OVERSIGHT OFFICE SHOULD ESTABLISH PROCEDURES TO PREVENT RECURRENCE OF ADMINISTRATIVE DEFICIENCIES, FIFTH COMMITTEE TOLD

7 November 1995

Press Release
GA/AB/3038

OVERSIGHT OFFICE SHOULD ESTABLISH PROCEDURES TO PREVENT RECURRENCE OF ADMINISTRATIVE DEFICIENCIES, FIFTH COMMITTEE TOLD

19951107 Committee Completes First Reading of Budget Sections on Administration, Jointly Financed Administrative Activities, Special Expenses and Oversight

The Office of Internal Oversight Services should establish procedures to prevent the recurrence of administrative deficiencies in the United Nations system, the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) was told this morning as it reviewed that Office's proposed budget for 1996-1997.

In making that statement, the representative of Spain, speaking for the European Union, said that proposals to increase the Office's human resources were appropriate.

Internal oversight functions, which had long been neglected, should be expanded, the United States said, adding that oversight would help streamline the Organization. The Office would assure Member States that the resources they gave the United Nations were used judiciously, said Norway. "Those who do not watch themselves, die", said Cameroon, underlining the importance of the Office.

However, Cuba argued that the Office's functions could not be seen as equivalent to those meant to fulfil the purposes of the Charter or to implement Assembly resolutions. The increase of 23.5 per cent proposed in the Office's resources was extraordinary, compared to what was being proposed for some important programmes.

The Office was not a United Nations priority area, China said, adding that its work should be to strengthen internal control to ensure the delivery of priority programmes. The Office had to ensure the economical use of resources. "It should start with itself and use resources in an optimal manner."

In addition to the budget section on the Office, the Committee concluded the first reading of sections 26, on administration and management; 27, on jointly financed administrative activities and 28, on special expenses. The Office of Internal Oversight Services falls under section 29.

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The total amount proposed by the Secretary-General for those sections, after adjusting for such factors as inflation and exchange rate fluctuations, are $952.7 million for administration and management; $27.5 million for jointly financed administrative activities; $40.9 million for special expenses; and $15.8 million for the internal oversight office. The Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) reduces the proposals for administration and management to $943.4 million and for the Office to $15.7 million.

During today's discussions on administration and management, which began yesterday, a former Chairman of the Fifth Committee, Adrien Teirlinck (Belgium), joined delegations in emphasizing the need to strengthen the Fifth Committee secretariat.

Statements on three budget sections were also made by Algeria, Uganda, Brazil, Portugal, Canada, Russian Federation, Japan, Congo, Iran, Egypt and Ukraine. No one spoke on section 28, on special expenses.

The Chairman of the ACABQ, C.S.M. Mselle, presented his Committee's views on the budget sections. United Nations Controller, Yukio Takasu, responded to Member States' comments.

The Committee will meet again at 3 p.m. today to continue its section- by-section reading of the proposed budget for 1996 and 1997. It is scheduled to consider sections 30 to 33.

Committee Work Programme

The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) met this morning to continue its first reading of the proposed budget for 1996 and 1997, involving its section-by-section review.

The budget's first reading is meant to help the Committee identify difficult points that would eventually be resolved in informal consultations. At the end of the first reading and first round of informal consultations, the Committee would put together amounts approved for each section and those approved in respect of revised estimates and programme budget implications. Each section's total appropriation would be approved in the second reading. The entire exercise is expected to produce a package, which would form the programme budget for 1996-1997.

For its first reading of the proposed budget, the Committee had before it the Secretary-General's proposals (document A/50/6/Rev.1 Vols. I and II) and the views of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) (document A/50/7) and the Committee for Programme and Coordination (CPC) (document A/50/16). The Secretary-General proposes a budget of $2.51 billion (in 1994-1995 dollars), before adjustments for inflation and exchange rate fluctuations. The ACABQ's recommendations are largely in 1996-1997 figures, adjusted for those factors. (For background on the proposed budget, see Press Release GA/AB/3017 of 4 October.)

The sections to be reviewed today are sections 27, on jointly financed administrative activities; 28, on special expenses; and 29, on the Office of Internal Oversight Services. Others are sections 30, on technological innovations; 31, on construction and major maintenance; 32, on staff assessment; and 33, on the Seabed Authority.

Section 27. Jointly financed administrative activities: The section funds the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), the Joint Inspection Unit (JIU), and the United Nations share of the costs of inter-agency-financed secretariats of subsidiary bodies of the Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC) -- the Consultative Committee on Administrative Questions, the Information Systems Coordination Committee and the Consultative Committee on Programme and Operational Questions. It pays for the United Nations use of the Geneva International Computing Centre.

For the section, the Secretary-General proposes a pre-adjusted budget of $26 million, reflecting a $1.2-million cut. The proposed budget covers, among other items, the ICSC ($10.4 million); the JIU ($8.5 million) and for using the International Computing Centre ($6.1 million). The cuts come partly from downgrading some positions, rationalizing the ICSC meetings, abolishing a General Service post and savings from technological innovations.

The ACABQ approves the appropriation proposed.

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Section 28. Special expenses: Before adjustments, the Secretary- General proposes $35.3 million, reflecting a $2.5-million hike, for a section that covers after-service health insurance, compensatory payments, general insurance charges, bank charges and inter-organizational security measures. The major part of the rise is related to an anticipated increase in membership in the after-service health insurance programme in 1996-1997.

The ACABQ approves the appropriation proposed.

Section 29. Office of Internal Oversight Services: Before adjusting for inflation, the Secretary-General proposes $14.9 million, an increase of $2.8 million, for the Office, established in September 1994, to help him fulfil his internal oversight responsibilities in monitoring, internal audit, inspection, evaluation and investigations. The 1996-1997 proposals include a provision for 14 new posts -- one at Principal Officer level (D-1), four at Senior Officer level (P-5) and at First Officer level (P-4), two at Second Officer level (P-3) and three General Service posts, offset by redeploying to the Office of Human Resources Management one P-5 and two General Service posts. Increased resources are also proposed for consultants ($129,000), travel ($200,000) and equipment ($180,000).

The ACABQ states that the sum proposed for consultants is high, particularly since there was in-house expertise. It recommends $15.7 million after recosting, down from the $15.8 million proposed at 1996-1997 rates.

Section 30. Technological innovations: Before adjustments, the Secretary-General proposes a budget of $20.7 million, with a $4.7-million cut, for the section that covers the Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) and the optical disk storage and retrieval system. The IMIS, meant to promote the electronic integration of offices doing administrative tasks, is due to be completed in the 1996-1997 biennium. The optical disk system allows electronic archiving and distribution of all United Nations documents.

The ACABQ approves the section's proposed estimates.

Section 31. Construction and major maintenance: Before adjusting for such factors as inflation and currency rate fluctuations, the Secretary- General proposes $42.5 million, with a reduction of $15.9 million or 27.2 per cent compared with the 1994-1995 revised appropriations. The cut is mainly due to the anticipated completion of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) conference facilities in Addis Ababa. The total is for alteration and improvement ($23.3 million) and major maintenance ($19.2 million).

The ACABQ recommends the deletion of $2.6 million, before adjustments, sought for the proposed installation of earth telecommunications stations at the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) and the United Nations Office

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at Nairobi pending the Secretary-General's submission of a report on telecommunications. It also recommends that plans for $1.5 million (before adjustment) for a comprehensive study and development of a master plan for United Nations facilities in New York and the start-up of a 12-year phased priority renovation programme be slashed to $600,000 at 1996-1997 rates. Overall, it recommends $42.8 million at 1996-1997 rates, down from the Secretary-General's request for $46.4 million at those rates.

Section 32. Staff assessment: The Secretary-General estimates a pre- adjusted $353.9 million, after cutting $3.9 million due to post changes proposed in the budget, for staff assessment.

The ACABQ states that its recommended staffing changes would lead to a $1.1-million drop from the Secretary-General's adjusted estimates of $368.6 million to $367.5 million.

Section 33. International Seabed Authority: The Secretary-General proposes to maintain the $776,000 the Assembly had appropriated for the Authority in 1994-1995; the ACABQ concurs.

Statement by ACABQ Chairman

C.S.M. MSELLE, Chairman of the ACABQ, introduced his Committee's comments on the remaining spending sections of the proposed budget -- sections 29 to 33. On the Office for Internal Oversight Services (OIOS), resources of $14.9 million had been proposed, an increase of $2.8 million, which signified a growth rate of 23.5 per cent. Most of that increase was tied to proposals to create 14 additional posts, of which the ACABQ had approved 12.

Regarding technological innovations, the ACABQ had recommended about $12 million for the IMIS project and $7.6 million for maintaining it, he said. It was expected that during the transitional period some posts that would become redundant because of the introduction of IMIS would be gradually redeployed to the maintenance structure. Requirements for the optical disk storage and retrieval system of some $2.2 million before adjustments, reflected a cut of $3.2 million, or 59.5 per cent, compared with the revised 1994-1995 appropriations. The ACABQ approved budget estimates for the optical disk system of $2.3 million for 1996-1997.

On constructions and maintenance, he said that the ACABQ had requested the Secretary-General to ensure that there was a reasonable balance in the implementation of projects approved for various United Nations duty stations.

Statements on Administration and Management

Speaking on section 26 -- administration and management -- LARBI DJACTA (Algeria) asked for a clear reply from the Secretariat on the number of

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professionals in the secretariat of the Fifth Committee as compared with that of the Second Committee (Economic and Financial). The matter should be addressed urgently.

ANA RODRIGUEZ (Cuba) said a majority of delegations that had spoken yesterday had stressed the need to reinforce the secretariat of the Committee. Its staff shortage should be solved this session. She asked for more information on the impact of the abolition of 19 posts in conference services. The Secretariat had stated that a report on the matter had been submitted to a meeting of the Committee. Since she had been absent then, the Secretariat should present a summary record of that meeting to the Committee's informal consultations.

ADRIEN TEIRLINCK (Belgium), expressing support for the statements by Algeria and Cuba, said as a former Chairman of the Committee, he had seen the very intense and delicate work done by the Committee secretariat in the service of all delegations. The proper functioning of the Committee would depend to a large extent on the competence and diligence of the Committee staff. Its composition was very fragile but effective due to the unconditional dedication of its staff. Without the Committee Secretary the work of the Committee would have been jeopardized, in one instance. He had subsequently requested that more staff be provided to strengthen the secretariat on the basis of a proposal from the CPC. That view had also been endorsed by the General Assembly. Former Chairmen and others, too, had agreed that more staff were required for the office. His efforts had been in vain. Some additional staff that had been deployed to the Committee secretariat had been withdrawn. It was clear that the Fifth Committee must take a firm decision without delay. Only a lasting solution would ensure its proper functioning, something that was in the interest of all Members.

JEAN KOE NTONGA (Cameroon) expressed support for earlier statements. The Fifth Committee deserved to be strengthened in financial, technical and human terms. That was necessary with regard to the CPC, whose work was also important. The ACABQ, too, might need some strengthening.

NESTER ODAGA-JALOMAYO (Uganda) said he would raise issues relating to the section in informal consultations. Decision on the establishment of five more posts for the internal justice system of the United Nations should be made after the Secretary-General's reform proposals had been examined. He agreed with the ACABQ that consideration of those posts be deferred pending the revision by the Secretary-General of his proposal on the reform.

The Fifth Committee should be strengthened through redeployment, for instance, which should not be at the expense of priority areas. The conversion of seven posts to the regular budget from the support account for peace-keeping operations could not be supported.

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JOSE ANTONIO MARCONDES DE CARVALHO (Brazil), joining previous speakers on the need to strengthen the Fifth Committee secretariat, said he would welcome comments from the Secretariat on how it would respond to the ACABQ views on the matter. Mr. Teirlinck had adequately explained the situation that was of concern to Brazil.

REGINA EMERSON (Portugal), speaking as a former member of the Committee's bureau, said when staff members were redeployed to reinforce the Committee, they should have the adequate profile for the functions they would undertake.

YUKIO TAKASU, United Nations Controller, said the Secretariat was aware of the importance of proper service to the Committee. An administrative decision had been taken to assign three officers temporarily from the Department of Administration and Management to reinforce the Committee when items went to informal consultations. That was the decision for the moment. He would see if that would suffice.

On conference services, he went on, the Secretariat had proposed to abolish 19 posts in the past. Three years ago, the Secretary-General had provided explanations for that action. The Secretary-General had submitted two reports to explain those actions, also. A permanent structure would be augmented at peak times. The General Assembly had welcomed efforts to improve conference services and had requested the Secretariat to study the negative effects, if any, of the abolition of the 19 posts. Those issues had been summarized in the current budget. The Secretariat had sought six new professional posts to help improve the quality of translation, which had declined over the years.

On the ratio of General Service to Professional posts, he said that Part One of the budget document, table 7, showed the breakdown of professional- general service posts. It showed that there were about 3,900 Professional and 6,000 General Service posts. The simple ratio was about 1.5 General Service to 1 Professional post. General Service staff carried out various activities. Two thousand of them were local and 1,156 were working in conference services. Many technical staff also fell in the General Service category. The General Services were not doing only secretarial duties. About 1,000 were engaged in that job. Since simple comparisons did not lead to the best conclusions, detailed analyses were needed.

He said some of the extrabudgetary resources were for relief assistance. Extrabudgetary resources received by the Secretariat were handled under certain rules. By one of the rules, the use of those resources should not lead to liabilities in the regular budget. Support costs should be charged. For instance, nearly 100 staff had been provided to the Department of Peace- keeping Operations without the payment of that charge. Financial rules should strictly apply.

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Mr. DJACTA (Algeria) said he was not satisfied with the Controller's response. It was contrary to the performance system and to the principle of transparency and accountability. He had asked for a comparison of the number and functions of the staff members of the secretariats of the Second and the Fifth Committees.

Ms. RODRIGUEZ (Cuba) said she was also not satisfied with the Controller's response on the solutions for strengthening the Fifth Committee's work. The solution he referred to would affect the Committee's work since the staff would be temporary. They would not be fully trained or have the necessary experience for the Committee's very technical work. She asked for more clarification on the 19 posts in conference services and whether the document on the matter had been considered by the Fifth Committee.

SAM HANSON (Canada) said the ratio of General Service staff to Professional staff was higher in Geneva, Nairobi and Vienna.

Mr. TEIRLINCK (Belgium), speaking as the Committee's former Chairman, said the arrangement for three temporary personnel to service the informal consultations of the Committee was not satisfactory. What was needed was a lasting solution, chiefly for the formal meetings but also for the informal consultations. The Committee's Secretary must also be provided with an assistant. He proposed that further discussions on the matter be continued in the informal consultations.

DULCE BUERGO (Cuba) asked for additional information on the programme for early retirement and professional performance assessment as well as external recruitment. She wanted to ensure that the issues would be addressed.

Mr. TAKASU, United Nations Controller, said he would ensure that the Committee secretariat was provided with the necessary support for the current session. Regarding the staff ratio, he said that in Nairobi and Geneva there were other categories of General Service staff, including security staff. The ratio would therefore be higher. He recalled the Secretariat responses on those issues in earlier reports. The issues raised by Cuba would be answered in the informal consultations.

Statements on Jointly Financed Administrative Activities

Speaking on section 27 -- jointly financed administrative activities -- TOMAS RAMOS (Spain), also speaking for the European Union, expressed concern at the increase in resources for the ICSC to pay consultants and experts for the studies on the cost of living. The amounts for trips of ICSC secretariat members to those study sites continued to be excessive, even though they had declined slightly. Less costly forms for doing the studies, such as contracting, should be examined.

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VLADIMIR KOUZNETSOV (Russian Federation) welcomed the reduction of costs in real terms and hoped that there would be additional savings. However, economic measures should not be to the detriment of the interests of Member States. He asked for justification for the reduction of activities of the ICSC and the International Computing Centre and whether the needs of the Member States had been taken into account.

Mr. DJACTA (Algeria) said the reduction for the ICSC was troubling. Regarding the JIU, he noted the improvement in the quality of its work in response to the Assembly's recommendations. He asked for clarification on the status of the JIU and other independent bodies in the elaboration of their budgets, and whether they were involved in the budget discussions.

SUSAN SHEAROUSE (United States) said economies could be achieved in the budget section. The JIU and ICSC secretariats could be streamlined. She asked if management audits had been carried out on those bodies.

Ms. RODRIGUEZ (Cuba) said the increased budget allocations in the JIU were for staff training and the provision of automated equipment, and not for an increase in staff. That was not reasonable in light of the body's increased workload. She would work to ensure that there was recognition of the real needs of that body.

There was a conflict in the Secretariat's proposals and those of the JIU. What guidelines were followed to reconcile the two sets of interests? What were some of the factors affecting the operations of that independent body? The people that the body inspected were the ones deciding on its budget.

HIDEKI GODA (Japan) said in spite of the importance of the decisions of the ICSC to the Organization, the Commission's resources could be used in a more cost-effective manner with the use of more advanced technology for communication between the Commission members.

DESIRE NKOUNKOU (Congo) said that the ICSC was carrying out some cost of living surveys, which were expected to be completed in the next biennium. He asked what would happen to those studies if the ICSC's proposed funds were reduced.

MORTEZA MIR MOHAMMAD (Iran) said the budget for the JIU should be considered in light of a relevant General Assembly resolution and the need to strengthen inspection.

Mr. TAKASU, United Nations Controller, said it was required that the budget of the ICSC should be established by the Secretary-General. The ICSC had proposed a cut of one General Service post, travel and other expenses. Payments for consultants were necessary because the ICSC had to monitor costs

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of living in about 200 duty stations. The cost of the pricing agents was estimated at about $550 per duty station for two years. They would supplement the ICSC work in data collection. The JIU budget, too, was to be established by the Secretary-General. The estimate was seeking modest increases. As for the Information Systems Coordination Committee, its estimates were being reduced due to its reduced activities. The number of posts had been cut and the post of Secretary downgraded from the level of Director (D-2) to Principal Officer (D-1), achieving significant savings.

Mr. DJACTA (Algeria) said that as far as he knew, the JIU budget was to be paid for by participating organizations and not by the regular budget. The JIU had been asked to report on humanitarian assistance and peace-keeping operations. It had asked for a post that had been blocked for reasons he did not know much about.

Mr. TAKASU said the Assembly-approved statute of the JIU stated that its budget shall be included in the regular budget. Expenditures would be shared by participating bodies, based on an agreed formula. It was up to the Unit to determine its programme of inspections.

Mr. DJACTA (Algeria) said that the programme had been decided at the request of the Assembly. He asked for clarification on the percentage of JIU expenses that was paid for by the regular budget and those paid for by participating organizations.

MR. TAKASU said a little less than 40 per cent had been paid for by the 1994-1995 United Nations regular budget. The Organization was one of the largest participating bodies.

Statements on Special Expenses

Speaking on section 28 -- special expenses -- the first reading was concluded without comments.

Statements on Internal Oversight

Speaking on section 29 -- Office of Internal Oversight Services -- Mr. RAMOS (Spain), speaking for the European Union, said the Union strongly supported the proposals of the Secretary-General in the budget. His proposals to assign functions of the Office to four subprogrammes seemed appropriate as each of them would be aimed at fulfilling an Assembly mandate. The proposals to increase the human resources by 11 net posts, assessed to the regular budget, were also appropriate.

He said that, with the deficiencies observed by the Board of Auditors on the work of some organizations, the Office should correct those deficiencies and ensure the implementation of recommendations. The Office should also plan

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to establish good internal practices and procedures to prevent the recurrence of cases that Member States had been learning about in the past few years.

Mr. KOUZNETSOV (Russian Federation) said that the pre-adjusted resources proposed were about $14.8 million for two years. The Office had found or tried to ensure the return of some $16.8 million in the six months of its work. The figure showed how useful the work of the Office was and also what the body still had to do. The main task of the Office was to help the Organization establish a real management culture internally. The ratio between the General Service and Professional posts should be rational. The ratio for the Office was one of the lowest in the Secretariat. The General Service workers did other work that bordered on the Professionals'. It was hard to understand why the ACABQ refused to accept two additional General Service posts in the section. The Secretary-General proposal should be strengthened and the section given the necessary General Service posts.

ALDRED DECOTIIS (United States) said effective internal oversight was a powerful tool for reducing waste and streamlining operations. The Office had accrued tangible results. Its budget deserved the increase of 11 net posts, which could be accommodated through redeployment. The internal oversight functions had long been neglected and should be expanded. Oversight would help streamline the Organization.

DAG BRISEID (Norway) welcomed the Secretary-General's proposals for the section. The increases proposed were legitimate and reasonable. There was a need to provide adequate oversight as United Nations activities and financial transactions increased. The Office would carry out functions that were crucial to the Organization. Also, Member States needed to be assured that the resources they provided were used judiciously. At a time of financial crisis, Member States had to be confident that the funds they provided were spent well; the Office would help in that regard. The internal oversight Office, the JIU and the Board of Auditors should work as a team to ensure proper management of resources.

Ms. RODRIGUEZ (Cuba) said the Office had important functions. However, she shared the views expressed during the general debate on the budget that the work of internal oversight could not be seen as equivalent to activities to fulfil the purposes and functions of the Charter or to implement Assembly resolutions. It was a tool to help carry out assignments. There had been no decision to prioritize the Office; the level of resources proposed for the Office was questionable. The increase of some 23.5 per cent was extraordinary when compared to what had been proposed for some important programmes.

The rationale behind the proposals to move some posts to the regular budget from other funding sources must be provided, she said. She asked why such movements were limited to the humanitarian and peace-keeping aspects of the work of the United Nations. The section's narrative did not take into

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account the spirit of Assembly resolution 48/218 B, which established the Office. She asked for the sources of the extrabudgetary funds for the budget section, and said that she was not convinced that the very large increase in resources for consultants was justified. She asked why the extrabudgetary resources for subprogramme 1, on evaluation, would be eliminated. Contrary to a statement made by a delegation, there had been no understanding on the need to increase the Office's staff. Such an understanding had not been reached in the negotiations on the Office.

MOHAMED FATTAH (Egypt), recalling the reasons for the creation of the Office, said its creation did not mean that a new category of bureaucrat was to be established as part of the Secretariat's structure. He supported a complete review of that Office in a forthcoming session to ensure that it was carrying out its mandated functions. There must be full coordination of the Office with the programme directors. Member States should not learn of reports from the Office from the mass media, which tended to exaggerate them.

Internal oversight was not a priority, he continued. It was a tool and just one of the Organization's activities, in spite of its importance. Although its role should not be underestimated, there were budgetary limits. At the same time, the needs of developing countries must be met, especially in Africa. He reminded the Secretariat of his previous request for a breakdown of posts in that Office.

VOLODYMYR KOSY (Ukraine) said the various audits would not only identify shortcomings in the use of resources but would also determine whether they were effectively and productively used. He supported the increase in resources for the Office's staff to help ensure that the Organization's resources were efficiently used in the next biennium.

Mr. GODA (Japan) said he supported the strengthening of the Office and the additional posts. The ACABQ's denial of the request for two General Service posts should be reconsidered. Further improvement to the quality of the Office was important, but its work should be carefully monitored and reviewed to ensure that it was properly carried out.

Mr. HANSON (Canada) supported the strengthening of the Office. It needed the financial and political support of all Member States.

JU KUILIN (China) stressed the importance of the Office and said it must be provided with adequate financial resources. However, its work was not a priority area. Its role should be to strengthen internal control and management to ensure the delivery of priority programmes. Therefore, the Office could not be equated with the Assembly's mandated priority programmes. There was a large margin of increase in the resources for the Office -- 23.5 per cent. That trend was disconcerting. The Office had to ensure an economical use of resources. "It should start with itself and use resources

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in an optimal manner." There were other oversight organizations in the United Nations and, as a result, there might be duplication. Coordination among those bodies should be improved to ensure economy.

Mr. NTONGA (Cameroon) said internal oversight was important. "Those who do not watch themselves, die." Allocations in the budget for internal oversight must be strengthened. It needed the means to enable it to carry out its work to ensure the Organization's increased efficiency.

Mr. ODAGA-JALOMAYO (Uganda) said a number of delegations which had expressed support for this section had cast aspersions on the sections of importance to developing countries. He hoped that the positive attitude would be maintained when the various sections were discussed. He supported the statements made by the representatives of Cuba, Egypt and China on the section. He had noted the generosity which characterized the discussion of this section. In spite of the importance of the Office, it was not an end in itself.

Mr. TAKASU, United Nations Controller, responding to Member States' comments, said the Secretariat had considered the mandate of the Office in determining the budget for that section. Three priority areas had been considered, including the need for resources based on the work programme. The budgetary allocation was indicated a year ago by the Secretary-General to Member States. Resources would also come from extrabudgetary resources of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), technical cooperation and the peace-keeping support account. The General Service staff in the Office carried out a range of functions, such as assisting with auditing and investigation. Most of the regular budget General Service staff members carried out substantive work. Specialized staff training was required to improve management auditing skills. There was also need to provide for consultancies in some investigative areas.

Ms. RODRIGUEZ (Cuba) said adequate resources had not been appropriated for training. Her views would be expressed during informal consultations. She asked whether some of the Office's staff had been seconded by governments. The governments and the nationalities of such staff should be identified.

Mr. TAKASU said five staff had been provided on a non-reimbursable basis as additional support. They had been provided by Germany, Netherlands, Republic of Korea and the United States.

The Committee concluded its first reading of the budget section on the Office and referred it to informal consultations.

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