Opening Remarks by Malcolm Johnson, ITU Deputy Secretary-General
Council Working Group on Financial and Human Resources (CWG-FHR)
20 September 2021 - Virtual Meeting
Good morning, good afternoon and good evening distinguished colleagues and friends, I hope you are all safe and well.
On behalf of the Secretary-General, the Directors and myself, I am very pleased to welcome you to this important meeting of the Council Working Group on Financial and Human Resources - unfortunately once again virtual, but let us hope that we will soon be able to meet again physically. Just let me highlight a few points on your agenda.
Regarding item 2, transparency has always been a key concern for the ITU management, and it is in this context that we set up the ITU Accountability Framework tool to show the actions on the recommendations from JIU, IMAC and the external auditors. Document 14/2 provides an update on this work.
Concerning the Forensic Audit Report in item 3, the consultancy company that was chosen has done a lot of work investigating whether there are any other cases of fraud similar to that which was disclosed. The report contains several recommendations that the Secretariat will implement in order to avoid such a situation in the future and these are presented in Annex 1 to document 14/9.
Regarding the agreement at the twelfth meeting of this group that the secretariat should work with the Russian Federation to establish a methodology for calculating in-kind contributions, we have develop the guidelines given in document 14/3. If these are approved, the secretariat will amend Annex 2 to the Financial Regulations and Financial Rules to reflect them.
As you know WTSA-20 will be held from 1 to 9 March 2022, preceded by the Global Standards Symposium on 28 February, both in Geneva. I would like to take this opportunity to thank India for putting the safety and well-being of ITU staff and delegates before their national ambition to host the Assembly.
Finally, if I may Madam Chairman I would like to close by saying a few words about our good friend and colleague Arnaud Guillot, the Head of ITU's Legal Unit, who has decided to retire next month.
Arnaud has served the Union faithfully, efficiently and tirelessly and has been omni present at all ITU meetings and conferences for more than 35 years where he has positively and constructively contributed to the activities of the Union on various difficult and delicate issues.
His deep professional knowledge, his wonderful personality, his long-time service at the top level, and his loyalty to ITU have won him popularity, and the respect of the entire ITU family. He has been a unique asset to ITU and we will miss him very much. Amazingly, the Plenipotentiary Conference next year will be the first one for 40 years that he has not participated!
From a personal point of view, I have been very fortunate to have had Arnaud's wise counsel, and friendship, both as a delegate and as an elected official, over many years. My last year without him will be very strange!
So on behalf of all ITU Elected Officials and staff, and I am sure the full membership, Arnaud, I thank you for your excellent service to ITU and wish you a long and happy retirement!
With that, I leave you in the capable hands of our Chairwoman, Ms. Vernita Harris, and wish you a very productive and successful meeting.
