Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Tuesday called on Member States to support proposals to strengthen the United Nations, writes UN News Service.
He mentioned particularly the areas of procurement, accountability and human resources, as the General Assembly began a two-day debate on management reform.
– The only way we can embrace that future and do our good works in the world is to make ourselves more modern, more flexible and more efficient. In a word, to be better managed, Mr. Ban told the 192-member body.
STØRRE KRAV, FÆRRE PENGE
He noted that the Organization is being called on, as never before, to do much more with fewer and fewer resources.
Mr. Ban stressed the need to do more in the area of management reform, which is essential to enabling the UN “to keep pace with the growing demands upon us.
– We have to be open to scrutiny. We have to hold each and every person accountable to you, the Member States, and to the global taxpayers, he said.
FLERE IDEER
He emphasized that the UN needs an integrated, multi-skilled and mobile global workforce, and, to achieve it, it must streamline its contractual arrangements and improve conditions of service.
It must also be able to recruit staff more quickly than at present.
– It’s getting harder and harder to hang on to our best people. We just cannot allow this to continue, Mr. Ban said.
Other proposals include improvements in the selection of top managers and in promoting mobility for staff, as well as setting up a Learning Advisory Board to ensure relevant staff training.
ÅBENHED I HØJSÆDET
The Secretary-General also stressed the need for accountability, which he said is the “heart of effective management,”
the key to enhancing accountability is a strong commitment to transparency.
– The image we wish to project is of an organization that has nothing to hide, that actively welcomes the scrutiny of its members, staff and the public, Mr. Ban said.
LANG TID, SMÅ FREMSKRIDT
Over the past 10 years, the Assembly has discussed and agreed to a number of reform initiatives to make the UN more effective and efficient, including the establishment of the Ethics Office and the post of Chief Information Technology Office.
In addition, it has upgraded accounting standards, strengthened procurement practices, and helped set up a new system to administer justice in the Secretariat.
Kilde: www.un.org
