Progress Towards an Accountability System in the United Nations Secretariat

A/RES/74/271View PDF

Who created this mandate?

A Resolution of the General Assembly, under agenda item 133Review of the efficiency of the administrative and financial functioning of the United Nations, published in 2019.

What other versions does this mandate have?

10 versions · 2012–2023

This is an older version — the most recent is A/RES/77/280

2023A/RES/77/280Progress towards an accountability system in the United Nations SecretariatLatestCompare with previous version
2020A/RES/74/271Progress towards an accountability system in the United Nations SecretariatCompare with previous version
2019A/RES/73/289Progress towards an accountability system in the United Nations SecretariatCompare with previous version
2018A/RES/72/303Progress towards an accountability system in the United Nations SecretariatCompare with previous version
2017A/RES/71/283Progress towards an accountability system in the United Nations SecretariatCompare with previous version

Versions are identified automatically by matching titles within the same organ (~97% accuracy on a manual audit).

Who cites this mandate in the budget?

1 entity

Extracted automatically from each entity’s budget submission.

What subjects does this mandate have?

6 topics

Accountability Internal Oversight Performance Appraisal Programme Evaluation Results-Based Management Standards of Conduct

Which reports were submitted under this mandate?

1 report of the Secretary-General submitted under this mandate, 2021.

2021A/75/686Tenth progress report on accountability : strengthening accountability in the United Nations Secretariat report of the Secretary-General

Identified automatically from the metadata in each report’s UN Digital Library catalogue record.

What does this mandate say?

27 operative paragraphs

I.Progress towards an accountability system in the United Nations Secretariat

Takes note of the ninth progress report of the Secretary-General on accountability: strengthening accountability in the United Nations Secretariat;1

Endorses the conclusions and recommendations contained in the report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions;2

Welcomes the efforts of the Secretary-General towards a strong culture of accountability throughout the Secretariat, acknowledges that a culture of accountability stems from the leadership of an organization, and stresses that an effective accountability system is central to the successful management of the Organization;

Underscores that senior management bears special responsibility for setting the tone and standards for a strong culture of responsibility, accountability and personal integrity in the Secretariat, with an impact on mandate implementation and on the reputation of the Organization;

Stresses the indispensable roles of external and internal oversight mechanisms, carried out through regular audit reviews and the issuance of pertinent recommendations, and that the full and timely implementation of the recommendations of oversight bodies, which are aimed at strengthening the performance of managers in monitoring the activities for which they are held accountable, is an essential part of any effective system of accountability;

Notes with appreciation the operationalization of the Business Transformation and Accountability Division and its important role within the accountability system, including the role it plays in the implementation of the new delegation of authority framework and in providing management functions related to accountability, including results-based management and enterprise risk management, and requests the Secretary-General to continue to include in his next progress report information on how the Division has provided support to the Secretariat, including programme managers, in the monitoring, assessment and reporting of programme performance;

Stresses the continued need for a well-functioning system of delegation of authority through well-defined roles and responsibilities of individuals at all levels to whom authority is delegated, systemic reporting mechanisms on the monitoring and exercise of delegated authority, risk mitigation and safeguard measures, and actions to be taken in cases of mismanagement or abuse of authority;

Recognizes the progress made in implementing the system of delegation of authority, stresses that strengthened accountability is central to successful delegation of authority, and requests the Secretary-General to continue to provide to the General Assembly, in his next progress report, information on the implementation of the system-wide delegation of authority and on how it is supporting accountability;

Recalls paragraphs 8 and 9 of the report of the Advisory Committee, and requests the Secretary-General to continue to enhance the accountability framework under the new delegation of authority, including by defining additional key performance indicators to comprehensively and accurately monitor the exercise of delegated authorities and compliance with the respective regulations and rules, and to report thereon in his tenth progress report;

Stresses, as one of the essential components of accountability, the importance of compliance with the Charter of the United Nations, its resolutions and the regulations and rules;

Encourages the Secretary-General to further increase the use of data to inform decision-making and improve organizational performance, and to report on the impact of the effective use of data on shifting the Organization to a culture of results in his next progress report;

Recognizes the importance of results-based management and performance reporting, and requests the Secretary-General to continue his efforts aimed at strengthening the implementation of results-based management, programme monitoring and reporting, and at shifting towards a culture of results in the Secretariat;

Stresses the importance of effective performance management in mandate delivery, and requests the Secretary-General to continue to develop a coherent evaluation framework for managers, including clear indicators of achievement and instruments to identify underperformance, and to report on the progress made in the context of his next progress report;

Welcomes the continued strengthening of senior managers’ compacts by including new commitments such as fraud prevention and the effective operation of the system of delegation of authority, notes the reactivation of the Management Performance Board, and requests the Secretary-General to continue his efforts to ensure the effectiveness of those compacts as instruments of accountability;

Requests the Secretary-General to provide in his next progress report an analysis of compliance with the management objectives and performance measures of senior managers’ compacts, in particular with targets stipulated in the compacts, and to ensure that appropriate measures are taken in cases of non-compliance;

Reiterates that the timely submission of documents is an important aspect of the accountability of the Secretariat to Member States, notes the need for the ongoing efforts to address the underlying challenges related to documentation, and in this regard requests the Secretary-General to ensure the continued inclusion in the senior managers’ compacts of a related managerial indicator, and to provide information in his next progress report on how this indicator is used to improve senior managers’ accountability and the timely submission of documents;

Requests the Secretary-General, as a matter of priority, to ensure that staff performance is made an explicit criterion for career progression in the Organization;

Emphasizes the importance of the internal control framework in the accountability system, and requests the Secretary-General to continue to strengthen internal controls in programme planning, the programme aspects of the budget, the monitoring of implementation and the methods of evaluation and to report on the measures taken in that regard in the context of his tenth progress report;

Recognizes the efforts towards the creation of guidelines for donor and implementing partner agreements, and requests the Secretary-General to continue to ensure that those guidelines include standard template agreements with implementing partners that contain an anti-corruption and anti-fraud clause;

Notes with appreciation the progress made on conduct and disciplinary issues, including the revision of the policy addressing discrimination, harassment, including sexual harassment, and abuse of authority, and requests the Secretary-General to continue to undertake a cultural change in order to ensure a workplace where discrimination, harassment, including sexual harassment, and abuse of authority are not tolerated, perpetrators are held accountable and staff feel safe to report misconduct;

Recalls paragraph 16 of its resolution 72/303, and requests the Secretary-General to continue to take concrete measures to enhance in-house capacity for evaluation and self-evaluation, including through the Evaluation Section in the Business Transformation and Accountability Division;

Notes with appreciation the measures taken by the Secretary-General to ensure appropriate ethical standards and integrity in the Organization, and requests him to make efforts aimed at improving the culture of accountability in the Secretariat, including by continuing to encourage, inter alia, a conducive environment for the reporting of fraud and misconduct, and to continue to take appropriate and effective measures for the protection of whistle-blowers and the prevention of retaliation;

Recalls paragraphs 10 to 12 of its resolution 73/268 A of 22 December 2018, and reiterates its request to the Secretary-General to ensure full implementation of the recommendations of the Board of Auditors;

Also recalls paragraph 37 of the report of the Advisory Committee, and requests the Secretary-General to continue to provide in his next progress report details on the lessons learned and data analysis as a result of the regular reviews of reports of oversight bodies, and on the latest implementation status of the recommendations contained therein;

Requests the Secretary-General to submit a report on progress made in the implementation of the accountability system of the Secretariat, including on the system of delegation of authority, for its consideration at the first part of its resumed seventy-fifth session;

II.Report of the Joint Inspection Unit on the review of audit and oversight committees in the United Nations system

Having considered the note by the Secretary-General drawing attention to the report of the Joint Inspection Unit as well as the comments of the Secretary-General and of the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination thereon,

Notes with appreciation the review of audit and oversight committees in the United Nations system conducted by the Joint Inspection Unit;

Requests the Secretary-General to take action on the relevant recommendations, as appropriate, and to provide an update thereon to the General Assembly.

13 April 2020

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