Francis Martin O'Donnell

Background

He was born in 1954 in Dublin, Ireland, son of Patrick Denis O'Donnell, who served briefly as a United Nations military observer with UNTSO, the oldest UN peace-keeping operation in the world.

Education

Schooled in Jerusalem (Collège des Frères) and Dublin (St. Vincent's C.B.S., Glasnevin). An honours graduate in Economics and Philosophy from the National University of Ireland at University College Dublin, O'Donnell read International Law and Diplomacy at postgraduate level in Geneva, and qualified in Disaster Management at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. In the summer of 1997, he was the subject of a two-page feature as a successful graduate in the inaugural summer 1997 issue of "UCD Connections" (University College Dublin, his alma-mater), and more recently in the CoRD magazine in Belgrade.

UN career

Since 1976, when he started as a United Nations Volunteer in Sudan, he has also served the UN in Lesotho, Mauritania, Niger, Switzerland, Turkey, the United States of America, and recently in Serbia & Montenegro. He also undertook missions in over 40 other countries in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Central and Eastern Europe, North America, and the Caribbean.

At the end of the Cold War, he was requested in late 1991 to launch a rapid response capability for deploying UN Volunteers (UNV) to UN emergency operations worldwide. He overhauled recruitment methods, and oversaw the rapid deployment of thousands of UN volunteers to crisis zones, where they became the front-line link between relief and aid delivery agencies such as UNICEF, UNHCR, WFP, UNDP, and WHO and suffering war victims, refugees and internal displacees. The effort saved lives during the years 1992–1994 in Afghanistan, Angola, Bosnia, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Liberia, Rwanda, Somalia, Sudan and other war-torn countries during the inter-ethnic wars that succeeded the Cold War's proxy conflicts. True life stories from the field featured in Volunteers Against Conflict, a book praised by former presidents Nelson Mandela, Mary Robinson, Jimmy Carter, and Nobel Peace Laureate Rigoberta Menchu Tum. This book was written by volunteers recruited under O'Donnell's leadership of the Humanitarian Relief Unit of UNV.

Later based in Turkey, he helped assure the humanitarian corridor through Turkey into northern Iraq after the first Gulf War from 1994–1996, and coordinated earthquake relief in Turkey itself. Subsequently, he held a senior emergency management role in UNDP headquarters in New York, and later led a systemic governance team for crisis countries, developing a new policy approach to tackle root causes for preventing crisis in vulnerable countries.

In 2000, he led UN/UNDP missions that helped Sergio Vieira de Mello lay the foundations for public administration capacity in East Timor before independence. He organised a workshop with the Timorese leadership on 1 March 2000, that re-designed the UN administration in East Timor, leading to a reform of the UN mission by the Security Council. O'Donnell organised the joint workshop between UNTAET and the Timorese leadership, the National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction (CNRT), on 1 March 2000 to tease out a new strategy, and identify institutional needs. The Timorese delegation was led by Jose Ramos Horta. The outcome was an agreed blueprint for a joint administration with executive powers, including leaders of the CNRT. Further details were worked out in a conference in May 2000. The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in East Timor, Sérgio Vieira de Mello, presented the new blueprint to a donor conference in Lisbon, on 22 June 2000, and to the UN Security Council on 27 June 2000. On 12 July 2000, the NCC adopted a regulation establishing a Transitional Cabinet composed of four East Timorese and four UNTAET representatives. The revamped joint administration constructed the institutional foundations for independence[. On 27 September 2002 East Timor joined the United Nations.

On 13 October 2000, O'Donnell arrived in Belgrade [27] in the immediate aftermath of the overthrow of Slobodan Milošević. There, as UNDP representative, he supported the new democratic forces in bringing stability to the remnant of the former Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro), preventing nascent conflict with marginalised ethnic Albanians in the Preševo Valley of southern Serbia, launching reintegration programmes, promoting human rights, and supporting reform of governance institutions, and supporting civil society. In 2002, he was appointed by the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan as Resident Coordinator of the UN system, and appointed by UNDP Administrator Mark Malloch Brown as Resident Representative of the UNDP in Yugoslavia/Serbia-Montenegro, and later again in Ukraine in October 2004, just before the so-called Orange Revolution. Following the Belgrade Agreement (2002) brokered by Javier Solana that restructured the remnant federal republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) into a looser state union of Serbia and Montenegro, O'Donnell held consultations with the president of the federal government of Yugoslavia and leaders of the republics of Serbia and Montenegro, and organised a Strategic Roundtable on Governance Transition in Belgrade, featuring most of the signatories of the Belgrade Agreement, international experts on transition, and a large representation of government officials and the international community. It was the first major public forum bringing together important political players to air crucial constitutional issues. He also contributed to housing sector policy in south-east Europe.

He presented his credentials to the President of Ukraine on 16 November 2004. As Resident Coordinator, he was the designated representative of the UN Secretary-General and lead the UN Country Team of UN agencies and related bodies and was primus inter pares amongst several such accredited UN system chefs de mission diplomatique. Following the Orange Revolution, he fostered international support to the reform process under the auspices of UNDP through its Blue Ribbon Commission for Ukraine. The 2007 Ukrainian political crisis, which lasted from April to June 2007 was part of political stand off between coalition and opposition factions of Verkhovna Rada that led to the unscheduled Ukrainian parliamentary election, 2007, and started on 2 April 2007 as a culmination of long lasting crisis and degradation of the parliamentary coalition when the President of Ukraine (Viktor Yushchenko) attempted to dissolve the parliament. The following day, in light of impending political unrest, O'Donnell as United Nations Resident Coordinator, and following an earlier call to deepen democracy and liberalise the economy, exceptionally issued an advisory statement of principles on behalf of the Country Team (followed by a visit by former Estonian President Arnold Rüütel on 23 April.

O'Donnell called for greater awareness of the Holocaust[28] and active tolerance and decried discrimination against Jews, Muslims, migrants and minorities in many countries. He was also instrumental in tackling racism and xenophobia in Ukraine, by taking the leadership in organising regular consultations and meetings with the representatives of diplomatic missions and international organisations and jointly bringing this issue to the attention of Government. An ambassadorial working group was formed and a Diversity Initiative, a co-ordination group under the leadership of the IOM and UNHCR, was established to provide a forum for anti-discrimination policies – with the overall objective to create a consolidated response to racism and xenophobia in Ukraine. As a result of concerted efforts, the Government stepped up its response to this challenge; an official repudiation of racism by President Viktor Yuschenko issued; the Government adopted an Action Plan on Counteraction to Racism; and the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) established a special unit to counteract xenophobia and intolerance. Policy advice was provided and best practices from European countries was shared with Government. There was a wide-scale information campaign, including broadcasting of public service announcements.

Simultaneously serving as UNDP resident representative in Ukraine, O'Donnell also oversaw the establishment and implementation of the large EU Border Assistance Mission between Moldova and Ukraine, which brought about substantial improvements in border management, including a curtailing of human trafficking, illicit weapons and other contraband smuggling, and corruption. The EUBAM mission remains implemented by UNDP and funded by the European Commission. He also coordinated UNDP co-operation under the BUMAD programme with Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus, to reduce illicit drug traffic. O'Donnell drew attention to the negative impact of endemic corruption in Ukraine, on co-operation with its development partners. He also launched a major programme for women's and children's rights, in collaboration with the EC, Council of Europe, and ILO.

The First Lady of Ukraine, Kateryna Yushchenko, in her farewell, thanked Mr. O'Donnell for his work in Ukraine and co-operation with her Ukraine 3000 Foundation. She credited him that UN institutions repeatedly rendered support to the Foundation's initiatives related to education and culture. Also in 2007, the Ukraine 3000 International Charitable Foundation joined the United Nations Global Compact.

Ambassadorship

On completion of O'Donnell's three years' mission as Ambassador of the Sovereign Order of Malta to the Slovak Republic, the Deputy Prime Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Miroslav Lajčák emphasised Ambassador O'Donnell's special contribution to developing bilateral relations and appreciated the charitable and social activities of the Volunteers Corps of Order of Malta in the Slovak Republic in favour of endangered and marginalised groups of people. Under O'Donnell's leadership, the Volunteers Corps of Order of Malta expanded its activities country-wide in favour of children in orphanages, single and abused mothers, homeless people and other people living below the poverty line, and it also supports the modernisation of health-care facilities, as well as projects focused on the integration of Roma children. O'Donnell was awarded the Golden Medal of the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic by Deputy Prime Minister Lajčák on 1 March 2013. The award was made in recognition of his personal contribution to the development of relations between the Slovak Republic and the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta.

Clans of Ireland

O'Donnell served as a director and board member of Clans of Ireland, the independent permanent authority established in 1989 to authenticate and register Irish Clans and historical families, under the patronage of the President of Ireland, and also served on the Council of its Order of Merit, latterly as its Chancellor, until the completion of his term in April 2015. As delegate of the Clan O'Donnell of Tyrconnell, he represented his Clan in 2012, 2013 and 2014 in the annual Parade of Clans at the Mansion House, Dublin[29]. He was a keynote speaker at the O'Donnell Clan Gathering of 5–9 August 2013 in Donegal, and presented research on the topic of the Ardfert expedition of 1601, as well as on a branch of O'Donnells who were Counts in France until extinct in 1879. In May 2013, on the occasion of the repatriation of the remains of the last reigning royal family of Yugoslavia, accorded a State Funeral by Serbia, O'Donnell laid a wreath at the cask of the late King Peter II of Yugoslavia, in his capacity as delegate of the Clans of Ireland and on behalf of Ireland's ancient royal and noble clans and historic families

Public life

The initiative to create an Irish-Arab Society was proposed by O'Donnell in November 1968, and taken up by a group of Irish and Arab friends. It was the principal advocate of the Palestinian cause in Ireland during the 1970s and the 1980s. It played a key advisory and facilitative role in promoting Irish-Arab trade and cultural links, and with its support diplomatic relations were established with 12 states in the Middle East and North Africa between 1974 and 1976.

Since the early 1990s, O'Donnell was also actively involved in promoting global peace services [30] and inter-faith dialogue, with World Peacemakers (see [31]) and the United States Agency for International Development, Global Alliance of Peace Services, the Life and Peace Institute (see [32]), the Swedish Christian Council, Pax Christi, International Alert, and others. O’Donnell has been active as an advisor to the NGO consortium Nonviolent Peaceforce (Brussels), and as strategic advisor to the Global Partnerships Forum (New York City). O’Donnell remains a life member of the Institute of International and European Affairs (Dublin), and has also participated in the work of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center (Azerbaijan). He has also attended the philanthropy roundtable of the World Economic Forum in Davos in 2009.

At the invitation of the Irish Tánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) and Foreign Minister in early 1995, he contributed towards the first White Paper on Irish Foreign Policy (see [33]). His monograph is lodged in the National Archives of Ireland, and acknowledged in the published White Paper (1996). He is member of the Institute of International and European Affairs (see [34]).

He has addressed public and expert audiences, and delivered keynote addresses at several international conferences. He delivered an address (see [35]) to the XXII International Congress on the Family in Kiev, Ukraine (see [36]), and more recently was guest speaker at the Conference for Young Christian Professionals held in Rome on 28–30 November 2008, where he addressed the subject of Leadership Challenges in the Service of Society. The conference was targeted at "socially active young people, those who are not afraid to discuss the challenges and problems of modern life and who would like to find solutions in the spirit of Pope John Paul II's call to 'build a civilisation of love', i.e. young people between the ages of 25–35, in particular the peers of the pontificate of Pope John Paul II." Several of his papers have been published and he contributed chapters to several published works on peace and governance issues.

In 2014, he has also actively advocated for Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity following Russia’s annexation of Crimea, and addressed the Irish Oireachtas parliamentary Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade on 9 April 2014 on "The Current Situation in Ukraine", in Leinster House, Dublin [37]. He called for a robust and coordinated international response on Irish radio programmes: TodayFM, [38] in English; Raidió na Gaeltachta, the national radio station in the Irish language [39], and on RTÉ 1 [40], as well as on Serbian TV, RTS [41]. His letter on the crisis was published by the Financial Times on 17–18 April 2014,to coincide with the "Quad" talks (EU, US, Russia, & Ukraine) in Geneva [42].

O'Donnell participated on 27–29 April 2015 in the 3rd Global Baku Forum on 2–29 April 2015 hosted by the Nizami Ganjavi International Centre in Azerbaijan. The Forum was an informal summit on "Building Trust in the Emerging World Order" attended by over 60 influential current and former heads of states and governments, and about another 140 politicians and prominent global public figures. He also participated in the 4th Global Baku Forum on 10–11 March 2016 [43], most recently moderating a panel discussion on Ukraine, [44] and comprising Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga, President of Latvia (1999-2007), Co-Chair of NGIC and President of the Club of Madrid; Viktor Yushchenko, President of Ukraine (2005-2010); Bronisław Komorowski, President of Poland (2010-2015) [45]; Bertie Ahern, Taoiseach (Prime Minister) of Ireland (1997-2008); Viktor Zubkov, Prime Minister of Russia (2007-2008) currently chairman of Gazprom; and Daniel Ioniţă, State Secretary for Strategic Affairs, Romania ,[46];[47]; [48]; [49]. He also participated in the VIII High-Level Meeting in Andorra la Vella, from 12–14 June 2016, and moderated two of the four panels of current/former Heads of State/Government and other eminent global leaders [50]. These were: (a) the panel on “Re-thinking Globalisation” comprised Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed, Prime Minister of Somalia (2013-2014); Amre Moussa, Secretary-General of the Arab League (2001-2011); Ana Blazeska, State Secretary for European Affairs, Republic of Macedonia; Ismail Serageldin, Director, Library of Alexandria (Egypt), and former Vice President of the World Bank; Iveta Radicova, Prime Minister of Slovakia (2010-2012); Manuel Montobbio, Ambassador of Spain to Andorra; and Zlatko Lagumdzija, Prime Minister of Bosnia-Hercegovina (2001-2002); and the panel on “The Trump Effect”, comprising Boris Tadić, President of Serbia (2004-2012); Eka Tkeshelashvili, Deputy Prime Minister of Georgia (2010-2012), Kateryna Yushchenko, First Lady of Ukraine (2005-2010), and Vaira Vike-Freiberga, President of Latvia (1999-2007) and current President of the Club de Madrid[51].

O'Donnell appeared in the past on national TV and radio programmes in several developing countries and in France, Italy, Turkey, as well as on Irish RTÉ, UK Radio-4 (see [52]), KRTV (see [53]) and FOX NEWS (US) (see [54]), and on the BBC and CNN, Serbian and Montenegrin TV channels (RTS, B92, Beta), and Ukrainian and Azeribaijani TV channels as well as in various print media.

Other interests

Based on his original research into various subjects, several of his articles on historical matters have been published in scholarly journals in Ireland, such as The Irish Sword - Journal of the Military History Society of Ireland, and the Journal of the Kerry Archaeological and Historical Society, and on the academic networking site Academia.edu.

His analysis of the historical evolution of the law affecting incorporeal hereditaments as elements of intangible cultural heritage (see [55]) has also been acknowledged by the Irish Law Reform Commission during its consideration of the repeal of 150 statutes going back to 1285 (see [56]). Since 2006, the consequent Bill on Land Reform & Conveyancing has progressed in the Oireachtas, and been adopted into law, as the Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Act, Number 27 of 2009. He retains incorporeal hereditaments from his late father.

State Awards

Orders

Dynastic orders

Published works

Policy monographs