Washington, D.C. - The Department of State needs to improve its efforts to promote the hiring of Americans by United Nations (UN) agencies in entry level positions according to a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report requested by Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI), Ranking Member of the Senate Subcommittee on the Oversight of Government Management.
According to the GAO report, United Nations: Additional Efforts Needed to Increase U.S. Employment at UN Agencies [GAO-06-988], the United States is underrepresented in three of the five UN agencies reviewed, despite an increase in State Department efforts since 2001 to increase equitable representation at UN organizations. The GAO identified additional steps that needed to be taken, including maintaining a roster of qualified American candidates; expanding marketing and outreach activities; increasing UN employment information on U.S. agency web sites; and supporting entry-level employees through a Junior Professional Officer program.
"The United States needs to reaffirm its partnership and participation with international agencies in order to avoid isolating itself from the world community. Encouraging the hiring of American citizens by United Nations agencies is an important way to do that," Senator Akaka said. "We need to promote American values and views from within the UN as well as from without. Our image in the world has suffered greatly in recent years."
"Aggressively providing more entry level opportunities for our talented young people in multilateral institutions is a corner stone for building a more secure future. Many other countries have done this, yet we have failed in this area. We don't need more jobs for senior diplomats; we need more jobs for our youth." Senator Akaka noted. "We must do the same for our talented youth. Hawaii, for example, with its multicultural heritage should be a prime recruiting ground for UN agencies. I am pleased that the State Department has accepted the GAO's recommendations, and I look forward to working with the Department of State to ensure implementation of those recommendations."
