HKSAR young public officers to work at United Nations
16.1.2023

The Launch Ceremony of HKSAR Junior Professional Officers to the United Nations for the second batch of officers recommended by the Central Government of the People's Republic of China was held today (January 16) at the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (OCMFA) in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) to mark the occasion of 12 Hong Kong young public officers taking up positions in different agencies of the United Nations (UN). With the support of the Central People's Government (CPG) and the assistance of the OCMFA, 12 young public officers from the Financial Secretary's Office, the Environment and Ecology Bureau, the Labour and Welfare Bureau, the Department of Justice, the Customs and Excise Department, the Drainage Services Department, the Government Laboratory, the Intellectual Property Department, the Hong Kong Police Force and the Transport Department of the Government of the HKSAR, as well as the Independent Commission Against Corruption have been recommended by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) to participate in the UN Junior Professional Officer (JPO) Programme. The UN is composed of sovereign states and participants of the programme must be sent by member states. The selected officers will be working in the UN offices in New York, the United States; Geneva, Switzerland; Vienna, Austria; and Nairobi, Kenya, as Chinese personnel. They are expected to report duty to the UN in early 2023 for a two-year tenure. The HKSAR took part in the JPO Programme for the first time in 2019, with five young public officers recommended by the MFA working in UN offices in New York, the United States; Geneva, Switzerland; and Vienna, Austria, as Chinese personnel. They are gradually completing their tenure with outstanding performances, which was highly commended by the UN side, laying a solid foundation for Hong Kong to further develop external affairs and for Hong Kong young people to enter the international arena. The HKSAR Government attaches great importance to youth development and strives to nurture a new generation of young people with an affection for the country and for Hong Kong, equipped with global perspectives, and who would contribute to the country and the city. At the time when the HKSAR has been established for 25 years, the number of HKSAR young public officers recommended by the MFA to work in the UN has doubled in this batch. This not only reflects the care of the CPG for Hong Kong young people, but also the determination of the HKSAR Government on creating opportunities for more young people to widen their horizons outside Hong Kong. Addressing the launch ceremony, the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, said many Hong Kong young people were full of energy, abilities and potential, and passionate about and looking forward to contributing to the country and the world. The huge support given by the CPG in sending HKSAR young public officers to work in the UN as Chinese personnel is a recognition of Hong Kong's young people. The Chief Executive encouraged the 12 young people to give their best in the international arena, to serve as the bridge of the country and the world, as well as to shoulder the role as a representative of the HKSAR to tell good stories of Hong Kong and promote Hong Kong's abilities, strengths, charisma and competitiveness to the world. At the same time, the HKSAR Government will continue to develop external affairs in accordance with the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, as well as to deepen the understanding of civil servants on international landscape and the country's foreign policies, in support to the country to tell good stories of China to the world. Ends/Monday, January 16, 2023 Issued at HKT 18:04 NNNN