ADMINISTRATIVE AND BUDGETARY COMMITTEE ELECTS OFFICERS, TAKES NOTE OF PROGRAMME OF WORK
Press Release
GA/AB/3239
ADMINISTRATIVE AND BUDGETARY COMMITTEE ELECTS OFFICERS, TAKES NOTE OF PROGRAMME OF WORK
19980918 The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) this morning took note of its programme of work for the main part of the General Assembly's fifty-third session, with the intention of adopting it after revisions have been made to reflect Member States comments and explanations provided by the Secretariat.Also this morning, the Committee elected Manlan Ahounou (Côte d'Ivoire), Sharon Brennen-Haylock (Bahamas) and Miles Armitage (Australia) as Vice-Chairmen, and Tammam Sulaiman (Syria) as Rapporteur. The Committee's Chairman, Movses Abelian (Armenia), was elected on 9 September.
During discussion on the 24-item programme of work, concern was expressed that sufficient time had not been allotted to certain key agenda items, including human resources management and the budget outline proposed for the 2000-2001 biennium. Delegates said the late issuance of documents impeded the Committee from completing its work on time. Some called for greater scheduling coordination between the Committee and the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ); others emphasized the need for greater cooperation within the Committee.
The Committee's substantive work is to begin on Monday, 5 October. During that week, it will consider aspects of the programme budget for the 1998-1999 biennium and of financing United Nations peacekeeping operations; the Organization's administrative and financial functioning and its financial situation; as well as human resources management. As part of its review of administrative and financial efficiency, and its discussion on human resources management, the Committee will consider gratis personnel loaned free of charge to the Organization by Member States and other entities, along with other sub-items. As it discusses the 1998-1999 programme budget, the Committee will consider, among other issues, aspects of the development account, which is to be funded from savings accrued from cuts in non-programme costs and other management efficiencies. When it begins considering improving the United Nations financial situation on Tuesday, 6 October, the Under-Secretary-General for Management, Joseph Connor, is scheduled to address the Committee.
Other items to be taken up during the main part of the fifty-third session are the Secretary-General's report on the Office of Internal Oversight Services, reports of the Board of Auditors, the Joint Inspection Unit and the financing of the International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and for Rwanda.
Also, the Committee will consider programme planning, the scale of assessments used to share out the Organization's expenses, and the Organization's pattern of conferences, common system and pension system. In addition, it will consider the funding of several peacekeeping operations.
The Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions, Conrad S.M. Mselle, and the Committee's Secretary, Joseph Acakpo-Satchivi spoke on the work schedule and other procedural matters.
The Committee will meet again at 10 a.m. on Monday, 5 October, to begin considering the programme budget for 1998-1999; administrative and budgetary aspects of peacekeeping operations; administrative and financial efficiency of the Organization; and human resources management.
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