Seminar on the Role of WHO Representatives in Management of WHO's Work at Country Level, Opening Remarks, 6-8 June 2007, Bangkok, Thailand.

Opening Remarks By Dr Samlee Plianbangchang Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia At Seminar on Role of WHO Representatives in Management of WHO’s Work at Country Level Bangkok, Thailand 6-8 June 2007 Seminar on Role of WHO Representatives in Management of WHO’s Work at Country Level 6-8 June 2007 Bangkok, Thailand Opening Remarks by DR SAMLEE PLIANBANGCHANG REGIONAL DIRECTOR, WHO SOUTH-EAST ASIA Colleagues; Ladies and gentlemen; I am very pleased to welcome you all to this important seminar. This is our internal meeting of former and current WHO staff members. All of us here are concerned with, and interested in, the functioning of WHO country offices. The offices which are headed either by WHO Representatives or by WHO Country Liaison Officers. In SEAR, all WHO Country Offices are headed by WHO Representatives. These offices have a critical role to play in the execution of WHO’s collaborative work with the Member States. We should recognize that most of WHO’s credibility and reputation comes from its work in countries. Therefore, we have to ensure that our performance at the country level is most efficient and effective. Now, we are focusing our attention on the role of WHO Representatives in the management of WHO’s work at the country level. In this light, we should clearly understand the role of WHO Representatives. 2 The role of WHO Representatives may be seen, among others, in the following areas, which are not exclusive. 1. A WHO Representative is a technical adviser to the Government of the Member State that he or she serves. This, in particular, includes advice on the development of health policies, governance, strategies and programmes. 2. A WHO Representative is meant to provide evidence-based technical and scientific information to all concerned agencies, departments and institutions in the country. 3. He or she should assist the government in coordinating health activities supported by international agencies; these are both within and outside the UN system; and include both governmental and nongovernmental organizations. 4. He or she should help the government mobilize, coordinate and manage external resources in support of country’s health development efforts. 5. A WHO Representative represents the WHO Director-General, Regional Director and the Organization as a whole in the country of his/her assignment. In this context, he or she is the head of the UN health mission in country. This role really needs diplomatic skills; in addition to other necessary qualities. WHO’s work in countries has been increasing; in both volume and complexity. The ongoing UN reform at the country level has added to this complexity. The countries, especially the developing ones, are expressing a desire for more and better services from WHO. WHO has assisted the health sector of Member States during the 3 past almost 60 years now. And the countries’ capability and capacity have improved. This is due, largely, to the support provided by WHO. This situation now contributes to an important challenge for WHO to keep up with the provision of best technical services to its Member States. This challenge is also augmented by the increase in both the number and severity of emergencies. The emergencies due to disasters of various kinds and outbreaks of infectious diseases. At the same time, in the process of our collaboration with countries, we have to ensure strong country capacity, especially the capacity of health systems. We have to look forward to sustainable development and self-reliance in the Member States. Stronger partnerships have to be developed as a leverage for mobilizing more external resources to support health development in countries. When more external resources are available for such a purpose, either through WHO or directly to the governments, the coordination and management of these resources become more complicated. Donors demand more transparency and accountability from both the governments and WHO. For all these and other reasons, the role of WHO Representatives is very important indeed. WRs need more authority and more flexibility in the management of WHO resources at that level. Their offices need strengthening, especially in management, coordination and logistics. However, strengthening of WHO country offices has a limit. The Member States, in general, do not like to see their WHO country offices getting big especially, if that strengthening means more cost to WHO country Regular Budget. At the same time, there are constraints in using Extrabudgetary Resources for directly supporting the management of our country offices. 4 Support from the Regional Offices and HQ has to be provided to ensure the desired strength of WHO at the country level. The Regional Offices and HQ have to provide adequate support to WHO country offices, in both technical and managerial terms. We have to keep in mind that, whatever the situation, WHO country offices, in general, will not be able to become self-reliant or self-sufficient in any way. Support from the Regional Offices and HQ is indispensable indeed. Now, how can the Regional Offices and HQ work together in ensuring the best support to their country offices? Regional Offices and HQ should go as one team to help them. We have to reduce or even eliminate the duplication and fragmentation of our efforts from HQ and regional levels. The respective role of Regional Offices and HQ must be clearly defined to ensure efficiency of their joint endeavours. Regional Offices should focus their support to programme development and management in operational terms. This is with particular reference to country-specific needs. In this context, support from HQ should be in the areas of policy, strategy and programme direction. And, certainly, normative back up from HQ is indeed very important. Health issues at the country level have increasingly become an important concern of the public. And hence, health is more and more becoming central on the political agenda of countries. At the highest level, WRs will have to get involved in providing advice on prevailing health issues, as well as on health policy, strategy, and governance. WRs have to be well prepared for this role. And often, when playing their role, they get involved in the sensitive 5 issues. Because of such a situation, WRs need to have particular skills for playing their role properly. WRs need to realize that from time to time, they will have to play their role on the platform, which may not be technical or professional. WRs must be especially sensitive to the local, socio-cultural environments which, to a large extent, determine the effectiveness of their functioning. WRs, as “international civil servants” have to maintain their technical and managerial competence, as well as to ensure their professional integrity and neutrality. They have to avoid getting involved in the local sensitive issues. And they have to be very careful in their deeds and behaviours, not to become controversial. Their association with the government agencies, NGOs and private enterprises must be kept in a well balanced manner, and unbiased at all times. Furthermore, the countries are now requesting for WRs with competence and skills in communication and public relations. They need WRs who can also deal effectively with the media and the public at large. They need WRs who can help mobilized and coordinate expertise worldwide for work of the countries. At the meeting between the Director-General and Regional Directors in March this year, it was acknowledged that WRs are a special type of WHO staff members. The staff members that are mature and have strong leadership qualities. The staff members that need special consideration in their selection, deployment and development. 6 These are some of my thoughts. The thoughts that may be useful to you in your deliberations during the course of this seminar. Now, let me wholeheartedly thank all of you for sparing your valuable time to be here. I am glad to see many of the former WRs and WRs from other Regions participating in the seminar. My special thanks go to Dr Marie-Andreé R Diouf, Director, Country Cooperation Office at HQ for her extraordinary interest and commitment to the work of WHO country offices. She has been instrumental in the organization of this seminar. I hope that our deliberations will take us a long way forward in improving the work of WHO at the country level. And, I would like to take this opportunity of paying tribute to all WHO Representatives who work hard for the credibility and reputation of the Organization. I wish them all the best in their noble mission. Finally, ladies and gentlemen, I wish the seminar all success. And I wish you all an enjoyable stay in Bangkok. Thank you.