UNITED NATIONS, April 24 (UPI) -- A senior U.N. official says U.N. reform, now underway, should help boost support for the world organization.
Undersecretary-General Shashi Tharoor, the top information official, said Monday the United Nations was plagued by the perception of a gap between its ideals and the ability to unite the international community to deliver results.
"One of our key challenges, therefore, is to close this gap and once again make the United Nations not only a symbol of our collective hope, but also a powerful instrument for translating that hope into everyday reality," he told the opening session of the Committee on Information meeting at the U.N. World Headquarters in New York.
People's faith in the idea of the United Nations as a universal organization leading the global collective effort for the common good is still firm, he said. However, faith in the organization as a reality has weakened.
"With horror unfolding daily, and the world unable to stop it, Darfur is a good example of this gap between intent and reality," he said, referring to the western region of Sudan where Muslim Arabs and Muslim Africans have been fighting.
But due to ongoing reform, he said "signs of renewal are everywhere," and it is important for the United Nations to communicate them to the global public.
The flurry of activity following the 2005 World Summit includes revitalization of human rights machinery through creation of the Human Rights Council, and better post-conflict coordination through the Peacebuilding Commission and the Democracy Fund.
In addition, he said, a comprehensive review of U.N. mandates is underway, creating an opportunity to strengthen and adapt the organization to new priorities. He added U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan has made proposals to overhaul rules, systems and the culture of the U.N. Secretariat.
