UNITED NATIONS, Nov 3: Responding to the pressure to institute management reforms at the world body in the wake of the oil-for-food scandal, a top UN official announced a series of initiatives to improve the system, including a functioning whistle-blower system.

Undersecretary-General for Management Christopher Burnham told a news briefing: “I think it is very important that we share what they have learned and what best practices they have identified.”

Under the new system, the worth of gifts that UN officials will be required to disclose will drop from $10,000 to $250, and financial disclosure forms will be required from a far broader spectrum than the current range of assistant secretary-general.

The UN is seeking out a wide spectrum of views on the issue from the staff council, the global accounting and consulting firm Deloitte Consulting LLP, and the World bank which has gone through an even more lengthy process and review, he said.

Mr Burnham said a far more comprehensive system of financial disclosure, drafted looking at the best practices of a number of member states will be ready within days.