UNITED NATIONS, March 15 (UPI) -- The U.N. General Assembly voted to change the structure of peacekeeping operations in what is seen as a win for the U.N. secretary-general.
The consensus vote was taken Thursday after weeks of consultations between Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and member states over his proposal to split the Department of Peacekeeping Operations into the Department of Field Support and the Department of Peace Operations, both headed by an undersecretary-general, the managerial level of the current DPKO chief.
"I am very much encouraged by the full confidence bestowed on me by the General Assembly," Ban told reporters after the vote. "This ... is a clear sign that member states have given me full confidence and trust in my leadership. And with this, I can continue my remaining reform measures."
The new structure is meant to streamline the processes for getting supplies to peacekeepers in the field, as well as for planning and executing peacekeeping missions.
Last month, in a letter to the General Assembly, Ban said change was required in the face of growing demand for peacekeepers.
"The number of peace operations is at an all-time high with almost 100,000 personnel in the field," he said. "It appears that the figure will rise still further in 2007."
The General Assembly also approved a measure establishing an Office for Disarmament Affairs, replacing the Department of Disarmament Affairs, also to be headed by an undersecretary-general.
Ban faced some early resistance to his proposals, particularly by non-aligned nations, because they were seen as being pushed by the United States, and because of concerns disarmament would take a backseat after the change. Ban's original proposal was to put disarmament under the Department of Political Affairs, without a USG at its head.
