At the headquarters of the United Nations in New York, and indeed worldwide, Germany is committed to the world community. And the United Nations for its part has a strong presence in Germany. In recent years, Bonn in particular, the former German federal capital, has become an important United Nations city. One important step on the way to that was the opening of the UN Campus in Bonn in July 2006 on the site of the former German Bundestag by Kofi Annan, the then United Nations Secretary General, and Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Since then, 18 of the 25 UN offices in Germany have located there – visible evidence of Germany’s multifaceted dedication to the United Nations. The number of UN employees in Bonn has risen from several dozen in the mid-1990s to more than 800 today. With a total of 450 employees, the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has by far the largest number of staff among UN organizations in Germany. The employees of the international organization mainly have their offices on the UN Campus in Bonn, not far from the bank of the Rhine, in the high-rise building which was formerly used by Bundestag deputies and is known as Long Eugene.
In addition to Bonn, the United Nations has further offices in Germany, namely in the capital, Berlin, as well as in Hamburg and Frankfurt am Main. The office of a representative of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and a liaison office of the International Labour Organization (ILO) are in Berlin. In November 2004 a liaison office of the World Food Programme (WFP) was added and in 2007 a liaison office of the World Bank. The UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) commenced its activities in Hamburg as early as 1951. Since 1996 the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ISGH) has also been domiciled in that port city. The World Bank Group has an office in the German financial metropolis of Frankfurt am Main.
The decision of different UN institutions to make Germany the headquarters of their secretariats or to open offices here also shows that the United Nations appreciates Germany’s commitment to the world community.
From Climate Protection to Vocational Training: United Nations in Bonn
Germany’s former federal capital, Bonn, is now the most important UN location in Germany – with 18 UN offices.The following UN secretariats and programmes, among others, have their headquarters here:
UN Volunteers Programme (UNV)
The Programme is the central coordinating office for voluntary service within the United Nations. Since 1971, the UNV has mobilized tens of thousands of qualified specialists who are committed to peace and development.
Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
The Secretariat of the 1992 Convention, among other things, supports negotiations on climate change, organizes conferences and analyzes and re-examines information and data on climate change drawn up by the member states.
Secretariat of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)
Established in 1999, the UNCCD supports implementation of the agreement on the loss of fertile soil and progressive drought – both of which are causes of food shortages and famines. It prepares meetings of the conferences of the parties to the convention and supports developing countries, especially in Africa.
Secretariat of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (UNEP/CMS)
The Secretariat was set up in 1984 and develops and promotes the treaty on the global protection of endangered species and habitats. It organizes conferences and supports and supervises research and protection projects and collaboration with governments and other organisations.
Secretariat of the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (UNEP/AEWA)
The aim of this agreement is to protect the habitats of waterbirds along their migratory routes. It protects more than 200 species of waterbird in an area covering roughly 40% of the earth’s surface. Since 2000, the AEWA Secretariat has been supervising the agreement from its offices in Bonn.
United Nations University – Vice Rectorate in Europe (UNU-ViE)
The UNU-ViE was set up in June 2007 as the first UNU Vice Rectorate outside the UNU headquarters in Tokyo. The Vice Rectorate aims to strengthen the presence of the UNU in Europe and develop close links between the committees of the UN systems, governments and university and research institutions.
United Nations University – Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS)
The United Nations University established the Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS) in order to assess the impact of natural and man-made threats on the vulnerability of society and the environment in a changing world.
UNESCO International Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (UNESCO-UNEVOC)
The UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre assists the member states worldwide in developing and strengthening their technical and vocational training institutions and further training at the workplace.
