10 March 1998

BONN: UNV has turned a corner. The statistics for 1997 show that the plateau of the previous two years - years largely dominated by planning and carrying through the move of headquarters - has given way to resumed growth. The UNVs who served in 1997 numbered 3,620, the highest figure ever. And that is not counting 87 UNISTAR advisers and over 400 volunteer consultants under the decentralised TOKTEN scheme. So, more than 4,000 in all. A fine note on which the former Executive Co-ordinator, Brenda Gael McSweeney, could bow out after nine successful years and her successor Sharon Capeling-Alakija take up her duties, which she did on 5th January.

UNV’s 4th Intergovernmental Meeting was another "high". Over five days, 300 participants met to think through ways in which the UNV programme might best put into action the main thrusts of its "Strategy 2000". Particular scrutiny was given to the roles of volunteers in the development of the world’s great cities, in development work when it is jeopardised or interrupted by conflict, and in proper management of the local environment. A full Report on the IGM, together with the challenging Bonn Declaration issued by the Meeting, is available on request.

With "Strategy 2000" and the IGM having thus chalked out the path, UNV’s staff have since New Year held a one-day retreat designed to internalise these directions and have them provide the basis of the programme’s management plan for 1998. The meeting reaffirmed that it is through service and solidarity of volunteers that UNV fulfils its core mission of development co-operation. The universality of the volunteer programme (volunteers from 144 countries serving in 147 countries) ensures its distinct character and constitutes UNV’s comparative advantage. Seven operating principles were also clearly outlined by the new Executive Co-ordinator: empowering UNV’s "front line" - that is, the UNV Programme Officers at country level; investing in staff training; managing diversity; marketing the programme’s achievements; building strategic alliances; demonstrating impact; and learning from experience.

UNV’s mandate is a satisfactorily broad one and in policy terms the programme has absorbed well the tremendous changes in interna-tional co-operation over the last decade. In the wake also of a recent workflow analysis and a thorough management audit, the priorities for the next year or two will be to balance further expansion of numbers with consolidation. Consolidation, that is, in terms of greater speed, efficiency, economy and client-orientation in fielding the volunteers. With that achieved, the stage will be truly set for UNV to contribute what it can to the International Year of Volunteers in 2001, proclaimed by the UN General Assembly on 20 November last. UNV has been asked to shoulder the additional responsi-bility of being international focal point within the United Nations for this welcome and inspiring Year, but without distracting from its own activities in favour of develop-ing countries. To do so, it will need to be yet more lean and limber.