IMF Archives: Finding Aids
Office of the Managing Director Records
Fund Office United Nations
Date(s): 1947-1989 |
Context
Name of Creator: Fund Office United Nations
Administrative/Biographical history: In 1947, an agreement which outlined the principles of cooperation and consultation between the International Monetary Fund and the United Nations was signed. Among its stipulations, the IMF would function as an independent international organization because of the nature of its responsibilities; an environment would be created for the cooperation and exchange of views and information on matters relevant to both organizations; and, both organizations would reciprocate attendance and participations at certain meetings.
Gordon Williams, in his capacity as the Assistant to the Secretary in charge of liaison, served as the first regular point of contact between the IMF and United Nations. However, once the volume and technical variety of the mutual IMF-United Nations interest broadened and the various departments of the IMF became more involved, it was decided that in order to organize these departmental contacts and to share in the actual representation at the UN meetings, one officer in each IMF department would be given the primary responsibility for following United Nations and other international organization matters of interest to the particular department. The Assistant to the Secretary in charge of liaison worked with and through these officers in his work with the United Nations. The post of supervision of liaison with other international agencies was therefore transferred from the Office of the Secretary to the Office of the Managing Director (OMD).
In 1950 an Office of Public Relations was established and absorbed the functions which have previously been assigned to the Assistant to the Managing Director for Public Relations. The position of Special Representative to the United Nations was created in this office. Later, in 1987, the Special Representative to the United Nations was transferred to the Immediate Office of the External Relations Department (EXR) from OMD as part of the policy to centralize the IMF's relations with nongovernmental entities within a single department. The office was later transferred to the Policy Development & Review Department (PDR) in 1991. In August 1999, the Fund Office United Nations was redesignated as an independent office reporting directly to the Managing Director. At this time, the Special Representative to the United Nations, also became responsible for overseeing the IMF's Office in Geneva.
Liaison with the UN system is provided mainly by the IMF offices in New York and Geneva. The latter follows and reports on the activities of other Geneva-based UN bodies, including the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Economic Commission for Europe (ECE), Center for Human Rights, World Health Organization (WHO), and the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), in addition to its work related to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO).
For the most part, the functions of the Fund Office United Nations has remained the same since its inception. The Office is mandated to foster communication and cooperation between the IMF and the United Nations; to make the views of the IMF known by providing input for the deliberations at the UN on issues pertinent to the IMF; and, to keep the IMF informed of major developments within the UN system. The Office performs its mandate by preparing reports to the Executive Board on the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), and other UN conferences focusing on matters of interest to the IMF and by participating in and contributing to the preparatory processes for these events. It also coordinates, within the IMF, the requests for contributions to UN activities and for attendance by IMF staff at UN meetings; and, prepares for the IMF the special high-level meetings of ECOSOC to which the Chairman of the IMFC and the Managing Director are invited.
The IMF's Special Representatives to the United Nations were: Gordon P. Williams (March 1950-1973); Jan-Maarten Zegers (1973-1987); Rattan J. Bhatia (1987-1995); Justin B. Zulu (1995-1999); and, Reinhard H. Munzberg (1999-2007). At present, Barry Potter, who was appointed in April 2007, is the Special Representative to the United Nations.
Content and structure
Scope and content: Sous-fonds consists of the records maintained by the Special Representative to the United Nations and comprise two series: UNO Chronological Files and Subject Files.
Conditions of Access and Use
Language/script of material: English, French
Associated Materials
Related units of description: See also OMD Ivar Rooth Administrative Files Series (Box 9 File 125) and Jacobsson Files Box 15 File 322 for additional records of the Special Representative to the United Nations.
Under the Policy on Access to the IMF's Archives only archival materials that are 20 years old or older are open to researchers.
For re-use of digital archival documents where available, it is the responsibility of the individual to obtain permission from the copyright owner.