UN Reform Highlights Since 1997-2006
Reforming the United Nations was a priority for former Secretary-General, Kofi Annan. In the ten years of his tenure (1997-2006), understanding that the organization needs to continue
improving, the Secretary-General made numerous proposals with significant implications for how the
Organization conducts its work, implements its mandates, and manages the funds entrusted to it by its
Member States. This has included changes to work programmes, structures and systems, in headquarters
locations and in the field.
Much of this agenda has been implemented. However, not all reform proposals were accepted by Member
States.
The Secretary-General initiated his reform agenda with a bold vision in 1997 with
“A
Programme for Reform” - A/51/950 [PDF, 5772K] (and its Addenda
1
[PDF, 15K],
2
[PDF, 22K],
3
[PDF, 14K],
4
[PDF, 15K],
5
[PDF, 16K],
6
[PDF, 22K] and
7
[PDF, 11K]). He followed in 2002 with
“An Agenda
for Further Change [PDF, 175K]” (and Corrigendum 1
[PDF, 18K]).
At the 2005 World Summit, the Secretary-General opined to Member States that it was time for “bold
decisions” and submitted his report “In Larger Freedom”. On management reform in particular, and the
World Summit Outcome Document the Secretary-General was requested “to submit proposals for
implementing management reforms to the General Assembly for consideration and decision in the first
quarter of 2006.” He subsequently did so in his March 2007 reform report “Investing in the United
Nations: For a stronger organization worldwide”.
He also presented his report "Mandating and Delivering" in March of 2006, laying out a framework for
updating and analyzing mandates in each of the Organizations’ programme priorities. An electronic
registry of mandates was produced which compiled all of the approximately 9000 active mandates that
guide the work of the UN.
“Reform” is an all-encompassing term for the many changes that the UN Secretariat has undertaken.
This document focuses on those reforms related to management systems and structures, field operations,
and partnerships. Further details on such related reforms as governance, system-wide coherence, and
relations with civil society can be accessed from the http://www.un.org/reform/
home page.
Table of Contents
- Management Systems & Structures
- Restructuring
- Efficiency
- Accountability & Oversight
- Peacekeeping, Peacebuilding, Counter-Terrorism, and the Responsibility to Protect
- Finance & Budget Reforms
- Procurement of Goods & Services
- Human Resources Management
- Ethics and Internal Justice
- Enhancing Staff Security
- Field Operations
- UN Country Teams (UNCTs) and UN Coherence
- Human Rights
- Public & Private Partnerships
- Building alliances with civil society and the private sector
A. Management Systems & Structures
Restructuring
The 1997 reform package included a number of changes to the Secretariat structure, most notably the
creation of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs from three existing departments and
consolidation of two programmes into the Office on Drugs and Crime. The Centre for Human Rights was
also merged into the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. At this time, approximately
1,000 staff posts that had not been filled in 1996 were permanently eliminated.
Three important new structures were introduced to improve UN management. First, the post of Deputy
Secretary-General was created in 1997 to strengthen the management of the Organization at the most
senior level. Second, the Secretary-General established his own cabinet in the form of the Senior
Management Group, which included all the heads of the Secretariat Offices and Departments, as well as
the Heads of the UN Funds and Programmes. Finally, four sectoral committees were formed to bring
coherence to the work of the UN on peace and security, humanitarian affairs, development and economic
and social affairs.
The second major reform package of 2002 contained additional proposals for a major overhaul of the
Department of Public Information and the Department of General Assembly Affairs and Conference
Management. Since then, a demonstrable improvement in meetings servicing and documents production
have occurred. Nine UN Information Centres in Western Europe were closed and consolidated into one
modernized hub in Brussels.
So as to improve the quality and speed of executive decisions, the Secretary-General in 2005
established two new committees. The Policy Committee advises him on issues requiring strategic
guidance and cross-cutting thematic policy decisions, while the Management Committee considers
internal reform and management-related issues requiring strategic direction from the Secretary-General.
Efficiency
Efforts to improve the overall efficiency of the Organization have moved on several fronts. In the
2004/5 budget cycle, nearly 1000 reports and activities were consolidated or discontinued and
resources redeployed to higher-priority areas of work. In his 2005 report, the Secretary-General
proposes that a more comprehensive review of mandates older than five years be approved by Member
States. As of Fall 2006, Member States had not yet taken decisive action on this proposal.
Much more has been invested in information technologies since the late 1990s. One visible benefit is
that all the UN’s official reports and publications may now be retrieved free of charge through the
Official Documents System available over the internet. The UN website provides extensive materials
in multiple languages, making available up-to-date information and images through multimedia sources.
A number of internal processes, for example payroll, travel, recruitment and performance management,
have been modernized and streamlined, using information technology.
With a view to further streamlining Secretariat documentation, the Secretary-General issued the
“United Nations Secretariat First Consolidated Report 2005”, covering both financial and programme
information for that year. This Consolidated Report strives for a better balance between quality and
quantity of reporting on programmatic and operational matters. The intention is to provide Member
States and the public at large with clear, transparent descriptions of what the UN does and how much
it costs.
In 2006, another round of ICT modernization was proposed with a view to achieving greater accuracy and
usefulness of financial and human resource information. The General Assembly agreed to create a Chief
Information Technology Officer, and approved the development of an Enterprise Resource Planning system
for the Organization.
Accountability & Oversight
Department heads are responsible for achieving predetermined programme performance objectives, as
well as key human resource management targets. So as to be able to hold them more effectively
accountable, a Management Performance Board, chaired by the Deputy Secretary-General, was established
in 2005 and is tasked with ensuring that managers comply with the performance targets conduct
standards and manage their staff effectively.
In the realm of the independent oversight, the Secretary-General recommended an improvement in the
capacities of the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) audit and investigations, given the
growing number of operations and the complexity of the cases under its purview. Member States
subsequently approved an additional 39 investigation positions in 2006.
In 2005, Member States had also requested that the Secretary-General “submit an independent external
evaluation of the auditing and oversight system of the United Nations, including the specialized
agencies, including the roles and responsibilities of management”. The resulting
“Steering Committee
for the Comprehensive Review of Governance and Oversight [PDF, 35K]”
submitted its report to the
Secretary-General in 2006, with a number of recommendations on how oversight and accountability could
be further strengthened. In particular, it made proposals concerning the establishment of an
Independent Audit Advisory Committee to advise Member States on the adequacy of oversight. Further,
the report contains important provisions on how to make OIOS operationally and budgetary independent.
Peacekeeping, Peacebuilding, Counter-Terrorism, and the Responsibility to Protect
A High-Level Panel, chaired by Lakhdar Brahimi conducted a comprehensive review of the UN’s peace
operations in 2000, in what was to be later called the “Brahimi
Report”. This has also resulted in a major strengthening of the Organization’s planning and staffing
capacity, its rapid deployment capability and its ability to draw on the lessons learned from the large
number of field missions deployed over the last 15 years. Concrete improvements include the ability to
draw on pre-positioned “strategic deployment stocks” and the development of a capacity for training and
deploying civilian police to the missions. The UN’s operations in East Timor and Sierra Leone – commonly
regarded as successful missions – have benefited from clearer mandates and better management systems and
capacities.
The 2005 World Summit Outcome Document, emphasizing the need for a “coordinated, coherent and integrated
approach to post-conflict peacebuilding and reconciliation”, and recognizing the vital role of the United
Nations in that regard, decided to establish a Peacebuilding Commission
as an intergovernmental advisory body. This Commission was to be supported by a Peacebuilding Support
Office, which was duly created by the Secretary-General in May 2006. The Peacebuilding Support Fund,
with a target of $250 million and designed to support the activities of the Peacebuilding Commission, had
US$140 million pledged at the time of launching in October 2006.
In support of international efforts to combat terrorism, the Secretary-General presented his report
“Uniting Against Terrorism” in May 2006. This report presented
elements for a counter-terrorism strategy that builds on the so-called “five Ds” of the strategy presented
by the Secretary-General in Madrid in March 2005. The five-Ds are:
- dissuading people from resorting to terrorism or supporting it;
- denying terrorists the means to carry out an attack;
- deterring States from supporting terrorism;
- developing State capacity to defeat terrorism; and
- defending human rights.
The “United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy” was
subsequently adopted by Member States on 8 September 2006. The strategy – in the form of a Resolution
and an annexed Plan of Action – is a unique global instrument that will enhance national, regional
and international efforts to counter terrorism.
The World Summit leaders also endorsed the concept of a responsibility to protect populations against
genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, as described by the Secretary-General in his 28
November 2005 report
“Protection
of Civilians in Armed Conflict [PDF, 94K].” In April 2006, the Security
Council unanimously adopted
Resolution
1674 on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict [PDF, 41K],
containing the historic first official Security Council reference to the responsibility to protect: it
reaffirms “the responsibility to protect populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and
crimes against humanity.”
Finance & Budget Reforms
The UN’s system of budgeting was transformed from focusing on a detailed description of inputs and
resources to one that identified intended outcomes and measurable indicators of achievement. In 2003,
the budget documents themselves were shortened and made more strategic. The long-range planning cycle
was reduced from four years to two, and a duplicative intergovernmental review eliminated. In
addition, the UN’s financial rules and regulations were updated and consolidated. In his latest
reform report, the Secretary General recognizes the need for a more comprehensive overhaul of the
existing budget rules and processes.
Overall, the organization has been able to do “more with less” and live within three consecutive
budget cycles of zero or very limited nominal growth in the Organization’s regular budget.
The issue of the Secretary-General’s budgetary discretion has been a matter of some debate. The
Secretary-General made another push for greater discretion in his March 2006 reform report
“Investing in the UN”, in light of the recent difficulties
observed in responding effectively to crises and emerging priorities. The General Assembly decided
to approve a modest package of reforms granting the Secretary-General limited budgetary discretion,
amounting to a spending authorization of $20m per biennium for the periods 2006-2007 and 2008-2009.
Procurement of Goods & Services
Procurement at the UN has undergone significant transformation since reforms were initiated in
1999. Despite a number of improvements introduced since the late 1990s, including posting annual
procurement plans and requirements on the web, in recent years UN procurement has come under great
scrutiny. Following a revelation of criminal misconduct concerning a UN procurement official in
2005, the Secretary-General ordered a comprehensive review of internal and financial controls which
identified weaknesses in internal control and capacity. In 2006, the Secretary-General presented a
package of proposed improvements to Member States, including staffing enhancements and a programme
of training and certification. At the same time, throughout 2006, OIOS has been conducting in-depth
fact-finding investigations into allegations of procurement fraud and corruption.
On a separate track, the Organization has developed clear policy guidance for the acceptance of
pro-bono goods and services. Its purpose is to prevent possible conflicts of interests or unforeseen
commitments when the UN accepts such offers. This is becoming particularly pertinent following major
disasters when companies or governments offer direct assistance.
Human Resources Management
A host of improvements to the UN’s system of managing its people have been introduced in recent
years. First, a new web-based recruitment system for hiring, reassigning and promoting staff to
ensure greater transparency in advertising vacancies was put in place in 2002. Programme managers
are now empowered to select their own staff, subject to appropriate checks and balances. Second,
incentives to encourage staff mobility between duty stations, and functions, were introduced.
Training and learning programmes for all staff are now more widely available. Third, a new personnel
appraisal system which stressed the importance of core competencies and developmental needs was
introduced. Finally, a number of “staff-friendly” benefits were introduced as part of an effort to
achieve better “work/life” balance for UN staff. These include the introduction of flexible working
hours, telecommuting possibilities and paternity leave entitlements – and have been widely used.
A strengthened and simplified human resources system formed the centerpiece of the Secretary-General’s
March 2006 reform report “Investing in the UN”. These reforms aim at adapting the Organization’s
human resources management framework to meet evolving requirements and to better serve the mandates of
Member States. Fundamental changes are being proposed, including a more proactive, targeted and speedy
recruitment system, an integrated approach to mobility, streamlined contractual arrangements and
harmonized conditions of service. These are before the Member States for their consideration at the
61st Session in 2006.
Ethics and Internal Justice
At the beginning of 2005, following the findings of an internal staff survey and in response to
reported shortcomings in the management of the Oil-for-Food Programme, the Secretary General
introduced a series of reforms to improve accountability and improve ethical conduct.
A UN Ombudsman, whose office was established in 2002, was tasked to
facilitate the informal resolution of disputes between UN staff and management. The Secretary-General
created an Ethics Office in January 2006, responsible largely for managing and overseeing new
whistleblower protection and financial disclosure policies. The Office is responsible for developing
ethics training programmes for staff and managers throughout the Secretariat and held its first
organization-wide ethics brief for senior managers in October 2006.
A revised policy for “Protection against retaliation for reporting misconduct” or “whistleblower
protection” was issued by the Secretary-General to help ensure that the organization functions in
an open, fair, and transparent manner, with the objective of protecting staff who report alleged
wrongdoing. The US Government Accountability Project deemed this policy a “gold standard” for
international organizations in December 2005.
The guidelines on financial disclosure and declaration of interests were also revamped and broadened
to include more senior managers, procurement officers, and those who invest the assets of the
organization. Thresholds for declaring gifts and assets were significantly lowered, and the ability
to monitor the accuracy of the disclosure forms improved.
Under the ethics and conduct banner, in response to the sexual exploitation and abuse cases that
surfaced in 2005 in peacekeeping, DPKO established “Conduct and Discipline Teams” both at headquarters
and in 18 peacekeeping missions. The role of the team at headquarters is to develop strategies and
policies on conduct and discipline issues in relation to prevention, enforcement and remedial action,
maintain global oversight on the state of discipline, and provide overall guidance, training, and
direction to missions. A system-wide policy on “Prevention of workplace harassment, sexual
harassment, and abuse of authority” was also introduced.
Enhancing Staff Security
Facing a sharp escalation in threats against UN personnel, the staff security procedures were
reviewed, first in 2000, and more recently in 2003, following the tragic loss of 22 UN staff in
Baghdad.
In late 2004, the Secretary-General recommended a major overhaul of the UN’s security system.
This included a request for a sizeable increase in resources allocated for protection of staff,
and proposals to strengthen and clarify the chain of command. A new Department of Safety and Security
was subsequently created, consolidating functions previously performed by separate offices. Its
capacity for providing timely, professional advice on security-related matters has been enhanced,
including through more thorough threat and risk assessment. The new Department is responsible for
the security of some 100,000 UN staff and 300,000 dependents in 150 duty stations throughout the UN
system, many of which are in crisis and post-conflict risk situations.
B. Field Operations
UN Country Teams (UNCTs) and UN Coherence
Since the Secretary-General’s inauguration in 1997, measures were introduced to start consolidating
the vast network of UN offices “in the field”. He approved a strengthened role for the “UN Resident
Coordinator” to ensure that these “UN Country Teams” in over 134 countries maximize cost savings,
share resources, and plan and coordinate their activities in a more integrated manner.
There are now consequently over 60 common “UN Houses” in the developing world, and significant cost
savings have been a result of these consolidations.
The UN Development Group (UNDG) brings together the operational
agencies working on development. It aims to develop common planning policies and tools and strategies
for cost containment.
The adoption of the Millennium Development Goals – the time-bound
targets for reducing poverty, disease, hunger, illiteracy and gender – has helped the UNDG, in
collaboration with Member States achieve a more coherent policy approach to development.
One of the great challenges of any Secretary-General has been the management of the large network of
UN entities, with their many mandates and separate governing bodies and means of implementation. In
pursuit of increasing efficiencies and reducing the overlap in the work of these entities, the
Secretary-General’s High Level Panel on UN System-wide Coherence in the
areas of Development, Humanitarian Assistance and the Environment delivered its report “delivering as
one” to the General Assembly in November 2006, with proposals for a more unified, coherent UN
structure at the country level.
Human Rights
This significant institutional reform builds on the Secretary-General’s first term, a push was made
to mainstream human rights, particularly into the peacekeeping and development work of the
Organization. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human
Rights established several sub-offices in the field to enhance its response and monitoring
capacity. More assistance is now provided to countries to build human rights institutions and to
assist them in compliance with treaties. The Secretary-General also appointed a Special Adviser on
the Prevention of Genocide, and pressed the Security Council to ensure proper protection of civilians
in armed conflict. Member States agreed to the significant strengthening of the High Commissioner’s
Office in 2005.
World leaders agreed to the creation of the
Human Rights Council, to succeed the
Human Rights Commission. By May 2006, the General Assembly elected the first 47 members of the new
Human Rights Council.
C. Public & Private Partnerships
Building alliances with civil society and the private sector
The Secretary-General launched the Global Compact in 1997, challenging corporations to meet their
responsibilities as global citizens. Nearly 2,000 businesses and leaders of prominent civil society
and labor organizations have since joined the Compact. It has improved the dialogue between civil
society and private sector, spurred corporate social responsibility initiatives, and promoted new
outlooks on the public role of business in developing countries.
In addition, civil society now also has more opportunities to participate in the UN consultative
process. For example, the Security Council is able to hear testimony directly from non-governmental
organizations. Another instance was in 2000 when UN agencies struck an agreement with leading
pharmaceutical companies to make retroviral AIDS drugs more affordable and accessible in
epidemic-stricken developing countries. A panel chaired by former
Brazilian President Cardoso made a number of proposals to strengthen relations between the UN and
civil society. One concrete achievement was the introduction in the General Assembly of informal
hearings for civil society. These hearings were held for the first time in June in the lead-up to the
Summit.
The Secretary General established UNFIP, a body expressly established for the
purpose of strengthening private-public partnerships. UNFIP was given the responsibility of
facilitating and reviewing project opportunities between the UN System and the United Nations
Foundation, the latter being responsible for administering the US$1 billion contribution in support of
UN causes.
Following the third ministerial meeting in April 2005 of the Community of Democracies in Santiago,
Chile, attended by 141 nations, the Secretary-General announced the establishment of a UN Democracy
Fund in July, 2005. The UN Democracy Fund builds on the UN General Assembly’s commitment to promote
and consolidate new and restored democracies, as expressed in a resolution adopted in 2003.