The United Nations apparently is not cutting services like our government is. They are looking at opening the position of Ambassador to aliens should we make first contact with an extra terrestrial life.
The 58 year old woman in charge of the UN Office of Outer Space Affairs is the front runner for the job, it makes sense he has all the skills needed, being a senior manager in the UN she must have some form of political skill.
The outer space treaty means that the nations of Earth will protect earth from contamination by extra terrestrial life. The future ambassador wants a rather more tolerant approach to dealing with arrivals.
Professor Hawking observes that the mathematical probabilities makes it very reasonable to consider the possibility of extra terrestrial life. Moreover, he warns against actively seeking communication with extra terrestrial amid fears they are likely to be cruising the galaxy in search of resources and colonies to settle down on. Referring to our own species he thinks it is clear that another life form could easily grow into something we don’t want to meet.
References
CNet
