UNITED NATIONS REFORM: ON TRACK FOR THE TWENTY- FIRST CENTURY?

Immediately after assuming the office of Secretary-General, Kofi Annan declared that reform was his first priority and quickly developed a program of reform measures, some of which he could introduce on his own authority and some of which required the approval of the General Assembly. These reforms did not result in a fundamental restructuring of the United Nations. However, organizational changes were made so that the United Nations could act with greater unity of purpose and coordination in meeting its core areas of responsibility: peace and security, economic and social affairs, development operations, humanitarian affairs and human rights. The staff of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations in the Secretariat was substantially increased. A Deputy Secretary-General was appointed whose responsibilities include monitoring the reform process. Greater participation of civil society was made possible. A beginning was made in modernizing the personnel system in the Secretariat. Perhaps most importantly the General Assembly approved a reduction in the percentage of the UN regular budget and the cost of peacekeeping operations paid by the United States. While not entirely solving the problem, this broke the logjam in US financial withholdings and encouraged the US to pay the major portion of its large indebtedness to the UN.