Humanitarian Disappointment

By Ed Schenkenberg van Mierop

Full text of Letter to Editor Financial Times, Saturday 13 January 2007

Sir,

The appointment of Sir John Holmes as the new UN humanitarian chief seriously risks damaging the authority and credibility of the UN as a humanitarian player. The responsibility for the failure to appoint a candidate with appropriate credentials falls squarely on the plate of the new UN Secretary-General. In introducing transparent recruitment procedures, including a set of publicly known qualifications and an interview panel, Kofi Annan sought to put an end to the member states’ practice of secretive political horse-trading for senior staff positions for which the UN has been, sadly, so well-known. Its accountability and public image would have been well-served by Ban following these procedures.

Complicit in this apparently inappropriate appointment are the British government and Sir John. Prior to his appointment, the names of some UK nationals were rumoured who would have been much more suitable candidates. As some have speculated Sir John was possibly a candidate for a top political position in the UN. He, if not the UK government, should have made way for other candidates when it became clear that the humanitarian job was on the cards for him rather than the top political position. Whilst Sir John’s diplomatic credentials are not in question, his official resume reveals no relevant experience in responding to humanitarian crises. A four-year stint from 1991 as the British Political, then Economic and Commercial Counsellor in New Delhi during which he was responsible for “supervising the British aid programme as well as economic and commercial issues” in India is hardly a basis for coordinating emergency relief.

Humanitarian coordination is not a job for rookies. Sir John faces a daunting task in providing leadership and vision for a community in which he has no experience. His predecessor, Jan Egeland, set a new standard for the position by getting the spotlight on ‘forgotten’ crises and initiating a number of urgently needed reforms in the UN humanitarian system. Egeland’s legacy, however, also includes some confusion and dissent in the humanitarian world. Some of his reform proposals have been perceived as an attempt to co-opt all humanitarian agencies into a single framework ensuring that their efforts are coherent with higher, political goals. This strategy fits with the political trend to mix humanitarian concerns with political and even military objectives.

One of the biggest difficulties for Sir John will be overcoming his image as a diplomat without an understanding of humanitarian principles and practice. For humanitarian aid to be effective, it is critical that it is provided to all in need, regardless their origin, religion, or culture. In some parts of the world, the UN has already a bad reputation for being dominated by the western political powers. Humanitarian access, as well as the security for humanitarian staff, may become even more problematic should the efforts of impartial aid agencies, including those from outside the UN, be viewed as part of a western conspiracy.

As the Chair of the main international body for humanitarian coordination, which brings together the UN humanitarian agencies, the Red Cross and three NGO consortia, the UN humanitarian chief is often seen as a spokesperson for the broader humanitarian community. In order to improve his standing with the (non-UN) humanitarian world, Holmes would be wise to avail himself of external, expert and in-depth knowledge in addressing the challenges that confront him. Consultation and participation in decision-making are minimum conditions for Holmes if his appointment is not to end in a huge humanitarian disappointment.

Ed Schenkenberg van Mierop, Coordinator, International Council of Voluntary Agencies, Geneva. ICVA is a Geneva-based global humanitarian NGO network.