UN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME TO RELOCATE 300 JOBS FROM NEW YORK TO BONN

NEW YORK, Jan 20 (Bernama-dpa) -- The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is relocating nearly 300 jobs from its headquarters in New York to the western German city of Bonn.

Another 100 jobs will be relocated to Madrid, the UNDP announced on Monday, according to the German news agency dpa.

No timetable for the relocations has been announced. 

The UNDP is active in approximately 170 countries and territories, with around 22,000 employees. The vast majority of these employees – more than 19,000 – work in country offices and regional centres.

Bonn is already one of the largest UN locations in Europe, alongside Geneva and Vienna. The German city hosts 27 UN institutions with around 1,200 employees.

The UN Climate Secretariat has its global headquarters in Bonn, as do the UN Volunteers programme and the UN Convention to Combat Desertification.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said the move "strengthens Bonn's position as a UN location" and sends "an important political signal of confidence in German foreign policy - especially at a time when the UN system and multilateral principles are under pressure."

"Germany is and remains an advocate and promoter of international cooperation – because this is also important for the security, freedom and prosperity of our country," he added.

The UNDP headquarters are to remain in New York, where there are also offices dedicated to different world regions, including Europe, as well as representative offices for individual countries. 

--BERNAMA-dpa