FIFTH COMMITTEE APPROVES DRAFT RESOLUTIONS ON MODALITIES FOR DEVELOPMENT ACCOUNT AND FINANCING UNAMET
Press Release
GA/AB/3318
FIFTH COMMITTEE APPROVES DRAFT RESOLUTIONS ON MODALITIES FOR DEVELOPMENT ACCOUNT AND FINANCING UNAMET
19991022Two draft resolutions, on the operation of the Development Account and on the financing of the United Nations Mission in East Timor (UNAMET), were approved this morning, by the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary).
The General Assembly would establish a multi-year account to finance specific development activities, with funds in part coming from efficiency gains, by the terms of the draft resolution on the modalities of the Development account introduced by the representative of Uganda. The draft, which had been the subject of lengthy informal consultations, was approved without a vote.
It would decide that efficiency savings could be identified in budget performance reports, and then transferred with its approval to the Development Account section of the United Nations programme budget, by other terms.
The draft would also have the Assembly emphasize that efficiency measures should not lead to budgetary reduction or involuntary separation of staff, nor affect mandated programmes. The Assembly would also reaffirm that the Account should operate according to all relevant United Nations rules and regulations.
A draft on the Development Account proposed last week to the Committee by the G77 but not accepted was withdrawn prior to the approval of the current text.
The representatives of Guyana (speaking on behalf of the Group of 77 and China), Finland (speaking on behalf of the European Union), Panama, Japan, Cuba, New Zealand (speaking also on behalf of Canada and Australia), Syria, Pakistan and the United States addressed the Committee on the modalities of the Account.
By the terms of the other draft, also approved without a vote, the Assembly would revise appropriations for UNAMETs first phase to
Fifth Committee - 1a - Press Release GA/AB/3318 13th Meeting (AM) 22 October 1999
some $54.4 million gross, for the period 5 May to 30 September 1999. The draft was introduced by the representative of Egypt.
[The first phase of UNAMETs operations is the period leading up to the announcement of the outcome of the popular consultation.]
Some $43.8 million in cash and some $3.4 million in kind have already been voluntarily contributed for the Mission, the draft noted, and it would therefore have the Assembly decide to apportion the remaining (approximately) $7.1 million among Member States.
By other terms, the Assembly would authorize the Secretary-General to enter into commitments up to some $28 million gross, in addition to $10 million previously authorized, for the phase between the announcement of the result and the implementation of the outcome of the consultation (phase II).
The representatives of New Zealand, speaking also on behalf of Canada and Australia, Japan and the United States spoke on this draft.
The next meeting of the Fifth Committee will take place at 10 a.m. on Monday 25, October, when it will begin its consideration of the reports of the Office of Internal Oversight Services and of the administrative and budgetary aspects of United Nations peacekeeping missions.
Committee Work Programme
The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) met this morning to consider draft resolutions on the modalities for the Development Account and the financing of the United Nations Mission in East Timor (UNAMET).
By the terms of the draft on financing the East Timor Mission (document A/C.5/54/L.4), the Assembly would decide to revise the level of appropriation to the Special Account for the mission for 5 may to 30 September to a total of some $54.4 million gross (about $52.9 million net), for the first phase of the mission.
It would also decide to apportion the amount of some $7.1 million gross (about $5.7 million net) among Member States according to the normal formula, and it would authorize the Secretary-General to enter into commitments up to about $28 million gross, in addition to the $10 million previously authorized, for the second phase of the mission.
Among other terms, the Assembly would reiterate that the expenses of the Organization should be borne by Member States as apportioned by the Assembly, and note that the voluntary cash contributions to the Trust Fund for the settlement of the question of East Timor thus far totaled some $43.8 million and in-kind contributions were valued at about $3.4 million.
By the terms of the draft resolution on the modalities of the Development Account (document A/C.5/54/L.11/Rev.1), the Assembly would decide to establish a multi-year account for supplementary development activities based on priorities approved in the medium-term plan. It would emphasize that efficiency measures and the subsequent transfer of savings should not lead to a process of budgetary reduction or involuntary separation of staff, and also should not adversely affect full implementation of all mandated programmes and activities.
It would decide that savings from efficiency measures could be identified in budget performance reports, and would be transferred to the Development Account section with prior approval of the Assembly. It would also decide that savings transferred to the Account would form the maintenance base for that section in future proposed programme budgets.
It would reaffirm that the account should operate according to all United Nations rules and regulations and request that the Secretary- General ensure all budget proposals were commensurate with relevant mandates. It would decide to keep the implementation of the Account under review, and request that the Secretary-General submit reports on it in accordance with relevant rules and regulations.
[For previous discussion of development account draft resolutions see Press Releases GA/AB/3113 of 15 October and GA/AB/3817 of 20 October.]
Action on Texts before Committee
The Committee first took up the text on the financing of UNAMET.
AHMED DARWISH (Egypt), Committee vice-chairman, introduced draft resolution A/C.5/54/L.4 and said that after intense informal consultations the Committee had reached consensus. He asked for the resolution to be approved without a vote.
The draft resolution was approved without a vote.
The representative of New Zealand, speaking also on behalf of Canada and Australia, welcomed the consensus that had been reached. She thanked UNAMET's staff for their dedication to their duty.
The representative of Japan said he was pleased that the draft resolution had been approved by consensus, but it was regrettable that it had taken two weeks to reach this consensus on the draft. The process had exacerbated the difficulties facing UNAMET. He appealed for United Nations missions to be provided with resources in a timely manner in the future.
The representative of the United States emphasised that UNAMET had performed the tasks assigned to it with a high degree of professionalism. She strongly endorsed the draft resolution that had been approved.
The Committee then resumed its consideration of its agenda item on the programmne budget for the biennium 1998-1999, specifically the Development Account.
NESTER ODAGA-JALOMAYO (Uganda), introducing draft resolution (A/C.5/54/L.11/Rev.1), said that the Committee was now in a position to take a decision on the modalities of the Development Account by consensus. He recommended that the Committee take action without a vote.
GARFIELD BARNWELL (Guyana), on behalf of the Group of 77 developing countries and China, said he withdraw the previous draft his Group had proposed to the Committee on the Development Account (document A./C.5/54/L.7). He reserved the right to comment on behalf of the Group until after the draft had been adopted by the General Assembly plenary.
The Committee then approved the draft without a vote.
The representative of Finland, speaking on behalf of the European Union, reserved the right to speak on behalf of the Union when the draft resolution was presented to the Assembly.
The representative of Panama said that, in the Spanish version of the text, several editorial changes should be made to the printed version of the text.
The representative of Japan said his country had initiated the concept of reinvestment of efficiency gains in the belief that such reinvestment would better enable Member States to manage the finances of the Organization and to better use resources. As a consequence of approval of this draft, the account was endowed with flexibility in the use of resources, because it was a multi-year account. As initiator of the concept, Japan was pleased with the draft resolution. He also noted it was to be operated in an appropriate manner.
The amount saved could now be used in a timely manner so the mechanism would achieve tangible results in the foreseeable future. He hoped that efficiency measures would be further enhanced, and that greater resources would thereby be released for development purposes.
The representative of Cuba reserved her right to explain her countrys position in the Assembly plenary.
The representative of New Zealand, speaking also for Canada and Australia, welcomed the landmark decision the Committee had taken. The decision demonstrated support for the Secretary-Generals reform programme. The Development account had first been proposed in 1997, and its consideration had been allocated to the Fifth Committee in May 1998. Many months had been spent considering the modalities and the use of the first funds. Today the proposal had been approved.
The concept was devised as an additional incentive to managers to make their operations more efficient. She was committed to development and also committed to reform. Results-based budgeting was another crucial element of United Nations reform, and she looked forward to the completion of consideration of that matter as well. Results-based budgeting was too important an issue to ignore or delay for too much longer. As the Secretary-General had said, it was a tool that would allow the United Nations to focus on the services it delivered to Member States.
The representative of Syria drew the Committees attention to an editorial error in the printed version of the Arabic text.
The representative of Pakistan said the marathon, which had started in the fifty-second session of the Assembly, had now concluded and Pakistan was happy that it had. The draft reflected a spread of compromise, and an understanding of the views of other delegations. He hoped this approach to matters would continue.
The representative of the United States said she appreciated the willingness of Member States to find a solution to the matter that reflected consensus. The United States had supported the Account, but it had joined the consensus reluctantly. The draft resolution did not reflect its understanding of how the Development Account was originally to work. As originally proposed it was to be financed solely from efficiency gain, to act as an added incentive to identify savings, by providing that such savings would be for the benefit of all. It was not intended that it become a permanent section of the regular budget financed by appropriations from Member States.
It was her understanding that the Account would be subject to United Nations rules and regulations, and to the same rules of approval as other budget matters.
Fifth Committee Chairman PENNY WENSLEY (Australia) thanked the coordinator of the Committees informal consultations on this item and all who had helped with the outcome.