Annan Recommends Strengthening of U.N. Personnel SafetyU.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan Monday recommended the establishment of a post at the assistant secretary-general level for the position of United Nations Security Coordinator, effective on January 1, 2001, to strengthen the safety and security of the U.N. personnel around the world.In his report to the United Nations General Assembly, Annan said the proposal is directed "to enable the security coordinator, acting on my behalf and reporting directly to me, to deal with heads of organizations of the U.N. system and member states." "The appointment of such a high-level official will provide the essential focus and leadership in the United Nations efforts to strengthen security coordination and management," the U.N. chief said. Annan also recommended the strengthening of the Office of the Unite Nations Security Coordinator with additional staff if it is to be in a position to fulfill the coordination, management and training requirements for the vast number of U.N. personnel scattered throughout the world. Among other measures, Annan proposed to approve an additional appropriation in the amount of 2,776,900 in the current biennium 2000-2001 to meet the additional costs associated with the strengthening of the office. "The United Nations personnel can no longer be required to carry out their functions in high-risk environments, at great personal risk, without the minimum level of training, stress counseling and equipment being provided to them in a timely and adequate manner," he noted. The safety and security of U.N. personnel has been a great concern for the United Nations. Over the past few years, in response to the mandates entrusted to them by member states, U.N. staff members are increasingly being sent to provide assistance in situation of open warfare and hostility. As a result, from January 1, 1992 to September 18, 2000, 198 civilian staff lost their lives in the service of the United Nations. Some 240 staff members have been taken hostages or kidnapped in 63 separate incidents since January 1, 1994. Staff members of the United Nations have also experienced an unprecedented number of cases of rape and sexual assault, armed robbery, attacks on humanitarian convoys, car-jackings, harassment, and arrest and detention. |
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