United Nations reform

The Turin agenda: A stronger UN for a better world

© United Nations

NEW YORK, 6 September 2007 – The Secretary-General convened a retreat of his top managers in Turin on 31 August-2 September. The objective was to allow the team, comprising some 50 people from nine duty stations, to get to know one another better, exchange ideas, reflect on experiences to date and discuss the challenges ahead. 

Four main themes were discussed: “Shaping the UN to meet Global Challenges”, which took the form of a general analysis and discussion of current reforms; “Communicating with One Voice”, covering both internal and external communications; “Managing for Results”, which included a focus on risk management; and “New Horizons”, an exchange on areas the Organization can leverage for greater impact internally and externally, as well as opportunities for private-public partnerships and learning.

The discussion emanated in a core message – “A Stronger UN for a Better World” – and laid the groundwork for a set of future directions, which have been circulated to all retreat participants as follows.

“We must:

• Continuously revitalize and revamp the UN system to contribute more effectively to a safer, more prosperous and just world.
• Be animated by a sense of passion and compassion in achieving our goals, promote proactive and decisive interventions where necessary.
• Mobilize global political will for achieving internationally agreed development goals including the MDGs, with priority on Africa, and advance progress in climate change negotiations.
• Strengthen a capacity for preventive diplomacy, and instill a more integrated UN family approach in responding to conflict and in supporting sustainable peace processes.
• Mainstream a communication strategy to the outside world based on positive results; and communicate better with our staff, system-wide, so as to promote a strong sense of common purpose, pride and belonging.
• Work with all stakeholders to obtain strategic, policy and financial support for management reform.
• Simplify and streamline our rules, policies and processes.
• Ensure the highest standards of ethics, integrity and accountability throughout the UN system, and align our policies, processes and practices with the best from both private and public sector.
• Build a more professional, mobile, multi-skilled workforce with streamlined and harmonized conditions of service and an improved framework for human resources management.
• Implement this agenda with effective follow-up mechanisms.”