Report of the Secretary-General on the work of the Organization

General Assembly

Official Records
Fifty-fourth Session
Supplement No. 1 (A/54/1)

[31 August 1999] 
Contents

Chapter

 

Paragraphs

Page

Introduction

Facing the humanitarian challenge  

 1–61 

 1

 I.   Achieving peace and security  

 62–126

 8

      Introduction  

 62–67 

 8

Preventive diplomacy and peacemaking  

 68–88 

 8

Peacekeeping  

 89–100

 11

Post-conflict peace-building  

 101–108

 12

Electoral assistance  

 109–111

 13

The United Nations, regional organizations and security  

  112–116

 13

      Disarmament  

 117–123

 14

      Sanctions  

 124–126

 15

 II.   Cooperating for development  

 127–189

 16

 Overview   

 127–141

 16

  Eradication of poverty  

 142–151

 18

  Social development  

 152–166

 19

      Sustainable development  

 167–171

 20

      Africa  

 172–187

 21

      United Nations Fund for International Partnerships  

  188–189

 23

 III.   Meeting humanitarian commitments  

 190–219

 24

      Coordinating humanitarian action  

 192–199

 24

  Delivering humanitarian services  

 200–210

 25

  Assisting refugees  

 211–219

 26

  IV.Engaging with globalization  

 220–255

 28

      Economic and social dimensions  

 221–238

 28

      Globalization and the environment  

 239–246

 30

      “Uncivil society”  

 247–251

 31

      Implications of globalization for security  

 252–255

 32

 V.   The international legal order and human rights  

  256–276

 33

      Introduction  

 256–260

 33

      The International Criminal Court  

 261–262

 33

    The International Tribunals  

 263–274

 33

 The way forward  

 275–276

 35

VI. Managing change  

 277–344

 36

  Creating a culture of communication  

 277–285

 36

      Administration and management  

 286–299

 37

      Legal affairs  

 300–315

 38

      Project services  

 316–324

 40

      Accountability and oversight  

 325–344

 41

Introduction 

/…

Disaster prevention

/…

38.     In some trouble spots, the mere presence of a skilled and trusted Special Representative of the Secretary-General can prevent the escalation of tensions; in others more proactive engagement may be needed. In September and October 1998, interventions by my Special Envoy for Afghanistan prevented escalating tensions between Iran and Afghanistan from erupting into war. That vital mission received little publicity, yet its cost was minimal and it succeeded in averting what could have been a massive loss of life.

39.     Preventive diplomacy is not restricted to officials. Private individuals as well as national and international civil society organizations have played an increasingly active role in conflict prevention, management and resolution. So-called “citizen diplomacy” sometimes paves the way for subsequent official agreements. For example, former United States President Jimmy Carter’s visit to Pyongyang in June 1994 helped to resolve a crisis over the nuclear weapons programme of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and set in motion a process that led directly to an agreement in October that year between that country and the United States of America. In the Middle East peace process, it was a small Norwegian research institute that played the critical initial role in paving the way for the 1993 Oslo Agreement.

/…

Chapter I 

Achieving peace and security 

Preventive diplomacy and peacemaking

82.     The overall situation in the Middle East remains troubling. The international community has expressed its strong support for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East based on relevant Security Council resolutions and the principle of land for peace. The recent resumption of the peace process and indications of a real commitment to achieving a settlement by the key protagonists are grounds for cautious optimism.

/…

Chapter III 

Meeting humanitarian commitments 

Coordinating humanitarian action

/…

203.   The health assistance programmes of WHO focused on assessing the health needs of those affected by emergencies and disasters, providing health information, assisting in health sector coordination and planning and implementing priority programmes in areas such as mental health, control of epidemics, immunization, pharmaceuticals and nutrition. Priority was given to strengthening the coordination between national health authorities and the international community, as well as to bridging the gap between recovery, rehabilitation and health development activities. Special efforts were made to eradicate polio and to control malaria in countries affected by emergencies, to improve health systems in the Palestinian self-rule areas, and to observe the equitable distribution of commodities imported under Security Council resolution 986 (1995) and the rehabilitation of health services in Iraq.

/…

210.   The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) combines humanitarian and development objectives in providing relief and social services to approximately 3.6 million Palestine refugees. A special feature of the Agency’s operations has been its ability to maintain essential services, often on an emergency basis, in war and conflict situations. However, the Agency’s continuing financial deficit, which reached $70 million against its 1999 budget of $322 million, has inevitably had a negative effect on the level and standard of services.

/…

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