Annan reports on how a reformed UN will address its central global functions

The United Nations, with core activities of keeping or restoring world peace, will undertake extensive reviews of programmes in peace building and human rights and tighten its policies on internal oversight and ethics, Secretary-General Kofi Annan says in a new report following up on mandates from the World Summit last month.

Much of the Summit implementation activity under his jurisdiction falls into four broad clusters, including the establishment of new bodies and an analysis of programmatic and institutional mandates older than five years., he says in his report to the General Assembly.

"The first cluster includes work related to institutional innovations, including providing ongoing support to the intergovernmental process, discussing the Peacebuilding Commission and Human Rights Council and finalizing details and/or beginning implementation of such new entities as the Peacebuilding Support Office and the Peacebuilding Fund," Mr. Annan says.

Recommendations for more detailed, coherent and integrated measures on preventing national and regional destabilization and the outbreak of armed conflict will be submitted to the General Assembly during this 60th session, he says.

Meanwhile, the Department of Political Affairs is developing a proposal to enhance its capacity for mediation and good offices to support the Secretary-General's good offices function and the work of his special envoys, Mr. Annan says.

"It is my intention that the Department should serve as a centre of expertise and a resource on mediation for the United Nations system as a whole and as a focal point for interaction with non-United Nations mediation and good offices efforts where the United Nations can play a supporting role or offer assistance," he says.

He will also submit proposals by early next year covering Secretariat departments, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNDC) and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) on strengthening the UN's capacity to assist States in combating terrorism.

On post-conflict activities, the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) has presented a proposal for establishing strategic reserves and will continue to discuss the matter and other potential options with Member States in the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations to meet the need identified by the Summit, he says.

The Secretariat is also reviewing agreements between the UN and regional and subregional organizations and will discuss with them what further agreements would be most effective in ensuring that areas requiring the most active collaboration, such as peacekeeping, mediation, conflict prevention and early warning, are given top priority, he says.

The other clusters include oversight and audit "including the creation of an ethics office and strengthened financial disclosure regulations" and new oversight arrangements, including the establishment of a new oversight committee reporting to the General Assembly.

Existing financial and human resources regulations, rules and policies and the development of the proposed staff buyout programme, will undergo a review, as will ensuring greater policy and operational coordination across the specialized agencies, funds and programmes, particularly at the country level.

Mr. Annan says he will also comply with the request to "launch work to develop concrete proposals for more tightly managed entities in the fields of development, humanitarian assistance and the environment."