The Origins and Institutionalization of the Joint Inspection Unit

The origins

In the early 1960s, the United Nations was confronted with a serious financial crisis, which precipitated the proposal for an independent administrative and financial oversight body. In 1965, the General Assembly, through the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary matters), discussed the establishment, on an experimental basis, of a small inspection unit consisting of a limited number of specialists highly qualified in financial and administrative matters. This led to the adoption of resolution 2049 (XX), by which an Ad Hoc Committee of Experts was assigned to examine the financial situation of the UN and of the specialized agencies across the system.

This experiment was approved for an initial period of four years. The main characteristics of the JIU, as we know it today, were established in this agreement. The Unit was envisioned and designed to be administratively attached to the Secretary-General, in his/her capacity as chief administrative officer of the United Nations Secretariat and as Chairman of the Administrative Committee on Coordination (predecessor of the Chief Executives Board for Coordination). Funding for the operations of the JIU was established through a cost-sharing scheme between the participating organizations.

Operating on a Temporary Basis

At the time, external oversight of financial management in the UN system was limited. The Ad Hoc Committee of Experts advocated to strengthen external controls and to establish, in agreement with the various organizations of the UN system, a temporary joint inspection unit to conduct on-the-spot inquiries and investigations.

Following a report published by the Ad Hoc Committee of Experts, the Joint Inspection Unit was established one year later by the General Assembly during its 21st session under Resolution 2150 (XXI) on 4 November 1966 as an external control body. The Assembly determined that the Unit should become operational by 1 January 1968 at the latest, on an experimental basis and for an initial period of four years. From 1966 to 1978, the Unit initially operated as a temporary body.

The Unit consisted of eight Inspectors, who were chosen for their expertise in national or international administrative and financial matters. The JIU was thus established as the only external, independent oversight body of the United Nations system, mandated by the General Assembly to provide an independent perspective through inspection and evaluation aimed at improving management and methods and at achieving greater coordination among organizations.

From Experiment to Permanent Institution

In the subsequent years following its temporary establishment, the General Assembly reaffirmed the JIU’s mandate and extended its operations several times under various resolutions. Resolution 2360 (XXII) of 1967 strengthened coordination procedures and established a more cooperative relationship between the JIU and the Panel of External Auditors, which helped to avoid overlap and increase efficiency. The JIU also received the authority to review the work of all the organizations in the UN family and the allocation of the voluntary funds entrusted to them. The resolution recognized the independence of the JIU in its operations, responsibilities and functions.

In 1970 and 1972, Resolutions 2735 A (XXV) and 2924 (XXVII) reviewed the JIU’s mandate and extended its term for an additional period of four years. The Assembly proposed that the JIU should streamline its activities in the interests of greater efficiency and intensify its consultations with other oversight bodies to minimize redundancy.

The Institutionalization

The Unit’s Statute, which changed the status of the JIU from a temporary body to a permanent body, was adopted by the General Assembly in 1976 and came into effect in 1978. Resolution 31/192 established the JIU as the only permanent independent external oversight body empowered with a system-wide mandate. The Unit became a standing subsidiary organ of the General Assembly and other legislative bodies of UN organizations that accepted its statute.
The Statute defines the mode of operation, conditions of service and the administrative, budgetary and financial arrangements of the JIU.

Independence of Inspectors

The Unit is composed of 11 Inspectors who, according to article 5 of the JIU Statute, shall have the broadest powers of investigation in all matters having a bearing on the efficiency of the services and the proper use of funds. Inspectors are not staff members of the United Nations; instead, they serve in a personal capacity as officials of the United Nations.

Inspectors are appointed by the United Nations General Assembly in accordance with a selection procedure involving Member States, the President of the General Assembly, the President of ECOSOC and the Secretary-General in his or her capacity as Chairman of the UN System Chief Executives Board for Coordination.

The inaugural group of Inspectors announced in 1968 consisted of Maurice Bertrand (France), Lucio Garcia del Solar (Argentina), Sretin Ilic (Yugoslavia), Robert M. Macy (United States), R. S. Mani (India), Joseph Adolf Sawe (United Republic of Tanzania), Sir Leonard Scopes (United Kingdom) and A. F. Sokirkin (USSR). 

In 1978, the number of Inspectors increased from 8 to 11.

Why the Establishment of the JIU Still Matters Today

Sixty years after its establishment, the Joint Inspection Unit remains a cornerstone of accountability and system-wide learning within the United Nations system. The principles that guided its creation—independence, objectivity, and a focus on efficiency and effective use of resources—remain relevant today.

In addition to its system-wide mandate, the JIU’s financing model represents another innovative approach. In accordance with article 20 of the Unit’s Statute, its budget is included in the regular budget of the UN and the expenditures of the Unit shall be shared by the participating organizations under a cost-sharing 
agreement.

The JIU has come a long way since its founding and is now an integral component of the United Nations system. While we reflect on six decades of progress, we remain focused on the future and on continuing to add value through independent, evidence-based oversight. - Inspector Conrod HUNTE, Chair of the JIU for the year 2026 

Visit the JIU 60th Anniversary Webpage to learn more about our work and milestones.