UN chief updates Member States on progress on UN reform initiatives

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has written to Member States to update them on his various reform initiatives, a UN spokesperson said Friday.

"The Secretary-General intends to advance meaningful reform to adapt the United Nations to the complex world in which we operate today and to make sure that this Organization can effectively serve all of its member states in achieving that future and managing shared challenges and opportunities along the way," said Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for Guterres, at the daily news briefing.

The letter "provides a timeline of progress" on a number of reform issues, including gender parity, the reform of the development system, the reform of the peace and security architecture, management of the Organisation, the new Counter Terrorism Office, whistle-blower protection, combatting sexual exploitation and abuse, among others, said Dujarric.

The Secretary-General has established an Internal Review Team on peace and security in January and one on management reform in April.

Guterres also shared his vision for prevention.

"For him, prevention means doing everything we can to help countries to avert the outbreak of crises that take a high toll on humanity, undermining institutions and capacities to achieve peace and development," said the spokesperson, adding that "we cannot meet the prevention challenge with the status quo."

The United Nations "needs to be much more united in its thinking and in its action, putting people at the center of its work" - hence the various reform streams he has initiated since he joined the helm of the Organization to ensure that we are doing so, said Dujarric.

In short, "prevention needs to permeate everything the United Nations does," he said.

Throughout this reform process, the Secretary-General "is committed to extensive consultations with Member States, starting with brainstorming sessions on management reform in May," said the spokesperson. Enditem