CL 123/INF/10

Council

Table of Contents

Comments of the Director-General of FAO on JIU Report 2000/9

Strengthening the Investigations Function in United Nations System Organizations

The attached Report of the Joint Inspection Unit is preceded by the Comments of the Director-General. The comments of the Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB) (formally ACC - Administrative Committee on Coordination) on the report will be brought to the attention of the Governing Bodies as soon as they are available.

Comments of the Director-General of FAO
on JIU Report 2000/9:

STRENGTHENING THE INVESTIGATIONS FUNCTION IN 
UNITED NATIONS SYSTEM ORGANIZATIONS

General

The report rightly emphasises that the investigative function is relatively new within the United Nations system. While giving prominence to the experience gained by the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services, it does recognise the fact that direct organization-by-organization comparisons would not be particularly meaningful at this stage of development. On the whole, the report is informative and generally supportive of the recent initiatives being taken within the UN system.

Comments on Recommendations

The recommendations constitute a logical continuum for the further development of the investigative function within the UN system and in principle, can be adapted to the particular circumstances prevailing in FAO. The emphasis put on development of common standards and procedures, training for managers, assessing investigative capabilities within organizations, and the concept of preventive measures - lessons learned, are all in the spirit of "best practices" which are endorsed by FAO. The pertinent Bodies will be kept informed of developments, as necessary.

Considerable coverage and support is given to the recently organized Conference of Investigators of United Nations Organizations and Multilateral Financial Institutions. FAO is an active participant and will be pursuing pertinent initiatives. This should go a long way towards furthering the development of the investigative function in the United Nations system in general and FAO in particular, in the years to come.