UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 27 (Xinhuanet) -- UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan pledged to take concrete steps to perform thorough reform on UN management structures, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Thursday.

    In a statement issued by the spokesman, Annan said he had noted that a vast network of kickbacks and surcharges has been exposed in the fifth and final report of the Independent Inquiry Committee (IIC) into the Oil-for-Food Programme.

    He hoped that national authorities will take steps to prevent the recurrence of such practices in the future, and that they will take action, where appropriate, against companies falling within their jurisdiction.

    "Most importantly, the Secretary-General believes that thorough reform of the management structures and practices of the United Nations, especially those that relate to oversight, transparency and accountability, is vital," said the spokesman.

    Dujarric stressed that the Secretary-General has already instituted extensive reforms, including broader and more rigorous financial disclosure requirements, a stronger policy to protect whistleblowers, and a review of all oversight and audit arrangements.

    "He intends to pursue these and other reforms with even greater vigor in the weeks and months ahead, and looks to member states for their support," the spokesman added.

    More than 2,200 companies were involved in illicit payments to Saddam Hussein's government in the UN oil-for-food program, an investigative report issued by the IIC said Thursday. Enditem