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UNITED NATIONS - Most top UN officials have defied a request to submit their resignations to make way for new appointees, the world body said today, hinting at the obstacles to reform faced by new UN chief Ban Ki-moon.
To speed the transition to a new team, Ban early this month sent letters to 58 senior officials asking them to offer their resignations. The officials were based both at the world body's New York headquarters and elsewhere around the world.
Nearly four weeks later, just 20 have done so, UN chief spokeswoman Michele Montas acknowledged. The 38 who did not would not be disclosed, she said.
Like his predecessor Kofi Annan, Ban has made UN reform a priority, in hopes of making the organisation more efficient, flexible and responsive to UN member-states.
But developing nations, which make up the majority of the UN membership, have greeted his first reform proposals with scepticism.
The proposals, which the 192-nation General Assembly would have to approve, would restructure the political affairs, peacekeeping and disarmament departments.
- REUTERS
