Progress in UN reforms reported; follow-up to 'Group of 18.' (includes related articles)

Progress in UN reforms reported

Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar on 26 April reported that despite unfavourable circumstances resulting from the Organization's financial crisis, progress had been made in the United Nations reform process set in motion in 1985 by the "Group of 18" intergovernmental experts.

He cited significant changes in both organizational structure and work methods with consolidation of similar activities, clearer lines of responsibility, better co-ordination, and better tools to enable managers to discharge their responsibilities more effectively in the context of a streamlined Secretariat.

The Group of High-level Intergovernmental Experts to Review the Efficiency of the Administrative and Financial Functioning of the United Nations--the "Group of 18"--had formulated 71 recommendations (A/41/49), the implementation of which was approved in the landmark General Assembly resolution 41/213 on 19 December 1986. Among other things, these urged a 15 per cent reduction in staff over a three-year period and approval of the programme budget by consensus.

The Secretary-General had originally proposed abolition of 1,465 posts--13 per cent--by the end of 1989. The General Assembly in 1988 decided that 12.1 per cent of posts under the regular budget should be cut by that deadline.

Mr. Perez de Cuellar said he considered his April 1989 report (A/44/222) a "factual review" of all actions taken by him since 1 January 1987 to implement resolution 41/213, taking into consideration subsequent instructions from and actions by the General Assembly.

Technological innovations, improved management procedures, consolidation of programmes and units, and rigorous standards for recruitment should, if actively supported by Member States, enhance the productivity and efficiency of a smaller Secretariat, he reported.

Special measures to improve the status of women in the Secretariat had been undertaken. The number of women promoted to decision- and policy-making levels had increased substantially. Training programmes in the areas of office automation, management and supervisory training deserved priority.

Official travel costs had been reduced by 21 per cent, and the number of officials attending meetings away from their duty stations had been reduced.

However, reductions in the number of meetings and the volume of documentation had not been achieved. Except for conference facilities at Addis Ababa and Bangkok, no new construction projects had been proposed since 1986.

Although it was termed his "final report", Mr. Perez de Cuellar said that because the reforms were "of an ongoing nature", he viewed the process not as "finite", but as one that would continue to contribute to a more effective and efficient Secretariat.

Unprecedented reform

The Secretary-General stressed that the unprecedented reform programme had been launched during one of the Organization's most serious financial crises, with considerable effort devoted to the management of that crisis rather than implementation of structural reform.

The recent establishment of new peace-keeping operations had also placed an increasing financial and staff burden on the Organization, he said.

Mr. Perez de Cuellar favoured extending the reform period for the economic and social sectors to ensure a well conceived and planned reorganization. A basic restructuring in this area was not needed now, he said; the present structure should be made more efficient. All UN departments and offices dealing with economic and social affairs could not practically be located in the same place.

Some departmental structures had been reviewed and modified. An integrated information system in the administrative area is being established, which would improve UN functioning in the long run. Studies were still under way with regard to information, economic and social sectors.