37 minutes | Monday, 16 August 2021
***NOTE: this interview was recorded 27th July 2021 and will not reflect the fast changing situation in Afghanistan***
On this week's McKay Interview, Michael talks to foreign affairs expert and Georgian national, David Chikvaidze.
He has worked for over thirty-six years in the foreign service, in government and in the international civil service.
An observer of superpower relationships, international political, security and nuclear arms control issues in the context of Eurasian and current regional security dynamics, he provides – since 2006 – political advice and support to his fifth Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG) as Chef de Cabinet and, before, as acting Senior Political Adviser.
As Director of the UN Library and Head of the UNOG Cultural Diplomacy programme in 2011-2013, Chikvaidze implemented a new strategic direction, created synergies with world libraries, raised the Library’s profile and its effectiveness for clients and developed new forms of cultural, intellectual, educational and academic outreach of UN Geneva.
In 2003-2005, he was Senior Adviser to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and Chief of the Communications and NGO Partnerships Section in Geneva, as well as spokesman for the 61st session of the Commission on Human Rights, and Human Rights Treaty Bodies.