Annan Starts Reshuffling UN Staff for Reform Push
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Monday chose the high-profile British head of a key agency as his new chief of staff, the start of a reshuffle aimed at instituting U.N. reforms and combating scandals.
Mark Malloch Brown, 51, is administrator of the U.N. Development Program, the largest U.N. agency, with programs in 166 countries. An outspoken official and former World Bank vice president, he replaces Iqbal Riza, 70, of Pakistan, who announced his retirement two weeks ago. "This is a first in a series of changes or a shuffle that may happen," Annan told a news conference, without elaborating, in announcing the appointment of Malloch Brown, considered a heavy hitter in the U.N. system.
Annan also needs to replace American Catherine Bertini, the undersecretary-general for management, who wants to leave her post in the spring for other career choices.
He is searching for a replacement for Norwegian diplomat Terje Roed-Larsen, the U.N. coordinator for the Middle East peace process. But U.N. officials said that Kieran Prendergast, the undersecretary-general for political affairs, would not go to the Middle East as some reports said.
The openings give Annan an opportunity in his last two years in office to put in place U.N. reforms he has advocated and tackle the damage caused to the world body over corruption in the Iraqi oil-for-food program, which U.N. officials believe is exaggerated but nevertheless need to confront. Annan said Malloch Brown would be valuable in at the center of U.N. work as well as "revitalize the U.N. system and ensure it is better equipped to deal with the scale and complexity of 21st century challenges."
Malloch Brown will remain head of UNDP as well as chief of staff while the tsunami emergency continues in Asia and until a replacement is found. He left with Annan on Monday for Jakarta, Indonesia, and a Thursday meeting with Asian leaders and an aid appeal.
Malloch Brown made clear that he would be outspoken on problems facing the United Nations, unusual in that post. "I think that a modern, global public organization of this kind has to understand that there are many news cycles a day, that to get your message out requires both a vigorous, rapid response," he said.
He also referred to dissatisfaction among staff that senior officials were not held accountable for their actions. One such case is the retention of Dutchman Ruud Lubbers, the Geneva-based U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, accused of sexual harassment. "It has been a subject of wide commentary that staff morale is not at its highest at this time, and we face also, in the weeks ahead, recommendations that may come from Mr. Volcker," Malloch Brown said.
He was referring to a preliminary report expected in January from Paul Volcker, the former chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve, who is heading an independent probe of corruption in the oil-for-food program that Republican hard-liners have used to call for Annan's resignation.
01/03/05 23:01
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