United Nations reform

Over the years, the United Nations has undergone a number of reforms to allow the Organization to better respond to new challenges and demands. Below are some of the most significant reforms and reviews relevant to peace and security.

Boutros Boutros-Ghali (1992-1996)

Structural changes

Boutros Boutros-Ghali made several structural changes to the Secretariat at the beginning of his term in 1992, as reflected in A/46/882. The newly-established entities, created through the reorganization of existing entities, were as follows:

• Department of Political Affairs and Department of Peace-keeping Operations
• Department of Economic and Social Development
• Department of Humanitarian Affairs
• Department of Administration and Management
• Office of Legal Affairs

Other entities established during his term included:

• Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights: Established by the General Assembly in resolution 48/141 (1993)
• Office of Internal Oversight Services: Established by the General Assembly in resolution 48/218B (1994)

Signature initiatives

• An Agenda for Peace (1992)

Intended to re-position the UN to more effectively address peace and security issues after the Cold War

• An Agenda for Development (1994)
• Supplement to An Agenda for Peace (1995)

Kofi Annan (1997-2006)

Structural changes

In his first year in office, Kofi Annan proposed the reorganization of the Secretariat to establish several new entities, including:

• Deputy Secretary-General (part of broader reorganization of the Executive Office of the Secretary-General)
• Department for Disarmament and Arms Regulation (from the Centre for Disarmament Affairs in DPA)
• Office of the Emergency Relief Coordinator (replaced Department of Humanitarian Affairs)
• Department of Economic and Social Affairs (merger of existing departments)
• Office of Drug Control and Crime Prevention (consolidation of existing functions)
• Department of Management (replaced Department of Management and Administration)
• Department of General Assembly Affairs and Conference Services (replaced Department of Conference Services)

Signature reform agendas

• Renewing the United Nations: A Programme for Reform (1997)
• In larger freedom: towards development, security, and human rights for all (2005)

Contained proposals for the 2005 World Summit

• Investing in the United Nations: for a stronger Organization worldwide (2006)

Other policy initiatives

• Brahimi report (2000)

Officially the report of the Panel on United Nations Peace Operations; assessed shortcomings of the peace operations system and made recommendations for change.

• Zeid report (2005)

Officially the report on a comprehensive strategy to eliminate future sexual exploitation and abuse in UN peacekeeping operations

Ban Ki-moon (2007-2016)

Structural changes

• Department of Field Support (from Office of Mission Support in DPKO)

Signature reform agendas

• Strengthening the capacity of the Organization to maintain and sustain peace operations (2007)

Restructured the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and established the Department of Field Support.

• Global Field Support Strategy (2010)

Introduced measures to improve the ability of the Department of Field Support to support missions, especially during mission start-up, including through the establishment of the Regional Service Center in Entebbe.

• Peace and Security reform agenda (2015)
  • Peace Operations Review: Consideration of the recommendations of the High-level Independent Panel on Peace Operations (HIPPO)
  • Peacebuilding Architecture Review: Consideration of the recommendations of the Advisory Group of Experts on the Peacebuilding Architecture.
  • Global Study on the Implementation of Security Council Resolution 1325: Review of women, peace and security 15 years after the adoption of resolution 1325.

Other policy initiatives

• Review of Civilian Capacity in the Aftermath of Conflict (2011)
• Change Management Team (2011)
• Human Rights Up Front (2013)

António Guterres (2017-present)

Structural changes

• Office of Counter-Terrorism (2017)
• Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (replaced Department of Political Affairs in 2019)
• Department of Peace Operations (replaced Department of Peacekeeping Operations in 2019)
• Department of Operational Support (reorganized from DFS and DM in 2019)
• Department of Management Strategy, Policy, and Compliance (reorganized from DFS and DM in 2019)
• United Nations Youth Office (replaced Office of the Special Envoy on Youth in 2022)

Signature reform agendas

• United to Reform agenda (2017)
  • Restructuring of the peace and security pillar: Established the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Department of Peace Operations.
  • Repositioning the UN Development System: Transition of RC system into the Secretariat; review of UN Country Teams, multi-country offices and UNDAF; review of regional architecture.
  • Shifting the management paradigm in the United Nations: Decentralized the Secretariat, re-introduced an annual programme budget and established the Department of Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance and Department of Operational Support.
• Our Common Agenda (2021)