UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said on Wednesday he will not resign even if he was accused of management lapses in oil-for-food program.

"I don't anticipate anyone to resign. We are carrying on with our work," Annan told reporters following the presentation of an investigative report to the Security Council by former US Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker, the leader of the UN Independent Inquiry Committee (IIC).

Annan noted that as the UN Chief Administrative Officer he did take responsibility for the weaknesses in the administration.

"I have accepted responsibility for those aspects of the program and the administration under my authority," he said. "But certain responsibility centers and decisions centers were so dispersed."

"As an institution, we did fail and we have lessons to learn," he admitted. "We need to take steps to strengthen our management, our decision-making processes, our oversight."

"We need to ensure that the lessons are learned and we move ahead and strengthen the Organization to be able to play the role that is so essential to it to play," he stressed.

The latest comprehensive report issued by the IIC on Wednesday concluded that Annan should take responsibility for serious management lapse. However, it also said the UN chief was not engaged in any conflicts of interest in the oil-for-food program.

Source: Xinhua