UN reform plans face hurdles from states and staff
(Daily Times)
Updated: 2006-03-09 09:18

SECRETARY General Kofi Annan锟斤拷s plans to overhaul the UN bureaucracy are expected to face stiff resistance from developing countries and immediately triggered protests from staff over outsourcing proposals.

Annan, introducing a 33-page report on Tuesday, sought more financial oversight, simplified hiring and firing procedures, career planning, staff buyouts, training and a modern information system. The costs could run to $500 million.

More controversial are plans for outsourcing or moving staff out of the United States for some translation services, document production, printing and publishing and information technology.

Saying too many decades had passed with partial reforms, Annan called for a 锟斤拷radical overhaul锟斤拷 and a 锟斤拷strategic refit锟斤拷 because rules and regulations 锟斤拷make it very hard for the organisation to conduct its work efficiently or effectively.锟斤拷

As an example, he pointed to 13,000 civilian staff, with most employed in the field but getting fewer benefits or career advancement than the 4,200 in New York.

After addressing the 191-nation General Assembly, Annan and his top managers faced a raucous meeting where staff made clear that past promises of improvements were not delivered.

Rosemary Waters, an American and head of the UN staff committee, said 700 employees would campaign among member states to halt the proposals and 锟斤拷the constant effort of the management to erode the rights and benefits of staff,锟斤拷 especially plans to outsource.

锟斤拷You say no one loses a job through outsourcing but I have to tell you Mr secretary-general, not many people believe you,锟斤拷 said one woman who was not identified.

Another man warned that instead of saving money, outsourcing could result in more expenditures. 锟斤拷You could find yourself with some Halliburton-style organisations,锟斤拷 he said.

While the European Union and the United States welcomed the reforms, especially in the wake of several scandals, developing nations are expected to be apprehensive of losing their authority in the UN General Assembly.

No sooner had Annan spoken than a wrangle ensued over where the reform blueprint should be discussed. Developing nations opted for General Assembly committees where they believe they have more power while the United States, the European Union and Japan said the full assembly should have control.

The United States has tied progress on management reform to a condition for refinancing the UN budget on June 30.

The financial plan, reluctantly approved by the General Assembly in December, has caused animosity between US Ambassador John Bolton and many poor nations who feel rich countries want to cut programmes and jobs that benefit them.

Bolton told the assembly that the United States endorsed Annan锟斤拷s call for a radical overhaul of the bureaucracy. 锟斤拷They are our objectives, and there will be considerable hard work ahead to achieve them,锟斤拷 he said.

But Edward Luck, a Columbia University professor and UN expert, warned that implementation usually fell short of expectations. 锟斤拷Big and small states alike begin to fret that their relative position in the UN, built through years of practice and maneuver, could be affected by unpredictable renovations,锟斤拷 he said. reuters