The Senior Management Group (SMG) is a committee of senior UN managers that serves as the Secretary-General's cabinet and the central policy planning body of the United Nations. Its objective is to ensure strategic coherence and direction in the work of the Organization. The cabinet was approved by the General Assembly in 1997 as part of the reform proposal submitted by Secretary-General Kofi Annan. The SMG has enabled the United Nations to refine its leadership and management by allowing senior managers to plan together, share information, pool efforts, coordinate activities, avoid duplication, and work for common objectives. Video-conferencing enables senior officials from UN offices in Geneva, Nairobi, Rome and Vienna to take part in the cabinet meetings. The Senior Management Group is chaired by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, and includes the following members: Kiyotaka  Akasaka Public Information Bader  Al-Dafa Economic & Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) Alicia  Bárcena Ibarra Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) Marek  Belka Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) Radhika  Coomaraswamy Children and Armed Conflict Antonio Maria Costa Director-General (UNOV), Executive Director (UNODC) Francis  Deng Prevention of Genocide, Mass Atrocities Kemal  Dervis UN Development Programme (UNDP) Cheick Sidi Diarra Least Developed Countries, landlocked & small island developing States Sergio de Queiroz Duarte Disarmament Antonió Manuel de Oliveira Guterres UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) Noeleen  Heyzer Economic & Social Commission for Asia & Pacific (ESCAP) John  Holmes Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Abdoulie  Janneh Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) Angela  Kane Management Alain  Le Roy Peacekeeping Operations Jane Holl Lute Peacebuilding Support Susana  Malcorra Department of Field Support Rachel  Mayanja Gender Issues and Advancement of Women Vijay  Nambiar Chef de Cabinet Patricia  O’Brien Legal Affairs Thoraya Ahmed Obaid UN Population Fund (UNFPA) Sergei  Ordzhonikidze UN Office at Geneva Robert C. Orr Policy Planning Supachai  Panitchpakdi UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) B. Lynn Pascoe Political Affairs Navanethem (Navi) Pillay Human Rights Muhammad  Shaaban General Assembly Affairs & Conference Management Josette  Sheeran World Food Programme (WFP) Choi  Soon-hong InformationTechnology Achim  Steiner UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Anna Kajumulo Tibaijuka UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) Ann M. Veneman UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) David  Veness Safety and Security Sha  Zukang Economic and Social Affairs Inga-Britt  Ahlenius Observer Internal Oversight Services (Reports directly to the General Assembly, not the Secretary-General)
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