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SIPA Faculty
Dirk Salomons
International Affairs Building, Room 1133
Lecturer in Discipline of International and Public Affairs
Phone: 212-854-8825
dirk.salomons@sipa.columbia.edu
ds2002@columbia.edu
Biography:
Dirk Salomons is the director of the Program for Humanitarian Affairs at the School of International Public Affairs, Columbia University. Salomons focuses on the interaction between policy and management in humanitarian operations, and has a particular interest in the demobilization and reintegration of former combatants after armed conflict. Prior to joining the SIPA faculty in 2002, Salomons had served since 1997 as managing partner of the Praxis Group, Ltd., an international management consulting firm based in the USA and Switzerland. Praxis works mainly with public service entities, applying its expertise in humanitarian assistance, peacekeeping, and post conflict recovery as well as in human resources management.
From 1970 until 1997, Salomons served in a wide range of management, peace building, and policy advisory functions in several organizations of the United Nations system, including FAO, UNDP, UNAIDS, UNOPS, and the UN Secretariat. His most cherished assignment was that of executive director for the United Nations peacekeeping operation in Mozambique, from 1992 to 1993.
Salomons's recent works include "Probing the Successful Application of Leverage in Support of Mozambique's Quest for Peace," in Leveraging for Success in United Nations Peace Operations, edited by Jean Krasno, Donald Daniel, and Bradd Hayes (2003) and "Good Intentions to Naught: The Pathology of Human Resources Management at the United Nations," in Rethinking International Organizations: Pathology and Promise, edited by Dennis Dijkzeul and Yves Beigbeder (2003).
Salomons is the author of a wide range of United Nations documents and reports on management. Publications include The Conjurers' Hat: Financing United Nations Peace-Building in Operations Directed by Special Representatives of the Secretary-General, with Dennis Dijkzeul (Fafo Institute for Applied Social Science, Oslo, and Center on International Cooperation, New York 2001) and Recovering from Conflict: Strategy for An International Response, with Shepard Forman and Stewart Patrick (New York University 2000).
Since 1997, moreover, Salomons has contributed several chapters in edited volumes on topics such as humanitarian mine action, United Nations human resources management, field coordination and the reintegration of former combatants.
Salomons received a kandidaats (BA) degree from the University of Amsterdam in 1964, and subsequently obtained his doctoraal (PhD), also at the University of Amsterdam, in 1967.
Research Interests: Africa