Office of the Spokesman for the Secretary General
February 16, 2006
The Secretary-General today announced the formation of a new, high-level panel to explore how the United Nations system could work more coherently and effectively across the world in the areas of development, humanitarian assistance and the environment. The study, which was called for in the Outcome Document adopted by global leaders at the 2005 World Summit in New York, is intended to lay the groundwork for a fundamental restructuring of the UN's operational work, complementing other major reform initiatives currently underway at the UN including the creation of a new Peace-building Commission, negotiations over the establishment of a new Human Rights Council, and a proposal for comprehensive management reform that will shortly be unveiled by the Secretary-General.
The 15 member panel comprises:
1. H.E. Mr. Shaukat Aziz, Pakistan (Co-Chair)
Prime Minister, Pakistan
2. Rt. Hon. Gordon Brown, MP, UK
Chancellor of the Exchequer
3. H.E. Ms. Luísa Dias Diogo, Mozambique (Co-Chair)
Prime Minister, Mozambique
4. Mr. Mohamed T. El-Ashry, Egypt
Senior Fellow, United Nations Foundation
Former Chairman and CEO of the Global Environment Facility (GEF)
5. Mr. Robert Greenhill, Canada
President of the Canadian International Development Agency
Deputy Minister, International Cooperation, Canada
6. Ms. Ruth Jacoby, Sweden
Director-General for Development Cooperation, MFA Sweden
7. H.E. Mr. Ricardo Lagos Escobar, Chile
President of the Republic of Chile
8. Mr. Louis Michel, Belgium
European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid
9. H.E. Mr. Benjamin W. Mkapa, Tanzania
Former President, United Republic of Tanzania
10. Mr. Jean-Michel Severino, France
Director General, French Development Agency
Former Vice President of the World Bank East Asia and the Pacific
11. H.E. Mr. Jens Stoltenberg, Norway (Co-Chair)
Prime Minister, Norway
12. Mr. Keizo Takemi, Japan
Member of the House of Councillors, Liberal Democratic Party
Former State Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Japan
13. Ms. Josette S. Shiner
Under Secretary for Economic, Business and Agricultural Affairs
US Department of State
Ex Officio Members
14. Mr. Kemal Derviş, Turkey
Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Former Turkish Finance Minister
15. Mr. Lennart Bíge, Sweden
President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
The Outcome Document calls on the Secretary-General to commission work on how to improve UN system-wide coherence across the various development and humanitarian-related agencies. Responding to that call, this study will examine a range of options on how best to strengthen the coordination of UN operational activities world-wide, including, as requested by member states, the possibility of creating more tightly managed UN entities in the fields of the environment, humanitarian assistance and development. The Secretary-General strongly believes that a fundamental review of these activities is central to the long-term success of the overall UN reform process and critical if the UN system is to be able to play its role in supporting Member States to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.
The Panel is expected to complete its work by the summer to allow for formal presentation of its recommendations to the next session of the United Nations General Assembly in September 2006 and possible implementation in 2007. The work of the Panel will be supported by a small Secretariat based in New York.
