(Thousands of United States dollars. Budget year is 1 July to 30 June.

The administrative capacity of the Department will be strengthened through the creation of an Executive Office.

The OWAFD has the administrative status of a department, whereas the ONCWA was only a bureau under the Office of the Permanent Secretary.

The establishment of several new units is proposed in the Office of the Director of Administration.

In general, management had accepted those recommendations and OIOS would continue to monitor their implementation.

Comment by the Administration. The Office of Human Resources Management continues to monitor strict adherence to the administrative instructions mentioned.

Prodi's Commission decided to send Commissioners into the field their offices were no longer next to the President's office, but located in the department for which each was responsible.

Comment of the Administration. The Office of the Prosecutor and the Language Services Section are meeting for this purpose at two weekly intervals.

The Board notes that the Administration has failed to notify the United Nations Office at Nairobi of matters concerning property movements.

The Department was able to consolidate three sections of its Office of Mission Support and vacate Nigeria House.

In order to underline the importance of this project, in October 2004 the office of the public administration reform coordinator was moved to the office of the Prime Minister, who is in charge of the overall reform process.

OIOS was assured that these issues were being addressed by the implementation of the Management Systems Renewal Project (MSRP).

Comment by the Administration. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs continues to identify and investigate inactive project balances with a view to transferring them to active projects.

Comment by the Administration. The Brazil office moved its human resources data into Atlas as from January 2005.

Comment by the Administration. In addition to appointments of limited duration, UNOPS also administers UNFPA special service agreements.

Thereafter, the Governing Council Bureau will meet every morning before meetings start (time and venue to be identified).

The latter recognized the role of the Women's Bureau as the implementing office for the National Women's Council.

Comment by the Administration. Treasury operations at the United Nations Office at Geneva have been further reviewed to identify areas for improvement.

For example, Office of Management and Budget Director Mitch Daniels put the number at 60 billion.

Three posts have already been redeployed from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to Administration, Vienna, for the 2004 2005 biennium.

The Division for Management of the United Nations Office at Vienna is responsible for the implementation of the work programme under this section.

Comment by the Administration. The United Nations Office at Vienna and the International Atomic Energy Agency signed an agreement on 10 December 2004.

Comment by the Administration. The Office of Internal Oversight Services is of the view that more training can only be undertaken if additional funds are made available.

Comment by the Administration. An independent company commissioned by the Office of Audit and Performance Review has been reviewing controls and risks following the implementation of Atlas.

Comment by the Administration. UNICEF has advised the Office of Legal Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat of the observation made by the Board regarding the delegation of authority to the Executive Director.

The Department's strategic planning through systematic evaluation has been reinforced through cooperation with the Office of Internal Oversight Services.

The ethics office, like the Office of the Ombudsman, the Administrative Tribunal, the Board of Auditors and secretariat of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions, would be under the budget section on programme budget, Overall policymaking, direction and coordination.

2. Also takes note of the report of the Office of Internal Oversight Services on the inspection of programme management and administrative practices of the International Trade Centre UNCTAD WTO,See A 59 229. and requests the Secretary General to ensure that the recommendations contained therein are implemented expeditiously

The project coordinator will assist the Director of the UNOG Division of Administration to manage implementation of all security projects in Geneva.

Comment by the Administration. UNOPS has implemented internal control procedures to ensure that project budgets are approved in Atlas before the funds can be used.

In addition, three posts had already been redeployed from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to Administration, Vienna, following the integration of information technology and human resource functions into the Division of Management at the United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV).

Mr. Mutiso (Chief of the Finance Management and Support Service of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations) said that the matter was currently being dealt with by the Office of Legal Affairs.

In paragraph 663, the Administration agreed with the Board's recommendation that the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs develop procedures for the quick deployment of recruited candidates in emergencies.

The Office of Legal Affairs maintains that the decision to seek legal advice rests with the department concerned and that the formulation of general guidelines is not feasible.

Comment by the Administration. The audits of headquarter units have been postponed in 2004 and were included in the strategy and workplan of the Office of Audit and Performance Review for 2005.

OIOS greatly appreciates the cooperation extended to it by the military and civilian management and staff in the field and in New York during the review.

The report contained in A 60 291 Add.1 was a case in point and OIOS would be taking the matter up with management as a matter of urgency.

In paragraph 96, the Administration agreed with the Board's recommendation that the United Nations Office at Vienna record all obligations covering multi year contracts as deferred charges.

In paragraph 512, the Administration agreed with the Board's recommendation that it review and update the distribution of procurement authority at the United Nations Office at Geneva in a timely manner.

Both OIOS and the Joint Inspection Unit conclude that the tools and systems supporting results based management in the Organization must be improved and integrated.

The Administration had studied the results of the first plan, 1997 2001, and noted that the plan was seen as something fragmented which concerned only the Women's Bureau, not society as a whole.

Regular consultations take place between the Office of Legal Affairs and the Department and, as a result, significant progress has been made by the Department in the delivery of translations on a timely basis.

14.21 The Office of the Executive Director provides executive and support services to the Executive Director and the Deputy Executive Director, as well as to the senior management of UNEP.

Comment by the Administration. The Office of Audit and Performance Review is discussing with the developer upgrading of the comprehensive audit recommendation database system to extend it to country offices and project staff.

Comment by the Administration. UNITAR has consulted the United Nations Office at Geneva on this matter, but the drafting and signing of the agreement is pending.