The Regional Service Centre Entebbe (RSCE) recognised long-serving employees in the UN common system at their annual end of the year get-together on Friday the 13th of December 2019. The event held at the Koffi Annan Conference Hall at the Regional Training and Conference Centre (RTCC) saw 93 members of staff receive the Secretary General’s recognition awards for long service to the UN for 10, 15, 20, and 25 years.

In his remarks, Chief of RSCE, Mr. Paulin Djomo used the event to look back at 2019 and reflect on the highlights of the year. He found 2019 to be a fantastic year, all thanks to the motivated and dedicated RSCE staff. The Centre managed to get greater exposure than ever before, including (but not exclusively) through several high-level visits.

Mr. Djomo also looked forward to the near future and how the RSCE will further develop into 2020.

He remarked that next year, the RSCE will mark 10 years of existence in Entebbe. The centre has grown a lot since inception in 2010. Over time, the RSCE undoubtedly became a centre of excellence, an institution that offers real value for all stakeholders. It now enters a new period in its existence, one of stability and maturity. The RSCE should continue to be a leading organisation in 2020, it should maintain its high output and keep on showing its relevance and effectiveness to the organisation on a global level.

At the end of his speech, Mr. Djomo thanked all staff once more for the great past year, wished all happy holidays and hopes that each and everyone can get back to work with fully charged batteries in 2020.

The Master of Ceremony for the event, Ms. Benta Aseto interviewed with long-serving staff members Anita Pinto and Yeon Adams. Ms. Pinto - Team Leader and Procurement Officer in the Global Procurement Support Section - and Mr. Adams - Travel Officer in the RSCE Travel Service Line - have completed an uninterrupted period of service with the organisation for 29 years and 20 years, respectively.

When asked by the interviewer what it takes to be a successful UN employee, both interviewees agreed on three main characteristics any UN staff member should have.

First, you need to be flexible and adaptable. Secondly, you always need to be willing to improve yourself. Continued education is key to keep on being an outstanding person within the workforce. Finally, you need to have an innovating mindset, one needs to be open to change and modernisation. Not only taking in mind but also living up to those three factors will allow you to go a long way within the organisation. Anita Pinto said, “If you want a promotion, act and perform as if you already have one”.

When Anita reflects on her years within the organisation and her life as a whole, she looks back as a content and achieved person. From her early years growing up in India to now, she feels that she is exactly where she needs to be. She is working for an organisation that allows her to fulfil her desire to help people. Anita summarised it effectively with the following expression: “Bloom where you are planted”.

Yeon had some great advice too: always keep an eye to the future, be proud to be a UN employee, be open to risks. He concluded the interview by pointing out that you can reach success with the UN in an uncountable number of ways, or in his words: “There are many roads to one destination”.

Following the interview, eligible staff members were awarded their Long Service Certificates. A total of 93 international and national staff members who have served in the United Nations Common System for an uninterrupted period of 10, 15, 20 and 25 years were recognised and rewarded.

After the award ceremony and the inevitable photo opportunities, a cake was cut, and lunch served to all RSCE staff to the end of the year 2019 and to celebrate the long service of our fellow colleagues.

We’d like to sincerely congratulate all our long-serving colleagues!

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A selection of photographs of this event has been posted on the RSCE Facebook page.