FIFTH COMMITTEE HEARS INTRODUCTION OF REPORTS ON FINANCING OF MISSIONS IN HAITI AND GEORGIA
Press Release
GA/AB/3090
FIFTH COMMITTEE HEARS INTRODUCTION OF REPORTS ON FINANCING OF MISSIONS IN HAITI AND GEORGIA
19961008 The General Assembly was asked to appropriate $57.2 million gross ($54.8 million net) for establishing and operating the United Nations Support Mission in Haiti (UNSMIH) for the period 1 July 1996 to 30 June 1997, when the Secretary-General's report on the Mission was introduced to the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) this morning.The Secretary-General's report on the financing of UNSMIH contains that request and seeks an assessment of $24 million gross ($23 million net) for the period from 1 July to 30 November 1996, which is the end of the Mission's present mandate. For the period beyond 30 November 1996, the Assembly was asked to assess $4.7 million gross ($4.5 million net) monthly, subject to a Security Council decision on extending the Mission.
The United Nations Controller, Yukio Takasu, introduced the Secretary- General's report on UNSMIH, two reports on the United Nations Mission in Haiti (UNMIH) and a report on the United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG). He also introduced the reports of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) on those Missions.
The Secretary-General reports on UNMIH contain information on that Mission's financial performance for the period 1 August 1995 to 29 February 1996 and provide the revised cost estimates for the Mission's liquidation. The Mission expired on 30 June and was succeeded by UNSMIH.
Regarding UNMIH, the Assembly was asked to decide on how to dispose of an unencumbered balance of $17.4 million gross ($16.7 million net) for the period 1 August 1995 to 29 February 1996. For the Mission's liquidation, the Secretary-General has asked the Assembly to reduce the appropriation from $15.9 million gross ($15.4 million net) to $1.5 million gross ($1.5 million net), and to assess that amount.
For the UNOMIG, the Assembly was asked to decide on what to do with an unencumbered balance of $2 million gross ($1.7 million net) for the period 16 May 1995 to 12 January 1996. That request was based on the Mission's financial performance report for that period.
The Committee will meet again at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, 9 October, to hear a statement by Under-Secretary-General for Administration and Management, Joseph E. Connor on the Organization's current financial situation, and to
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continue its general debate on the scale of assessments. Reports on Financing of Peace-keeping Missions
The Secretary-General's report on UNOMIG (document A/50/731/Add.2) contains the Mission's financial performance report for the period from 16 May 1995 to 12 January 1996. The Assembly is asked to decide on the treatment of the unencumbered balance of $2 million gross ($1.7 million net) for that period.
An amount totalling $11.9 million gross ($11.2 million net) was appropriated by the Assembly in December 1994 for the operation of UNOMIG for the period 16 May 1995 to 12 January 1996. Of that amount, expenditure totalled approximately $10 million gross ($9.5 million net), resulting in an unencumbered balance of $2 million gross ($1.7 million net) which resulted from savings -- primarily from air operations and from fluctuations in military and civilian personnel staffing the Mission.
The ACABQ's report on UNOMIG (document A/51/448) recommends that the unencumbered balance be credited to Member States against their assessment for the Mission's financing.
Financing of UNMIH and UNSMIH
The Secretary-General's report on UNMIH (document A/50/363/Add.3) contains the Mission's financial performance report for the period 1 August 1995 to 29 February 1996. The Assembly is asked to decide on the treatment of an unencumbered balance of $17.4 million gross (16.7 million net) for that period. The Mission's expenditures for the period, which amounted to $134.6 million gross ($133 million net), were less than their estimated cost of $152 million gross ($149.7 million net), resulting in the unencumbered balance. The savings were realized mainly from a downsizing of the Mission's owing to substantial progress in achieving its goals and to the aim of reducing operating costs.
The combined report of the ACABQ on UNMIH and UNSMIH (document A/51/444) recommends that the unencumbered balance of $17.4 million gross ($16.7 million net) be credited to Member States after setting off the amount needed for the liquidation of UNMIH.
In a second report on UNMIH (document A/50/363/Add.4), the Secretary-General presents the revised cost estimates for the Mission's liquidation. The Assembly is asked to reduce the appropriation provided for liquidation from $15.9 million gross ($15.4 million net) to $1.5 million gross ($1.5 million net), and to assess that amount.
Pursuant to Security Council resolution 1063 (1996) of 28 June by which the Council established UNSMIH as at 1 July, the existing UNMIH civilian personnel and some of the military contingents remained in the Mission area to
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form UNSMIH, says the Secretary-General. Consequently, the requirements associated with the liquidation of UNMIH were reduced. With the concurrence of the ACABQ, part of the appropriation provided for the liquidation was utilized for establishing and operating UNSMIH.
The total resources available to UNMIH for the full period of the Mission -- from 23 September 1993 to 31 July 1996 -- amounted to $372.2 million (gross) and the estimated expenditures for the same period totalled $320.4 million gross, the report states. Credits from the unencumbered balance of appropriations amounting to $20 million gross have been set off against assessed contributions on Member States. The Secretary-General proposes to reduce the appropriation by $14.4 million, which would result in the unencumbered balance of $17.4 million gross.
As at 31 July 1996, amounts totalling $345.8 million have been assessed on Member States for the period from 23 September 1993 to 30 June 1996. Contributions received for the same period totalled $247.6 million. In addition, outstanding assessments were reduced by an amount of $12.7 million pursuant to Assembly resolution 50/90, resulting in a shortfall of $85.5 million.
Concerning the revised cost estimates for the liquidation of UNMIH, the ACABQ report on the Mission (document A/51/444) concurred with the Secretariat's proposal to utilize $13.4 million of the amount appropriated for UNMIH's liquidation for establishing and operating UNSMIH. However, based on a schedule of commitments for the Mission's liquidation for the period from 1 to 31 July 1996 which amounted to $1.2 million gross ($1.2 million net), the Advisory Committee recommends that the Assembly reduce the appropriation for UNMIH's liquidation further -- to $1.2 million gross ($1.2 million net) -- against the unencumbered balance of $17.4 million gross ($16.7 million net) for the period from 1 August 1995 to 29 February 1996.
The Secretary-General's report on UNSMIH (document A/51/191/Add.1) contains the proposed budget for the Mission's operation and establishment for the period from 1 July 1996 to 30 June 1997. The Assembly is asked to appropriate $57.2 million gross ($54.8 million net) for UNSMIH's operation for that period, inclusive of $13.4 million remaining from the appropriation for the liquidation of UNMIH. It is also requested to assess $24 million gross ($23 million net) for the period from 1 July to 30 November 1996 and to assess $4.7 million gross ($4.5 million net) monthly for the period beyond 30 November 1996, subject to the Security Council's decision to extend the Mission. The cost estimates provide for the authorized strength of 600 contingent personnel, and 300 civilian police, supported by 284 civilian staff and 14 United Nations Volunteers.
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The ACABQ's report on the UNMIH and UNSMIH (document A/51/444) recommends that the Assembly approve the establishment of a special account for UNSMIH. Based on its proposal that the Assembly reduce the appropriation of UNSMIH's liquidation, the Advisory Committee recommends that $57.2 million gross ($54.8 million net) be appropriated for the period from 1 July 1996 to 30 June 1997, inclusive of the increased amount of $14.7 million gross ($14.3 million net) remaining from the appropriation the Assembly had provided for UNMIH's liquidation. The ACABQ recommends that the Assembly approve the other proposals made by the Secretary-General.
The ACABQ also recommends that the Secretary-General simplify the UNSMIH structure and rationalize and streamline its civilian personnel component, with a view to reducing the staff and implementing the Mission's tasks at the lowest possible cost to Member States.
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