Wednesday, March 8 2006 11:32 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

United Nations: Aiming to make the United Nations more effective and accountable, Secretary General Kofi Annan has proposed drastic reforms in the world body, including outsourcing of some of its work and creation of a 2,500 strong rapid action force to help millions of victims of hunger, conflict and terrorism.

Annan, who is stepping down after completing his second five-year term at the end of the year, presented his report to the UN General Assembly yesterday in response to demands made at a summit of world leaders here last September.

In this long-awaited report to reform the world body in the wake of uncovering of corruption in the Iraqi oil-for-food programme, the Secretary General focusses on enhancing efficiency and accountability in view of the fact that more than 70 per cent of the 10 billion dollar annual budget now relates to peacekeeping and other field operations as compared with about 50 per cent of 4.5 billion dollars ten years ago.

The proposals also include modernizing the information system, staff buyouts, simplifying reporting procedures and hiring practices and increased oversight over spending.

Annan asked the 191-member General Assembly to approve his proposal as a package and said the current rules and regulations were designed for an essentially static secretariat whose main aim was to service conferences and meetings of member States and whose staff worked mainly at the headquarters.