UNITED NATIONS REFORM

The findings of an independent committee investigating the United Nations’ oil-for-food program add urgency to the need to reform the international agency. The group’s report, as well as one done this summer by a congressional committee, can lead the way to a move effective body. The best suggestion from both groups is that a chief operating officer be appointed to oversee the United Nations, rather than leaving its management to the secretary-general, whose time is often devoted to diplomatic issues, not operational concerns. While not radical, such a change could go a long way toward restoring credibility to the world body.

A year-long investigation, led by former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker, found widespread mismanagement and corruption in the program that was supposed to allow Iraq to sell oil to buy food to avoid a humanitarian crisis while U.N. sanctions were in place to block Iraq from gaining weapons of mass destruction. The program achieved its objectives of preventing starvation in Iraq and repeated inspections have found no weapons of mass destruction.

However, Saddam Hussein quickly found ways to abuse the oil-for-food program, amassing $11 billion from smuggling oil. His regime got another $1.7 billion in kickbacks from companies that participated in the program.

Much of the blame for this resides with those charged with overseeing the $64 billion program. The Security Council and member states, especially those that appeared to profit from arrangements with Iraq, also share the blame. Russia, for example, long opposed an investigation into the oil-for-food program and wanted the sanctions against Iraq lifted. Russian companies were heavily involved in the program.

After release of the report, Secretary- General Kofi Annan said: “Who among us can now claim that U.N. management is not a problem, or in need of reform?”

While there is widespread agreement that reform is needed, there is little consensus on what the changes should look like. Needed guidance should come from a congressional panel, led by former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, that concluded this summer that the United Nations has an important role to play in spreading democracy and championing human rights. To adequately play that role, however, the international body needed to be cleaned up, the former lawmakers wrote.

The task force first recommended institutional changes such as corporate-style oversight bodies and personnel standards. The group also called for a single senior official to act like a chief operating officer to oversee daily operations. A similar recommendation was made in the Volcker report.

When U.N. members meet this week to begin voting on reforms, these two reports should guide their thinking.