FIFTH COMMITTEE APPROVES TEXT ON GRATIS PERSONNEL

Press Release
GA/AB/3245

FIFTH COMMITTEE APPROVES TEXT ON GRATIS PERSONNEL

The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) this afternoon approved a draft resolution reaffirming that 28 February 1999 was the deadline for phasing out staff loaned to the United Nations by Governments and other entities.

The Secretary-General would be requested to ensure that recruitment for new posts arising from the phase-out of gratis personnel was on as wide a geographical basis as possible with due regard to gender, by other provisions.

Introduced and orally revised by the Fifth Committee's Vice-Chairman, Sharon Brennen-Haylock (Bahamas), the draft was approved without a vote. Prior to that action, the Director of the Operational Services Division, Office of Human Resources Management, Johannes Wortel, said that the deadline for submitting applications for certain posts to replace functions performed by gratis personnel had been extended, but that this would not affect the phase-out and recruitment processes to meet the 28 February deadline.

As the Committee continued its discussion on United Nations programme planning, Committee members commented on proposed revisions to the primary policy directive of the United Nations, the medium-term plan, as well as on the United Nations policies for planning, implementing and evaluating its programmes.

The representative of the Russian Federation said the Secretariat should give more emphasis to qualitative analysis and to evaluation in examining programme planning. Evaluation must serve as the main instrument for determining the relevance and effectiveness of implementation of mandated activities, he stressed.

Egypt's representative said priorities set in the medium-term plan must be a general framework, while the budget outline should be more specific, focused on resource allocation. There must be no contradiction between the

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two, and Member States must not give contradictory directives or unclear legislative mandates.

Speaking for the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), the representative of the Philippines was pleased that the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) would give priority to addressing short-term and long-term impacts of economic development of countries affected by the current crisis.

The representative of the Republic of Korea welcomed the spirit of cooperation that had characterized the thirty-eighth session of the Committee for Programme and Coordination (CPC). Mexico's representative stressed the importance of following up on the CPC's conclusions and recommendations, as did that body's Chairman, Bagher Asadi (Iran), in his concluding remarks.

Also this afternoon, the Committee began and concluded its general discussion on the financing of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO); the United Nations Mission of Observers in Tajikistan (UNMOT); and the United Nations Preventive Deployment Force (UNPREDEP).

Reports were introduced by the United Nations Controller, Jean-Pierre Halbwachs. The representative of Morocco made comments on the report on MINURSO, to which the Controller responded.

The Committee is scheduled to meet again at 10 a.m. tomorrow, 16 October, to take action on a draft resolution on the support account for peacekeeping operations and to consider requests from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republic of the Congo, for exemption from sanctions which prevent them from voting in the General Assembly.

Fifth Committee Work Programme

The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) met this afternoon to begin its general discussion on the financing of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), the United Nations Mission of Observers in Tajikistan (UNMOT) and the United Nations Preventive Deployment Force (UNPREDEP).

Also, it was scheduled to continue discussing United Nations programme planning, and to take action on a draft resolution on gratis personnel.

(For background on reports on programme planning, see press release GA/AB/3243 of 12 October.)

Financing MINURSO

In the Secretary-General's report on the financing of MINURSO (document A/52/730/Add.2), he recommends an additional appropriation of $17.2 million gross ($16 million net) for the period 1 July 1997 to 30 June 1998, inclusive of the amount of $9.3 million gross ($8.5 million net) already authorized by the Advisory Committee. This would bring the total for the period from 1 July 1997 to 30 June 1998 to some $47.4 million gross (approximately $44.4 million net). According to his recommendation, approximately $11.1 million gross ($10.3 million net) would be assessed for the period ending 20 April, and $6.1 million gross ($5.7 million net) for the period from 21 April to 30 June 1998, should the Security Council decide to extend the mandate of MINURSO beyond 20 April 1998.

In an addendum (document A/52/730/Add.3), the Secretary-General asks the Assembly to appropriate and assess some $65.1 million gross (about $61 million net) for the period from 1 July 1998 to 30 June 1999, subject to the Council's extension of the Mission beyond 20 April 1998. That budget estimate is roughly $17.7 million gross ($16.6 million net) more than the revised budget for the previous 12-month period. The increase is attributable to the strengthening of the Mission pursuant to Council resolutions 1133 (1997) and 1148 (1998), by which that body had approved resuming and completing the identification process and the deployment of the engineering unit for demining activities.

In the related sections of its report, (document A/53/474) the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) says that, taking into account patterns of expenditure and the absorbtion of additional costs, it recommends the appropriation and assessment of an additional amount of some $37.3 million gross ($34.5 million net) for MINURSO's operation from 1 July 1998 to 30 June 1999, subject to the Security Council extending its mandate. That would bring the total amount for MINURSO for the 12-month period to $60 million. The ACABQ cautions against the deployment of troops

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and equipment prior to signing of memoranda of understanding with troop- contributing countries.

The ACABQ reports that revised estimates for the period 1 July 1998 to 30 June 1999 had not been submitted, and requests that, in preparing the next budget estimates for both MINURSO and UNMOT, the Secretary-General take the previous period's performance experience into account.

The MINURSO was established in 1991 to assist in implementing the 1988 peace plan proposed by the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity (OAU), which included the holding of a referendum by which the people of Western Sahara would choose between independence and integration with Morocco.

Financing UNMOT

In a report on the financing of UNMOT (document A/52/772/Add.2), the Secretary-General asks the Assembly to appropriate and assess some $22.3 million gross (close to $21 million net) for the period from 1 July 1998 to 30 June 1999, subject to the Council's extension of the Mission's mandate. The proposed budget provides for the maintenance of UNMOT, based on the expansion of its mandate, which accounts for an increase of 34 per cent in gross terms -- about $5.7 million -- over the revised budget for the previous year.

The Committee also had before it the recommendations of the ACABQ (document A/53/474). The ACABQ recommends that the General Assembly approve appropriation and assessment of almost $12 million gross (some $11.1 million net) for UNMOT operations for the period 1 July 1998 to 30 June 1999 -- in addition to some $8 million already appropriated -- subject to the extension of UNMOT's mandate. The ACABQ's expresses concern that the Secretary- General's proposal had not taken into account UNMOT's previous expenditure patterns.

The ACABQ reports that revised estimates for the period 1 July 1998 to 30 June 1999 had not been submitted and requests that, in preparing the next budget estimates for both MINURSO and UNMOT, the Secretary-General take the previous period's performance experience into account.

The UNMOT was established in December 1994 to assist the Government of Tajikistan and the United Tajik Opposition (UTO) in the process of national reconciliation and the promotion of democracy by providing good offices and monitoring the ceasefire agreement. Its mandate and size was expanded by Council resolution 1138 (1997), to assist in the implementation of the General Agreement on the Establishment of Peace and National Accord in Tajikistan, signed on 27 June 1997.

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Financing UNPREDEP

The Committee had before it the Secretary-General's report on financing UNPREDEP (document A/53/437). The report proposes the appropriation of some $34.4 million gross (about $33.6 million net) for maintaining and liquidating UNPREDEP for the period 1 July 1998 to 30 June 1999. This amount would be in addition to the $21 million already appropriated and assessed for the period, and would bring the total to some $55.5 million. The proposal relates primarily to the implementation of Security Council resolution 1186 (1998), which extended the Force's mandate until 28 February 1999 and authorized an increase in troop strength to 1,050 from 750, and also to covering additional non-recurrent items not included in the previous proposal because the Force had been expected to be terminated.

However, the ACABQ (document A/53/481) recommends only appropriating $29 million gross, which would bring the total for the year to $50 million. The assessment of the additional amount would be subject to the renewal of the Force's mandate by the Council for the period beyond 28 February 1999.

The ACABQ's recommendations are based on several factors, the report explains. For example, an unencumbered balance remains from the 1997-1998 fiscal year, which might increase due to the possible cancellation of some unliquidated obligations. Further, the ACABQ is of the view that there is need to improve the reliability of budget estimates for UNPREDEP, and that a number of its earlier recommendations regarding reimbursement arrangements had not been addressed. Among others, it had recommended that the Secretary- General clarify that reimbursement under new arrangements with troop- contributing Governments did not include provisions for support and services already provided by the United Nations to military personnel.

By its resolution 795 (1992), the Security Council authorized the deployment of a United Nations presence in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. In 1995, the Security Council decided to divide the United Nations Protection Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNPROFOR) into three inter-linked operations, one of which, the preventive force in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, was UNPREDEP.

Human Resources Management and Review of Efficiency

The Committee had before it a draft resolution submitted by its Vice-Chairman on gratis personnel provided by Governments and other entities (document A/C.5/53/L.8). Taking note of the Secretary-General's commitment to complete the recruitment process for the replacement of type II gratis personnel -- all loaned staff except associate experts, technical cooperation experts and interns -- by 28 February 1999, the Assembly would request that he improve the planning and implementation mechanism in human resources management in a transparent manner to ensure the independent and efficient work of the Secretariat pursuant to relevant Assembly resolutions and Articles

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100 and 101 of the United Nations Charter. He would also be requested to ensure that recruitment for new posts arising from the phase-out of gratis personnel was on as wide a geographical basis as possible with due regard to gender. The Assembly would note with concern that the extension of the deadline for the submission of applications for the replacement of type II gratis personnel had resulted in cases of differential treatment among Member States.

By other terms, the Assembly would reaffirm that the Secretary-General's acceptance of gratis personnel should be in strict compliance with the terms of resolution 51/243 and would note with concern that information provided by the Secretary-General fails to demonstrate the extent to which all gratis personnel accepted in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations provide specialized expertise not available within the Organization, as required by that resolution. It would also note with concern the observation of the ACABQ that the International Criminal Tribunals for Rwanda and for the former Yugoslavia had accepted gratis personnel in contravention of the provisions of resolution 51/243, by which gratis personnel cannot be accepted because of the Secretariat's failure to recruit staff in an expeditious manner.

Statements on Financing Peacekeeping Operations

JEAN-PIERRE HALBWACHS, United Nations Controller, introduced the Secretary-General's reports on financing the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO); the United Nations Mission of Observers in Tajikistan (UNMOT); and the United Nations Preventive Deployment Force (UNPREDEP). The reports on MINURSO and UNMOT had been introduced during the Committee's resumed fifty-second session in May, he said.

EL HASSANE ZAHID (Morocco) said he wished to comment on certain aspects of the report of the ACABQ on the financing of MINURSO and of UNMOT. The letter from the Controller's office -- annexed to the report -- indicated that the signing of the agreements on the status-of-forces had been considerably delayed, which obstructed the holding of the referendum. The problem was the last part of the sentence. It was true that the Secretary-General's report mentioned by the Controller's office had referred to the delay in the conclusion of an agreement on the status-of-forces. That agreement had to be signed by Morocco, Algeria and Mauritania. Moroccan authorities had sent it to the Secretariat with recommendations and observations that took into account some considerations concerning the situation in the region.

The Secretariat had just responded to those observations and was considering the situation, he continued. He had mentioned the above to show that the Secretary-General had never said that the delay was an obstacle to the holding of the referendum. The MINURSO had been present in Morocco and other parts of the Mission zone since the cease-fire at the end of 1991. It was governed by a legal instrument, the exchange of letters between Morocco and the Secretary-General, he noted, adding that he referred to Morocco, as he

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was speaking for Morocco. It was in accordance with that exchange of letters that MINURSO had fulfilled its mandate from the end of 1991 until the present. No problem had been raised regarding the privileges, advantages and immunities of Mission personnel. That phrase should be deleted.

The second concern of his delegation regarded mention, in the same letter, of "completion of the identification process". The word "completion" had indeed been used in the report of the Secretary-General, but had been used to describe the completion of the identification of 147,000 persons who wished to participate in the identification process. It had not referred to completion of the identification process.

Regarding the "three contested groups", he said the Secretariat had been aware, in formulating that phrase, that it should indicate that it was the other party which had refused the identification. As far as Morocco was concerned, the issue was clear. In accordance with the Houston agreements, candidates from the tribal groups had presented themselves for identification.

The Secretary-General had noted with concern that the question of identification of the members of the three tribal groups wishing to participate had not been settled, he said. The Secretary-General had hoped that the question would be settled soon so that rapid progress could be made in the settlement of the problem. He had never used the word "contested". One party contested or challenged those groups, but, for Morocco and the United Nations, they were candidates like all others who wished to present themselves in accordance with the Houston agreements.

Those comments also applied to the letter of the ACABQ, he said. In the first paragraph of the ACABQ report, reference was made to MINURSO as an observer mission. However, it was not an observer mission, but rather a mission to ensure that a referendum was held. He was sure the above-mentioned errors had not been made on purpose.

Mr. Halbwachs, the United Nations Controller, responding to the comments from the representative of Morocco, said that there was no intention by the Secretariat to misrepresent either what the Secretary-General said or the situation on the ground. The letter was simply trying to summarize a complex situation in a few paragraphs. Had he known it would become part of an official document he would have cited the relevant text in full. He hoped Member States would view any problems in this light.

Statements on Programme Planning

MARY JO ARAGON (Philippines), speaking on behalf of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), said ASEAN was pleased by the new format of the report of the Committee for Programme and Coordination (CPC) and affirmed the importance of the CPC in the planning, programming and budget process.

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She said ASEAN associated itself with the statement made by Indonesia on behalf of the "Group of 77" developing countries and China. It wished to comment on proposed revisions to programme 15 of the medium-term plan -- on economic and social development in South East Asia. She reaffirmed ASEAN's commitment to the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) as a forum for exchange of views and experience, and as a catalyst for regional cooperation. She expressed hope that the ESCAP proposal to reduce the number of its programme items would improve its efficiency, but noted with concern that high vacancy rates and resource shortages adversely affected the implementation of priority areas of the programme.

The ASEAN welcomed the integration of a gender perspective into the mainstream of ESCAP, she said. It was pleased to note that recent global and regional developments were taken into account in the Secretary-General's proposed revisions. High importance was attached by ASEAN to the sub- programme on development research and policy analysis, and it was pleased to note ESCAP would give priority to addressing the short-term and long-term impact of economic development of countries affected by the current crisis. It endorsed the recommendation of the CPC contained in paragraph 94 on programme 15. On priority setting, ASEAN agreed with the CPC that priorities of the Organization should continue to be established in the medium-term plan, which was the principle policy directive of the United Nations.

NIKOLAI LOZINSKI (Russian Federation), said the medium-term plan was the main strategic document for planning, both for Member States and for the Secretariat. There was a need to give due attention to all aspects of United Nations planning, which must be inter-linked to ensure rational implementation of mandates. The Russian Federation welcomed the new format, with its closer link between planning and budgeting. It would ensure increased responsibility and improve the completion of mandated activities. At the same time, the medium-term plan should be a flexible instrument for management.

He noted with satisfaction the work of the CPC at its 38th session, where it had reached consensus on all items as a consequence of its improved working methods. The Russian Federation supported the CPC recommendations on revisions to the medium-term plan. He agreed with paragraphs 33 and 34 of the CPC report, in particular that the Secretariat should give more emphasis to qualitative analysis and to evaluation, and expressed distress that the report of the Secretary-General on evaluation was, once again, largely descriptive. The Russian Federation was convinced that evaluation must serve as the main instrument for determining the relevance and effectiveness of implementation of mandated activities.

AHMED DARWISH (Egypt) said Egypt supported the statement made by Indonesia on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. Egypt agreed with paragraph three of the Secretary-General's report on setting priorities in the medium- term plan, particularly that the objective was to rationalize and order activities and to provide an indicator for preparing the programme budget. He

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supported the medium-term plan as a translation on mandates. Priorities set in the medium-term plan must be a general framework, while the budget outline should be more specific and focused on resource allocation. There must be no contradiction between the two, and Member States must not give contradictory directives. Egypt reaffirmed the importance of providing clear legislative mandates to avoid confusion and error.

He agreed with the CPC's concern over the delay in the submission of the report on programme performance of the United Nations for 1996 and 1997. The Secretariat must stay within the stipulated six weeks when submitting reports. The increased implementation of mandates deserved commendation, particularly given resource limitations, and he noted that some areas had extremely good records in this regard. Similar rises in rates should be seen in those areas where performances were not so good. He noted that the lower rate for the International Trade Centre (ITC) was blamed on the reform process. The time had come for the changes at the ITC to bear fruit, and he supported the allocation of extra-budgetary resources for the ITC for this purpose.

He referred to the important role of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and of United Nations activities in the areas of human settlements, crime, drugs, refugees, the regional commissions and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. In this time of administrative and financial reform, the Department of Public Information (DPI) required additional resources to ensure the message reached all, not just some. Egypt supported the use of new technology for this purpose.

He supported the work of the Office of Internal Oversight Services in unmasking abuses and financial problems of the Organization. Egypt reaffirmed the Group of 77 statement on the importance of shedding light on the effect of the financial situation on that Office, and expressed particular concern regarding vacant posts. He asked if any posts in that Office were frozen.

ERNESTO HERRERA (Mexico) said his delegation had always believed that the role of the CPC was essential for priority-setting and for overseeing the coordination of the activities of the different bodies of the Organization. The CPC's recent session had been of particular significance to his delegation. Under the firm leadership of Ambassador Bagher Asadi (Iran), and with the cooperation of all members and observers, the CPC had articulated conclusions and recommendations on all the items before it.

That exceptional exercise should be accompanied by resolute action by the Secretariat, he said. The reports should be prepared in such a way that they enhanced Member States' ability to take substantive decisions. The report of the CPC contained various indications on the forms for presenting the information to Member States, in particular in the matter of programme performance. His delegation supported the recommendations and conclusions in the CPC report, and believed they would contribute to facilitating the work of the Committee.

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PARK HAE-YUN (Republic of Korea) said that as a participant in the CPC's thirty-eighth session, his delegation had been pleased to note the improved working methods, and the prevailing spirit of cooperation. Welcoming these positive trends, his delegation felt that the CPC's role should be strengthened.

The Republic of Korea attached great importance to the medium-term plan, which was the principle policy directive of the United Nations, he said. He welcomed the new format of the medium-term plan which led to improved accountability in the Secretariat. His delegation was satisfied with and supported the CPC's recommendations and conclusions and would reserve further comments on various issues for informal sessions.

MOVSES ABELIAN (Armenia), Committee Chairman, said that the Secretariat would answer the issues raised for debate during informal sessions tomorrow.

BAGHER ASADI (Iran), CPC Chairman, said the opportunity to meet with the Fifth Committee provided him with the chance to renew assurances of his continued accessibility. He was honoured that the CPC report had been positively received in the Fifth Committee, both on a personal level and on behalf of the entire CPC bureau.

The session had been characterized by an atmosphere free from unnecessary adversarial and confrontational polemic and tension, and clear political will on the part of all, he said. There was evidence of a spirit of "give and take" in dealing with contentious issues. Further, the CPC's working methods had been improved. It was now the follow-up to the report that mattered, and due attention should be given to the CPC's recommendations and conclusions.

Review of Efficiency and Human Resources Management

SHARON BRENNEN-HAYLOCK (Bahamas), Fifth Committee Vice-President, introduced the draft resolution on gratis personnel. The draft reaffirmed and strengthened previous resolutions on the matter, and confirmed that 28 February 1999 was the phase-out deadline. Operative paragraph 8 of the draft introduced a new element: that posts arising from the phase-out should be filled with a geographical distribution that was as wide as possible.

She then read out changes in the wording of operative paragraph 6 of the text. The corrected version read as follows:

"Takes note of the commitment and assurances by the Secretary-General that the recruitment process for the replacement of type II gratis personnel, including those in the two tribunals, will be completed by 28 February 1999 in accordance with General Assembly resolutions 52/234 and 52/248 of 26 June 1998."

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JOHANNES WORTEL, Director of the Operational Services Division, Office of Human Resources Management, said that in a formal meeting on 7 October, he had informed Member States that the deadline for submitting applications for posts requiring active military and police service had been extended to 28 October. Also, a note verbale had been submitted to all Member States on that regard. Four States reported that they had not received those notes. The Secretariat would make all possible efforts to ensure that candidates nominated by those States which had not received the note verbale would be considered. The arrangements would not affect the phase-out and recruitment processes to meet the 28 February deadline.

The Chairman asked that Mr. Wortel's statement be recorded as a text.

The Committee then approved the draft, as orally revised, without a vote.

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