ADMINISTRATIVE AND BUDGETARY COMMITTEE ELECTS OFFICERS, ADOPTS PROGRAMME OF WORK
Press Release
GA/AB/3162
ADMINISTRATIVE AND BUDGETARY COMMITTEE ELECTS OFFICERS, ADOPTS PROGRAMME OF WORK
19970919 The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) this afternoon elected Erica-Irene Daes (Greece) and Nazareth Incera (Costa Rica) as its Vice-Chairmen. It also elected Djamel Moktefi (Algeria) as its Rapporteur.The Committee also approved its 35-item programme of work for the fifty- second General Assembly session, with some oral revisions. Today's meeting was the Committee's second for this session. The first was held on Tuesday, 16 September, in the General Assembly Hall when Anwarul Karim Chowdhury (Bangladesh) was elected Chairman.
The Committee will begin its substantive work on Tuesday, 30 September. In that week, it will take up administrative and budgetary aspects of financing United Nations peacekeeping operations; improving the Organization's financial situation; and human resources management.
The Organization's scale of assessments might be taken up earlier by the Committee than during the originally scheduled week of 20 to 24 October, as might be the proposed 1998-1999 regular budget. During the discussion of review of United Nations administrative and financial efficiency, the Committee will consider the matter of gratis personnel loaned to the Organization, among other sub-items.
The Committee's programme of work also includes consideration of the Secretary-General's report on the Office of Internal Oversight Services, reports of the Board of Auditors, the financing of the International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and for Rwanda as well as 19 agenda items on the funding of active and closed peacekeeping operations.
The Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), Conrad S.M. Mselle, and the United Nations Controller, Jean-Pierre Halbwachs, spoke this afternoon on the work schedule and other procedural matters.
During consideration of the programme of work, speakers suggested that adequate time be provided for discussing crucial matters such as the scale of assessments used to share out the United Nations expenses and the proposed
Fifth Committee - 2 - Press Release GA/AB/3162 2nd Meeting (PM) 19 September 1997
1998-1999 regular budget. The importance of considering aspects of the 1996- 1997 budget before taking up the new, proposed budget was emphasized. Flexibility regarding deadlines for inclusion of Member States in speakers lists on various agenda items was suggested. The fact that late night meetings stretched the resources of small delegations was highlighted.
The Committee is scheduled to meet again at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, 30 September, to consider the United Nations Logistics Base in Brindisi, Italy; the management of peacekeeping assets; the improvement of the United Nations financial situation; and the implementation of General Assembly resolution 51/226, on the recruitment of personnel.
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