The International Eurasia Press Fund (IEPF) has attended its second bi-annual NGO roundtable discussion with the UN Director General for Geneva, Michael Møller, at the Palace of Nations. Updating NGO representatives on the latest UN Geneva developments, Michael Møller also stressed the importance NGOs play at the United Nations where they provide invaluable experience and technical expertise at a time when UN resources are increasingly under strain. New developments at the Geneva office this year include an expansion of the SDG Lab, a multi-stakeholder initiative which engages Geneva-based civil society, UN member states, and private corporations to “leverage expertise and knowledge into policy, practice and action” in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
Further developments included a proliferation of the new online conference management system to UN headquarters in Bangkok and Nairobi. Launched in 2017, the new system allows NGOs to quickly and easily register events, reserve conference rooms, and acquire temporary grounds passes for guests. The IEPF was one of the first NGOs to take advantage of the new system during a convening of the Human Rights Council in March 2017 when it held a historic side event on children in armed conflict at the UN office in Geneva, which saw an unprecedented number of attendees from various embassies, UN agencies, and civil society organizations.
Following the event, the IEPF’s own Geneva representative, Michael Montafi, met briefly with Michael Møller and expressed his satisfaction with the role the IEPF has had in Geneva and the possibility of future events being held at the UN office.