Global Values in International Organisations 421That international civil servant is more likely to make a decision that is
intuitive—“it is right because I think it is right”—or to make a decision
that is directly influenced by his or her immediate peers. How much
stronger would our institutions be if reliance upon a core set of ethical
virtues was second nature to each international civil servant? In times of
crisis, the actor may not recall detailed rules and regulations. He or she
will recall cardinal and seminal virtues and then reason forward by ap-
plying those virtues to the crisis at hand.
32.5 An Historical Divergence
To fully understand the premise that the political nature of the Unit-
ed Nations has hampered its willingness to adopt a globally applicable
set of virtues and values, we will take a brief historical tour.
32.5.1 Political Origins of the UN Ethics Office
The UN Ethics Office was created in late 2005, in the immediate af-
termath of the Oil for Food scandal. The General Assembly, meeting as
the 2005 World Summit on Management Reform, adopted its Outcomes
on 24 October 2005, rededicating the Member States to the fundamental
principles enshrined in the Charter.^327 The General Assembly—which is
itself the representative body of all of the Member States and serves as
the ultimate governing authority for the UN—called upon the Secretary-
General to create an ethics office, with independent status. Two weeks
later, the Secretary-General proposed a robust initial budget, along with
staffing tables, proposed mandate, and roles for this new entity. The
Secretary-General declared that the objectives of this new office would
include achievement of the highest standards of integrity by:
a. Fostering a culture of ethics, transparency and accountability;327
See A/RES/60/1, 2005 World Summit Outcome, paragraph 161.