Ban Ki-moonAfter receiving the United Nations report on the world body’s actions during the final months of the 2009 war in Sri Lanka and its aftermath, UN Chief Ban Ki-moon said that, as an immediate first step, he would organise a senior-level team to give “careful consideration” to the report’s recommendations and advise him on the way forward.

“Other action will follow in short order,” he said.

Mr. Ban, in a statement, voiced his resolve for the world body to learn from its findings in order to better serve humanity, especially people caught in conflict.
“This finding has profound implications for our work across the world, and I am determined that the United Nations draws the appropriate lessons and does its utmost to earn the confidence of the world’s people, especially those caught in conflict who look to the Organization for help,” he added.

The report was produced by an Internal Review Panel, in the wake of recommendation made by another body, the Secretary-General’s Panel of Experts, which he established in 2010 to advise him on measures to advance accountability following the war’s conclusion.

The Panel of Experts’ report raised a number of issues, including those regarding the UN response to the situation facing civilians in the north of Sri Lanka in the last months of the war. It recommended “a comprehensive review of action by the United Nations system during the war in Sri Lanka and the aftermath, regarding the implementation of its humanitarian and protection mandates” – which, in turn, led to the internal UN review.

While the Panel’s report also recognizes initiatives taken by the United Nations in the wake of the war to prevent a similar breakdown, the top UN official said he was “fully committed to ensuring that we do much more.”

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