FIFTH COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS CANDIDATES FOR ACABQ; CONTRIBUTIONS, INVESTMENTS COMMITTEES; BOARD OF AUDITORS
Press Release
GA/AB/3187
FIFTH COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS CANDIDATES FOR ACABQ; CONTRIBUTIONS, INVESTMENTS COMMITTEES; BOARD OF AUDITORS
19971107 Candidates for Administrative Tribunal, ICSC, Pension Committee Also RecommendedThe Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) this morning recommended 30 candidates to the General Assembly to fill vacancies in the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), Committee on Contributions, Board of Auditors, Investments Committee, United Nations Administrative Tribunal, International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) and the United Nations Staff Pension Committee.
The candidates were recommended to terms of office starting from 1 January 1998, with the exception of an Auditor, whose reappointment begins on 1 July 1998.
Several candidates were recommended by acclamation and their names announced by the Committee Chairman, Anwarul Karim Chowdhury (Bangladesh). The Committee resorted to secret ballot when the number of candidates exceeded the vacancies allocated to regional groups. The process was used for appointments to the ACABQ and the Committee on Contributions.
By secret ballot, the Committee recommended the reappointment to the ACABQ, for three-year terms, of Conrad S.M. Mselle (United Republic of Tanzania) and Mahamane Amadou Maiga (Mali), and the appointment of Hasan Jawarneh (Jordan). It recommended, by acclamation, the appointment of Ernest Besley Maycock (Barbados) and Ionan Barac (Romania).
The secret ballot for the election of the two candidates from African States to the ACABQ was held at the request of the representative of Mauritania who challenged the assertion that the African Group had endorsed the candidacy of Mr. Mselle. Currently the Chairman of the Advisory Committee, Mr. Mselle has been a member of the ACABQ since 1971.
Statements were made on the election of the African candidates by the representatives of Lesotho, as the Chairman of the African Group, Mali, Egypt, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Ethiopia, Sudan, Sierra Leone and Zambia.
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For the Committee on Contributions, the Fifth Committee recommended, by acclamation, the appointment of David Etuket (Uganda), David A. Leis (United States), Prakash Shah (India) and Kazuo Watanabe (Japan) for three-year terms. Then, after a secret ballot, it recommended Uldis Blukis (Latvia) and Ihor V. Humenny (Ukraine).
By acclamation, the Committee recommended the Comptroller and Auditor- General of the United Kingdom for reappointment to the Board of Auditors for a three-year term.
It confirmed the Secretary-General's request to reappoint Ahmed Abdullatif (Saudi Arabia) and Fernando G. Chico Pardo (Mexico), and to appoint J.Y. Pillay (Singapore) as members of the Investments Committee, by acclamation.
For the Administrative Tribunal, the Committee recommended, by acclamation, the appointment of Chittharanjan Felix Amerasinghe (Sri Lanka), Mikuin Leliel Balanda (Democratic Republic of the Congo) and Hubert Thierry (France) for three-year terms.
For the ICSC, it recommended, by acclamation, the appointment of Mario Bettati (France), João Augusto de Médicis (Brazil), Lucretia Myers (United States), Alexis Stephanou (Greece) and Ku Tashiro (Japan) for four years. It also recommended Alexei Fedotov (Russian Federation) to fill the remaining portion of the term of office of his compatriot, Alexander V. Chepourin, who had resigned. The term expires on 31 December 2000.
Acting on the Staff Pension Committee, the Fifth Committee recommended, by acclamation, the appointment of Carlos Dante Riva (Argentina), Tadanori Inomata (Japan), Gerhard Kuntzle (Germany), Vladimir V. Kuznetsov (Russian Federation), Philip Richard Okanda Owade (Kenya) and Susan Shearouse (United States) to serve for three years.
The Committee postponed the election of candidates to the Pension Committee from the Groups of African and Asian States as they had not proposed nominees.
The Fifth Committee is scheduled to meet again at 10 a.m., on Monday, 10 November, to continue discussing sections of the Secretary-General's proposed 1998-1999 budget. It expects to begin its consideration with the budget's Part VI, Human rights and humanitarian affairs.
Committee Work Programme
The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) met this morning to make recommendations on appointments to a number of subsidiary bodies and to confirm others made by the Secretary-General. Those subsidiary bodies are: the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), the Committee on Contributions, the Board of Auditors, the Investments Committee and the United Nations Administrative Tribunal.
A note by the Secretary-General on the appointment of members of the ACABQ (document A/52/101/Rev.1) states that the Assembly must appoint five persons to serve for three years, beginning 1 January 1998, to fill vacancies of members whose terms of office expire on 31 December. A second note (document A/C.5/52/5) lists the candidates, who are from Syria, Romania, Jordan, Mali, Barbados, United Republic of Tanzania and Mauritania. It also presents their curricula vitae.
The 16-member Advisory Committee examines and reports on the Organization's regular and peacekeeping budgets as well as the administrative budgets of the specialized agencies. It also advises the Assembly on other administrative and financial matters referred to it.
In his note on the appointment of members to the Committee on Contributions (document A/52/102/Rev.1), the Secretary-General states that in response to the expiration of the terms of office of six persons on 31 December, the Assembly must make six appointments to fill vacancies. The new appointments will serve for three-year terms beginning 1 January 1998. A subsequent note (document A/52/C.5/6) presents candidates from Latvia, Uganda, Ukraine, Czech Republic, United States, India, Bulgaria and Japan. Their curricula vitae are attached.
The 18-member Committee on Contributions advises the Assembly on all matters related to the apportionment of the Organization's expenses, including assessments of new Members, appeals by Members for changes in their assessments and the application of Article 19 of the Charter. That Article stipulates that a Member State shall have no vote in the General Assembly if its arrears equals or exceeds the amount of two years' assessments.
The Secretary-General's note on appointments to the Board of Auditors (document A/52/103) states that the term of office of one of its Auditors, the Comptroller and Auditor-General of the United Kingdom, will expire on 30 June 1998. The General Assembly must fill the resulting vacancy by appointing a Member State's Auditor-General, or officer holding the equivalent title, as a member of the Board. That person will serve for three years, beginning 1 July 1998. Every year, the Assembly appoints an Auditor to take office from 1 July of the following year to serve for a three-year period.
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A related note (document A/C.5/52/7), states that the Government of the United Kingdom had nominated its Comptroller and Auditor-General.
The Board of Auditors, consisting of three members, has joint responsibility for the external audit of the entire United Nations system.
The Secretary-General's note on the Investment Committee (document A/52/104) states that since the terms of office of three of its members will expire on 31 December, the Assembly must confirm the Secretary-General's appointment of three persons to fill vacancies. Those persons will serve for a period of three years, to begin on 1 January 1998.
A subsequent note (document A/C.5/52/8) submits for confirmation the reappointment of two members, from Saudi Arabia and Mexico. It also submits for confirmation a member from Singapore. Three ad hoc members are also proposed for one year terms, from Hungary; Greece and the United States; and France.
The curricula vitae of those appointed for confirmation and the ad hoc members are annexed to the note.
The Investments Committee's nine members are appointed by the Secretary-General after consultations with the Joint Staff Pension Board and the ACABQ. The Committee advises the Secretary-General on the investment of pension funds and other trust and special funds under the Organization's control.
The Secretary-General's note on the United Nations Administrative Tribunal (document A/52/105) states that the Assembly should fill three vacancies resulting from the expiration of the terms of three members. The persons will serve for a period of three years, beginning on 1 January 1998. Another note (A/C.5/52/9) contains the names and curricula vitae of three nominees, from Sri Lanka, Democratic Republic of the Congo and France.
With seven members, the Administrative Tribunal judges applications alleging non-observance of contracts or terms of appointment of Secretariat staff members.
Five persons are to be appointed to the International Civil Service Commission, according to two notes by the Secretary-General (documents A/52/106 and A/52/106/Add.1). They will serve four years beginning 1 January 1998.
To fill the forthcoming vacancies, members must come from the following regions: one from the Asian States; one from the Latin American and Caribbean States; and three from the Western European and Other States.
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A subsequent note (document A/C.5/52/10) states that Member States had submitted the following candidatures: for the Group of Asian States, one nominee from Japan; for the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States, one nominee from Brazil; and for the Group of Western European and Other States, one nomination each from France, United States and Greece.
The International Civil Service Commission is made up of 15 independent experts appointed in their individual capacities. It is responsible for the regulation and coordination of conditions of service within the United Nations system.
Another note from the Secretary-General (document A/52/107) states that four members and four alternates should be appointed to fill vacancies in the membership of the United Nations Staff Pension Committee for terms of office of three years, beginning 1 January 1998.
The following Member States submitted candidates for appointment or reappointment: Japan, Russian Federation, Kenya and the United States, according to the Secretary-General's note (document A/C.5/52/11), which also contains the candidates' curricula vitae.
The eight-member Staff Pension Committee represents the United Nations in the Staff Pension Board, which handles the Joint Staff Pension Fund of 19 organizations, including the United Nations.
Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions
ANWARUL KARIM CHOWDHURY, Chairman of the Fifth Committee, said that since the number of candidates for appointment to the ACABQ for the Latin American and Caribbean Group and the Eastern European Group corresponded to the number of vacancies for those groups, the Committee could elect those members by acclamation. Since one candidate had been endorsed by the African Group, that member too should be recommended by acclamation.
The Committee then recommended, by acclamation, the appointment of E. Besley Maycock (Barbados) and Ionan Barac (Romania).
MAHFOUDH OULD DEDDACH (Mauritania) said that, contrary to information distributed in the room, the African Group had not made any endorsement. There was no consensus on any one candidate, so all three should be subject to the vote to determine who would fill the two seats.
PHAKISO MOCHOCHOKO (Lesotho), Chairman of the African Group, confirmed that the African Group did indeed have one endorsed candidate, that from the United Republic of Tanzania.
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MOCTAR OUANE (Mali) supported the statement made by the representative of Lesotho. The candidate from the United Republic of Tanzania had been endorsed, only the two candidates from West Africa should be voted on.
Mr. OULD DEDDACH (Mauritania) said the African Group had made two recommendations -- the United Republic of Tanzania and Mauritania. The Chairman of the African Group had been silent about the third candidate. The international community should not allow a violation of the rules of procedure. Any previous ad hoc arrangement must be discussed and adopted beforehand.
AHMED DARWISH (Egypt) supported the statements made by the representatives of Lesotho and Mali.
The Committee CHAIRMAN proposed that all three candidates participate in the elections.
Mr. DARWISH (Egypt) said there had been an agreement concerning the candidates from the United Republic of Tanzania, and none concerning the other two.
ODYEK AGONA (Uganda) endorsed the statement made by the Chairman of the African Group. It was unfortunate that the will of the African Group was being obstructed by one of its members.
MUHAMMAD YUSSUF (United Republic of Tanzania) said the representative of Uganda had made his task simpler. There was no misunderstanding as far as the candidacy of Mr. Conrad Mselle, as stated by the Chairmen of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) and the African Group. Mr. Mselle should be endorsed without a vote.
Mr. DEDDACH (Mauritania) said normally the African Group presented matters through its Chairman, who had already spoken. The other speeches were not necessary and the Committee should proceed by its rules of procedure.
FESSEHA ASGHEDOM TESSEMA (Ethiopia) said it was unfortunate that the matter had come to such a head. The African Group had endorsed the candidacy of Mr. Mselle who had been approved at the subregional and the Group level as a whole.
ELFATIH MOHAMED AHMED ERWA (Sudan) expressed the same view with Ethiopia, who was from his subregion. He supported the view of the Chairman of the African Group that the Tanzanian candidacy had been endorsed both in the subregion and the region as a whole.
Mr. MOCHOCHOKO (Lesotho), Chairman of the African Group, confirmed that Mr. Mselle was the endorsed African candidate and no proposal on a vote on all three candidates from Africa would be accepted.
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JAMES JONAH (Sierra Leone) said the African Group had endorsed Mr. Mselle, without any question. It would be sad if the Committee had to vote for a candidate that had been endorsed in his regional group.
Mr. OULD DEDDDACH (Mauritania) said the rules of procedure had stated that individual candidates should be voted for by secret ballot. It was not Mauritania that had blocked the African Group as it had withdrawn in 1994 for Mali. It was in the interest of all to respect the principle of rotation. The Committee Chairman should end the debate and proceed to put all three candidates to the vote.
Mr. OUANE (Mali) said the statement that Mauritania had withdrawn its candidature in 1994 in favour of Mali was surprising. It did not conform with reality.
PETER LESA KASANDA (Zambia) expressed support for what the Chairman of the African Group had said. Zambia would not accept voting on the candidature of Mr. Mselle.
Mr. CHOWDHURY (Bangladesh), Committee Chairman, said that in view of the opposition expressed to the procedure on electing candidates to the ACABQ from the African Group, he would suspend the elections to that body and proceed to action on others.
Board of Auditors
Mr. CHOWDHURY (Bangladesh), Committee Chairman, announced that there was one candidate to fill one vacant seat for the Board of Auditors.
By acclamation, the Committee recommended the appointment of the Comptroller and Auditor-General of the United Kingdom, for a three-year period beginning 1 July 1998.
Investments Committee
By acclamation, the Committee recommended the confirmation of the Secretary-General's reappointment of Ahmed Abdullatif (Saudi Arabia) and Fernando G. Chico Pardo (Mexico), and appointment of J.Y. Pillay (Singapore) as members of the Investments Committee for three-year terms of office beginning on 1 January 1998.
United Nations Administrative Tribunal
The Committee then recommended, by acclamation, the appointment of three persons to fill the three vacancies on the Administrative Tribunal, to serve for a period of three years, beginning 1 January 1998. The three appointees are Chittharanjan Felix Amerasinghe (Sri Lanka), Balanda Mikuin Leliel (Democratic Republic of the Congo) and Hubert Thierry (France).
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International Civil Service Commission
By acclamation, the Committee recommended the appointment of Mario Bettati (France), João Augusto de Médicis (Brazil), Lucretia Myers (United States), Alexis Stephanou (Greece) and Ku Tashiro (Japan) to serve on the International Civil Service Commission for four years beginning 1 January 1998.
Also by acclamation, it recommended Alexei Fedotov (Russian Federation) to fill the term of office left open by one member's resignation.
United Nations Staff Pension Committee
The Committee recommended, by acclamation, the appointment of Carlos Dante Riva (Argentina), Tadanori Inomata (Japan), Gerhard Kuntzle (Germany), Vladimir V. Kuznetsov (Russian Federation), Philip Richard Okanda Owade (Kenya) and Susan Shearouse (United States) to serve on the Staff Pension Committee for a three-year period to begin 1 January 1998.
It also decided to postpone the election of two candidates for the Group of African States and the Group of Asian States.
Committee on Contributions
Mr. CHOWDHURY (Bangladesh), Committee Chairman, said that since the number of candidates for appointment to the Committee on Contributions for the Group of African States, the Group of Asian States and the Group of Western and Other States corresponded to the number of vacancies for those groups, the Committee could elect those members by acclamation.
The Committee recommended, by acclamation, the election of the following candidates: David Etuket (Uganda), David A. Leis (United States), Prakash Shah (India) and Kazuo Watanabe (Japan) to serve on the Committee on Contributions for a three-year period beginning on 1 January 1998.
The CHAIRMAN said that a secret ballot would be held to decide which of the three candidates (Ukraine, Latvia and Czech Republic) would fill the two vacancies for the Eastern European Group of States. He announced that Bulgaria had withdrawn its candidate.
The election of the candidates from the Eastern European Group was conducted by secret ballot.
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The results of the ballot were as follows:
Number of votes cast: 171 Invalid votes: 1 Number of valid ballots: 170 Abstentions: 1 Number of delegations voting: 169 Required majority: 85
Number of votes obtained:
Uldis Blukis (Latvia) 128 Ihor V. Humenny (Ukraine) 127 Jan Kinst (Czech Republic) 79
The Committee recommended Uldis Blukis (Latvia) and Ihor V. Humenny (Ukraine) to the Committee on Contributions for three years beginning 1 January 1998.
Resumption of ACABQ Appointments
Mr. CHOWDHURY (Bangladesh), Committee Chairman, said that since the Committee had concluded all other elections, it could revert to the elections to the ACABQ.
Mr. MOCHOCHOKO (Lesotho) said that, after consultations within the African Group, he would confirm that Conrad Mselle (United Republic of Tanzania) was the African Group's candidate. Since the Group had respected the will of its regional counterparts it hoped they would reciprocate. The African Group was ready to proceed to a secret vote to elect two candidates to the ACABQ from the Group's three candidates.
The Committee Chairman said the Fifth Committee would proceed to vote by secret ballot. The candidates from the African Group are Conrad S.M. Mselle (United Republic of Tanzania), Mohamed Mahmoud Ould El Cheikh Ghaouth (Mauritania) and Mahamane Amadou Maiga (Mali).
The results of the ballot were as follows:
Number of votes cast: 172 Invalid votes: 0 Number of valid ballots: 172 Abstentions: 0 Number of delegations voting: 172 Required majority: 87
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Number of votes obtained:
Conrad S. M. Mselle (United Republic of Tanzania) 147 Mahamane Amadou Maiga (Mali) 129 Mohamed Mahmoud Ould El Cheikh Ghaouth (Mauritania) 55
The Committee recommended C.S.M. Mselle (United Republic of Tanzania) and Mahamane Amadou Maiga (Mali) to the ACABQ for three years, beginning 1 January 1998.
Mr. CHOWDHURY (Bangladesh), Committee Chairman, said that since the Group of Asian States had two candidates, Ahmad Fathi Al-Masri (Syria) and Hasan Jawarneh (Jordan), for one vacancy, the Committee would choose one by secret ballot.
The results of the ballot were as follows:
Number of votes cast: 172 Invalid votes: 0 Number of valid ballots: 172 Abstentions: 1 Number of delegations voting: 171 Required majority: 86
Number of votes obtained:
Hasan Jawarneh (Jordan) 113 Ahmad Fathi Al-Masri (Syria) 58
The Committee recommended Hasan Jawarneh (Jordan) to the ACABQ for three years, beginning 1 January 1998.
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