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REVISED COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY FOR THE OFFICES OF THE GENERAL SECRETARIAT IN THE MEMBER STATES

REVISED COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY FOR THE OFFICES OF THE GENERAL SECRETARIAT IN THE MEMBER STATES. Coordinating Office for the Offices and Units of the General Secretariat in the Member States August 5, 2019.

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REVISED COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY FOR THE OFFICES OF THE GENERAL SECRETARIAT IN THE MEMBER STATES

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  1. REVISED COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY FOR THE OFFICES OF THE GENERAL SECRETARIAT IN THE MEMBER STATES Coordinating Office for the Offices and Units of the General Secretariat in the Member States August 5, 2019

  2. The National Offices are a valuable resource in promoting the work of SG/OAS: They… • Are the representatives of the Secretary General in the Member States • Raise the profile of the OAS in Member States • Monitor, analyze, and report with appropriate expediency all political, social and economic developments • Facilitate and monitor projects of the Development Cooperation Fund (DCF) • Promote OAS Fellowships and Scholarships • Provide support to allother technical cooperation programs and to Electoral Observation Missions • Offer logistical and administrative/financial cooperation to all the activities carried in the country

  3. Introduction Working towards an updated comprehensive strategy for National Offices, the Coordinating Office: 1. Conducted meetings with sister organizations as the IDB and PAHO to get a wider perspective on best practices for external offices within the Inter-American family. 2. In line with recommendations from Member States, a survey was conducted among National Offices and Member States with a view towards gathering information and feedback , and to incorporate their views, perspectives, challenges and needs to broadly inform the content of the strategy.

  4. 1. Operational Policies and Practices in Sister Organizations

  5. 2. Survey Findings: • National Offices support the work of the Organization in respect to the 4 pillars. The level at which such support is ranked varies in impact based on the specific pillar from the vantage points of the National Offices and Member States. • Survey responses underscored the pivotal role of the National Offices in maintaining a dialogue with host governments and national and regional high authorities. • Member States and National Offices concur that Country Representatives ought to be rotated, and that budgetary constraints pose one of the most significant challenges to the efficacy of the National Offices.

  6. National Offices and Member States agreed that there are other activities which they are positioned to undertake in the future, provided that there was the support and availability of resources to maximize their capacity to better serve their respective host countries. • They identified areas of operations of the National Offices which may be improved towards greater efficiency within a solid institutional framework, for example: • Aspects related to Administrative/Budgetary matters. • Enhanced relations between National Offices, and OAS Headquarters. • Strengthened relations with host Government.

  7. Recommendations Based on best practices gathered from sister organizations, the survey results from Member States, and their operational experience throughout the years, these are the recommendations: Human Resources The filling of vacancies for Representatives in the National Offices will further bolster the significant efforts which have been undertaken by the Coordinating Office to optimize overall efficiency In 2017, 12 Offices operated without a Representative In 2018, 12 Offices operated without a Representative In 2019, 13 Offices are operating without a Representative In 2020, 15 Offices will operate without a Representative

  8. Recommendations • Technical Cooperation and Communications • Representatives will be responsible for drafting a Country Development Strategy that responds to Country needs. The Strategies will be linked to the OAS Strategic Plan Objectives with specific indicators to track performance and execution over a defined period (3-5 years). • Strengthen relations with local governments towards the involvement of National Offices in the development of local projects and activities, using designated focal points as links between the parties for regular interaction at the recommended monthly interval.

  9. Recommendations • Technical Cooperation and Communications • Webpage update and Cyber-meetings with other areas • Working in collaboration with the Department of Press and Communication, seek to increase even further the use of social media to promote the work of the National Offices with an inter-pillar approach, design and update the OAS National Offices website to strengthen the image/role of the Organization in each Member State • Expand on the initiative of ‘cyber-meetings’ to ensure consistency in information sharing across all dependencies, and particularly to build awareness of cross cutting areas ripe for collaboration, and to formalize spaces for exchange and clarification.

  10. Recommendations • Administrative/Financial/Infrastructure • Training • As far as is possible, increase the number of training sessions on-site with a view towards hands on direction in applicable processes. Conduct workshops at Headquarters as required. • Last year 4 National Offices were visited to conduct on-site training on administrative manners. Given varying technological capabilities and equipment in Member States, these are required to ensure that there is training in all processes across the spectrum of available equipment and technology.

  11. Recommendations • Administrative/Financial/Infrastructure • Projects • Strengthen internal relationships between National Offices and Headquarters to foster sustained collaboration on design and execution of activities and projects in the countries. • Work in coordination with the Department of Planning and Evaluation to include in its project formulation process a mandatory step for the input of National Offices and for their participation over the life of said projects. • Increase cost-saving strategies by hosting projects and activities of the various areas of the General Secretariat in the National Offices through development of a draft policy on space sharing in order to share direct costs with projects based within the National Offices.

  12. Recommendations Administrative/Financial/Infrastructure In coordination with the Department of Financial Services (DFS), update and design an interactive Administrative and Financial Manual for National Offices, featuring internal procedures. This would facilitate greater efficiency and proactive responsibility, and reduce time in working through administrative processes. Fund 118 Member States can contribute specifically towards the hosting of National Offices in their jurisdictions. This may be facilitated through provision of office space, utilities, the services of a driver and/or security officers, or by voluntarily providing an annual amount towards operating costs of the respective National Office.

  13. Conclusion The National Offices are the very representation of the OAS in the Member States. Positioned to interact with governments and with citizens, this is the Organization’s primary focal point as an interlocutor with the highest national authorities. The Offices are the first point of contact as NGOs, youth organizations, students seek to engage and to be better informed about the role and function of the OAS in the hemisphere, as well as scholarship, capacity building, internship opportunities. The value to the Organization and critical role of a National Office ought not to be viewed in the context of individual or cumulative operational costs since the visibility of the Organization and its enduring value in strengthening the core pillars of Security, Democracy, Human Rights, and Development in the Member States can never be quantified.

  14. Conclusion continued… What is required as an Organization, working within the parameters defined by the Member States, is to establish and support the implementation of recommendations for resourcing the Offices to provide the efficient support services for which they were mandated. Through a collaborative approach, working with all dependencies of the General Secretariat, with each National Office duly headed by an OAS Representative who is positioned to dialogue on all political matters with Governments, realistic budgets which engender support to project implementation, and a vibrant, visible, and proactive presence on the ground, the OAS National Offices will be reflective of the Organization’s preeminence as the hemispheric force for which it was founded seventy years ago.

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