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Lucia A Keegan  07/31/2006 10:30:58 AM  From  DB/Inbox:  Lucia A Keegan

Cable 
Text:                                                                      
                                                                           
      
UNCLAS    SENSITIVE     PARIS 05103

SIPDIS
cxparis:
    ACTION: UNESCO
    INFO:   POL ECON AMBU AMB AMBO DCM SCI

DISSEMINATION: UNESCOX
CHARGE: PROG

APPROVED: AMB:LVOLIVER
DRAFTED: POL:DOSTROFF
CLEARED: NONE

VZCZCFRI702
RR RUEHC
DE RUEHFR #5103 2081340
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 271340Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY PARIS
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 9859

UNCLAS PARIS 005103 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FROM USMISSION UNESCO PARIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: UNESCO SCUL
SUBJECT:  PREPARATIONS UNDERWAY FOR MANAGEMENT AUDIT OF UNESCO'S 
WORLD HERITAGE CENTER 
 
 
¶1.  (U) Ambassador Oliver met today, July 27, with Mr. Kishore Rao, 
Deputy Director of the World Heritage Center (WHC) to discuss 
preparations for the management audit. 
 
¶2.  (U) The Ambassador said that several key elements are needed to 
ensure the audit would provide the results we need to improve the 
World Heritage Center's management and organization. 
 
¶3.  (U) She stressed that the number one priority is that the person 
selected come from an external consulting firm, and that the firm be 
seen as independent, objective, and credible. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Rao asked whether the Office of Internal Oversight (IOS) 
or UNESCO's external auditor could be considered.  The Ambassador 
said that while it would be useful to get the opinion of John 
Parsons, head of IOS, whom Rao is seeing tomorrow, it was imperative 
to have a truly independent consultant review the WHC. (Comment: The 
new external auditor replacing the Canadian auditor is French, 
having won that position through extensive lobbying by the French. 
End comment). 
 
¶5.  (U) The Ambassador mentioned that the United Nations Foundation 
had also agreed on the need to have an outside firm do the audit, 
and would be proposing several possible names in the coming days. 
 
¶6.  (U) Rao asked about BAASTEL, the Canadian firm, which had 
recently completed a Results Based Management report on the WHC. 
The Ambassador said that while the BAASTEL report could provide 
useful background to an outside consultant, BAASTEL was too closely 
tied to the WHC. 
 
¶7.  (U) The Ambassador said that the consultant must review the WHC 
in a comprehensive way, determining what exists today, what changes 
need to be made, and how the structure works with its advisory 
bodies, partners, funding, and its relationship with UNESCO's 
Cultural sector. 
 
¶8.  (U) Ambassador Oliver said that any changes in the WHC should be 
driven by an evaluation of its long-term needs, rather than by 
making structural changes to balance the strengths and weaknesses of 
individuals currently in specific jobs. 
 
¶9.  (U) As one of UNESCO's flagship programs, the Ambassador told 
Rao that it is vital that the reputation, visibility and credibility 
of the WHC be reinforced through a comprehensive and independent 
review of the WHC's overall activities, particularly in connection 
with its advisory bodies and other partners. Ambassador Oliver also 
stressed the need for the consultant to reach out to key people at 
UNESCO, including member state representatives, who have a strong 
knowledge of the WHC's history and benefit from their expertise. 
 
¶10.  (U) The Ambassador and Rao agreed that the management audit is 
perfectly timed, as UNESCO will be looking at its medium term 
strategy and reviewing a new budget in the coming months.  Bringing 
greater clarity to the WHC's management and organization at the same 
moment is a strong sign by member states that they support and wish 
to strengthen the WHC and its programs. 
 
¶11.  (U) Rao promised to work closely with the US Mission in 
formulating the Terms of Reference that will be used as the basis 
for the consulting contract. 
 
¶12.  (U) He noted that approximately 80K US dollars, which will come 
from the World Heritage Fund, have been earmarked by the World 
Heritage Committee to cover the costs of the management audit.  The 
Ambassador mentioned that monies till remaining from the US Special 
Account could also be made available, if need be, to ensure the 
audit not be cut short because of funding problems. 
 
¶13.  It is expected that the choice of a consultant will be 
completed in the September/October timeframe, and that the audit 
itself will take up to six months to complete.  It is hoped that the 
management audit report will be ready to present to the World 
Heritage Committee meeting next summer in Christ Church, New 
Zealand.  OLIVER