INVESTING IN THE UNITED NATIONS
For a Stronger Organization Worldwide
Secretary-General's Report
Secretary-General Kofi Annan presented to Member States his proposals for a fundamental overhaul of the United Nations Secretariat in March 2006. He stated that the organization's rules, systems and culture need significant retooling and investment if the UN is to fulfill growing expectations and demands placed on it by the international community.
These new measures, an important number of which will require Member State approval, seek to modernize the UN's management practices which, while having been subject to incremental change over the years, have not been subject to a comprehensive review.
The Secretary-General presented his report in response to a first-time request from Member States for such proposals, as outlined in the 2005 September Summit's Outcome Document [PDF, 283K]. It builds on reforms implemented in 2005 to strengthen management, oversight and accountability.
He stated:
"Only by an effort on this scale - a management reform as broad as it is deep - can we create a United Nations Secretariat fully equipped to implement all mandates, using its Member States' resources wisely and accounting for them fully, and winning the trust of the broader world community."
More specifically, the report confirms the need for far-reaching reforms and targeted investments to realign staff skills to meet current and emerging organizational objectives; elevate management accountability and performance; upgrade information technology; streamline budget and finance; explore new, more cost-effective ways of doing business; and suggests improvements to the ongoing interaction with its Member States.
