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|  | Liaison Newsletter > LIAISON Vol. 1, No. 2, March 1997 - Articles
Strong Appointed Adviser on UN Reform Issues Canadian Maurice Strong was appointed by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on January 16, 1997, as Executive Coordinator of United Nations Reform, with the rank of Undersecretary-General. Mr. Strong will assist the Secretary-General to "coordinate the effort to redesign the world organization for the future within the financial limits that all Member States can support", said UN Spokesperson Fred Eckhard of the appointment. Mr. Strong has long urged reforming the structure of the UN to help restore confidence in and renew political support for the organization. Such restructuring becomes all the more essential to the survival of the UN, given that countries such as the United States have now made the payment of their $1.4 billion in arrears contingent on a "reforming UN". Clearly, the United Nations must not only demonstrate that it is able to offer constructive solutions to the world’s problems, but that it can do so in a cost-effective manner. He, along with Secretary-General Kofi Annan, is expected to come up with a package of structural reforms by late summer that could be presented to the General Assembly (GA) for discussion in its fall session. Significant restructuring or eliminating programmes require the GA’s approval. Restructuring that requires amendments to the UN Charter, such as a reformed Security Council, will be harder to implement as they essentially require approval by the national governments of the five permanent members. Both Strong and new Secretary-General Kofi Annan have brought to their positions an in-depth knowledge of the internal workings of the UN. Such experience will serve them well in the sharp-edged months to come. "I know the place and I know the people I can depend on", said Strong. "(...)I know the people I should stay away from, too." |
