Internal oversight office addresses delays and waste.

• Position: UN's Office of Internal Oversight Services

"My overall assessment after 20 months in office is that the creation of the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) is one of the most meaningful initiatives taken by the General Assembly in the context of United Nations reform", Under-Secretary-General Karl Th. Paschke of OIOS wrote in a preface to the Secretary-General's report (A/51/432) on reform, issued on so September.

According to Assembly resolution 48/218 B of 29 July 1994, OIOS had been established with the intention of enhancing oversight functions within the United Nations, "in view of the increased importance, cost and complexity of the Organization's activities, through intensified evaluation, audit, inspection, investigation and compliance monitoring".

Incidentally, Mr. Paschke went on, "'reform' has become a buzzword that is echoed worldwide whenever public administrations are discussed these days". During the summit-level commemorative meeting on the occasion of the United Nations fiftieth anniversary, most world leaders had called for United Nations reform to make the Organization fit for the next millenium.

"So, is there consensus among Member States about it?" Mr. Paschke asked. "Probably not when it comes to specifics, to a redefinition of the priorities of the world body or to a rationalization and reshaping the United Nations system".

Nevertheless, the Under-Secretary-General stated, "overwhelming support can be safely assumed" for an administrative, managerial reform of the Secretariat, which was "engaged in intensive efforts to that end", such as the Efficiency Review and the Efficiency Review Board initiated by the Secretary-General, as well as various streamlining projects in several departments.

"I personally believe in reform as an ongoing process, a continuous striving for improvement, and I therefore welcome the growing awareness within the Organization for the need to change", Mr. Paschke stressed.

Peace-keeping

In reviewing peace-keeping - which, along with humanitarian and related activities, procurement and problems in establishing new bodies, was considered a priority area - OIOS, among other things, noted that a "more appropriate management structure" could have saved the United Nations Peace Forces (UNPF) in Bosnia and Herzegovina significant resources. For example, UNPF had...