement. She urged the UN to appoint a senior, experienced humanitarian coordinator in Islamabad to manage the crisis. Holmes replied that he would speak with the SG on this topic on May 28. He noted that the appointment must be carefully considered due to sensitivities within the Pakistani government and the UN system. -------------- -------------- Sudan Humanitarian Situation -------------- -------------- ¶24. (C) On Sudan, Holmes stated that the negative climate sparked by the government of Sudan (GoS) decision to expel international NGOs on March 4 has changed for the better over the past couple of months. He credited the work of US Special Envoy Gration with contributing to the new approach of the GoS. Holmes described the situation as contained with no expectation of a looming humanitarian crisis. But he added that a number of challenges remain including increasing humanitarian services during the upcoming rainy season and handling increasing security threats to aid agencies. -------------- -------------- Poor Humanitarian Access in Gaza -------------- -------------- ¶25. (C) A/S Brimmer told Holmes that the US continues to press for improved humanitarian access to the population of Gaza and remains a strong supporter of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). Holmes stated that the crossing points are largely closed to all commodities except for the most basic relief supplies. The UN is unable to move other humanitarian aid or reconstruction materials into Gaza. He remarked that it is unacceptable humanitarian aid is not allowed to freely pass and that the people of Gaza are being used as bargaining chips. -------------- -------------- Worker Safety and Security a Concern -------------- -------------- ¶26. (SBU) Holmes concluded his remarks by noting negative trends in terms of humanitarian access and the safety and security of aid workers in a number of countries including Somalia and Afghanistan. He sees growing demands for humanitarian response, especially in relation to climate change. Securing the funding for the necessary humanitarian interventions presents a challenge to OCHA. RICE