United Nations A/57/387 General Assembly Distr.: General 9 September 2002 Original: English 02-58326 (E) 200902 *0258326* Fifty-seventh session Item 53 of the provisional agenda* Strengthening of the United Nations system Strengthening of the United Nations: an agenda for further change Report of the Secretary-General** Summary Two years ago, at the Millennium Assembly, Member States decided to make the United Nations a more effective instrument for pursuing the priorities adopted in the United Nations Millennium Declaration. The need for a strong multilateral institution has never been more acutely felt than it is today, in the era of globalization. Much has already been achieved. The reforms begun in 1997 were aimed at adapting the internal structures and culture of the United Nations to new expectations and new challenges. Since then, there have been some important achievements — not least the Millennium Declaration itself, which contains a clear set of priorities, including precise, time-bound development goals. These now serve as a common policy framework for the entire United Nations system. The United Nations has been in the forefront of the battle to eradicate poverty and fight the HIV/AIDS pandemic. The implementation of the report of the Panel on United Nations peace operations is improving the Organization’s capacity to deploy and manage peacekeeping and peace-building operations, and it has responded well to novel and unexpected challenges in Sierra Leone, Kosovo and Timor-Leste. The United Nations is showing greater coherence, and its disparate elements are working better together. Fruitful partnerships have been built with a wide range of non-State actors. In short, the Organization is evolving with the times. It is more efficient, more open and more creative. * A/57/150. ** This report was prepared in the context of the Secretary-General’s comprehensive review of the work of the Organization, and its submission had to be deferred accordingly.
Transcript
United Nations A/57/387
General Assembly Distr.: General9 September 2002
Original: English
02-58326 (E) 200902*0258326*
Fifty-seventh sessionItem 53 of the provisional agenda*Strengthening of the United Nations system
Strengthening of the United Nations: an agenda forfurther change
Report of the Secretary-General**
SummaryTwo years ago, at the Millennium Assembly, Member States decided to make
the United Nations a more effective instrument for pursuing the priorities adopted inthe United Nations Millennium Declaration. The need for a strong multilateralinstitution has never been more acutely felt than it is today, in the era ofglobalization.
Much has already been achieved. The reforms begun in 1997 were aimed atadapting the internal structures and culture of the United Nations to new expectationsand new challenges. Since then, there have been some important achievements — notleast the Millennium Declaration itself, which contains a clear set of priorities,including precise, time-bound development goals. These now serve as a commonpolicy framework for the entire United Nations system.
The United Nations has been in the forefront of the battle to eradicate povertyand fight the HIV/AIDS pandemic. The implementation of the report of the Panel onUnited Nations peace operations is improving the Organization’s capacity to deployand manage peacekeeping and peace-building operations, and it has responded wellto novel and unexpected challenges in Sierra Leone, Kosovo and Timor-Leste. TheUnited Nations is showing greater coherence, and its disparate elements are workingbetter together. Fruitful partnerships have been built with a wide range of non-Stateactors. In short, the Organization is evolving with the times. It is more efficient, moreopen and more creative.
* A/57/150.** This report was prepared in the context of the Secretary-General’s comprehensive review of the
work of the Organization, and its submission had to be deferred accordingly.
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But more changes are needed. The present report suggests a number ofimprovements aimed at ensuring that the Organization devotes its attention to thepriorities fixed by the Member States, and that the Secretariat gives better service.However, the intergovernmental organs must also change. The General Assembly andthe Economic and Social Council both need to adapt in order to realize theirpotential, while the stalled process of Security Council reform needs new impetus.The work programme of the Organization as a whole should be better focused, withfewer but more productive meetings and fewer but more useful documents.
Section II, Doing what matters. The United Nations must align its activitieswith the priorities defined by the Millennium Declaration and by the globalconferences of the past decade. Activities which are no longer relevant must bedropped, while on new issues, or ones that have acquired new urgency — such asglobalization and its impact on development, the pursuit of the millenniumdevelopment goals, conflict prevention and the combat against terrorism — theUnited Nations must deepen its knowledge, sharpen its focus and act moreeffectively. Many other areas also deserve greater attention. The Secretary-Generalwill submit a thoroughly revised programme budget for the biennium 2004-2005to reflect the Organization’s new priorities.
In response to specific requests from the General Assembly, section II alsoreviews two areas in greater detail:
The promotion and protection of human rights is a bedrock requirement for therealization of the Charter’s vision of a just and peaceful world. Good progresshas been achieved in integrating human rights throughout the United Nationssystem. However, further measures are needed to improve the Organization’swork in this area: the capacity of the United Nations to help individualcountries to build strong human rights institutions will be strengthened;the procedures of the treaty bodies will be reviewed in order to simplifyreporting obligations; the system of special procedures (rapporteurs,working groups etc.) will be reviewed, with a view to making it moreeffective by ensuring greater consistency, and will be given better support;and the management of the Office of the United Nations HighCommissioner for Human Rights will be strengthened. The report alsostresses the importance of the Commission on Human Rights, and the need forthe Commission to stick firmly to its task of promoting better standards ofhuman rights throughout the world.
The Department of Public Information has suffered from a fragmentation ofits efforts as a result of too many mandates and missions. It will berestructured so as to be better able to develop coherent communicationsstrategies and take advantage of new media and communication technologies. Acomprehensive evaluation of the impact and cost-effectiveness of all of theDepartment’s activities will be carried out over the next three years. Theexisting network of United Nations information centres will be rationalizedaround regional hubs, starting with Western Europe. The Secretary-General will also introduce improvements in the management of UnitedNations libraries and the Secretariat’s publications programme.
Section III, Serving Member States better. The daily business of theOrganization requires support in the form of background material and documents,facilities and interpretation services for meetings, and reports and records of
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discussion. Section III outlines measures to reduce the number of reportssubmitted each year and to facilitate a more focused and comprehensiveapproach to the issues discussed. It also identifies major improvements to theplanning and servicing of meetings, including the greater use of informationtechnology.
Section IV, Working better together. This section explores ways to improvecoordination, both among the component parts of the Organization and between themand civil society.
Important steps have been taken since 1997 to ensure effective coordinationamong the various United Nations entities working in a given country. Now, underan implementation plan to be completed by 2003, the United Nations agencies,funds and programmes working in each country will be able to pool theirresources and undertake joint programming; common databases and knowledgenetworks will be established; the resident coordinators in larger and medium-sized countries will be given their own staff; and in countries emerging fromconflict, the planning, budgeting and mobilization of resources for all UnitedNations operational activities will be integrated.
If they are to be better coordinated and made more effective, the specific rolesand responsibilities of the various United Nations entities must first be clearlydefined. A document spelling out who does what in the area of technicalcooperation will be completed by September 2003. The management andstrategic planning capacity of the Department of Economic and Social Affairswill be strengthened, and the Secretariat’s support for the General Assemblyand the Economic and Social Council in their consideration of Africa-relatedissues will be better coordinated.
Interaction between the United Nations and civil society has grown significantlyin the past decade. Thousands of non-governmental organizations now have formalconsultative status. Their contribution has enriched the debates and influenced theoutcome of many intergovernmental deliberations. However, there have beenproblems along the way. The time has come to take stock and find better ways oforganizing the relationship. The Secretary-General will establish a high-levelpanel to make recommendations in this regard.
The relationship of the United Nations with the private sector has also evolvedsignificantly in recent years, with the Global Compact initiative and theestablishment of many collaborative partnerships with companies and foundations, inparticular the United Nations Foundation. A Partnerships Office will be created togroup these activities under a common umbrella.
Section V, Allocating resources to priorities. The present United Nationsplanning and budgeting system is complex and labour-intensive. It involves threeseparate committees, voluminous documentation and hundreds of meetings. Changesproposed in section V include a medium-term plan covering only two years(rather than the four as at present), which would be combined with the budgetoutline submitted one year before the actual budget is tabled. The budget documentitself would be less detailed and more strategic, and would give the Secretary-General some flexibility to move resources according to needs. The report alsorecommends that intergovernmental review of plans and budgets shouldhenceforth be conducted exclusively in the Fifth Committee of the General
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Assembly, rather than being shared as at present between that body and theCommittee for Programme and Coordination (which results in a great deal ofunnecessary duplication). Measures will be taken to streamline peacekeepingbudgets, and to improve the management of the large number of trust fundsthrough which Member States provide voluntary contributions to supplement theregular budget.
Section VI, The Organization and its people: investing in excellence.Finally, the report puts forward proposals designed to ensure that the United Nationscan count on an able, versatile and well-managed workforce. These new initiativesare intended to: encourage and reward staff mobility between different locations,functions and even organizations; expand the opportunities open to GeneralService staff (who will henceforth be officially known, like their professionalcolleagues, as international civil servants); help staff to balance theirprofessional and private lives; rejuvenate the Organization; further empowermanagers; strengthen the capacity of the United Nations to deal with HIV/AIDSin the workplace; better resolve internal disputes between management andstaff; and enable the United Nations to offer more competitive rates of pay andbenefits.
* * *
The measures described in the present report add up to a very different way ofdoing business. They cannot be implemented automatically or overnight. Specificunits and individuals must be tasked with managing the change, in particular in theDepartments that will change most. Resources must be earmarked for retraining staffwhose jobs will be affected, and for investment in information technology, which iscentral to the achievement of many of the measures proposed. The Secretary-Generalis seeking a strong endorsement from Member States for the entire package.
1. Two years ago, heads of State and Government,meeting as the Millennium Assembly of the UnitedNations, reaffirmed their faith in the Organization andits Charter as indispensable foundations of a morepeaceful, prosperous, and just world. They definedtheir priorities for the new century: “the fight fordevelopment for all the peoples of the world; the fightagainst poverty, ignorance and disease; the fightagainst injustice; the fight against violence, terror andcrime; and the fight against the degradation of ourcommon home”. They resolved “to make the UnitedNations a more effective instrument for pursuing all ofthese priorities”.
2. Indeed, the need for an effective multilateralinstitution — one dedicated to the service of humanityas a whole — has never been more acutely felt than inthe current era of globalization. This new age ofinterdependence and integration offers manyopportunities to all peoples of the world, but it alsoposes many dangers. The challenge ahead is tostrengthen our capability for collective action and thusforge a common destiny in a time of acceleratingglobal change.
A. What we have achieved
3. Fortunately, an institution to serve the peoples ofthe world does not have to be built from the ground up.The United Nations exists, not as a static memorial tothe aspirations of an earlier age, but as a work inprogress — imperfect, as all human endeavours mustbe, but capable of adaptation and improvement.
4. The United Nations can change, and it haschanged — notably since the end of the cold war,which removed the deepest and most intractable sourceof mistrust among its Members, thus opening up newfields of creative action and cooperation. When I tookoffice as Secretary-General in 1997, the Organizationwas in flux. One of my first priorities — and the objectof one of my early reports to the General Assembly —was to adapt the structures — and also the culture — ofthe Secretariat to the new expectations and challengesthat it faced.
5. Insofar as it depended on me, the changes Isuggested then have been implemented, and by and
large I believe that they have borne fruit. Perhaps moreimportant, however, has been action taken by MemberStates. Increasingly over the past five years, they haveturned to the United Nations to tackle the newchallenges of globalization, and I have beenencouraged by the display of imagination and creativityin exploring and developing the Organization’spotential. Together, we have brought about someimportant changes, and we can claim some importantachievements.
Defining new development goals
6. First and foremost is the adoption by worldleaders of the United Nations Millennium Declaration,through which Member States have provided the worldwith a common vision for the new century. In theeconomic and social sphere, especially, this vision islinked to specific, measurable targets for the first 15years of the century — the millennium developmentgoals. The precise definition of these goals is nowclearly agreed to and understood by the variousinternational agencies concerned. Our efforts to fostercloser cooperation and greater coherence throughoutthe United Nations system, including the BrettonWoods institutions, were thus rewarded. To giveimpetus to this programme of action, in 2001 Ipublished a road map of the steps needed to reach themillennium development goals (A/56/326), and I haverecently delivered the first of what will be annualreports providing an overview of the progress that weare making — or failing to make.
7. Although these development goals were broughttogether for the first time in the MillenniumDeclaration, most of them were the product of a seriesof major international conferences convened in theprevious decade to examine different aspects ofdevelopment, including the meetings on children, theenvironment, human rights, population, women andsocial policy. The value of these conferences inachieving global consensus on norms and targets —and indeed on detailed action plans — is now widelyacknowledged, even by some who previously weresceptics or critics. The conferences have helped toensure that the focus of the United Nations has evolvedwith the times and responded to new challenges facingthe world’s peoples. In 2002, the conferences held atMonterrey — on financing for development — and atJohannesburg — on sustainable development — havebeen able to build upon and extend that legacy.
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8. Increasingly, the world looks to the UnitedNations to address social problems that assume globalimportance — above all the eradication of extremepoverty — and to help to articulate a global consensuson how to deal with them. The Organization played thisrole notably in 2001 by raising the profile ofHIV/AIDS as a global issue, through the convening ofa special session of the General Assembly and thepreparatory and follow-up activities associated with it.There is obviously no room for complacency on thisissue, and I will continue to make it one of my personalpriorities. However, the ability of the United Nations tomake a vital contribution in such areas is, I believe, nolonger in question.
Reforming peace operations
9. The implementation of many of the proposals inthe report of the Panel on United Nations PeaceOperations (A/55/305-S/2000/809) is another importantachievement. We have made significant improvementsin our capacity to deploy and manage complexpeacekeeping and peace-building operations. While thefull value of these improvements will be realized onlyover time, recent events did not wait to put us to thetest. In the past three or four years, we have facednovel and unexpected challenges in this area — mostobviously in Sierra Leone, Kosovo and Timor-Leste —and I would venture to say that we have acquittedourselves quite well. These and other accomplishmentscan be attributed not only to the hard work anddedication shown by United Nations officials — bothin the field and at Headquarters — but also to theSecurity Council, which has learned from itsdifficulties in the past decade how to craft wiser andmore effective solutions. While there are still majorchallenges to which the Council has, for a variety ofreasons, been unable to respond adequately, there aremany conflicts around the world on which its membersnow work together harmoniously and with real impact.
Enhancing coherence
10. It is by no means only in peace operations,however, that the United Nations is showing greatercoherence. In each developing country where we workthere is now a unified country team, often located in asingle United Nations House. This team brings togetherthe representatives of the Organization’s multiplefunds, programmes and specialized agencies and is ledby a resident coordinator whose mandate is to ensure
that the system as a whole is mobilized to meet theneeds of each country. This structure reflects theattempts that I have made to ensure coherence andcommon purpose at the top, by bringing together eachweek the heads of all departments, funds andprogrammes as a senior management group, and byinstituting cross-departmental executive committees tooversee the four main areas of policy: peace andsecurity; economic and social affairs; humanitarianaffairs; and development.
Building partnerships
11. Finally, I would like to draw attention to oursuccess in developing new methods of action based oncooperative partnerships. The United Nations is, andwill remain, an intergovernmental organization inwhich the decision-making power rests firmly in thehands of Member States. At the same time, however,we live in an international system in which influence isalso increasingly wielded by non-State actors, such ascivil society organizations, voluntary agencies, interestgroups, private companies, philanthropic foundations,universities and think tanks and, of course, creativeindividuals. To bring about change today it is necessaryto mobilize the support, and cultivate the ideas, of adiverse network of non-State actors.
12. The United Nations has been trying to learn thislesson. Our work with non-governmental organizationsin combating disease, reducing poverty and relievingsuffering after disasters is now so familiar that it hardlyattracts comment. The activity of philanthropicfoundations — in particular, the United NationsFoundation — in promoting our common objectives isincreasingly seen as a valuable adjunct to governmentalaction. My own Global Compact initiative has engagedhundreds of companies from around the world in theeffort to promote corporate citizenship and universalvalues in respect of human rights, labour rights and theenvironment. Today, a major United Nations gatheringwithout the involvement of civil society in all itsvarious forms is scarcely imaginable.
13. As the preceding account suggests, this is adifferent Organization from that of 20 years ago, onethat is evolving with the times and functioning withgreater efficiency, transparency and creativity.
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B. What more should be done
14. In the body of the present report, I shall focus onmy own area of responsibility and suggest a number ofimprovements aimed at ensuring that the Secretariatgives better service to its masters, which are theintergovernmental organs. However, if we want astronger United Nations, change is a necessity for theintergovernmental organs as well. While manyimprovements have been made, more are needed, andin the following discussion I venture some suggestions.
A stronger General Assembly
15. The General Assembly is the only universalforum in which all States have an equal voice. Throughits power to consider and approve the budget, theAssembly has a great deal of authority for the effectivefunctioning of the United Nations. Yet, many MemberStates consider that the Assembly’s contribution to theOrganization’s work is diminishing, and I share theirconcern.
16. It is crucially important that the Assemblycontinue its own reform efforts to further rationalize itsagenda. At present, it considers far too manyoverlapping items, and with a frequency that is oftennot merited. As a result, the time and institutionalenergy urgently needed to advance the policyconsensus on current or emerging issues of globalimportance are wasted on reports and debates that arerepetitive and sterile, and on the negotiation ofresolutions of limited scope and policy impact. Greatimprovements are possible, however, if duplicativeitems can be combined, and closely related issuesclustered into a single discussion, leading to outcomesof greater policy relevance and impact. The pattern ofrecurring agenda items should also be rigorouslyreviewed, with many issues addressed biennially, or ateven longer intervals.
17. An additional requirement is for the Assembly toclarify its responsibilities vis-à-vis those of theEconomic and Social Council and its functionalcommissions, in particular in relation to the follow-upto conferences, in ways that will enable the Assemblyto build on and add value to the work of these bodies.
18. I welcome the decision to elect the President ofthe Assembly and chairs of the various committeesthree months in advance, rather than on the first day ofthe session. This should make possible much better
planning of the Assembly’s timetable, and therebyfacilitate other badly needed reforms.
Enhancing the Economic and Social Council
19. The growing role of the United Nations in forgingconsensus on globally important social and economicissues calls for a corresponding strengthening of therole played by the principal organ concerned with thoseissues, namely, the Economic and Social Council. TheCouncil has made significant progress in organizing itswork into clearly delineated segments, each with adefined thematic focus. This has enabled it to givebetter guidance to the system as a whole on issueswithin its sphere of responsibility. One of the mostpromising innovations has been its annual dialoguewith the Bretton Woods institutions and the WorldTrade Organization, which, over time, may help tomake the Council a privileged global forum for shapingdevelopment policies and strategies. However, if thisand other meetings of the Council are to continueattracting high-level participants, their agenda andformat need to be more focused, and the sessions betterprepared.
Stalled process of Security Council reform
20. The Open-ended Working Group established bythe General Assembly to examine the reform of theSecurity Council has been at work for nearly a decade.Yet it seems that agreement on a formula that wouldallow an increase in Council membership is stilleluding Member States. In the eyes of much of theworld, the size and composition of the Security Councilappear insufficiently representative. The perceivedshortcomings in the Council’s credibility contribute toa slow but steady erosion of its authority, which in turnhas grave implications for international peace andsecurity. Thus, no reform of the United Nations wouldbe complete without reform of the Security Council. Atthe same time, it is important to remember thatauthority derives also from the capacity to take promptand realistic decisions, and from the will to act onthem. A reform process that consisted only of anincrease in membership would be unlikely tostrengthen the Council in this vital respect.
21. The Security Council has significantly improvedits working methods over the past few years —stimulated, in part, by the thoughtful deliberations ofthe Open-ended Working Group. The Council hasbecome more transparent, offering greater
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opportunities for the wider membership of the UnitedNations to participate in its work. There has been anincreased number of open meetings with participationby non-members of the Security Council, briefings forthe wider membership of the Organization, andimproved arrangements for consultations withtroop-contributing countries. In the light of theseencouraging developments, the Security Council mightconsider codifying the recent changes in its ownpractice.
22. Comprehensive approaches to conflict preventionand resolution, and to building sustainable peace,require the involvement and support of the other organsof the United Nations. The Security Council must turnto the General Assembly and the Economic and SocialCouncil when required and these bodies, in turn, mayhave to adapt their own procedures and institutionalpractices in order to be able to discharge theirresponsibilities.
Too many meetings
23. The number of meetings held under the auspicesof the various intergovernmental organs has increaseddramatically over the years, as has the number ofreports and other documents that they require of theSecretariat. Over the biennium 2000-2001, a staggering15,484 meetings were held and 5,879 reports wereissued. While this trend is in part an inevitable result ofan increasingly complex global agenda, it can andshould be reversed. The proliferation of meetings andofficial documents places excessive demands on boththe Secretariat and Member States. Many smallerMember States now find it practically impossible toplay a meaningful role in even the most crucialactivities of the General Assembly and the Economicand Social Council. Even larger countries find itincreasingly difficult to keep track of — let aloneactively participate in — the full range of annualmeetings. As a result of these pressures, there is now apalpable need to curtail the volume of official meetingsand documents.
24. The same problem applies to major conferencesheld under the aegis of the United Nations. As notedpreviously, many of the conferences convened in recentyears have made a constructive contribution tointernational cooperation on issues of globalimportance. It must now, however, be clear to everyonethat the international agenda has become overloadedwith such meetings. Summit fatigue has set in, both
among the general public and in many Governments. Ihope that in the future Member States will exerciseself-restraint, and call for additional conferences onlywhen high-level and comprehensive direction is neededon new issues of global policy.
A programme of action
25. Attempts are made below to define morespecifically a number of areas in which theOrganization may be strengthened, and thecorresponding steps that should be taken to make theUnited Nations a more effective, cohesive and dynamicinstitution.
26. In section II of the report, “Doing what matters”,I discuss the continuing need to align the activities ofthe Organization with its priorities. In response to therequest of the General Assembly, I also outlinemeasures to enhance the effectiveness of the UnitedNations in the areas of human rights and publicinformation.
27. In section III, “Serving Member States better”, Ioffer recommendations on how the Secretariat maybetter serve Member States through fewer reports thatare richer in content and shorter in length, and byimproving the management of United Nationsconferences and meetings.
28. Section IV, “Working better together”, exploresways for institutional actors within and beyond theOrganization to strengthen coordination, clarify rolesand responsibilities and promote partnerships.
29. Section V, “Allocating resources to priorities”,argues that the Organization must allocate its resourcesmore efficiently through fundamental reforms of theplanning and budget process.
30. Finally, section VI, “The Organization and itspeople: investing in excellence”, defines ways to fosterexcellence in our work force, so that the staff may dotheir best for the Organization and the United Nations,in turn, may offer its people careers that are enrichingand rewarding.
II. Doing what matters
31. Our efforts to make the United Nations strongermust start with a good, honest look at what theOrganization does — at the multitude of activities,reports and meetings that absorbs the energies of
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delegates and the Secretariat alike. The remainder —the structures, procedures, personnel and systems — isintended to ensure that whatever we do, we do well.Unless we make sure that the Organization is focusingon the issues that matter most today, as well as theissues that will matter most tomorrow, our goal ofstrengthening the Organization will elude us.
32. In the present section, I first examine ourprogramme of work as a whole. I then examine ingreater detail two particular areas, human rights andpublic information, in response to requests from theGeneral Assembly in 2001.
A. Aligning activities with priorities
33. The programme of work of the Organization, isboth complex and comprehensive, as is to be expectedof an Organization asked to deal with almost everyaspect of international cooperation. The programmeresponds to the many mandates accumulated over theyears.
34. The Millennium Declaration, along with theInternational Conference on Financing forDevelopment, the World Summit on SustainableDevelopment and the outcomes of other internationalconferences, outlined a comprehensive vision of whatMember States seek to accomplish. We must nowensure that our programme of work is adjusted tosupport these goals and priorities.
35. We must take a critical look at all our activities,and ask ourselves whether they are relevant to theimplementation of the Millennium Declaration andother conference outcomes and whether they have thedesired impact. If the answer is no, we must be willingto let them go.
36. On the other hand, there is no shortage of issueson which the United Nations must deepen itsknowledge, sharpen its focus and act upon moreeffectively.
37. Globalization and its impact on development willbe a central issue in the years to come. The UnitedNations must have a greater capacity to helpdeveloping countries to take advantage of theopportunities that globalization offers, especially intrade and investment, while minimizing the risks.There is much to be done to ensure that the properframework of rules, norms and standards are in place to
help the international community respond to effectivelyto the new challenges posed by globalization. Theinstitutions of global governance must also evolve topermit the greater involvement of developing countriesin decision-making.
38. The millennium development goals and thecommitments agreed upon through the globalconferences define critical objectives for theinternational community. The Organization mustenhance its capacity to provide global direction withrespect to these objectives, mobilize political will andresources, and assist countries in their effort to developappropriate national strategies. It must also ensure thatthere is comprehensive follow-up to the globalconferences, including the International Conference onFinancing for Development and the World Summit onSustainable Development. The role that science andtechnology can play in achieving the millenniumdevelopment goals deserves more attention than it hasreceived to date. We also need greater coherence inUnited Nations action in support of Africa’sdevelopment. Without such determined action, we willfail to reduce the unacceptable levels of poverty thataffect billions of human beings.
39. I also believe that it is time to take a morecomprehensive look at the various dimensions of themigration issue, which now involves hundreds ofmillions of people and affects countries of origin,transit and destination. We need to understand betterthe causes of international flows of people and theircomplex interrelationship with development. We mustalso prepare for the shift that has already started in therelative proportions of young people and the aged inmost parts of the world and its implications for thelabour force, social services and political processes.
40. Issues of water scarcity, water pollution, andwater-borne diseases — which figured so prominentlyin Johannesburg at the World Summit on SustainableDevelopment — are of momentous consequence. Theseissues engage a great variety of stakeholders, includingprivate sector and civil society actors. We must marshalthe energies of the various stakeholders in order toensure coordinated, effective and timely internationalaction. Energy is another issue that merits greater andmore coordinated attention. We must explore its manydimensions, including energy security, ruralelectrification, renewable sources of energy and energyefficiency. I also believe that we need to be betterprepared for natural disasters and incorporate disaster
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risk management into our poverty reduction,development and environmental strategies.
41. Central to the mission of the United Nations tomaintain international peace and security is its capacityto prevent conflict and consolidate peace afterconflicts. We must deepen our understanding of theeconomic and social causes of violent conflict,strengthen our capacity to help countries to cope withthe challenges of promoting unity amid pluralism anddiversity, reduce inequality and embed goodgovernance in their public institutions. Indeed, goodgovernance at the local, national and internationallevels is perhaps the single most important factor inpromoting development and advancing the cause ofpeace. However, much of the good work in conflictprevention will be undone if the Organization does notalso further develop its capacity to mitigate globalthreats, of the use of weapons, especially thoseinvolving weapons of mass destruction and the threatof large-scale civilian deaths from the use ofconventional arms.
42. The Organization must also strengthen itscapacity to play its role in the fight against terrorism,which has been a subject of constant preoccupationsince the attacks of 11 September 2001. It must inparticular be able to provide advice and assistance toits Member States in their efforts to reinforce theirlegislative and administrative frameworks.International efforts to combat terrorism, drugtrafficking and international crime must expand as partof an integrated strategy to overcome the forces of“uncivil society”.
43. There are certainly many other issues that deserveincreased attention. We should take advantage of thefact that, in 2003, we will adopt the budget for thebiennium 2004-2005. This gives us an opportunity toreview and update the programme of work thoroughly,and to adopt a programme budget that is aligned withour agreed priorities.
Action 1. I will submit to the GeneralAssembly in 2003 a thoroughly revisedprogramme budget that better reflects thepriorities agreed to at the MillenniumAssembly.
44. The need to update the programme of work, andto identify and dispense with mandates and activitiesthat are no longer relevant, will be a constantlyrecurring requirement. We need a mechanism to help us
do this systematically. I would like to reiterate theproposal for sunset provisions, contained in my 1997report on reform (A/51/950 and Add.1-6). Eachinitiative that involves major commitments of fundsshould be subject to specific time limits, by which timeit would be reviewed and renewed only by explicitaction of the General Assembly.
B. Strengthening of human rights
45. The promotion and protection of human rights isa bedrock requirement for the realization of theCharter’s vision of a just and peaceful world. The riseand diffusion of human rights norms and conventionswas one of the truly great achievements of the lastcentury, and the United Nations was at the centre ofthat effort. Its importance and relevance for theOrganization’s programme of work has grown over thepast decade. The Millennium Declaration affirmed thecontinuing centrality of that mission: “We will spare noeffort to promote ... respect for all internationallyrecognized human rights and fundamental freedoms”.
46. The Commission on Human Rights is a vital partof the Organization, with a glorious history, whichincludes the drafting of the Universal Declaration onHuman Rights. People all over the world look to it forprotection of their rights and for help to win forthemselves the better standards of life in largerfreedom referred to in the Preamble to the Charter. Istrongly urge Member States to keep in mind the truepurpose of the Commission, and to seek ways ofmaking it more effective. They must realize that, ifthey allow elections and debates to be dictated bypolitical considerations, or by block positions, ratherthan by genuine efforts to strengthen human rightsthroughout the world, the credibility and usefulness ofthe Commission will inevitably be eroded.
47. As a worldwide organization, the United Nationsprovides a unique institutional framework to developand promote human rights norms and practices, and toadvance legal, monitoring and operational instrumentsto uphold the universality of human rights whilerespecting national and cultural diversity. The humanrights machinery in the United Nations system works inthree areas: information, analysis and policydevelopment; provision of support to human rightsbodies and organs; and promotion and protection ofhuman rights. These activities are intended ascomplementary parts of a single strategy to support the
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implementation of human rights norms by MemberStates.
48. Good progress has been achieved to date inintegrating human rights throughout the United Nationssystem. For example, human rights specialists aredeployed as part of peacekeeping missions. In mosthumanitarian operations, the protection of refugees orinternally displaced persons is a crucial aspect of theresponse to emergency situations. Developmentprogrammes supported by the United Nations promotehuman rights through information dissemination andeducation, as well as through support for human rightsinstitutions, such as national human rightscommissions.
49. Our challenge is to build on this progress,especially by helping countries to advance theprotection of human rights at home. We also need tocontinue our efforts to modernize the human rightstreaty system, enhance the role of the specialprocedures for fact-finding, and strengthen themanagement capacity of the Office of the UnitedNations High Commissioner for Human Rights tosupport these efforts.
Supporting human rights at the country level
50. In paragraphs 25 and 26 of the MillenniumDeclaration, Member States resolved to strengthentheir capacity at the country level to implement theprinciples and practices of human rights, includingminority rights, the rights of women, the rights ofchildren and the rights of migrants. Building stronghuman rights institutions at the country level is what inthe long run will ensure that human rights are protectedand advanced in a sustained manner. The emplacementor enhancement of a national protection system in eachcountry, reflecting international human rights norms,should therefore be a principal objective of theOrganization. These activities are especially importantin countries emerging from conflict.
51. In order to achieve these goals, the Office of theUnited Nations High Commissioner for Human Rightshas begun to work through the resident coordinatorsystem to ensure that human rights are incorporatedinto country level analysis, planning and programmeimplementation. United Nations country teams —including United Nations funds and programmes, thespecialized agencies and the World Bank — needaccess to information, analysis and examples of how to
include human rights in country programmes. TheOffice of the High Commissioner must have thecapacity to train country teams, assess and disseminatebest practice, and develop monitoring mechanisms formeasuring the impact of its human rights programming.To avoid duplication and ensure the best use ofresources, the High Commissioner will need to drawupon the support of partner institutions to themaximum extent possible while maintaining a capacityto deploy the Office’s own staff when necessary.
Action 2. The United Nations HighCommissioner for Human Rights will developand implement a plan, in cooperation with theUnited Nations Development Group and theExecutive Committee for HumanitarianAffairs, to strengthen human rights-relatedUnited Nations actions at the country level.
Human rights treaty bodies
52. The existing treaty bodies and human rightsmechanisms and procedures constitute a large andintricate network. The growing complexity of thehuman rights machinery and the corresponding burdenof reporting obligations strain the resources of MemberStates and the Secretariat. As a result, the benefits ofthe current system are not always clear.
53. At present, there are six committees thatcorrespond to each of the major human rights treatiesand conventions. The number of committees will soonincrease by one, with the ratification of theInternational Convention on the Protection of theRights of All Migrant Workers and Members of TheirFamilies. The respective Committees are composed ofindependent experts who serve under the authority ofthe treaty bodies — composed of the States that haveratified a given treaty or acceded to a given convention.The current structure of disparate human rightscommittees — each focusing on important but discreteissues — imposes difficult reporting demands on treatysignatories. As concluded by an independent expert in1997: “Non-reporting has reached chronicproportions ... States ... either do not report at all, orreport long after the due date” (E/CN.4/1997/74, paras.112-113).
54. Two measures may help to alleviate theshortcomings of the current system. First, thecommittees should craft a more coordinated approachto their activities and standardize their varied reporting
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requirements. Second, each State should be allowed toproduce a single report summarizing its adherence tothe full range of international human rights treaties towhich it is a party.
Action 3. The United Nations HighCommissioner for Human Rights will consultwith treaty bodies on new streamlinedreporting procedures and submit hisrecommendations to me by September 2003.
Improving special procedures
55. To investigate specific country situations andreview new and critical issues, the Organization reliesupon a range of rapporteurs, high-level representativesand working groups that are collectively known as thehuman rights special procedures. These procedures arevital instruments and, over the years, have helped toadvance the cause of human rights. However, there arenow a large number of special procedures — more than40 are currently active — and they have grown in an adhoc fashion and without clear ground rules for theiroperation.
56. Two related sets of measures are required. First,we need to improve the quality of the reports andanalyses produced by the special procedures. This canbe achieved by setting clear criteria for the use ofspecial procedures and the selection of appointees, andby establishing better guidelines for their operationsand reporting functions.
57. Second, the Organization must strengthen itscapacity to support the special procedures. Theinconsistency in standards surrounding the specialprocedures may reflect the inadequacy of the resourcesnecessary to carry out the tasks that have beenmandated to them. Measures to address this problemcould include the appointment of more seniorprofessionals, as well as better administrative support.
Action 4. The United Nations HighCommissioner for Human Rights willundertake a review of the special proceduresand report back to me by September 2003 withrecommendations on how to enhance theireffectiveness and improve the supportprovided.
Streamlining management
58. The demands on the Office of the HighCommissioner have increased in recent years. TheOffice receives a limited proportion of its resourcesfrom the regular budget and lacks predictable funding.In addition, a variety of funding sources has led to afragmentation of programme activities. The credibilityand effectiveness of the Office will be determined bythe availability and predictability of appropriateresources and the capacity of its management to utilizethem. The management review requested by theGeneral Assembly and currently being undertaken bythe Office of Internal Oversight Services should be asignificant source of advice and insight.
Action 5: The United Nations HighCommissioner for Human Rights will developa plan to strengthen management, taking intoaccount the recommendations emerging fromthe management review conducted by theOffice of Internal Oversight Services. I expectthe report to be submitted to me by March2003.
C. Enhancing public information
59. The United Nations has a compelling story to tell.That story must be told well, because public support isessential for strengthening the Organization. TheUnited Nations must be able to translate the manyresolutions, decisions, declarations and debates intomeaningful messages that bring to the fore its centralrole in working for a better world for all.
60. The Department of Public Information hassuffered from a fragmentation of its efforts as a resultof too many mandates and missions. A vast amount ofinformation material has been produced, and numerousactivities have been organized, but these products mustnot be seen as ends in themselves. The United Nationsmust ensure that its information materials and relatedactivities have the desired impact and constitute aneffective means to project the Organization’s owndistinctive voice to the world at large. Therefore,evaluation and monitoring are of key importance.
61. My earlier report (A/AC.198/2002/2), sent to theCommittee on Information in March 2002, was a firststep in the comprehensive review of the Departmentrequested by the General Assembly. What I amproposing here is a new operating model for the
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Department in New York, a new operating concept forthe United Nations information centres in the field, anda thorough impact assessment for each of theDepartment’s major product and service lines. I alsopropose a number of changes to the Secretariat’spublications programme and its delivery of libraryservices.
Repositioning the Department ofPublic Information
62. The Department’s activities are manifold: newscoverage of United Nations events on radio, video andthe Internet; production of information materials topromote particular United Nations issues orconferences; special events and exhibits; guided tours;library services; and relations with media and othergroups outside the United Nations. Some of its effortsseek to inform and influence intermediaries, notablythe mass media, non-governmental organizations andeducational institutions. Others, such as exhibitionsand special events at United Nations Headquarters,have more limited audiences.
63. The comprehensive review of the Department hasestablished the need for a clearer conception of its roleand a more coherent elaboration of its functions. TheDepartment must concentrate its efforts on keymessages that will be part of a coordinatedcommunications strategy with specific goals. We arealso planning to strengthen and centralize our web-based communications, as the Internet will be anincreasingly important vehicle through which theUnited Nations message is transmitted in the years tocome.
64. The new structure outlined below aims toimprove the Department’s ability to deliver effectiveand targeted information programmes:
Action 6. The Department of PublicInformation will be restructured as follows:
(a) A Division of StrategicCommunications which will devise anddisseminate and evaluate United Nationsmessages around priority themes;
(b) An Outreach Division in whichservices to delegations, liaison with civilsociety and activities for the general publicwill be grouped together;
(c) A strengthened News and MediaDivision which will incorporate theDepartment’s web-site operation;
(d) Transfer of the CartographicSection to the Department of PeacekeepingOperations.
65. Evaluation will be given considerably greateremphasis in the Department so that programmes arebetter matched with the needs of target audiences. Acomprehensive evaluation of the impact of theDepartment’s activities has never been conducted. Athorough review will take place within the next two tothree years, and further decisions on departmentalrestructuring and resource redeployment may berequired afterwards.
Action 7. The Department of PublicInformation, with assistance from the Office ofInternal Oversight Services, will, over a three-year period, conduct a systematic evaluation ofthe impact and cost-effectiveness of all of itsactivities.
Restructuring United Nationsinformation centres
66. The United Nations is a global organization,dedicated to serving the people of the world. It must doa much better job of strengthening its communicationsbeyond Headquarters. To do this, we must make thenetwork of United Nations information centres moreeffective for the United Nations system.
67. The United Nations information centres have avital role to play in communicating the United Nationsmessage around the world, countering misperceptions,and functioning as points of access to United Nationsmaterial and data. Often, United Nations informationcentres are also the eyes and ears of the Organization,reporting back on news about, and sentiments towards,the Organization.
68. A vastly altered world media landscape, changesin the information culture and revolutionary advancesin information and communications technology compelthe Organization to find different solutions to those thatworked well 20 years ago.
69. While the United Nations information centresaccount for 35 per cent of the Department’s overallbudget, there are currently so many of them — 71 —that most are thinly staffed and poorly resourced. With
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successive zero-growth budgets and targeted cutsoccurring at the same time as a significant expansion inthe breadth and scope of the Organization’s activities,the United Nations information centres are strugglingto make a significant contribution and impact.
70. United Nations information centres located inhigh-cost developed countries — Australia, Japan, theUnited States of America and most countries in theEuropean Union — currently account for 40 per cent ofall expenditures for the centres. While it is important togenerate a positive understanding of the United Nationsamong the media and public of the developedcountries, it is a matter of concern that these centresare absorbing such a large portion of available seniorstaff and funding resources.
71. Resources should be redirected to strengthenUnited Nations information centres in a smallernumber of strategic locations. In most cases, the bestoption would be to create a United Nations regionalinformation hub with the resources and capacity toinform the public in various regions about UnitedNations activity in a more focused, professional way.The hubs can adapt information materials to suit theneeds of the geographical area that they serve; maintaina central depository of reports, publications and data;and proactively engage with the media and the publicat large. In developing countries, they would work inclose cooperation with the resident coordinator system.
72. As a first step, I intend to rationalize andconsolidate the 13 information centres located inWestern Europe into a regional hub. This will free upresources for a strong, efficient information hub andfor redeployment to activities of higher priority. Ibelieve we should move forward with a similarapproach for other regions over the next three years.
Action 8. I propose to rationalize the networkof United Nations information centres aroundregional hubs, starting with the creation of aWestern European hub.
Integrating United Nations libraries
73. The United Nations library services are spreadtoo thinly. There are large collections in each of theHeadquarters offices, as well as at the regionalcommissions, the individual libraries at many of theUnited Nations information centres and thedepositories in 246 separate locations around theworld. The General Assembly requested an in-depth
review of all United Nations library activities. Thereview has highlighted two major areas in need ofattention: lack of integrated management and a needfor modernization.
74. The United Nations libraries have been operatingindependently with very little centralized oversight anddirection. Certain libraries have developed specializedcapabilities that are currently underutilized. The UnitedNations library at Geneva, for example, is wellpositioned to develop a single paper-based collectionand centralize efforts to digitize and disseminatematerials online to other locations. The DagHammarskjöld Library, located at United NationsHeadquarters, is in a better position to develop basiclibrary policy for all locations and to take the lead incoordinating and managing web content for the entireOrganization.
75. Opportunities exist for modernizing our librariesthrough the use of technology. The Dag HammarskjöldLibrary, in particular, is moving in the direction of avirtual library, not only in the way that it provides itstraditional service to missions and staff, but also in itsoutreach to civil society through web sites and in itsservices to depository libraries throughout the world. Along-term aim would be the creation of a single,multilingual electronic gateway for accessingcollections, documents and information. Realizing thisvision would result in a significant reduction in thequantities of paper documents required for distribution.We will ensure, however, that as we attempt tomodernize the United Nations library system, thepermanent missions of Member States will continue tohave access to hard-copy versions of United Nationscollections and documents. This basic concept ofonline access — with hard-copy back-up, whereneeded — will be further developed in an action plan.
Action 9. The management of United Nationslibraries will be improved as follows:
(a) The Dag Hammarskjöld Library inNew York assumes responsibility for settingpolicy and coordinating the work of all UnitedNations libraries;
(b) The Department of PublicInformation, in conjunction with theDepartment of Management, will prepare acomprehensive plan for the integration of theUnited Nations library services at various
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locations, through the use of information andcommunications technologies;
(c) The Department of PublicInformation will formulate and implement aplan to improve electronic access to UnitedNations collections, facilitate the transfer ofpaper collections to electronic files and providetraining to depository librarians.
Improving oversight of publications
76. In 2001, the General Assembly requested acomprehensive review of the Secretariat’s publicationsprogramme. More than 1,200 new or revised titles arebeing published every year. There is great variation inlength (from 4 to 2,000 pages), format, target audienceand print runs (from 100 to 15,000 copies).
77. The United Nations flagship publications provideessential, widely used information in key subject areas.In some cases, these publications serve as a leadingreference source for researchers and policy expertsaround the world. They are also a significant andeffective element of the advocacy activities of theUnited Nations. Our key challenge, however, is gettingthe right publication to the right reader at the righttime.
78. A review of all the other published materials —ranging from major reference works to periodicals andbulletins — suggests considerable fragmentation andduplication.
79. There is a need to improve the level of scrutinyand oversight of publications. Decisions to publish arenot based on a rigorous analysis of the document’sadded value, intended audience or cost. The high-levelPublications Board has not proved to be an effectiveinstrument for ensuring quality and process control.
80. I believe that substantive departments within agiven area must work with one another to plan andcoordinate their publications so as to minimizefragmentation and duplication. Potential costs andbenefits of each publishing decision must be carefullyassessed. The role of a publications board should be toestablish common standards and policies, such as thecriteria for determining the size and type of print-runand whether royalty payments should be paid back tothe departments from which the publications originate.
81. The economics of providing highly specializedinformation to small niche audiences has forced
commercial publishers in the reference and scholarlyarenas to convert an increasing amount of their contentto online services. I am convinced that migration toonline service and delivery is crucial to the continuedrelevance of the United Nations as a source ofauthoritative and timely information. For example, theannualized statistical databases — currently producedin multiple languages but largely out of date by thetime of issuance — should be distributed online. TheFood and Agriculture Organization of the UnitedNations has made significant progress in this regard,not only by placing much of its printed material onlinebut also by establishing an online tracking system anda multilevel subscription plan that charges users foraccess, depending on their location and ability to pay.
82. I am committed to ensuring that a transformationto a digital information infrastructure will notadversely affect countries in which use of the Internetis limited. Therefore, we must maintain the capacity toprovide hard copy documents, where needed, throughinvestment in appropriate printing systems. If doneproperly, this new approach should ensure more rapiddelivery of critical United Nations information to thosewho need and value it most.
83. One publication that should be eliminated entirelyis the Repertory of Practice of United Nations Organs,which was first requested by Member States in the1950s. The Repertory is a comprehensive summary ofthe decisions of the United Nations organs, togetherwith related material, organized by Charter Article, andintended to illuminate questions of application andinterpretation of the Charter. Compiling the Repertoryis an onerous reporting responsibility requiringsignificant resources. The Secretariat is simply unableto respond with timely updates. Since the primary usersof this document are researchers and academics, anacademic institution may wish to consider taking overthe responsibility for maintaining the Repertory.
Action 10. Improvements to publications willbe made as follows:
(a) The Executive Committees will planand coordinate all publications within theirrespective thematic areas in order to reducethe number of and improve the coherence,focus and scheduling among theOrganization’s many publications. TheDepartment of Public Information will do thesame for the titles it publishes;
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(b) The Publications Board will bereconstituted as a standard-setting body, withappropriate membership and terms ofreference to match that function;
(c) The feasibility and cost of onlinepublications delivery, supplemented by aprint-on-demand capability will be reviewed;
(d) The Repertory of Practice of UnitedNations Organs should no longer be producedby the United Nations.
III. Serving Member States better
84. In order for the United Nations to address anysubstantive matter, Member States depend on aninfrastructure of support and activity that is criticallyimportant but not widely appreciated. Member Statesrequire background materials and documents, facilitiesand interpretation services for their meetings, andreports and records of their deliberations and decisions.How the United Nations performs in this respect isessential to the effectiveness of the entire Organization.
85. In the present section, I discuss measures toimprove the coherence and impact of United Nationsreports and to reduce their number. I also proposemeasures to help to create a more integrated approachto planning and managing meetings.
A. Streamlining reports
86. The impact and relevance of what the UnitedNations does is critically reliant on the quality of itsreports. They provide the necessary data and analysisthat the major United Nations organs require to makeinformed choices on substantive questions of policyand the allocation of resources throughout theOrganization. United Nations reports also provide adocumentary record of its debates and the decisions ittakes on a staggering range of issues.
87. The value of the reports is dependent on the depthof research that underpins them, the clarity with whichtheir content is communicated, and the timeliness oftheir production and delivery schedules. At present, thereports are overwhelming in number, tend towardsduplication and are fragmented in their impact. Morethan 500 reports were submitted to the GeneralAssembly at its fifty-sixth session, with another 100
submitted to the Economic and Social Council at itsconcurrent session. In addition, reporting requests fromthe principal organs of the Organization frequentlyreplicate requests from subsidiary bodies andfunctional commissions.
88. Member States, especially the small countries,find it difficult to cope with the mountains of paperthat need to be absorbed and acted upon. TheSecretariat itself is struggling to keep abreast of thegrowing number of reports requested by the variousintergovernmental bodies. The sheer volume of thedemands is drowning its ability to provide focused andvalue-added analysis.
89. The content and timeliness of reports affects thequality of decision-making throughout the system.Fewer, but more timely reports of higher quality will becritical to the task of revitalizing the General Assemblyand the Economic and Social Council. Streamliningreporting would help advance policy coherence andensure an integrated treatment of related policy issuesby the intergovernmental bodies.
90. Member States have recognized the need for anew approach. The Economic and Social Council, at itsmost recent session, called for efforts by its members,its subsidiary bodies and the Secretariat to ensuregreater overall coherence among the reports requestedand those presented to the Council and to streamline itsdocumentation. It also invited the Secretariat to presentconsolidated reports on related mandates.
91. The proposals that follow are based on two basicprinciples: an integrated treatment of interrelated issuesand a reduction in quantity, length, and frequency.
92. A preliminary review has revealed that a largenumber of reports are produced on similar subjects. Forexample, there are more than 15 reports producedannually on United Nations relations with otherorganizations, and a similarly large number onindividual disaster relief operations, some of themdating back several years. In the future, we willproduce a single integrated report for each of theseissues. I will also continue to identify otheropportunities to consolidate and regroup recurrentreports.
93. The picture is especially complicated in theeconomic and social areas. Reports are written in anumber of departments and offices, based on multiplerequests from the Economic and Social Council, the
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Second and the Third Committee of the GeneralAssembly and the functional commissions of theCouncil.
94. A schema for consolidating and rationalizingreports could include the following:
(a) The comprehensive overview of all of theissues facing the United Nations would be provided inthe two mandated annual reports — the report of theSecretary-General on the work of the Organization, andthe report of the Secretary-General on theimplementation of the United Nations MillenniumDeclaration. The first of these reports provides aretrospective account of the Organization’s work, thesecond monitors global progress and is more analyticaland forward-looking;
(b) There could then be a few cross-cuttingreports that would address major global themes, suchas globalization and poverty, relevant to both theSecond and Third Committees;
(c) Guided by these broader reports, a limitednumber of thematic reports for each of the Second andThird Committees, covering their recurring agendaitems and specific reporting requests that are bestaddressed as an integral part of those thematic reports.
95. These major reports could also be used asbackground documents in the subsidiary bodies.
96. In exercising discretion in the way I respond toyour future reporting requests, I will be guided by twoconcerns: enhancing the coherence of the analysis thatthe Secretariat puts forward for the Assembly’sconsideration; and assisting the Assembly inaddressing related issues in an integrated way, thushelping it to maximize the policy relevance and impactof the results of its deliberations.
97. Not all reports are of equal value or importance,and the production of a document is not necessarily themost efficient means of communication on certainmatters. I foresee that:
(a) In cases of requests for factual clarificationor periodic update of recurrent activity, an oral reportcould be given to the relevant committee or body. Thiswould be included in the summary record of themeeting and available for distribution the followingday;
(b) Reports with policy content would continueto be submitted as reports of the Secretary-General.
Reports providing information of a routine nature, suchas information notes and agenda papers, could besubmitted as reports of the Secretariat.
98. Our reports could also be improved by:
(a) Strict adherence to page limits. We havealready improved observance of the rules;
(b) Use of simple, crisp language;
(c) Greater focus on actions required andrecommended;
(d) Encapsulation of the report’s essence in ashort executive summary.
99. Finally, there are issues to address concerning thefrequency of reporting, and the fact that requests forreports to be produced periodically stay on the bookslong after they have become obsolete. I urge MemberStates to consider the frequency of the variousreporting requirements and the possibility ofestablishing a systematic review mechanism fordetermining whether recurring reports are in fact stillneeded.
Action 11. Reporting will be improved by:
(a) Consolidating reports on relatedsubjects;
(b) Writing sharper reports with clearlydefined actions;
(c) Observing stipulated page limits.
Action 12. I encourage the General Assemblyto establish a mechanism to review thecontinuing need and the frequency ofrecurring reporting requirements.
B. Managing conferences and meetings
100. The United Nations convenes conferences andmeetings, and produces a vast variety of reports anddocuments, on a daily basis. These are not marginalactivities of the Organization, but reflect a central andfundamental aspect of how the world’s most inclusivemultilateral institution conducts its business.
101. The General Assembly has requested acomprehensive review of the working methods,functions and productivity levels of the Department ofGeneral Assembly Affairs and Conference Services,the details of which are contained in a separate report
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of the Secretary-General (A/57/289). On the basis ofthat thorough review, I intend to move forward with anumber of fundamental improvements in the way theDepartment delivers services to Member States.
Integrated approach to planning and managingmeetings and documentation
102. The Department should play a more proactiverole in enhancing the effectiveness of the total processof intergovernmental activity. This will require anadjustment of its methods to emphasize advanceplanning, and an integrated approach to managingmeetings and documentation; a new organizationalstructure to increase efficiency and cost-effectiveness;and the strategic utilization of information technologyfor the production, translation and distribution ofdocuments, as well as the planning and management ofmeetings. To reflect these and other changes, theDepartment will now be known as the Department forGeneral Assembly and Conference Management.Among the changes that will be implemented are thosebelow.
103. Advance planning. The Department willconsiderably improve its planning for both meetingsand documentation, in consultation with the relevantintergovernmental bodies and other Secretariatdepartments. The Department will develop detailedplanning arrangements for both meetings anddocumentation well in advance of the opening of theGeneral Assembly session and in consultation with thePresident of the Assembly and the bureaux of thevarious committees and conferences.
104. Coordination. The secretaries of the six maincommittees of the General Assembly will meet on aregular basis throughout the year to act as acoordinating mechanism to plan and schedulemeetings. They will also work closely with theDepartment to ensure that all necessary documents areprepared in a timely fashion.
105. Maximizing global presence. The Departmentwill be directed to use its worldwide pool of personneland resources to best match the needs and requirementsof the Organization on a real-time basis, thus cuttingcosts. It will also assume responsibility forimplementing workload-sharing arrangements andharmonizing all of its relevant policies, processes, anddatabases.
106. Meeting management. The Department willwork with the committees of the General Assembly toensure that meetings have manageable agendas, andthat all formal discussions begin and end on time.
107. Electronic document processing. In order tomanage the flow of documents more efficiently and tomake them available on the widest possible basis, theDepartment will seek to implement a comprehensivesystem of digital document processing. It will launch acontinuously updated web-based Journal, with activehyperlinks to all referenced documents. It will includea database for all meeting activities.
108. Document management. A new slotting systemwill ensure the availability of reports in all requiredlanguages well ahead of the date they are scheduled tobe considered by the body for which they have beenprepared. The eventual introduction of print-on-demand technology will allow the distribution ofdocuments in the format requested by Member Statesand reduce press-runs, shipping costs and paperconsumption.
Action 13. The Department of GeneralAssembly and Conference Management willimplement changes to allow a more integratedapproach to planning and managing meetingsand documentation.
IV. Working better together
109. The common public policy challenges posed bythe current global era cross both national borders andinstitutional boundaries. Whether our objective is toreduce extreme poverty or combat HIV/AIDS, or toensure sustainable development or prevent armedconflict, the strategies we pursue must rely oncoordinated action within the Organization andenhanced cooperation with outside partners.
110. In the present section, I will outline steps toimprove coordination in the Organization and to clarifyfurther institutional roles and responsibilities. I willalso identify structural improvements in the economicand social field and with respect to Africa. The sectionconcludes with a discussion of how the United Nationsmay engage more effectively with actors from civilsociety and the private sector.
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A. Coordinating for better results
111. The United Nations is a complex institution witha global mandate, an ambitious agenda andcomplicated machinery for addressing a vast range ofoften interrelated issues. Improving coordinationwithin the Organization was a major focus of my 1997reforms. Since then we have made significant progress,and the United Nations today functions in a morecohesive and coherent manner.
112. We have to do better still, however, if the UnitedNations is to achieve the system-wide coordinationdemanded by the daunting social, economic andpolitical challenges that it confronts each day. The livesand well-being of large numbers of people depend onour ability to work together more effectively.
Coordination at Headquarters and at theregional level
113. As part of the 1997 reform effort, I establishedthe Senior Management Group, which is composed ofthe heads of all departments, funds and programmes. Inaddition, four executive committees were establishedon peace and security, economic and social affairs,humanitarian affairs, and development. The introductionof these coordinating bodies has improved information-sharing and encouraged closer collaboration.
114. I intend to make greater use of the executivecommittees to improve strategic planning, promotecoherent policy development, and to encourageanalysis of the linkages among the political, economic,developmental, humanitarian and security issuesconfronting the Organization. In particular, I expect theExecutive Committee on Economic and Social Affairsto provide strategic direction and ensurecomplementarity in the work of the various entitiesinvolved in the economic and social areas. To this end,the Committee will oversee the formulation of themedium-term plan and the programme budget for theeconomic and social areas.
115. The regional commissions play a special role inthe economic and social area. As outposts of the UnitedNations in different regions of the world, they performfunctions that contribute to the Organization’s globalwork programme. They also articulate theOrganization’s priorities in their respective regions,and give a regional perspective to global issues. Eachof the regional commissions has recently carried out a
substantive review of its programme of work. As aresult, the commissions have crafted agendas thatbetter reflect the priorities of the various regions. Inresponse to Economic and Social Council resolution1998/46 of 31 July 1998, the regional commissions willwork with the specialized agencies, funds, andprogrammes to strengthen the coherence of UnitedNations action at the regional level. They will alsopursue greater cooperation and coordination withregional organizations outside the United Nationssystem.
Field coordination
116. For most of the world’s citizens, the relevance,capacity and effectiveness of the United Nations areseen through the prism of their experience with UnitedNations staff and activities in their home country. Inevery country in which the United Nations operates, itsoverarching purpose is to serve its people. We canperform this mission effectively only by workingtogether.
117. Coordination mechanisms, such as the UnitedNations Development Group and the Office for theCoordination of Humanitarian Affairs, have helped toenhance the collective impact of the separateoperational entities, including the specialized agencies.Agencies, funds and programmes have begun tosimplify and harmonize procedures. New planninginstruments, such as the common country assessmentand the United Nations Development AssistanceFramework, have helped to shape the analysis ofnational needs and priorities and translate broadobjectives into mission-oriented tasks. These toolshave been applied in most developing countries withthe collaboration of the host Governments. Anotherplanning instrument, the consolidated appeal process,now includes a common humanitarian action plan torespond collectively to the needs of countries in crisis.Staff selection and training have been geared towardsensuring that the necessary leadership skills andcompetence to manage operations effectively arepresent in the United Nations country team. In SierraLeone and Afghanistan, coordination responsibilitieshave been given to the Deputy Special Representativeof the Secretary-General in order to respond moreeffectively to the political, security, humanitarian anddevelopmental needs of post-conflict countries.
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Next steps
118. The resident coordinator system is the lynchpinof field coordination and will be strengthened toprovide better support to development andhumanitarian programmes. Practical measures, rangingfrom joint programming to integrated resourcemobilization, will be developed to enhance further theeffectiveness of the United Nations system and toensure that its combined resources are put to best use.
119. For example, with joint programming, two ormore organizations would support the same nationalpartner, either by a combining of resources into asingle project or by different agencies implementingdiscrete components of the same project. Anothermeasure is the pooling of resources, whereby adesignated United Nations agency acts as trustee toreceive and hold funds on behalf of the United Nationssystem for an agreed programme or project. IndividualUnited Nations agencies would access these pooledfunds in discharging their programme or projectresponsibilities. This will require some adjustments tofinancial regulations, improvements in the use ofinformation technology and a clear system ofaccountability to donors, including common reportingand joint evaluations. Another area for improvement isthe development of common databases and sharedknowledge networks that would ensure access bycountry teams to the knowledge and expertise availablein the United Nations system throughout the world. Inthe medium-sized and larger countries, staff resourcesdedicated to the resident coordinator will be required.Finally, in countries emerging from conflict, theplanning, budgeting and resource mobilization toolswill be adapted to ensure greater coherence andcoordination among the operational activities of theUnited Nations.
Action 14. The United Nations DevelopmentGroup will develop, by September 2003, animplementation plan to strengthen theeffectiveness of the Organization’s presence indeveloping countries. This plan will includesuch features as joint programming, pooling ofresources, common databases and knowledgenetworks, dedicated support for the residentcoordinator and integrated planning,budgeting and resource mobilization tools forcountries emerging from conflict.
120. In the longer term, I believe the United Nationsshould look at alternative models for its country-levelactivities. While we need to preserve the distinctivecontribution of each United Nations agency, we shouldnonetheless explore different forms of United Nationspresence at the national level. For example, incountries in which United Nations financial and humanresources are small, agencies, funds and programmescould establish a joint office. In agreement with thehost Government, a common programme would beestablished, for which the United Nations would poolstaff in a single office. In the medium-sized and largercountries, agencies, funds and programmes couldcluster around thematic issues, with different “hostagencies” providing leadership along sectoral lines.The host agency would represent other entities of thesystem not present in the country. Financial,administrative and programme services could beprovided by the host agency on a cost-recovery basis.
121. Tighter coordination among United Nationsentities has been a concern not only for the funds andprogrammes that form part of my Senior ManagementGroup but for the leadership of the whole UnitedNations system. The executive heads of all agencies,funds and programmes are strongly committed tocollaboration in the field as a means of respondingmore effectively to the needs of Member States andtheir peoples.
B. Clarifying roles and responsibilities
122. The United Nations encompasses a broadspectrum of issues and operates in many differentlocations. Each area of activity has multiple actors, andthe division of labour among them is not always asclear as it should be. The ambitious, interlinked goalsof the Millennium Declaration suggest an even greaterdemand for the Organization to approach itsprogramme of work in a much more integrated fashion.It is also imperative that both the Member States andthe United Nations entities have a clear understandingof who does what.
Technical cooperation
123. One area in which clarification is especiallyneeded is in the delivery of technical cooperation todeveloping countries. Almost all United Nationsentities provide technical cooperation in some form oranother. Clarifying who does what in this area is
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particularly important, given the increasing resources,capabilities and programme reach of the internationalfinancial institutions.
124. In seeking to clarify roles and responsibilitiesamong various United Nations entities, I believe thefollowing principles should apply:
(a) Lead responsibility for a given issue oractivity should rest with the entity best equippedsubstantively to assume it;
(b) Entities in the lead on a given issue oractivity should work in close collaboration with therest of the United Nations rather than attempt toduplicate expertise available elsewhere in theOrganization;
(c) More systematic efforts should be made todraw on the vast reservoir of knowledge and expertisethat exists outside the United Nations system;
(d) Technical cooperation should be deliveredto the maximum extent possible by the entities thathave an established field presence and experience.Secretariat entities should provide policy guidance andexpertise, as appropriate.
125. I intend to issue within the next 12 months adocument identifying roles and responsibilities fortechnical cooperation in key areas. I would urge donorsto then adjust their funding decisions accordingly.
Action 15. A document clarifying roles andresponsibilities in the area of technicalcooperation will be prepared by September2003.
Peace operations
126. To strengthen further the Secretariat’s work ininternational peace and security, there is a need tobring a sharper definition to the existing leaddepartment policy, which sets out the relationshipbetween the Department of Political Affairs and theDepartment of Peacekeeping Operations. TheDepartment of Political Affairs will increase its focusin the fields of preventive diplomacy, conflictprevention and peacemaking. The Department will alsointensify its engagement in policy formulation acrossthe full spectrum of the Secretariat’s tasks in thedomain of international peace and security. It willcontinue to be the lead department for political andpeace-building offices in the field. The Department of
Peacekeeping Operations will be the lead departmentfor the planning and management of all peace andsecurity operations in the field, including those inwhich the majority of personnel are civilians.
127. This arrangement will not prejudice the currentformula for financing these operations. It will beimplemented in the context of concurrent measures toenhance the overall policy development andcoordination role of the Executive Committee forPeace and Security.
Department of Economic and Social Affairs
128. The consolidation of the Department of Economicand Social Affairs in 1997 brought together keyfunctions that had previously been dispersed throughoutthe Secretariat, such as demographic and statistical dataproduction and analysis, economic and social policyanalysis, and technical cooperation. The goal ofconsolidation was to produce a more coherent andsubstantive response to the needs of the GeneralAssembly and the Economic and Social Council. Whilethis has generally been achieved — especially withregard to the global conferences of the past few years —the sheer number of meetings that the Departmentservices and the reports that it prepares have stretchedits ability to respond effectively and efficiently toMembers States, and to coordinate its activities moreeffectively with other parts of the United Nationsworking in the economic and social field.
129. In addition, the outcomes of the global conferencesand the Millennium Declaration require an integratedapproach across different sectors to policy planning andadvice. There is also a corresponding need to reach outto the rest of the United Nations system and work withnumerous other partners in international organizations,civil society and the private sector. In particular,Member States have requested dedicated attention to thefollow-up to the International Conference on Financingfor Development and the World Summit on SustainableDevelopment.
130. Because of the great complexity of theDepartment’s work in policy analysis and technicalcooperation, the growing demands placed on it forservicing the Economic and Social Council, thefunctional commissions and global conference follow-upactivities, and the many emerging issues falling withinthe Department’s responsibilities on which theSecretariat must deepen its knowledge and sharpen its
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focus, there is an urgent need to reinforce theDepartment’s capacity to manage such a breadth ofsubject areas and responsibilities. In particular, I intendto reinforce the Department’s strategic planning capacityby establishing, from within its existing resources, asmall policy planning unit. I also believe that we need tostrengthen the executive direction capacity in thisDepartment. At present, one of the two existingpositions of Assistant Secretary-General in theDepartment — the Special Adviser for Gender Issues —while administratively attached to the Department, isentrusted with specific, system-wide functions focusingon the advancement of women throughout theOrganization. I thus propose the addition of a position ofAssistant Secretary-General to assist in the overallmanagement of the Department’s work and to supportcoherent policy development in the Department.Complementing these actions, measures are being takento strengthen collaboration between the United NationsConference on Trade and Development and theDepartment.
Action 16. I will propose in the next bienniumbudget the creation of an additional position ofAssistant Secretary-General to support policycoherence and management in the Departmentof Economic and Social Affairs.
Action 17. A policy planning unit will beestablished in the Department of Economicand Social Affairs.
Africa
131. The special needs of Africa have beenacknowledged in United Nations conferences and inthe Millennium Declaration. Africa will remain across-cutting priority, and the General Assembly andits subsidiary bodies will continue to address politicaland economic developments in the region. It isessential that international and United Nations supportbe promoted and monitored to ensure that appropriateattention is focused on Africa. Attention at the globallevel will complement support at the national andregional levels, at which the technical cooperation andanalytical work of the United Nations is undertaken.The panel of eminent personalities which carried outthe independent evaluation of the United Nations NewAgenda for Development Assistance for Africa hasrecommended the submission of a single comprehensivereport on Africa to the General Assembly, linking thedimensions of peace and security with development. In
preparing this and other reports on Africa for theGeneral Assembly, the Economic and Social Counciland their subsidiary organs, it is important to ensurethat the contributions from the various parts of theUnited Nations system and beyond are consolidatedand submitted in a coherent manner.
132. The independent evaluation of the New Agendarecommended the implementation of appropriatecoordination measures at United Nations Headquartersto support the General Assembly and the Economic andSocial Council in their deliberations on Africa.Pursuant to this recommendation, I have decided togive the Adviser for Special Assignments in Africa theresponsibility of coordinating and guiding thepreparation of Africa-related reports in the Secretariatand to transfer under his responsibility the resourcescurrently allocated to the Office of the SpecialCoordinator for Africa and the Least DevelopedCountries, which is at present located in theDepartment of Economic and Social Affairs.
Action 18. The Adviser for Special Assignmentsin Africa will coordinate and guide thepreparation of reports and input for the Africa-related debates of the General Assembly and itssubsidiary bodies. For this purpose, theresources allocated to the Office of the SpecialCoordinator for Africa and the LeastDeveloped Countries will be transferred to hisoffice.
C. Promoting partnerships
133. International society is becoming more plural anddiverse. Actors from civil society and the private sectorare increasingly involved in international cooperationat every level, from the local to the global. Their formof involvement ranges from advancing ideas andproposals to concrete activities, such as the delivery ofpublic health services or food aid. Their indispensablecontribution is widely recognized. That is why, in theMillennium Declaration, Member States resolved togive greater opportunities to the private sector, non-governmental organizations and civil society, ingeneral, to contribute to the realization of theOrganization’s goals and programmes. In the presentsection I will address the interaction between civilsociety and the United Nations system, and theparticular case of the relationship between the privatesector and foundations and the United Nations.
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Engaging civil society
134. There has been an exponential growth in thenumber of civil society actors, and in the volume oftransnational networks in which they are embedded.The number of international non-governmentalorganizations grew forty-fold over the course of thetwentieth century, to more than 37,000 in 2000. Theexpanding worldwide networks of non-governmentalorganizations embrace virtually every level oforganization, from the village community to globalsummits, and almost every sector of public life, fromthe provision of microcredit and the delivery ofemergency relief supplies, to environmental and humanrights activism.
135. The relationship of the United Nations with civilsociety organizations is as old as the Charter itself.Partnership between the United Nations system andnon-governmental organizations in the humanitarianand development areas has been the rule for decades.Indeed, the relationship is so close that, in many cases,non-governmental organizations participate in theplanning processes of the United Nations at countrylevel.
136. The extensive interaction of civil society actorswith the intergovernmental processes is of more recentvintage. It has really blossomed with the worldconferences of the past decade. The formaldeliberations and decisions of many such meetings arenow often enriched by the debates carried out in non-governmental forums and events held in parallel withthe official conferences. Many United Nations treatybodies now routinely consider alternate reports fromnon-governmental organizations alongside the officialreports from Governments. In some cases, non-governmental organizations have addressed plenarysessions of conferences and participated in formal,round-table discussions with governmental delegates.Many Governments now include civil societyrepresentatives in their delegations to internationalconferences and special sessions, and sometimes alsoto the General Assembly.
137. The Security Council has also adopted someinnovative and creative measures to allow non-governmental voices to be heard by its members. TheArria formula, for example, enables non-governmentalorganizations to give testimony to Security Councilmembers in relation to specific crises, as well as on
such issues as children in armed conflict, outside theofficial meetings.
138. Today, more than 2,000 non-governmentalorganizations have formal consultative status with theEconomic and Social Council, and about 1,400 with theDepartment of Public Information. More than 3,500non-governmental organizations were given formalaccreditation to the most recent global conference, theWorld Summit on Sustainable Development.
139. As a result of this explosive growth inparticipation, the system that has evolved over severalyears for facilitating the interaction between the UnitedNations and civil society actors is showing signs ofstrain:
(a) The rapid increase in the number of non-governmental organizations has put our facilities andresources under great pressure. It is now physicallyimpossible for the Organization to accommodateall non-governmental organizations requestingparticipation in United Nations conferences andmeetings;
(b) There exists a great variety of accreditationprocesses. Despite a substantial body of practice, non-governmental organizations wishing to attend andparticipate in United Nations conferences and meetingsoften encounter uneven standards and confusingprocedures;
(c) Many Member States are wary of theconstant pressure to make more room for non-governmental organizations in their deliberations,while non-governmental organizations consider thatthey are not allowed to participate meaningfully;
(d) There is a great imbalance in the numbers ofnon-governmental organizations from the industrializedand those from the developing countries, with very fewof the latter taking part in United Nations activities;
(e) A number of civil society actors —parliamentarians and private sector groups, to name buttwo — do not consider themselves to be non-governmental organizations, and the modalities fortheir participation are not very clear;
(f) The responsibility for engaging with non-governmental organizations is spread across severalunits in the Secretariat.
140. Some non-governmental organizations haveattempted to address the above-mentioned concerns. In
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many instances, they have come together to offercollective views on substantive questions of policy.Some have attempted to respond to questions raisedabout their breadth of representation andaccountability, by exploring a system of self-regulationand agreed codes of conduct. Several non-governmental organizations have made efforts toexpand their membership so as to incorporate peopleand groups from developing countries.
141. It is, of course, the prerogative of the MemberStates to define the terms and conditions governing theaccreditation and participation of non-governmentalorganizations in United Nations conferences and otherdeliberations. However, all concerned would benefitfrom engagement with civil society actors based onprocedures and policies that reflect greater coherence,consistency and predictability. I believe that it wouldbe useful to take stock of the Organization’s experiencethus far in interacting with civil society. As a first step,I will assemble a group of eminent personsrepresenting a variety of perspectives and experiencesto review past and current practices and recommendimprovements for the future in order to make theinteraction between civil society and the UnitedNations more meaningful.
Action 19. I will establish a panel of eminentpersons to review the relationship between theUnited Nations and civil society and offerpractical recommendations for improvedmodalities of interaction.
Engaging the private sector
142. Relations between the United Nations and theprivate sector have also grown exponentially over thepast five years. This reflects the increasing recognitionof the power of the private sector to generateemployment, investment and economic growth in aglobalized world and the corresponding need for theUnited Nations to engage the private sector in efforts toachieve sustainable development. It also reflects thegrowing recognition in the private sector of theimportance of international norms and standards for theconduct of business.
143. The engagement of the United Nations with theprivate sector has been beneficial to the Organizationand for the causes that have received generous support.However, these partnerships are not a substitute forwhat Governments themselves must do.
144. In 1999, I urged international business leaders towork together with labour and civil society groups tomake globalization more equitable and sustainable. TheGlobal Compact initiative, launched in July 2000,seeks to advance nine core principles with respect tohuman rights, labour rights and protection of theenvironment. It provides a broad framework forengaging the private sector and today involveshundreds of companies, as well as international labourgroups and non-governmental organizations, fromaround the world. It is my hope that, in time, theGlobal Compact will prove to be an importantinstrument for instilling civic virtue in the globalmarketplace.
145. The collaboration of the United Nations with theprivate sector is not entirely new. The United Nationsfunds and programmes have had such relations for avery long time, with private sector companies andfoundations supporting the Organization withresources, knowledge and other forms of assistance.Acting individually or in partnership with UnitedNations agencies and civil society organizations, manyphilanthropic and business leaders are engaged inprogrammes at the country level to combat HIV/AIDS,provide improved health care to rural communities,protect fragile environments and increase adult literacy,and in other initiatives.
146. More recently, there has been a significantincrease in interest from private sector firms andfoundations to collaborate with the United Nations on amore global level. Notable are the unprecedentedcontribution of Ted Turner to the United Nationsthrough the United Nations Foundation, the support ofthe Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in the fightagainst HIV/AIDS and other diseases, and thecontributions of many additional foundations andprivate sector companies to worldwide causessupported by the United Nations in the social andhumanitarian areas. The United Nations Fund forInternational Partnerships, originally created tocollaborate with the United Nations Foundation, hashad to extend its services to respond to the queries andinformation needs of an increasing number of privatesector entities eager to work with the United Nations.
147. I believe there is merit in regrouping under onecommon umbrella the Global Compact Office and theUnited Nations Fund for International Partnerships.The two units have and will continue to have verydifferent roles, with the Compact providing an
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engagement mechanism to promote the nine principles,and the Fund facilitating and mobilizing resources forpartnerships. It is important, however, to have a singlefocal point for the Organization’s engagement with theprivate sector and philanthropic organizations. Fundingfor posts and activities will continue to comeessentially from extrabudgetary resources, and theGlobal Compact will continue its policy of raising itsfunding from Member States and foundations, and notfrom private sector companies.
Action 20. A Partnerships Office will becreated to regroup under one commonumbrella the Global Compact Office and theUnited Nations Fund for InternationalPartnerships.
V. Allocating resources to priorities
148. To ensure that our work reflects the priorities ofthe Millennium Declaration, we must apply anefficient, flexible system for allocating adequateresources to the Organization’s priorities. We need aplanning and budgeting process that is responsive tothe dynamic environment in which we operate andfocuses the attention of both the Secretariat andMember States on results. The existing system failsthis test.
149. In the present section, I look at our currentprocess of planning and budgeting and identify severalimportant areas for simplification and improvement. Ialso examine ways to streamline the budgets forpeacekeeping operations and to improve themanagement of trust funds.
Recent trends
150. It is a fact of life that the United Nations needsresources for implementing the numerous mandatesthat it receives every year. The Organization relies onMember States to provide adequate resources and topay their contributions in full and on time. I am pleasedto report that the Organization’s financial situation hasimproved somewhat in recent years. The agreementreached in December 2000 on the modification of theassessment scales paved the way for the payment of asignificant portion of the arrears due the Organizationby the United States of America. These sums wereturned over to those nations owed money for theircontributions of troops to various peacekeeping
missions. Favourable economic conditions also allowedother Member States to catch up on outstanding dues.In 2001, total receipts from all Member Statesrepresented the highest level of contributions receivedin any one year of the Organization’s history.
151. Nevertheless, the reality is that in recent years theOrganization’s regular budget has not kept pace withinflation, while the number of mandated activities hasincreased significantly. The Organization has been ableto continue functioning through careful monitoring ofexpenditure, productivity improvements and favourableexchange rate movements — but also, regrettably, byserious under-investment in training, informationtechnology and maintenance of facilities. This lastpoint is a source of particular concern; the neglect ofthe physical infrastructure of the Organization’sHeadquarters has now reached critical dimensions. It istherefore imperative that we move forward with theproposed capital master plan for the refurbishment ofthe Secretariat building in New York.
152. I have said many times that the Secretariat hasreached the limit of what it can deliver with theexisting resources. Whatever savings can be achievedthrough reforms must be reinvested to strengthen thoseparts of the Organization that have been weakened inrecent times. This reform must not become a pretextfor another round of budget cuts. Indeed, I believe thatthe budget for the next biennium will have to show amodest increase in resources in real terms, besidesbeing adjusted for inflation and currency changes.
153. Member States are of course entitled to expectthat the resources they provide to the Organization willbe spent wisely and well. As the Chief AdministrativeOfficer of the Organization, I accept full responsibilityfor the prudent and effective disbursement of theseresources to achieve the goals and priorities establishedby the Member States.
154. Two years ago, the General Assembly endorsed aradical shift in the way that the United Nationsformulates its plans and budgets. We have madeconsiderable progress in implementing this new systemof results-based budgeting. However, more work isneeded to ensure that Member States have ameaningful way of assessing whether we are achievingthe expected results. Furthermore, I believe the timehas come to review more comprehensively the planningand budgeting cycle of the Organization in order toalign it with the results-based approach. The goal we
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should pursue is to make planning and budgeting realstrategic instruments in the service of the priorities andthe programme of work of the Organization.
Weaknesses of the current budgeting andplanning process
155. The planning and budgeting cycle consists ofthree elements:
(a) A medium-term plan that sets out thepriorities of the Organization for a four-year period andwhich is intended to serve as the basic strategicguidance underpinning the work of the Organization;
(b) A budget outline which provides anindication of the overall level of resources two years inadvance;
(c) A detailed, biennial proposed programmebudget.
156. There are three oversight and review mechanismsfor planning and budgeting:
(a) The Fifth Committee of the GeneralAssembly;
(b) The Committee for Programme andCoordination;
(c) The Advisory Committee on Administrativeand Budgetary Questions.
157. The process is seriously flawed: it is complex,protracted, disjointed, time-consuming and rigid. Thecurrent system to evaluate the impact of our activitiesis inadequate. The planning and budgeting cycle mustbe simplified, and it must become more efficient.
158. Under current procedures, the medium-term planis considered by the Committee for Programme andCoordination and the Fifth Committee; the budgetoutline and the proposed programme budget areconsidered by these two bodies, plus the AdvisoryCommittee on Administrative and BudgetaryQuestions. In 2001, these three bodies held 295 formaland informal meetings to discuss the proposedprogramme budget for the biennium 2002-2003. Inaddition, the Fifth Committee met in 106 informalsessions.
159. The documentation submitted for this process isvoluminous. The most recent medium-term plan was222 pages in length. The corresponding programme
budget contained 31 separate sections and totalledroughly 2,000 pages.
160. The process is spread over a very long period oftime. The medium-term plan, with a four-year planninghorizon, is particularly cumbersome and impractical.Thus, the medium-term plan for the period 2002-2005,which was formulated in 1999 and approved in 2000,could not reflect the political consensus and budgetaryimplications of the Millennium Declaration. Similarly,the budget preparation cycle starts 18 months ahead ofthe biennium to which it relates.
161. The current system leads to a strategicdisconnection between the main instruments ofprogramme planning, embodied in the medium-termplan, and resource allocation, which takes the form ofthe budget outline and the proposed programmebudget. The Organization’s medium-term plan and itsbudget cover different time frames and are consideredby separate bodies on different occasions. Notsurprisingly, there is little coherence between thesedisparate planning and budgeting exercises, anddecisions on institutional priorities are made inisolation from decisions on the use of scarce resources.
162. In the 18 months before a budget is approved,countless hours are spent preparing submissions,servicing meetings and conducting negotiations for atotal resource appropriation that changes onlynegligibly from the previous biennium. In 2001, theSecretariat provided 563 pages of written replies to 490written questions. We estimate that approximatelyUS$ 10.3 million worth of Secretariat staff time wasspent servicing the work of the Committees.
163. The Secretary-General, despite serving as theChief Administrative Officer of the Organization, hasno authority to shift any money between programmes,or from staff to non-staff costs, without the priorapproval of Member States. Yet Member States havegranted flexibility to many heads of specializedagencies, funds and programmes in order to improvetheir capacity to respond to fast-changing demands.
164. The existing systems for reporting and evaluatingthe performance of programmes have no practicalimpact on future plans and resource allocationdecisions. At the end of each biennium, the status ofcompletion of more than 36,000 outputs is collated in aprogramme performance report, the contents of whichare simply noted by the Committee for Programme andCoordination. Two in-depth evaluations on selected
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programmes are carried out each year. Programme orfunding changes rarely emerge from either review.
165. In sum, the planning and budgeting cycle isfragmented, prone to duplication and burdened withexcessive paperwork. It does not encourage a rigorous,strategic approach to establishing priorities andallocating resources accordingly. Member States andthe Secretariat spend inordinate amounts of time andscarce resources on this process. Smaller countries areespecially disadvantaged, since they simply do nothave the capacity to stretch their very limited humanresources to participate actively in all of the stages andparts of the cycle.
Simplifying the process
166. In some parts of the United Nations system,Member States have shown themselves open toinnovative and far-reaching changes in the processes ofprogramme planning and budgeting. The World HealthOrganization, for example, has revamped its entirebudgeting process, resulting in a shorter, streamlinedand essentially strategic budget document of 100 pagesin length. Its budget combines programmatic directionwith resource projections and focuses on results, thusgreatly reducing the process of intergovernmentalnegotiation.
167. I believe a simpler process of planning andbudgeting would enable delegates to focus theirattention on objectives and results instead ofquantitative measures of input and output, and wouldallow them to make the necessary link betweenprogrammes of work and choices on resourceallocation, within a realistic planning horizon. Inaddition, the intergovernmental review process itselfshould be streamlined, consistent with this philosophy.
Action 21. An improved planning andbudgeting system should include the followingfeatures:
(a) A shorter, more strategic medium-term plan covering two years rather than four,and submitted closer to the period to which itrelates;
(b) A budget outline that could becombined with the medium-term plan;
(c) A shorter, more strategic budgetwith supplementary detail providedseparately;
(d) Flexibility to reallocate resourcesbetween programmes and between allocationsfor personnel and other allocations by up to 10per cent within a single budgetary period;
(e) A strengthened system of evaluationand monitoring that will better measure theimpact of our work.
Action 22. Consistent with the above approach,I recommend that the intergovernmentalreview of plans and budgets currentlyperformed by both the Fifth Committee andthe Committee for Programme andCoordination be absorbed under the aegis ofthe Fifth Committee itself.
Streamlining peacekeeping budgets
168. As at June 2002, the Organization had 15peacekeeping missions in operation, of varyingmagnitude and scope, at a combined total cost ofapproximately US$ 2.8 billion for the year ending 30June 2002. The budget documents prepared to datehave been highly detailed and unwieldy. I intend toreduce the size of these budget documents significantlyand hope that this will help Member States toconcentrate their attention on the expected outcomes ofa mission, and improve their ability to evaluate itseffectiveness and financial management.
169. In addition, in a recent resolution, the GeneralAssembly requested a feasibility study on thepossibility of consolidating mission budgets. Thisproposal has the potential to further streamline ourbudgeting process in this area.
Action 23. Future peacekeeping budgets will bepresented in a new format, reflecting a morestrategic approach to the process of resourceallocation.
Improving the management of trust funds
170. To ensure reliable and predictable funding, it isextremely important that the core activities of theSecretariat be funded from assessed contributions. Thedevelopment and operational agencies of the UnitedNations system also need a solid base of unrestrictedcontributions from which to implement their coreactivities.
171. Voluntary contributions have been a very usefulsupplement to the regular budget of the United Nations.
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However, their administration has become rathercomplicated. There are currently about 200 trust fundsadministered by the Secretariat for a wide variety ofprogramme activities and themes. Within each fund,there are a large number of components by operation,activity or source of funding — many of which havedistinct administrative requirements. There must begreater clarity with donors on the terms and conditionsfor trust fund contributions. There is also considerableroom for simplification and rationalization.Improvements could be made in the following ways:
(a) A consolidation and reduction in thenumber of trust funds;
(b) An updated and rationalized approach totrust fund management, by standardizing terms andconditions as much as possible and streamlining projectdelivery reports;
(c) A revision of the current system of supportcost charges;
(d) A simplification of our own internalprocedures in order to accelerate access to trust fundmonies and to improve the control and administrationof the funds.
Action 24. The management of trust funds willbe improved by:
(a) Consolidating and reducing theirnumber;
(b) Harmonizing as much as possiblethe rules and requirements relating to trustfund management and reporting;
(c) Revising the system of support costcharges;
(d) Streamlining procedures foraccessing trust fund monies.
VI. The Organization and its people:investing in excellence
172. The aspirational aims of the United NationsMillennium Declaration can only be achieved if wehave a world-class staff equal to the challenges of ournew global era. The impact and vitality of theOrganization rests upon having a core cadre ofinternational civil servants who dedicate their careersto the service of the United Nations, and who are
devoted to its mission in myriad locations spanning theglobe. This will continue to be the cornerstone of ourhuman resource policy. In addition, achieving ageographically diverse and gender-balancedworkforce — without compromising on the excellencewe seek throughout the United Nations — will remainan enduring priority and source of strength for theentire Organization. We are committed to attractingtalented candidates from unrepresented andunderrepresented countries. We are also makingprogress in our efforts to increase the number ofwomen among the Professional ranks. However, westill have a long way to go in achieving an acceptablegender balance, in particular at the senior level.
173. In the present section, I enumerate measures thatwill foster the excellence of our workforce. Theseinclude improving staff mobility, enhancing careerprospects for the General Service staff, helping ourworkforce achieve a better balance in their professionaland personal lives, and strengthening staff managementthroughout the Organization.
174. One of my priorities in my first term was toimprove the Organization’s professional capacity andto promote a new culture of performance,accountability and trust. We have made significantstrides — for example, the development of acomprehensive human resource management strategywhich was endorsed by the Assembly two years ago,and a new system for the way we recruit, promote andmove our people. I am confident that these measureswill bear fruit in the years to come.
175. Thousands of our staff serving in difficult fieldlocations are exposed to great danger in performingtheir duties. In 2001, Member States supported majorsteps to strengthen security mechanisms and improvesafety for staff in the field. The issue of staff securitywill remain a central concern for all United Nationsmanagers.
Mechanisms and incentives to encouragemobility
176. The new placement system introduced earlier in2002 incorporates a mobility requirement forpromotion to the senior levels. A managedreassignment programme for junior professionals hasbegun to have an impact. However, additional stepsshould be taken that will encourage mobility andfacilitate movement between locations and functions.
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We must nurture and reward staff who are able torespond to the diverse demands of the Organization asand where they arise.
177. There are several important obstacles toovercome:
(a) Compensation packages have not evolved tomeet the needs of large numbers of staff serving inhardship and non-family duty stations. This isparticularly important given the Secretariat’s increasingoperational role in peacekeeping, humanitarianassistance and post-conflict reconstruction;
(b) United Nations organizations in the fieldsometimes compete with each other for the best staffthrough an array of different contracts and benefits.Often, competent, long-serving staff continue to findthemselves on short-term contracts, with very limitedcareer prospects;
(c) Some of our established duty stationscontinue to face considerable obstacles in recruitingqualified staff because of insufficiently attractive termsof conditions for appointment to these locations;
(d) Opportunities for employment of spousesare an increasingly relevant factor in attractingcandidates for jobs around the globe. Our agreementswith host countries, as well as the arrangementsbetween the Secretariat and United Nations agencies,funds and programmes, do not always facilitate orencourage employment of spouses. Problems rangefrom a lack of available openings to visa and workpermit restrictions.
178. There are a number of measures that theOrganization can take to address these problems:
Action 25. In order to enhance staff mobilityacross the United Nations system, we will:
(a) Review, by the end of 2003, thecontractual arrangements and benefits offeredto Secretariat staff in field locations, with aview to ensuring that they are comparable orequivalent to those of the United Nations fundsand programmes;
(b) Review agreements between theSecretariat and the United Nations funds,programmes and specialized agencies, in orderto reduce current barriers to mobility betweencommon-system organizations;
(c) Create longer-term contractualprospects for deserving staff serving in fieldmissions;
(d) Identify special recruitment andreward mechanisms for duty stations at whichthere are debilitating vacancy rates;
(e) Review all arrangements betweenthe Secretariat and the United Nations funds,programmes and specialized agencies in orderto ensure that spouses of United Nations staffwith appropriate qualifications are givenfavourable consideration when applying forposts in field locations;
(f) Approach Governments to explorepossibilities for the renegotiation of hostcountry agreements so as to allow UnitedNations spouses to work in those countries.
Enlarging opportunities for GeneralService staff
179. General Service staff, who represent nearly halfthe Organization’s workforce, are an extraordinarysource of skill and expertise. I very much regret thatthe Assembly has chosen to limit their possibilities forpromotion to the Professional level, by mandating veryrestrictive annual quotas. I urge Member States toreview their position so that our top performers havegenuine prospects for advancement. At a minimum, Isuggest raising the annual quota of P-2 posts availablefor successful General Service examination candidatesto 25 per cent.
180. The United Nations must create more opportunityand incentives that will make the careers of GeneralService staff more rewarding. We need to create abetter, more structured programme for induction onarrival in the Organization, and provide moreassistance to General Service staff in planning andmanaging their careers, including possibilities forserving in the field. I am sure that General Servicestaff, in turn, will respond with renewed motivationand commitment to the Organization.
181. Finally, in recognition of the fact that thecontribution of all United Nations staff is importantregardless of whether they are General Service orProfessional, all staff members should be referred to asinternational civil servants.
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Action 26. I urge Member States to considerlifting the restrictions on the numbers ofGeneral Service staff eligible for promotion tothe Professional category.
Action 27. An implementation plan will bedeveloped over the next 12 months, which willinclude:
(a) A comprehensive review of GeneralService functions, responsibilities andcompetencies;
(b) Improvements to the system ofGeneral Service induction and careerplanning;
(c) Opportunities and incentives formobility across functions, offices and service infield and peacekeeping missions.
Action 28. Effective 1 January 2003, allemployees of the United Nations Secretariatwill be referred to as international civilservants.
Helping staff to balance professional andprivate lives
182. One way to attract and retain quality staff, inparticular women, is to pay more attention to theconditions that will lead to a better balance betweentheir professional and personal lives. It is time to alignthe work practices of the Secretariat with that of manynational civil services and United Nations entities.
183. A pilot project allowing staff flexible workingarrangements has been in place in one department atHeadquarters and in some other duty stations. Theprovisions include the right to work away from theoffice, scheduled breaks for external activities, such asadditional study, and compressed work schedulescompensated by time off from work. Such provisions,if adopted more broadly, will help to achieve a diverseand mobile workforce.
184. There is a need to increase opportunities for part-time employment and job-sharing within theSecretariat, which have been relatively limited to date.Expanding the possibilities will give staff with familiesor other commitments more flexibility.
Action 29. The following measures will beintroduced:
(a) Introducing flexible workingarrangements in all Secretariat departments,subject to work requirements, from 1 January2003;
(b) Broadening the opportunities forpart-time employment for Secretariat staff.
Rejuvenating the Organization
185. The United Nations needs to redouble its effortsto attract fresh talent to the Organization and tosharpen the skills of existing staff. The Secretariat is ata critical juncture with respect to this challenge.Between 2000 and 2005, the number of retirements isexpected to double. More generally, to attract andretain younger people we must transform theOrganization’s management culture — traditionallyhierarchical and rigid — to one that stimulates newideas and the vigorous exchange of views, irrespectiveof grade, seniority and tenure.
186. To address these concerns, the United Nationsmust move forward in the following ways:
(a) First, the Organization needs to be moresystematic in planning succession so as to ensure thatthe vast repositories of institutional memory are notlost with the departure of staff;
(b) Second, a more concerted effort is requiredto target the recruitment of young people. One avenueis a systematic approach to academic institutions,especially in unrepresented and underrepresentedMember States. Another group to target are thesuperior performers among national officers who haveserved in the field;
(c) Third, any organization operating in adynamic environment needs the flexibility to offerearly departure packages to staff whose separation is inits best interests. This should include providing careerplacement assistance and facilitating transitionarrangements.
Action 30. Measures will be introduced to:
(a) Enable better planning for thereplacement of departing staff members;
(b) Develop more targeted recruitmentmechanisms;
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(c) Enhance the existing departurepackage to include career placement assistanceand facilitating transition arrangements.
187. Finally, I would like to stress that more attentionmust be paid to training staff to meet the newchallenges that they will encounter in a rapidlychanging world. As an organization, we spendapproximately 1 per cent of our total budget onlearning activities, which is significantly less thancomparable organizations. We need to spend more toensure that our staff can sharpen their skills andmaximize their contribution. Ideally, there should be anannual minimum requirement for all staff, includingmanagers, to spend on learning activities. This willdepend, in part, on available resources.
Action 31. I will recommend in the nextbiennium budget a significant increase in theresources allocated to training.
Continuing efforts to improve management
188. Improving the quality of management was apriority of my first term. I have put great emphasis onestablishing clear lines of responsibility and ensuringthat managers are held accountable for their actions.Since 1997, we have required all managers toparticipate in people management training, developedprofessional competencies and implemented a newsystem of personnel appraisal. I am confident that thenew system of recruitment, by giving managersprimary responsibility for staff selection, will lead to anew level of accountability and empowerment. TheStaff College at Turin offers us the potential to create acommon management culture across the Organization.I am also most encouraged by the efforts of theInternational Civil Service Commission to create asystem-wide senior management service.
189. I intend to adopt additional measures to cutunnecessary layers of bureaucracy. At present, theOrganization recruits highly qualified individuals formanagement functions — yet its procedures do notallow them to manage a budget, procure what theyneed for everyday activities or authorize travel for theirstaff.
190. As decision-making authority is devolved toprogramme managers, the roles and responsibilities ofthe central service provider, the Department ofManagement, and those of the executive offices in eachof the departments, will need to be reviewed.
Action 32. In order to continue efforts toimprove management:
(a) A thorough review will beconducted of delegated authority in order toincrease the capacity and flexibility ofmanagers to manage the resources allocated tothem;
(b) The roles and responsibilities of theDepartment of Management, along with thoseof the executive offices, will be redefined inorder to support the increased delegation ofauthority;
(c) Training of managers will bestrengthened across the Organization, makingparticular use of the Staff College.
HIV/AIDS in the workplace
191. It is the responsibility of every modern employerto take adequate measures to address the troublingreality of the global AIDS epidemic. Although theOrganization has a policy of non-discriminatoryemployment, medical support systems and informationdissemination for personnel with HIV/AIDS, itsimplementation has been uneven. We must ensure thatall personnel are provided with adequate informationand access to medical care and counselling. Just asimportant is the need for our managers to be wellprepared to deal with the human and organizationalimpact of this tragedy.
Action 33. A thorough review should becompleted to ensure that the Organization’spolicy on HIV/AIDS is fully implemented, andadditional measures should be implemented,where needed, by the end of 2002.
Better resolution of disputes
192. The internal justice system for resolving staffdisputes and disciplinary matters has been a matter ofconcern over the past few years. The recent creation ofa new ombudsman function will offer staff andmanagement an alternative avenue for disputeprevention and resolution. The new Ombudsman hasrecently taken up her duties. As a result, we lookforward to achieving a more integrated, less litigioussystem of conflict resolution. Nevertheless, we mustcontinue to ensure that our formal justice system is
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streamlined and that our staff and managers are madefully aware of their rights and responsibilities.
Action 34. A review of the current system ofinternal justice will be conducted to improvethe efficiency of the system and to allow stafffair and due process.
Enhanced pay and benefits
193. Adequate compensation is a very important factorin attracting and retaining good staff. The UnitedNations needs a more competitive system of pay andbenefits. I am, therefore, very encouraged by thediscussions at the most recent session of theInternational Civil Service Commission on the subjectof pay and benefits. I urge the Commission to expeditecompletion of the long-awaited review of this subject.
194. In addition, in 1997, I had proposed anindependent review of the Commission itself. Thatproposal has received the endorsement and strongsupport of the executive heads of the United Nationssystem in the Chief Executives Board for Coordination.At the request of the General Assembly, and in closeconsultation with the Chairman of the Commission, Iam proposing to the Assembly the terms of referencefor such a review. Its launch would send a strong signalthat the Commission and the Assembly take seriouslythe need to support reform in the system.
Action 35. I encourage:
(a) The International Civil ServiceCommission to finalize its proposals for a morecompetitive pay and benefits system;
(b) The initiation of an independentreview of the operations and functions of theCommission itself.
VII. Managing change
195. The critical criterion for success in a world inrapid flux is the ability to manage change. The pastfive years have shown that the United Nations can beresponsive to change, willing and quick to adapt, andfiscally prudent.
196. The preceding sections set out an agenda forchange. The measures described in the present report
cumulatively add up to a very different way of doingbusiness. As I have argued before, reform is a process,not an event, and change will not be realizedautomatically or overnight. Implementing the reformsoutlined in the report will require attention in threecritical areas: managing the change process itself,training and information technology.
197. First, we will require a dedicated capacity formanaging change, in particular in those departmentsthat will undergo significant transformation, such asthe Department of General Assembly and ConferenceManagement and the Department of PublicInformation.
198. Second, the reforms contemplated in the presentreport will have a significant impact on the nature ofmany positions within the Organization. Sufficientresources are needed for retraining staff to ensure thatthey have the skills to meet the new challenges ofUnited Nations reform. In some cases — which I hopewill be rare — we may need to offer separationpackages.
199. Finally, much of what is proposed, whether inrespect of servicing conferences, improving outreach tothe public or, indeed, as a result of adopting a moreintegrated approach to key issues, requires a biggerinvestment in information technology. The Organizationhas the potential to build its existing capacity as one ofthe world’s most important global networks, but only ifthere is a commensurate investment in technology.Conversely, if it does not modernize and enhance itstechnological capability, the United Nations riskslosing its relevance and ability to act at the centre ofthe world’s stage. Furthermore, good managementdemands good information. We intend to build on theachievements of our Integrated ManagementInformation System. A new strategy for the use ofinformation and communications technologies will besubmitted at a subsequent stage of the current sessionof the Assembly, as requested by Member States.
200. I have asked the Deputy Secretary-General tooversee the implementation of the reform measuresdescribed herein. The initiatives in the present reportreflect the ideas and suggestions of every part of theSecretariat and the consultations held with all of thefunds and programmes of the Organization. Itsimplementation will require the same kind of
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collaborative effort. I am confident that we are allunited in our common purpose to strengthen the UnitedNations.
Action 36. The Deputy Secretary-General willoversee the implementation of the approvedreforms.
