Annan says UN to develop coordinated efforts to better protect civilians in armed conflict

Secretary-General Kofi Annan today said that he has asked two United Nations departments to develop a plan to better coordinate efforts within the world body in the protection of civilians in armed conflict.

In a letter to the President of the Security Council released today in New York, the Secretary-General says he has asked the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) to develop operational procedures jointly with the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) to enhance cooperation between the different parts of the UN system.

The Secretary-General adds that beginning this November he will report regularly to the Security Council on the status of initiatives concerning civilians in armed conflict.

Mr. Annan's letter was in response to the Council's suggestions last month of several practical steps for implementing the recommendations contained in two previous reports by the Secretary-General on the protection of civilians in armed conflict.