MY LIFE WITH THE UN SERIES
I intend to tell my story of association with the United Nations, not with an innocent intention, but with a clear set of personal objectives:
to share a few reflections of the very positive own experience. Not hesitating also to revisit the errors, as they say in any case that experience “is the set of past mistakes we are fond of remembering”. I also have very positive experiences;
to offer some criticism where I feel necessary in the hope that it will inspire others in active service to do better;
in the whole prevailing complex, conflicting and conflictual environment of interests, to locate our Continent; and
to tell some fun stories. Not all is about seriousness, otherwise you get a heart attack, or you stop reading.
I entered service with UNHCR in August 1989 and retired in November 2021.
My life with the United Nations (hereinafter, UN) Series is a title bigger than the content of the series. You see, I have not done work with any other UN Agency than the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR from here on). So, most, if not all, of my series will be with my erstwhile employer, the UNHCR. Knowing that a number of statements are applicable across UN organizations, I keep the hyperbolic title anyways, in the belief that other UN staff may very well identify with some of the facts I will be writing about.
My readership may wish to note that as a United Nations retiree, I still uphold a professional oath of office. And while I will certainly be critical of my former employer (UNHCR), because I know it best, I will refrain from being critical of other Programmes and Funds of the UN System. You can rest assured though that I hold strong views of other UN Agencies with which I collaborated in the various functions of my public career.
You would be entitled to ask: why would a UN staff be critical of his employer? Because I evolved in the system for a few years and have been exposed to its work and its impact and consequences. Having evolved for 32 years in a business with direct physical, emotional, psychological, and social consequences on human lives, how they survive or how they perish, it is impossible not to be deeply involved and not to be judgmental of the various political power plays in the delivery of services to defenseless populations, in our case, the refugees and internally-displaced populations. Before and during my time, and certainly well beyond my time, the UN has had and will have a strong role in situations such as the Congo, Libya, Iraq, Syria, Rwanda, Haiti, Afghanistan, Yemen, etc. Mega-events that took or are taking place in those countries are not neutral to an African.
That is all I will say for now, since this is not the focus of my series. Just know that I have grown to have an opinion on everything. Come to the blogsite and walk with me. And give me your feedback. Cheers
26 April 2023