“Knowledge for Development: Global Partnership Conference”

Inspectors of the Joint Inspection Unit,
Ambassador al Zaabi,
Ambassador Hajnoczi,
Mr. Vines,
Mr. Mazi,
Ms. Cummings,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Knowledge. It’s a word familiar to all of us and – in the era of the Internet and smartphones – you may wonder why we are all gathered here today to discuss it. Surely, we all benefit now from instant access to universal knowledge through the wonders of social media, search engines and digital libraries. In truth, knowledge is about more than just compiling information or data. Obtaining knowledge requires gleaning through the daily torrents of information to extract an understanding of reality. It is the product of experience, expertise and solid methodology. And for an organization like the United Nations, knowledge is both a vital necessity and one of its greatest assets. Now more than ever, knowledge, research and evidence must be the crucial points of departure of all policy-making and action. This is particularly the case as we work to support the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, our collective roadmap for development.

It is because I believe in the importance of preserving, cultivating and sharing this organization’s knowledge that I am particularly pleased to be with you this morning. I would like to thank the co-organizer of this conference: the Joint Inspection Unit of the United Nations System and Knowledge Management Austria, as well as their partners, for promoting knowledge management in the United Nations and beyond.

I am also particularly pleased that this event is open to the wider public, bringing in the expertise and perspectives of academia, civil society and the private sector. Today’s challenges are interconnected and can no longer be compartmentalized or handled by only one kind of actor. To keep up with these changing times, the United Nations and its partners must think, collaborate and act in innovative ways across traditional divides. These partnerships are largely premised on sharing knowledge. We can no longer view institutional knowledge and expertise as precious assets to be hoarded, but as elements that can yield solutions if they are shared.

Managing knowledge, so that it can be properly accessed and shared, is a daunting challenge. In response, the Joint Inspection Unit released last month a landmark report on knowledge management. Arguing that knowledge is a valuable core asset of the United Nations System, it calls on all its organizations to make its management a strategic priority. This means more than bringing in technology as it requires a change of culture among our staff. It is my hope that the United Nations System and its partners will take up the recommendations found in this report.

Knowledge and the partnerships it fosters and nourishes are at the heart of what makes International Geneva a unique asset for the international community. The Lake Geneva region is a veritable ecosystem of international organizations, academic institutions, civil society actors and private sector firms that come together to share their expertise, identify synergies and contribute to finding the solutions to today’s challenges. We, at the United Nations Office at Geneva, are contributing to the exchange of knowledge that happens here. The Perception Change Project that I launched three years ago, for example, hosts the GVADATA gateway, a portal that provides an access to data upolaoded by over 100 different entities in Geneva, organized along the 17 SDG goals. The SDG Lab has recently joined this ecosystem, bringing new opportunities to engage with a wide range of stakeholders and spark new dynamics. The United Nations Library at Geneva is reorganizing 70 years of UN knowledge into searchable, online resource guides to help everyone connected to the Internet browse our unique wealth of knowledge.

Ultimately, we cannot address today’s challenges with yesterday’s tools and approaches. We need to develop new policies, work cultures and partnerships to facilitate the flow of knowledge if we are to transform our organization born in 1945 into one that is fit for the 21st century. I hope that these two days are thought-provoking for us all and I hope you will have a spirited discussion.

Thank you.