George Gigauri or Giorgi Gigauri (Georgian: გიორგი გიგაური) is a UN official and senior humanitarian, serving as the Chief of Mission of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the UN Migration Agency, in Iraq.
He is also the Coordinator of the United Nations Network on Migration and Co-Chair of the UN Durable Solutions Taskforce.[1]
International Organization for Migration (United Nations)
editIraq
editGiorgi Gigauri took up his appointment as the Chief of Mission of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the UN Migration Agency, in Iraq in October 2021.[2]
Bangladesh
editAt IOM Bangladesh, he was overseeing a programme portfolio, which includes humanitarian emergencies,[3] with primary focus on the Rohingya crisis,[4][5] migrant protection,[6] policy and governance,[7] migration and development,[8] and economic reintegration.[9]
He was one of the three Co-Chairs, with UNHCR and the UN Resident Coordinator, of the Strategic Coordination Group (SEG)[10] which oversees and manages the 2015 Rohingya refugee crisis response in Bangladesh,[11] which is the largest refugee camp in the world. He was also the Coordinator of the United Nations Migration Network that brings together key UN agencies and civil society partners working on migration policy and development in the country.[12][13][14]
Since March 2020, he was the IOM Crisis Management Team Leader for the COVID-19 pandemic public health emergency programmes and the UN Inter-Agency Co-Lead for Points of Entry operations in the country.[15]
Papua New Guinea
editGeorge Gigauri served as the IOM Chief of Mission in Papua New Guinea from 2013 - 2016,[16][17][18] leading programmes in disaster management,[19] community stabilization, and border management.[20] He led IOM crisis response during the drought of 2015–16 in the Highlands,[21][22][23] joint counter human trafficking operation in the Dogleg area of Papua New Guinea[24] (Torres Straights),[25] and various peacebuilding initiatives in local conflict affected areas of the country.[26]
Other Countries
editDuring his tenure as the IOM Deputy Chief of Mission in Indonesia, he spearheaded a humanitarian effort leading to release of thousands of refugees from detention across the country.[27] His prior assignments include Head of Programme Support in Ukraine, Project Development Officer in Moldova,[28] and research support at the Regional Office in Austria. He has led numerous emergency response surge teams in Asia-Pacific, including in Fiji,[29] Tonga,[30] and Vanuatu.[31]
Education
editGeorge Gigauri holds a Master’s degree (distinction)[32] from University of Oxford, matriculating in 2002,[33] and an Executive Leadership Certificate from the University of Cambridge, Judge Business School (2023). He speaks English, Georgian, Russian and some French.
Other
editHe is a contributor to international publications, including The Daily Star,[34] The Bangkok Post,[35] UN Migration Weblog,[36] etc.
George Gigauri was inaugurated as an honorary tribal chief in Oro, Papua New Guinea in 2014.
In 2003 he founded the first Oxford University Georgian Society.[37]
He is the son of Professor Vladimir Gigauri, who conducted the first artificial heart implant in the Soviet Union.[38]
References
edit- ^ "United Nations Iraq".
- ^ "United Nations Iraq".
- ^ "5 Questions with Giorgi Gigauri". Archived from the original on 2019-09-19. Retrieved 2020-04-14.
- ^ Q&A: IOM Bangladesh mission chief on post-monsoon priorities for Rohingya
- ^ IOM Chief Giorgi Gigauri in Bangladesh calls for Continued Support of Japanese Government and People for Resolution of Rohingya Crisis
- ^ Promoting safe migration to reduce trafficking: IOM chief
- ^ ‘After two years, we need to focus on the local community’, Giorgi Gigauri
- ^ Giorgi Gigauri / Chief of Mission, IOM Bangladesh[permanent dead link]
- ^ Chief of Mission of IOM Giorgi Gigauri visits YPSA
- ^ "Inter-Sector Coordination".
- ^ 'Illusion of stability' hides truth about Rohingya camp
- ^ "A joint statement made on behalf of the Bangladesh UN Network on Migration".
- ^ "The Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration is the first-ever inter-governmentally negotiated agreement on a common approach to international migration".
- ^ "Implementation of Global Compact for Migration".
- ^ Giorgi Gigauri. Bangladesh: Preparation for tackling COVID 19. IOM - UN Migration.
YouTube
- ^ Training and awareness to fight human trafficking in PNG
- ^ Luncheon with Mr George Gigauri, Chief of Mission, International Organization for Migration (IOM)
- ^ Reuters: U.N. fears 'the worst' after typhoon batters Vanuatu
- ^ IOM The UN Migration Agency
- ^ The Last Children of the Tide, Shorthand Social, 2016
- ^ IOM Expands Drought Response in Papua New Guinea as El Niño Effects Deepen
- ^ IOM Aids Agricultural Recovery in Drought-hit Areas of Papua New Guinea
- ^ European Union and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Provide Water, Sanitation, and Agricultural Support to 65,000 Drought-hit People in Papua New Guinea
- ^ The Guardian: Hunt on for slave-crewed Thai trawlers whose catches are UK-bound
- ^ The Courier-Mail: Officials on hunt for ‘slave boats’ in Torres Strait
- ^ Peacebuilding Programme Aims to “Give Peace a Chance” in Papua New Guinea
- ^ UN Migration Agency Facilitates Release of Refugees from Indonesian Detention Centres
- ^ "United Nations Moldova". Archived from the original on 2013-01-27. Retrieved 2018-06-25.
- ^ Flying the Red-Eye to Fiji By Aaron Watts-Jones
- ^ "Tonga - Cyclone Gita IOM Emergency Response". Archived from the original on 2021-07-03. Retrieved 2020-04-14.
- ^ Flash Appeal: Vanuatu – Getting People Home After Devastating
- ^ Refugee Studies Centre, University of Oxford
- ^ St Antony's College, University Of Oxford Alumni Updates
- ^ The Daily Star Author, Giorgi Gigauri
- ^ Giorgi Gigauri, Columnist
- ^ UN Migration Weblog Author, George Gigauri
- ^ Oxford-Georgian Society
- ^ The San Francisco Examiner, 15 Dec 1982, World Digest, p.42