USAU Hosts a Reception for American Staff Working at the UN

Addis Ababa

On January 22, the United States Mission to the African Union (USAU) hosted a “happy hour” for American citizens working at UN agencies in Addis Ababa.  The reception allowed USAU staff to meet with fellow Americans working at the international organization.  In June 2011, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton officially designated USAU Ambassador Michael A. Battle as U.S. Permanent Representative to UNECA with observer status and in August 2012, USAU received a fully dedicated International Organizations (IO) staff member with the task of supporting the US-UN relationship in Addis Ababa.

In hisemarks during the event, USAU Ambassador Battle discussed the U.S. policy priority of promoting the hiring of Americans at the UN and encouraged the guests to share their stories and help recruit qualified American citizens to apply for jobs at international organizations.  Emmanuel Nnadozie, the Director of the Economic Division and NEPAD Division at the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the highest-ranking American in the UN system in Addis Ababa, thanked Ambassador Battle for hosting the event – the first time an event of this kind has been held in Addis.   Even though Addis Ababa hosts one of the largest collections of UN agencies, fewer than 25 Americans are employed within these organizations. 

Recognizing the tremendous importance of multilateral and regional organizations in addressing issues of global concern, the U.S., through USAU, strives to increase its engagement with such institutions. 

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