The world you want

The United Nations

The United Nations is unique. This international organization was established on the heels of the Second World War, when 51 nations pledged their Governments to promote global peace, security and human rights. The United Nations officially came into existence on 24 October 1945, three months after representatives from China, France, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Yugoslavia had gathered in San Francisco where the UN Charter was ratified in July.

According to the UN Charter, the organization has four main purposes: to maintain international peace and security; to develop friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples; to cooperate in solving international economic, social, cultural and humanitarian problems, and in promoting respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms; and to be a center for harmonizing the actions of nations in attaining these ends.

The League of Nations had been the forerunner of the United Nations. It was created during the I World War, and established in 1919 under the Treaty of Versailles with a very familiar first aim: "to promote international cooperation and to achieve peace and security."

Thomas Woodrow Wilson, the 28th President of the United States, was among its founders, though the name "United Nations" was coined by Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32^nd President of the United States.

The UN currently, has 193 member states. The organization has six principal organs: the General Assembly (the main deliberative body); the Security Council (decides resolutions on peace and security); the Economic and Social Council (assists in promoting international economic and social cooperation and development); the Secretariat (provides studies, information, and facilities needed by the UN); the International Court of Justice (the primary judicial organ); and the United Nations Trusteeship Council (currently inactive).

The UN comprises myriad development agencies including the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN Office of Project Services (UNOPS), and among which are the highly specialized World Health Organization (WHO), High Commission on Human Rights, the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), the UN Convention on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC),the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), and others that are currently active in Serbia.

In 2012 Vuk Jeremic, former Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs was elected Chairman of the UN General Assembly, and is seated at UN headquarters in New York City.Serbia, as a member of the former Yugoslavia, was among the UN’s founders, though it only became an official member as an independent state in June 2006, when the President of the Republic of Serbia informed the Secretary-General that the membership of Serbia and Montenegro would be continued by the Republic of Serbia, following Montenegro's declaration of independence.

The work of the United Nations reaches every corner of the globe. Although best known for peacekeeping, peace-building, conflict prevention and humanitarian assistance, there are many other ways that the United Nations and its System (specialized agencies, funds and programmes) affect our lives and make the world a better place.

We are honored to talk to Mr. William S. Infante, the UN Resident Coordinator to Serbia.

Mr. Infante, what kind of impressions did you have about Serbia when you arrived here?

The story about my impressions and feelings when I arrived in Serbia isn’t entirely straight forward, because I arrived in Serbia early in 2001, immediately after the changes.During that first spring I traveled back and forth from Sofia, Bulgaria and helped a fledgling team re-establish a resident presence. My family joined in August, and I spent the following four years in Belgrade, working to help the new Djindjic government stabilize, restructure and reform the financial and economic systems. The very early years were dynamic and filled with abundant optimism.

A lot changed in a very short period of time. When my family and I returned to Serbia with the United Nations in 2009 after tours in South East and North East Asia, we were very enthusiastic.We felt we were returning to a lot of friends in a “can-do” country that was building a powerful democracy and modern economy in the western Balkans.

Have you noticed some progress here, after returning from five years away from Belgrade?

When we returned, we were thrilled to see a city and country that moved tangibly forward:Belgrade had new trams and buses, neighborhoods and parks had been refurbished, Halle Beton was an emerging attraction. Serbia had also made significant strides consolidating democracy, establishing new independent institutions including the Ombudsman, the Supreme Audit Institution, the Public Procurement Office, and the Freedom of Information Agency (which has a much longer name). All of these and other agencies are profoundly important to building a stable framework for well-functioning, transparent and accountable democracies that protect and defend human rights.

How do you see your current engagement, then?

The UN is demanding and challenging, and because I’m responsible for, more-or-less, 26 different agencies that work here, it is also very gratifying to be able to capitalize on such extensive expertise and global experience.

A lot of the agencies that are active in Serbia are super-familiar: UNICEF, UNDP, the WHO.Others are less well-known, but have an increasing role and are increasingly relevant to Serbia, a middle income and pre-accession country. Some of these agencies include the Council on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), and many others that will help Serbia promote an economic climate that attracts investment and inspires growth that creates jobs and leads to prosperity.

My function is to connect these agencies in ways that deliver the best skills and experience to the Government and people of Serbia, and to connect the country and people to international and regional institutions.

What do you mean when you say: to connect a country and people to international and regional institutions?

Serbia needs to build more bridges, establishing broader political, social, cultural and economic connections. For instance, Serbia has taken significant strides to advance human rights over the past decade, and sustained effort to evermore fully implement UN and EU conventions that will further distinguish Serbia in the region.

Serbia is an increasingly powerful source of security and stability in the region – it has contributed scores of peacekeepers to international forces; it is fighting international organized crime; it has collected and destroyed nearly one hundred thousand illicit and unregistered firearms; it is integrating women in the military and in the police force which contributes to UN Security Council Resolution 1325 promoting women in security, and more. Serbia has a very strong narrative that is developing, but it needs to get these and other stories out. Serbia can be a model contributing to regional and global institutions that promote peace and stability; good governance and accountability; rights and prosperity; free, open and competitive markets. This is what we are working for at the UN.

You mentioned the EU and the role of government and citizens. How do you see Serbia’s path towards the EU?

Serbia’s path towards the EU is irrevocable and irreversible.I don’t see that here is any turning back or that there is any threat of moving off the path. It’s simply a matter of defining how quickly Serbia will move down the path, and this is entirely a decision for the government and people of Serbia.

And, what do you think - how quickly can Serbia move down the path?

The global economic crisis has clearly created a different economic environment in which EU member and non-member states are all forced to work and operate within.

Serbia is highly affected by international and regional events, and so defining how quickly the countrymoves down the path of harmonization, and approximation with the acquis, and towards market integration remains a matter of conjecture based upon international events and realities.

But what I see happening is very persuasive in some of the areas that matter most: consolidating democracy, building the credibility and legitimacy of increasingly transparent and accountable institutions. In the language of EU membership, this means harmonization with Chapters 23 and 24 of the acquis which center on the rule of law, justice and corruption.

These are the chapters that will be opened first, closed last, and which are critically important to defining the pace of Serbia’s progress towards EU membership.

How is Serbia moving forward on these processes here?

Serbia is anticipating well the incredible burden of harmonization with EU, and what is very likely going to be an arduous process.

The previous government had the leading message in the pre – election campaign related to EU future, which was not the case with the current government in the same period. It seems, however, that the current government is making some efforts related to EU accession - how do you see these efforts?

I am encouraged when I hear large and increasing numbers of government officials using a common vernacular: “zero tolerance for corruption”, for instance. This means that government is on the same page, and that policy is more likely to be stable, coherent and consistent.

Just as importantly, government is putting deeds behind its words. The Serbian Ministry of Defense is the only one in the western Balkans to have completed the NATO self-assessment of risk and vulnerability.Now the MOD will begin a process that implements measures that reduce risk across the system. Based upon similar assessment and identification of risks in other ministries, they are also moving forward to adopt individual tailor-made anti-corruption strategies that are known here as Integrity Plans.

The Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Health are among the vanguard of this initiative that is mandatory for all budget users. Once the plans are authored, the process of implementation begins.

What are UN’s concrete activities in fighting against corruption here?

The UN, across all agencies and programs, promotes accountability and transparency.Tremendous initiatives are being implemented by UNDP that are focused on the independent institutions. UNDP assisted the Public Procurement Office to train and certify thousands of procurement officials.

These officials are now qualified and equipped to uphold procurement integrity, and to better ensure free and transparent competition. UNDP also supported training for close to two dozen auditors at the Supreme Audit Institution (SAI) who are overseeing budget users and their expenditures. Let me add, that Parliament is also contributing to more robust review and oversight. Speaker Stefanovic and the UNDP are partnered on a new Swiss-funded project to strengthen parliamentary oversight and scrutiny of budget expenditures. These are examples of how Serbia is building broad-based institutional capacity that contributes to accountability and combats corruption.

How is feedback from government representatives to your ideas and efforts?

The UN has enjoyed a very positive relationship with the government and people of Serbia, and we are proud to remain a credible and trusted partner. Recent feedback has been great! Among the ministers, Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic has been a long-time partner as Speaker of Parliament and now as Minister of Health. She is a steadfast partner whom UNDP is supporting to advance an integrity plan for the health sector that will reduce systemic risk. Systems, controls, checks and balances on procurement, service delivery, patient services and others are among the interventions that will reduce risk.Enforcing procurement integrity through mandatory conflict of interest disclosure and having a gifts policy are simple safeguards that can be implemented easily and inexpensively. Public awareness and education, communicating patients’ rights, also goes a long way to ensuring that rights are protected. Minister Selakovic is another stand-out in the new government. He has dramatically accelerated work on a raft of legislation, and has broken a log-jam that had obstructed movement of a new Anti-corruption Strategy.

Every six months, for the past three years the UNDP has interviewed Serbs across the country, asking them about their experience with corruption. We asked them who they paid, how much, and why they paid. 33% of Serbs said “I, or somebody in my family or very close relative paid a bribe”. The incidence is highly correlated with the people that the public engage with most. The health sector and doctors have consistently been at the top of the list. – text box1

Have you noticed some significant developments in any other field which are in accordance with EU prescription and democratic principles?

Serbia is consolidating democracy, and promoting transparency and accountability. Institutions that exist are important to building integrity and legitimacy, and to reinforcing transparency and accountability. These institutions are doing a very competent job, but they need more staff, more money and they need a longer track record. The PPO (Public Procurement Office) is a good compass for what is ethical, and it is advancing high-integrity procurement standards. The PPO is training procurement officials in all the Ministries and Agencies. This takes time. In addition to Mr. Jovanovic (PPO), Mr. Jankovic (Ombudsman), Mr. Sabic (Freedom of Information) and Mrs. Petrusic (Commissioner for the Protection of Equality) and the institutions that they represent are such great examples of the strides being taken to protect rights, and enforce transparency and accountability across a broad landscape.

What is the biggest obstacle in the Serbia’s EU path?

There have been different political constraints to accelerated movement. In my view, I don’t see any reason that these should impede work on the variety of issues and areas that we know will become increasingly important to progress.

The fact that we have outstanding political issues, regional or international, shouldn’t discourage the ministries and the agencies from doing what we know they need to do anyway – to harmonize and approximate with the European laws, and to promote rule of law, competition, stable and free markets.

How do you see UN role in this?

In Serbia, and in every country, the UN is interested to preserve a presence, that is consistent with the will of the government and people. In some countries the UN will have a bigger footprint, and in some countries a smaller footprint. But in every country, the UN will remain interested to protect human rights, and to promote equality.This means that there will always be some degree of engagement by the Office of High Commission on Human Rights, UNICEF and others. In every country there will always be an interest to promote accountability and transparency. The UN Office on Drugs and Crime, the author of the UN Convention against Corruption, will probably have a role, even if it is a non-resident. Broadly, the UN will always have a role and interest in helping countries implement all of the conventions, treaties and resolutions that they have signed onto. This will always be the case, here and elsewhere.

How is current Serbian reputation in UN?

I was very pleased when I attended the UN General Assembly this past September. I was present for a powerful moment when, at the opening, UN President of the General Assembly Jeremic presided over President Nikolic’s speech. At that time, two out of four people on the stage of the UN General Assembly were from Serbia. That was a very poignant moment for this country, and I think it communicated to the world that Serbia is committed to be a part of globally important institutions, and that it will contribute to them in meaningful ways that drive international and regional security and cooperation.

What about the region?

I am confident of the contributions that Serbia has made to promote stability and security in the region. – text box2

I have a number of proof points that I typically use to support my arguments regarding Serbia’s role and leadership in promoting security and stability in the region: Serbia is contributing to UN peacekeeping forces in large and growing numbers; Serbia is now contributing to EU policing operations; Serbia is enhancing ammunition and stockpile management; it is at the fore-front of the regional initiative to promote women in the military; it is a leader within the regional network promoting women in the police force – All of these examples are about leadership, membership and cooperation, with the region… So, these are proof points that support my statement that Serbia is leader in promoting regional safety and stability.

Do you have some favorite project or activities among all these things we already talked about?

I am very proud of lot of things that the UN has supported in Serbia, and we are deeply committed to bringing people together. – text box3

I am really proud of a project known as the SWIFT Initiative. SWIFT stands for Sustainable Work Initiative for a Healthier Tomorrow. This is a World Health Organization-concieved project that was launched about three and a half years ago, and it is about employment. It begins with a simple premise that communities and individuals need to be employed in order to generate income that drives improved health. SWIFT is legally registered as a member-owned and operated cooperative which has several service lines, including waste collection (basically recycling), moving services, landscaping services, janitorial services, and others. SWIFT employs several dozen people full-time, several hundred people part-time, and is generating hundreds of thousands of Euros income for these families every year. It was launched by the Government of Norway, and success has attracted additional funding from the EU and from Sweden that will significantly expand employment, income and impacts. This is a great success story.

What are you going to do in Serbia in the near future?

The UN has delivered some substantive results in the areas of democracy and governance, social inclusion and empowerment, human rights protection and others. I am very confident that we will continue to build on these achievements. I expect, however, that the UN will redouble its efforts in areas of economy, investment and job creation. The numbers speaks for themselves: 28 % unemployment says that we have a serious issue that needs to be addressed. Serbia needs to promote investment and we do this by promotingefficiency, enforcing a rule of law, ensuring fiscal stability, and strengthening a competitive and open market environment across all spheres.

I believe that the UN will preserve universal presence in all countries, including Serbia. This is a good thing, because no matter what happens with an any other international forum, the United Nations will remain the preeminent forum for nations and people to get together. Its ideas can help sustain a global commitment to peace and stability. Serbia is always going to want to be a member of this circle that is promoting peace and security worldwide. – text box4

What did your career look like prior to your arrival in our country?

Before arriving in Serbia, I had worked in development in a large number of countries for the U.S. Agency for International Development, and for economic and social policy research institutes and think-tanks.

We have about 300 people who work for the UN here in Serbia, not more than a “dozen” of whom are internationals. The overwhelming majority are local – Serbians, and an increasing number of agencies are headed by Serbians, a trend that will invariably continue.– text box5

Before that, I worked in banking and finance, first for a merchant bank in Manhattan, and later managing the pension fund for a major pharmaceuticals firm. I returned to graduate school in the late 1980s, and was fortunate to have some great professors and mentors who encouraged me into development and applied economics. Having lived overseas as a young boy, and having wanted to return, I had a path and a ticket. Next year, in 2013, my wife and I will have lived and worked overseas for twenty years.

How do you spend your free time here?

I spend a lot of time with a lot of great people riding my bicycle, and covering thousands of kilometers. We’ve biked a lot through Serbia, having a great time, promoting tourism and regional development, and bringing people together. From the flat lands of Banat, to the mountains overlooking Bajina Basta, we have covered a lot of ground in Serbia.

Together with my friend, Belgium Ambassador Alain Kundycki, we are promoting “Bicycle Diplomacy” which is bringing people, communities and countries together. By traveling and visiting municipalities across the country, we are meeting lots of people, building friendships, and promoting regional collaboration and cooperation. text box6

You are here with your family; how do they feel here?

My family is very nicely situated, nicely integrated. Like me, my wife and two children feel very comfortable here in the city which is super hospitable and which has so much to offer. Belgrade is wonderful and safe. My kids enjoyindependence that would be unlikely in most capitals, and there is a lot to keep them busy. My son is an active biker, down-hilling the tracks in Kosutnjak, and my daughter is an aspiring soccer player, who this year began playing for Red Star Girls (I guess I’ve tipped my hand).

Do you plan and want to leave Serbia?

After more than 8 years in Belgrade, my wife and I have spent more time here than anywhere else. So long as the country will have us, and UN presence is welcome, then we have no desire to leave what-so-ever. We are very happy to live in a community and in a country where we feel that we are making a difference.

I feel we are making a difference. – text box 7

What will you take with you from Serbia as a memory of your stay here?

I have so many fond memories from Serbia, but among the more enduring will certainly be the notion of having been a part of historic change. To have been a part of an important transformation that has seen a country executing a vision that leads towards democracy, cohesion and prosperity is truly unparalleled. Personally, I believe very strongly that Serbia is on the right path.

The UN has enjoyed tremendous cooperation with all of the governments that have been seated since the changes in 2000. I hope that I and all UN staff provide the government and people confidence of our commitment to support the realization of national goals and objectives. If we do our jobs well, the UN will remain a credible and trusted partner.