ABSTRACT
The United Nations (UN) belongs to its members—with all the benefits, problems, responsibilities of ownership.” States have always played an essential role in reform. For example, the Group of Eighteen High-Level Intergovernmental Experts was established in 1985 by the General Assembly under Japanese impetus. In 1988 Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden launched a three-year effort leading to proposals for UN reform. Focusing on problems of coordination and financing, the Nordic UN Project resulted in specific proposals for structural change. From within the UN Secretariat there has also been a concerted effort toward reforming the system, most notably from former Secretary-General Boutros-Ghali and Secretary-General Annan. In 1997, in the document “Renewing the United Nations: A Program for Reform,” Secretary-General Kofi Annan unveiled his plans for sweeping UN reforms, many of which were taken immediately under his leadership and others of which require action by the General Assembly.
