New Blood, Old Woes at the U.N.

Kofi Annan, the new U.N. secretary-general, must figure out how to recruit peacekeeping troops from countries turned off by the Somalia debacle and skeptical of U.N. effectiveness. The Ghanaian economist must also accomplish fiscal reform if the United Nations wishes to retain the confidence and financial support of the United States.

Annan, the former head of U.N. peacekeeping operations, presided last year in Sarajevo as the United Nations handed over its peacekeeping mission to NATO. He understands the difficulty of recruiting troops and knows the risks that soldiers face as they confront ethnic factions and undisciplined local armies.

The first secretary-general from sub-Saharan Africa, he is expected to address conflicts on that continent and build on the outreach of the departing Boutros Boutros-Ghali, a North African. Annan has expressed concern and frustration over the conflict in Rwanda, but a peacekeeping mission can be approved only by the Security Council.

Annan was the choice of the United States, which vetoed the reappointment of Boutros-Ghali. Though Boutros-Ghali constantly preached cost cutting, Congress had lost confidence in his ability to deliver significant reform. The Egyptian diplomat was internationally respected and considered brilliant but was seen as exceedingly aloof.

The United States is demanding restructuring of the U.N. bureaucracy, reduction of the large employee force and the elimination of costly practices and traditions. But now that Washington has prevailed in the selection of a secretary-general, Congress should make a substantial down payment on the $1.4 billion in accumulated dues owed by this country.

An expert in U.N. finances who has worked for the organization most of the years since 1962, Annan is the first careerist in the top post. He will need strong international support, both to accomplish cost-cutting goals and to chart the new missions of the world body over his five-year term.