UN proposes $97 million overhaul of security system

The United Nations proposed on Monday a major $97 million overhaul of its security system with 778 new posts, a response to devastating safety reports after the 2003 bombing of its offices in Iraq.
In a report to the General Assembly, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said the world body needed a new directorate of security, based in New York, to unify its myriad safety structures around the world.
"A degree of risk cannot be avoided," he said. "The challenge is to mitigate it."
The report did not give figures but UN sources said Annan, and his deputy, Louise Frechette, wanted to add 778 positions, including 33 in places where there are no security staff. Some 99 posts would be in New York.
The cost of the new jobs as well as needed equipment would be $97 million. The current number of security staff was not immediately available. Such staff is decentralised among agencies, programs and various UN offices.
A year ago, a panel headed by former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari, accused the United Nations of a catalogue of security breaches that it said probably cost lives in the August 19 bombing of UN headquarters in Baghdad.
That report blamed security officials and top management in New York and in Iraq for lapses before the August 19, 2003 attack in Baghdad that killed 22 people and injured 150. It called the security arrangements "dysfunctional" and "sloppy."
One problem was that no one was in overall charge. The report proposed a new unit at UN headquarters, headed by an undersecretary-general and including a "threat and risk analysis" section.
This directorate would have responsibility for security for 100,000 UN staff and 300,000 dependents world-wide, including those from specialised relief agencies, at more than 150 duty stations. A considerable number of these are considered high risk, the report said.
In each country, one security officer would be in charge. In countries, with peacekeeping missions, security would have to be co-ordinated with commanders and the New York peacekeeping department the report said. In case of a dispute, Annan would intervene.
The report is being transmitted to General Assembly budget and management committees, which must rule on the proposals and will probably trim some of the costs, diplomats said.