Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has made strengthening the UN and streamlining its operations one of his top priorities. He believes that effectiveness is key if the UN is to meet the world’s many challenges. Below are several reforms that are underway at the UN.
Streamlining and Modernizing the UN
Secretary-General Ban has acted to promote a mobile, multi-functional staff in the United Nations. He has opened high-level jobs at headquarters to UN workers in the field and pushed for all top officials to make their financial disclosure forms public, after having been the first Secretary-General to do so himself. The UN has also recently eliminated permanent contracts for staff; instead, staff appointments will be reevaluated on a regular basis through the use of continuing contracts.
Strengthening Ethics throughout the UN System
A new UN Ethics Office was created in January 2006, with whistleblower protection policies that are more stringent than those of the U.S. government. Its protections were recently extended to all UN funds and programs, like the UN Development Program and the World Food Program. As of January 2008, any fund or program lacking its own ethics office automatically comes under the jurisdiction of the UN’s central Ethics Office, including its whistleblower protection and financial disclosure policies. Further, any staff member in any UN fund or program who is dissatisfied with an ethics ruling can appeal his or her case to this central office.
Increasing the Independence of UN Oversight
In June 2007, the UN created a new Independent Audit Advisory Committee. This Committee is intended to review and ensure the soundness of internal and external UN audits and was one of the principal recommendations of Paul Volcker after his review of the UN’s Oil for Food Program. The Independent Audit Advisory Committee will begin operations in 2008 and recently elected David Walker, U.S. Comptroller General and head of the Government and Accountability Office, as one of five members of the committee and an expert on oversight and accountability.
Investigating and Reforming UN Procurement
In January 2006, the UN’s Office of Internal and Oversight Services (OIOS) set up a Procurement Task force, led by former U.S. federal prosecutor Robert Appleton, to review allegations of fraud in UN contracts. The Task Force has successfully identified multiple instances of fraud and has taken action against more than 30 procurement employees and banned 32 vendors from doing business with the UN. At Secretary-General Ban’s recommendation, the General Assembly voted in December 2007 to extend the work of the Task Force for the duration of 2008. The General Assembly also provided resources to strengthen the procurement system in July 2006 by doubling OIOS staff, enhancing internal controls, and creating training for vendors in developing countries.
Adapting to the Growing Demands on UN Peacekeeping
One of Ban's first moves as Secretary-General was to reform the UN's peacekeeping division to increase its capacity to mount and sustain its growing numbers of complex peacekeeping operations. A new Department of Field Support was created in June 2007 to consolidate support functions of UN field personnel, procurement, and financial management, as well as to strategize, plan, and deploy UN peacekeeping missions. The reform created additional senior posts to increase oversight capacity in this burgeoning section of UN operations.
Delivering as One
The UN is proceeding with its “One UN” effort to maximize field coordination by appointing a single team leader to coordinate all UN agencies within a given country. This reform has the potential to save money and improve the delivery of UN assistance on the ground. Pilot programs are underway in eight countries—Vietnam, Mozambique, Rwanda, Cape Verde, Pakistan, Tanzania, Albania and Uruguay. The General Assembly met in April 2007 to discuss the effort, and Member States gave it a ringing endorsement. This reform effort is continuing.
Addressing Sexual Abuse and Exploitation in UN Peacekeeping
The UN has made headway in reigning in sexual abuse and exploitation (SEA) among UN peacekeepers. It has established a zero tolerance policy toward sex abuse and prostitution; launched a global audit by the UN's principal investigative arm (OIOS); and taken action in virtually every UN peacekeeping mission to address sexual abuse and exploitation. The UN’s methods for addressing SEA among its peacekeepers are now advanced enough that NATO is consulting with the UN on how to address its own SEA matters. |
