The Regional Service Centre in Entebbe (RSCE) was established in 2010 though General Assembly resolution 64/269 as part of the Global Field Support Strategy (GFSS). The overall objective of GFSS was to transform service delivery to field missions through a fundamental shift in the existing division of labor and a relocation of functions to improve responsiveness and address the needs of the field missions.
The RSCE currently provides a full range of administrative, logistics and information and communications technology services to thirteen client missions in Africa, representing over 63% of all United Nations peacekeeping and special political missions worldwide. The missions served include the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO), the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID), the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS), the Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General to the Great Lakes Region, the Somalia and Eritrea Monitoring Group, the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA), the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), the Special Advisor to the Secretary-General on Burundi and United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO). In addition, from November 2016, the RSCE provides payroll services to seven additional field missions throughout Africa.
The General Assembly, though its resolution 69/307 decided to give the RSCE operational and managerial independence as of 1 July 2017. The Centre is now governed by a Steering Committee led by the Assistant Secretary-General for Field Support and the Directors from the Department of Field Support which is responsible for providing strategic guidance and oversight. In addition, the Directors and Chiefs of Mission Support of the RSCE’s Client Board provide expert advice to the Chief RSCE, including strengthening client management and engagement.
Their Services
The RSCE provides a wide range of administrative, logistics and regional information and communications technology services.
The Centre provides administrative services through cross-functional Service Lines to over 20,700 personnel in field missions including international civilian staff, national staff and uniformed personnel. The Centre provides integrated finance and human resources services to staff from the time of recruitment through separation. In addition, the RSCE is responsible for vendor payments, cashier services and financial management and accounting services for its client missions.
The Regional Information and Communication Technology Service (RICTS) is mandated to provide effective, efficient and timely non-location-dependent information technology support services to client missions with the view of eliminating duplication of effort, achieving economies of scale and removing disparity of services across the missions. Such initiatives include the United Nations Signals Academy (UNSA) implemented to enhance field-preparedness and effectiveness.
The Transport and Movement Integrated Control Centre (TMICC) was established with the goal of consolidating, integrating and optimizing transportation and movement services for operations in the RSCE client missions. Services provided by TMICC include providing integrated planning and execution of integrated regional flight schedule. In addition the TMICC is leading a pilot project to provide end-to-end supply chain services for six commodities throughout the East Africa Corridor. The project is expected to result in reduced lead times and improved supply chain visibility, while implementing industry best practices.
