NEW YORK, Feb 22: Reeling under the cloud of scandals from the Iraqi oil programme to sexual abuse by peacekeepers, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has said the world body is "vital to humanity" and promised to reform and strengthen it.

"I have served the UN all my life. I have done, and am still doing, everything I can to correct its imperfections, and to improve and strengthen it," Mr Annan said in an opinion piece. "And I believe profoundly in the importance of that task, because a strong UN is of vital importance to humanity."

On Sunday United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Ruud Lubbers , resigned on alleged charges of sexual harassment filed by a UN employee. Though Mr Lubbers strongly denied the report, he was forced to resign .

Mr Annan addressed charges of mismanagement and corruption in the UN's now-defunct Iraqi oil-for-food programme, admitting there were failings while accusing some critics of hyperbole.

US lawmakers and an independent inquiry by former US Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker have uncovered lax management, a shortage of auditors and procurement irregularities, but no crimes.

"The interim report of Paul Volcker's independent inquiry has helped put the programme in perspective. Some of the more hyperbolic assertions about it have been proven untrue," Mr Annan wrote in the Journal. Mr Annan also addressed the UN probes of allegations against peacekeeping soldiers in Congo.