UNITED NATIONS, July 9: The United Nations General Assembly has adopted an eight-part resolution designed to strengthen the UN, putting in place the first measures to effect the changes requested by the 2005 World Summit aiming at greater efficiency and accountability in the world body.
A more ambitious reform package put forward by Secretary-General Kofi Annan was defeated by the assembly in May in a showdown between industrialized countries pushing for major changes and developing nations worried about losing their voice in UN operations.
Adopted by consensus as part of a compromise on Friday were decisions to replace the UN computer system and allow the secretary-general, on an experimental basis, to shift up to $20 million a year to new programmes to respond to changing priorities.
The reform resolution asks the UN to adopt international public sector accounting standards and strengthen its procurement system after a series of scandals.
Acting on the recommendation of its fifth committee (administrative and budgetary), the assembly adopted the resolution titled “Investing in the United Nations: for a stronger organization worldwide: detailed report” which addresses issues like oversight and accountability, information and communication technology, limited budgetary discretion, financial management practices, improving reporting mechanisms, public access to UN documentation, procurement and future consideration of management reform.
To that end, the assembly approved an additional appropriation of some $43.3 million under the regular budget.
On the issue of discretionary spending, the assembly authorized Mr Annan, on an experimental basis, limited discretion for budgetary implementation for the biennium 2006-2007 and 2008-2009, to enter into commitments up to $20 million in each biennium.
The resolution sets out nine principles according to which the spending should occur, including the stipulation that spending over $6 million per biennium should have prior concurrence of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions.
The assembly decided not to extend the experiment regarding redeployment of 50 posts as approved in resolution 58/270.
By other terms of the draft, the assembly requested Mr Annan to ensure the full operationalisation of the Ethics Office. —APP
