For information only - not an official document

UNIS/VIC/223
12 March 2020

The heads of the four main organizations at the Vienna International Centre (VIC) issued the following statement to all VIC personnel today:

Joint statement by the Executive Heads of the main Vienna-based organizations

VIENNA, 12 March (UN Information Service) - Bearing in mind the measures taken by the Austrian authorities and the advice from the Vienna International Centre (VIC) Medical Service, the Executive Heads of the four main Vienna-based Organizations (VBOs) have decided to instruct all personnel to work remotely from Monday 16th to Friday 3rd April 2020.

Each VBO will be in touch with those not in a position to work remotely.

Only essential or critical staff, as identified by each VBO, may come to work at the VIC. Non-essential staff and all other visitors will not have access to the VIC during this period.

This measure will be reviewed prior to 3rd April, taking into account the evolving situation and the recommendations of local authorities.  

The instruction applies only to those based in Austria. Those VBOs with field operations will be in touch with colleagues in those locations.

The four Executive Heads further instruct all personnel to halt all non-essential duty travel with effect from Monday 16 March 2020. Essential duty travel is subject to approval by the Executive Head of the respective VBO.

These measures are taken on clear medical advice and with the welfare of staff and their families as the central priority. As part of the community of our Host Country, Austria, we can all play our part in helping to try to contain the spread of COVID-19 and reducing the risk of transmission at the VIC and elsewhere.

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The four main Vienna-based organizations are the United Nations Office at Vienna/UN Office on Drugs and Crime, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN Industrial Development Organization and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization.

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For further information, please contact:

Martin Nesirky
Director, UNIS Vienna
Telephone: (+43-1) 26060-5676
Mobile: (+43-699) 1459-5676
Email: martin.nesirky[at]un.org  

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