General Assembly Establishes UN Institute for Capability and Learning Innovation, Surmounting Concerns over ‘Rushed’ Process

General Assembly Establishes UN Institute for Capability and Learning Innovation, Surmounting Concerns over 'Rushed' Process

Despite concerns from several delegations that the process was rushed, the General Assembly decided this morning to merge the United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC) with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR).

All existing mandates, functions, personnel, property, assets, rights, obligations and liabilities of the Staff College will be transferred to UNITAR which will be known by its new name, the United Nations Institute for Capability and Learning Innovation (UNICLI).

The resolution effecting this merger was adopted by a recorded vote of 132 in favour to 4 against (Belarus, Russian Federation, Nicaragua, Democratic People's Republic of Korea), with 1 abstention (Kazakhstan).

A vote was requested by the Russian Federation, which had previously introduced a motion - subsequently rejected - calling for the consideration of the draft to be postponed until the next session of the General Assembly.

"This merger initiative needs further refinement, which necessitates more time and consultations," the Russian Federation's delegate stated, a call supported by Iran's speaker, who requested information on projected costs, as well as a clear explanation regarding UNITAR´s name change. This measure could have profound consequences for the UN's education system, he said.

The Russian Federation's motion was rejected by a recorded vote of 60 against to 7 in favour (Belarus, Russian Federation, Gambia, Iran, Nicaragua, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Senegal), with 47 abstentions,

Process Deemed 'Too Hasty'

In explanation of vote, the Russian Federation's delegate - while acknowledging that the UN's liquidity crisis calls for system optimization - warned that such a hasty merger risks undermining the Organization's overall reform.

He expressed regret that no alternative scenarios had been considered and that the UNITAR Board's recommendation, calling for the matter to first be examined by the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), had been disregarded.

Italy's representative, meanwhile, deemed it "strange" that a resolution on the first merger within the UN system had not been entrusted to co-facilitators, as is customary for a text "of such importance." Member States received an email on a Friday evening with no further instructions on how to proceed, nor any opportunity to submit comments. Dialogue - the essence of multilateralism - is not an exchange of emails, he lamented.

"We are facing an unprecedented exercise," added Mexico's delegate, expressing regret that the consultations had not been as "broad, structured and timely" as necessary. "We could have had a more precise text that would have garnered broader support," she said, acknowledging the concerns of delegations that had requested a postponement of the draft's consideration.

The representatives of China, Senegal and Brazil expressed similar positions, as did Switzerland's delegate, who emphasized that any implemented proposal must be based on a solid cost-benefit analysis and be sustainable - both in terms of multilateral action and financial viability. "We are not convinced that the proposal put to a vote today offers all the necessary guarantees regarding compliance with these criteria," he noted.

The resolution's "direction" and "ambition" were supported by Ireland, speaking on behalf of the European Union, which maintained that short-, medium- and long-term strategies must be clear and backed by adequate financial and human resources.

For its part, Japan requested further information regarding the cost of the merger and the plan to reduce staff by 86 per cent. It also emphasized that UN reform must be carried out carefully and in consultation with Member States.

UNITAR and the Staff College

Established in 1965, UNITAR initially provided training for young diplomats from newly independent Member States, equipping them with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate the diplomatic environment.

Since then, the Institute has delivered training and capacity-building activities - primarily to developing countries - with a special focus on least developed countries, landlocked developing countries, small island developing States and other highly vulnerable groups and communities, including those in conflict situations.

The United Nations System Staff College, meanwhile, was established in 2022 as an institution responsible for knowledge management, training and learning across the United Nations system. It offers training modules in the areas of economic and social development, peace and security, and the internal management of the system.