ôG TO Pö EXAM NOT A RECRUITMENT EXERCISE, FIFTH COMMITTEE TOLD

Press Release
GA/AB/3345

“G TO P” EXAM NOT A RECRUITMENT EXERCISE, FIFTH COMMITTEE TOLD

Committee Takes Up Questions Related To Human Resources Management; Discusses Gratis Personnel

The examination which gave General Service staff the opportunity to be promoted to the Professional level was a promotion exercise, not a recruitment exercise, the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) was told this morning when it commenced its consideration of United Nations human resources management.

Therefore, the General Assembly should reconsider its decision, taken last session, to insist that the nationality of staff be a factor in determining whether promotions would occur as a result of success in this examination, the representative of the Philippines, speaking on behalf of the Association of South-East Asian Nations, added. All General Service staff members with the requisite experience and academic qualifications should be given the opportunity to be promoted through this exam.

National competitive examinations should be held in under- represented Member States, the representative of Jamaica, speaking on behalf of the Caribbean Community, told the Committee. This would help the Organization recruit from those countries and thereby broaden the geographical spread of United Nations staff.

However, these recruitment exams served a different function from the promotion exams for General Service staff, he added. The latter should not be subject to geographical considerations.

The President of the Coordinating Committee for International Staff Unions and Associations of the United Nations System (CCISUA), Mehri Madarshahi, said that equitable geographical distribution should be secondary to competence, integrity and efficiency at the United Nations.

In addition, proposed human resources reforms failed to address most of the Organization’s fundamental human resources problems, she said, focussing instead on delegating human resources authority to programme managers without means for proper scrutiny of their decisions, and on simplifying rules and procedures so they could be more easily used or abused.

Fifth Committee - 1a - Press Release GA/AB/3345 39th Meeting (AM) 19 November 1999

The Committee also considered the issue of gratis personnel -– staff provided free-of-charge to the Organization to perform certain specified functions. Under “other matters”, questions about security, asbestos, and the timing of the Committee’s consultations on its agenda items, were raised.

In other business, the Committee decided to consider and take action on the administrative and financial implications of decisions and recommendations of the International Civil Service Commission. Another decision, on revised estimates resulting from decisions and resolutions of the Economic and Social Council, was postponed pending answers to questions raised by Member States.

Statements during the Committee’s discussion this morning were also made by the representatives of Mozambique, Japan, Syria, Chile, Russian Federation, South Africa, Pakistan, Cuba, United States, India, Egypt, Brazil, Costa Rica, Algeria, Morocco and Uganda.

The Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), C.S.M. Mselle, introduced that body’s reports. The Assistant Secretary-General for Human Resources Management, Rafiah Salim, introduced the Secretary-General’s human resources and gratis personnel reports, and the President of the Federation of International Civil Servants’ Associations, Bernard Grandjean, also made a statement on human resources.

The Director of the Budget Division Warren Sach answered Member States’ questions on revised budget estimates arising from Economic and Social Council decisions and resolutions.

The Committee will meet again at 10 a.m. on 30 November, when it will consider several matters, including human resources management and the issue of use of gratis personnel.

Committee Work Programme

The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) met this morning to commence its consideration of United Nations human resources management, including the question of the use of gratis personnel. It also planned to consider the financial implications of recommendations of the International Civil Service Commission and those arising from decisions and resolutions of the Economic and Social Council.

Human Resources Management

The Committee had before it a report by the Secretary-General on the post structure of the Secretariat (document A/53/955). This report presents statistics for the past five biennia relevant to the human resources management policy the Secretary-General intends to develop, and to the impact this policy should have on post structure in the future.

The report states it is difficult to define an optimal post structure for the Secretariat as a whole, at a time of changing mandates. Each department has to be viewed as a separate entity to ensure that programme managers have the resources they need, but the changing roles and responsibilities of departments make this difficult. The detailed elements of the mandates for each department determine the number of posts at each grade required to fulfil the particular mandate. The post structure thus reflects programme decisions.

With an expanded human resources planning capability, the Department of Management is working with programme managers to analyze human resources trends within specific departments in order to forecast vacancies, identify losses of skills and competencies through retirement and other forms of attrition, and ensure that the Organization is capable of effectively fulfilling its mandates.

The Committee also had before it a note by the Secretary-General containing administrative issuances on delegation of authority (document A/54/257), submitted in response to the General Assembly's request, made in April, that he submit a consolidated and comprehensive compendium of all administrative circulars on delegation of authority.

The list does not include those on delegation of authority with respect to programmes, the management of funds or assets or procurement matters, nor with administrative arrangements concluded between the United Nations and treaty organs. It contains attachments on the administration of the 100, 200 and 300 series of the Staff Rules, and on additional delegations of authority.

The Committee also had before it a report by the Secretary-General on amendments to the staff rules (document A/54/272), containing the full text of those amendments in an annex. These are effective from 1 January 2000, unless indicated otherwise.

The report says that a number of provisions of the Staff Rules have been simplified by removing procedural aspects, which are to be reflected in relevant administrative instructions to be issued subsequent to the promulgation of the Rules.

The Committee also had before it a report by the Secretary-General on amendments to the staff regulations (document A/54/276), which was submitted in response to a request from the General Assembly to prepare a text of the Staff Regulations drafted in gender neutral terms.

The amendments proposed to ensure that the text of the Staff Regulations are in gender-neutral terms are contained in the Scope and purpose provision, in regulations 1.1 (b), 1.2 (c) and (n), 3.3 (a), 8.2, 9.1 (a) and (c), 9.3 (b), 10.1, 10.2 and 11.1 and in paragraph 6 of annex I to the Staff Regulations. They are indicated in bold in the report.

In addition to the revision of the Staff Regulations in gender-neutral terms, it is proposed to make a technical correction to annex III, termination indemnity, and annex IV, repatriation grant, to reflect the fact that, under the revised format of salary scales for staff in the General Service and related categories, approved by the General Assembly in its resolution 48/225 of 23 December 1993, the basis for calculation for all staff members is gross salary less staff assessment.

The Committee also had before it a report of the Secretary-General on the composition of the Secretariat (document A/54/279). This contains updated information on changes in the desirable ranges of Member States, analyzing the main characteristics of the staff of the Secretariat as well as the results of an inventory of staff skills.

As of 30 June, the total number of staff of the United Nations who held appointments of one year or more was 32,856, the report says. Of this total, 14,319 staff were assigned to the Secretariat and 18,537 to other entities of the United Nations. Within this 32,856 a more limited group is recruited under the system of desirable ranges, referred to in the report as “staff in posts subject to geographical distribution”; they numbered 2,410.

As of 30 June, 24 Member States were unrepresented (the same number as in June 1998): Andorra, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brunei Darussalam, Guinea-Bissau, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Liechtenstein, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Monaco, Mozambique, Palau, Republic of Moldova, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Solomon Islands, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Vanuatu.

Thirteen Member States were under-represented, compared with 10 in June 1998: China, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Denmark, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Norway, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, and United Arab Emirates.

Thirteen countries were over-represented (the same number as in June 1998): Cameroon, Canada, Chile, Ethiopia, India, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Russian Federation, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, and Ukraine.

All other Member States were within range.

On the question of gender distribution, the report notes that during the period 1 July 1995 to 30 June 1999, the number of female staff members at the D-1 grade and above went up from 57 to 92 -- an increase of 61.4 per cent.

The report also contains an annex with statistical tables containing figures for staff in a number of categories, including: staff in posts subject to geographical distribution by nationality and type of appointment; appointments to posts subject to geographical distribution, by nationality, grade and gender, from 1 July 1998 to 30 June 1999; staff in posts with special language requirements, by nationality, grade and gender, at 30 June 1998 and 30 June 1999; staff in the Professional and higher categories appointed specifically for mission service, by nationality, grade and gender, at 30 June 1998 and 30 June 1999; desirable range and weighted distribution for staff in posts subject to geographical distribution and actual and weighted staff position, by Member State, as of 30 June; and gender distribution of staff in the United Nations Secretariat, by department or office and grade, as of 30 June 1999. (Document A/54/279 Corr.1, which the Committee also had before it, contains a table which replaces table 4 in the above report.)

According to a note Secretary-General on the competitive examination for promotion to the Professional category of staff members from other categories (document A/C.5/54/2), the Secretary-General reports that, in accordance with General Assembly resolutions, the two examinations have been brought into broad alignment. The same examination is offered to all candidates, and all candidates must possess a university degree in an area related to the subject area of the examination.

In view of the fact that the objectives of the two differ, the upper age- limit for a candidate sitting for the national competitive examination is 32, while candidates for the G to P examination must have five years of experience with the United Nations, but have no age criterion applied.

The Assistant Secretary-General for Human Resources Management drew attention of the Fifth Committee to the implications of the inclusion of the concept of equitable geographical distribution, and grave concern about the implications of the change was expressed by over 1,000 staff in a letter to the Secretary-General, and repeated at the annual global Staff-Management Coordination Committee meeting in July.

Pending Assembly consideration, the Assistant Secretary-General for Human Resources Management informed staff that all eligible candidates would be allowed to take the examination, but the results, including the marking of the papers of nationals of over-represented countries, would be subject to the outcome of the review of the issue by the fifty-fourth Assembly session.

In view of concerns about the change, the Secretary-General asks the Assembly to reconsider the issue with a view to removing the concept of equitable geographical distribution as a factor in the alignment of the examinations.

The Committee also had before it a report by the Secretary-General containing a list of the staff of the United Nations Secretariat (document A/C.5/54/L.3), showing, by office, department and organizational element, the name, functional title, nationality and grade of all staff members holding an appointment of one year or more as at 1 July.

The Committee also had before it a report by the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) on human resources management (document A/54/450), containing the Committee’s views on some of the following subjects, all of which it had considered: the competitive examination for promotion to the Professional category of staff members from other categories; the hiring and use of consultants in the Secretariat; consultants and individual contractors; administrative issuances on delegation of authority; and amendments to the Staff Regulations.

On the first of these, the Committee recommended that the General Assembly provide a policy decision on whether the G to P examination is a recruitment or a promotion exercise. This decision, in turn, could lead to a decision on whether to abolish the G to P examination, with all eligible applicants for Professional posts taking the national competitive examination or to maintain the G to P examination.

On consultants and individual contractors, the Committee said presentation of expenditures for consultants and individual contractors needs refinement, and, to that end, the method of accounting for costs and their classification between extra-budgetary and regular budget funding should be improved. The report adds that the definitions of consultants and individual contractors are too broad, and the definition for individual contractors, in particular, includes activities and arrangements that might better be described as outsourcing.

On the delegation of authority, the Committee says that there is an urgent need to simplify and streamline the rules for delegation of authority.

The Committee also had before it a report by the Secretary-General on the hiring and use of consultants (document A/54/164). The Board of Auditors, in its financial report and audited financial statement for the biennium ended 31 December, made several recommendations concerning the use of consultants in the United Nations. The present report addresses the implementation of those recommendations.

The report notes: that the Administration has issued comprehensive guidelines for the use of consultants in the Secretariat, as supplemented by the General Assembly; that paragraph 11 of these guidelines stipulates that, to ensure selection on a more competitive basis, departments are required to consider several qualified candidates for each assignment; that in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, at United Nations Headquarters, United Nations Offices at Geneva and Vienna and the regional commissions, substantive departments maintain specialized rosters tailored to the needs of the programmes for which they are responsible; that departments have been apprised of the need to ensure recruitment from the widest possible geographical basis; and that the Administration has agreed to remind all regional economic commissions and the Department of Economic and Social Affairs to improve procedures for approval of special service agreements.

The report, after detailing a number of other improvements, concludes that with the issuance of these comprehensive guidelines the issues raised by the Board of Auditors have been addressed.

In a note on the above report(document A/54/165), the Board of Auditors said it welcomed the guidelines, would continue to monitor their application and looked forward to the introduction of Release 5 of the Integrated Management Information System (IMIS), which would enable the Secretariat to identify candidates on a broader basis.

The Committee also had before it a report of the Secretary-General on consultants and individual contractors (document A/C.5/54/4).

This report notes that a total of 2,775 persons were engaged as consultants in 1998. Of that number, over one quarter were women, 74 were retirees, 298 were non-retired former staff aged 60 or over and 64 were non-retired former staff under the age of 60. A total of 3,786 separate contracts were issued during the year. There were 922 persons engaged as individual contractors in 1998 (1,823 contracts). Of that total, one half were women, 35 were retirees, 47 were non-retired former staff members aged 60 or over and 60 were non-retired former staff under the age of 60. The number of persons engaged in 1998, either as consultants or individual contractors, was 3,624. A total of 73 persons were engaged in both capacities during 1998.

In 1998, fees for consultants totalled $25.1 million; fees for individual contractors totalled $6.5 million.

Consultants from 158 different countries were engaged in 1998, although five countries accounted for one third of all consultants engaged (Canada, Chile, France, United Kingdom and the United States). For individual contractors, engagements were from 91 different countries: in that category, six countries accounted for more than one half of all engagements (Chile, Ethiopia, France, Lebanon, United Kingdom and the United States).

This report also contains tables, showing, among other things, a breakdown of the purpose of engagement of consultants and individual contractors; engagements in terms of the occupational groups; the duration of contracts; the use of consultants and individual contractors by department, gender, level of education, duration of contract and evaluation of performance; and fees paid to consultants and individual contractors by source of funding.

The Committee also had before it a note by the Secretary-General on personnel practices and policies (document A/C.5/54/21), prepared at the request of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions, which made a number of general observations on the specific roles of the General Assembly and the Secretary-General in the area of personnel management. The Committee noted that, in carrying forward the human resources management reform effort, the Secretary- General was frequently assisted by decisions of the General Assembly. But in certain cases problems encountered in the implementation of General Assembly resolutions have affected the Secretary-General’s efforts to move forward with his human resources management strategy.

The note highlights certain current implementation issues: the need for more flexibility for the Secretary-General in conducting P-3 examinations, which may impede career development possibilities for staff at the P-2 level; the inconsistency between the requests to make existing recruitment procedures more timely and the request to double the time for circulation of vacancy announcements; the lack of flexibility given to the Secretary-General in assigning staff; the inclusion of equitable geographic distribution as a factor in the G to P examinations.

The Committee also had before it a report by the Secretary-General on gratis personnel provided by Governments (document A/53/1028), covering the period 1 April to 30 June 1999.

At 30 June, one type II gratis personnel remained in service at the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, whose contract had been extended until 31 August.

The report recalls that the Secretary-General has indicated his intention to approve the request of the Prosecutor of the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia to invite Member States to offer up to 300 gratis personnel, to carry out forensic investigations and to accept experts for the specialized functions.

The Secretary-General had also been alerted that a number of type II gratis personnel not reported previously by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) might have continued in service beyond a 28 February 1999 cut-off date mandated by the General Assembly.

The report contains an annex showing the evolution of the number of type I gratis personnel who serve under an established regime, including interns, associate experts, technical cooperation experts and gratis personnel serving with the United Nations Special Commission.

The Committee also had before it a report by the ACABQ on the review of the efficiency of the administrative and financial functioning of the United Nations (document A/54/470).

The Advisory Committee points out that the report of the Secretary-General (document A/53/1028) contains a number of deficiencies with reference to the need for conformity with paragraph 15 of General Assembly resolution 52/234 of 26 June 1998, in which the Assembly calls for accurate, comprehensive, complete and integrated reports on the subject. It says more detailed information should have been provided with regard to the 300 gratis personnel for the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia referred to in paragraph 7 of the report.

Programme Budget for 2000-2001 Biennium

The Committee also had before it a Secretary-General's report on the administrative and financial implications of the decisions and recommendations contained of the International Civil Service Commission (document A/54/30).

The General Assembly, in 1989, established a floor net salary level for staff in the Professional and higher categories, through a comparison with salary levels of a comparator civil service (the federal civil service of the United States).

In the International Civil Service Commission’s 1999 annual report, it recommended an increase of 3.42 per cent to the base salary across the scale, implemented with effect from 1 March 2000. This increase would be implemented through the standard method.

The financial implications for the regular budget of the United Nations for the 22-month period from 1 March 2000 to 31 December 2001 would be, for staff in the Professional category of staff, $199,600 for duty stations that fall below the level of the new base/floor, about $1.24 million for the mobility/hardship scheme, and $282,600 in Separation payments, making a total of about $1.73 million.

In addition, the International Civil Service Commission conducted a review, under recently approved new methodologies, of the conditions of service of United Nations common system general service staff stationed in Paris. That review noted that United Nations salaries for General Service staff were on average 6.5 per cent higher than those for equivalent work outside the system. However, it also noted that the French Government had implemented special measures to make up for the loss of purchasing power of French civil servants. Adjusting for these special measures, a 1.44 per cent lower scale is recommended for General Service staff. As a consequence, minor savings are anticipated to accrue to the regular 2000-2001 United Nations budget.

The Committee also had before it a report of the Secretary-General containing revised budget estimates resulting from resolutions and decisions adopted by the Economic and Social Council at its substantive session of 1999 (document A/54/443).

According to the report, the Council was informed, that the additional requirements relating to the resolutions and decisions adopted by the Commission on Human Rights at its fifty-fifth session and the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice at its eighth session would be met from within the provisions made under budget sections 22, Human rights, and 14, Crime prevention and criminal justice, of the proposed programme budget for the biennium 2000-2001.

Regarding conference-servicing requirements, provisions have been made in the proposed programme budget for 2000-2001, for meetings or extensions of meetings that might be authorized, consistent with the pattern of meetings of past years. Therefore, no additional resources would be required as a result of the resolutions and decisions adopted by the Council.

As a consequence of Council resolution 1999/61 of 30 July, the secretariat of the Commission on Science and Technology for Development has been asked to assist in identifying and disseminating information on biotechnology, intellectual property rights and biosafety, to examine case studies of approaches to address issues related to technology, intellectual property rights and biosafety issues, and to prepare a report on relevant activities within the United Nations system, including the outcome of the World Science Conference.

Thus, under budget section 11A (Trade and development), additional requirements are estimated at $86,900, with $55,300 for a 7 month P-4 position to identify and disseminate information and examine case studies, and $31,600 for a 4 month P-4 position to prepare the report on United Nations system activities, both under general temporary assistance.

As a consequence of Council decision 1999/287 of 30 July, the Council approved two additional three-week extraordinary sessions of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and one week of pre-sessional working groups during 2000 and 2001, to reduce the backlog of reports. It also asked that Committee to consider ways and means to improve its working methods and to report on actions taken for this to the Council in 2001.

This would mean that, under budget section 22 (Human rights), additional requirements $353,400 would be required for 2000-2001, with $334,000 of that being for travel allowance and Daily Subsistence Allowance for the 18 members of that Committee attending the additional sessions, and $19,400 being Daily Subsistence Allowance for 5 Committee members to participate in the additional pre-sessional working group meetings.

The Secretary-General reports it is not possible at present to identify activities under either budget section that could be terminated, deferred, curtailed or modified to finance the costs of these additional activities.

In a related addendum to the report of the ACABQ, (document A/54/7/Add.2), that body notes that the report does not give full-cost estimates of additional requirements resulting from the Economic and Social Council resolutions. Future reports should contain full-cost estimates, including both conference and non- conference costs.

It reports that it was provided with a list of resolutions and decisions adopted by the Economic and Social Council containing the phrase “within existing resources”. It recalled that it had noted with concern the growing practice of intergovernmental bodies of thereby attempting to determine the method of financing of mandates, in contravention of General Assembly resolutions 41/213 of 1986 and 42/211 of 1987. Noting also “within existing resources” occurred in some General Assembly resolutions and decisions, it stressed the Secretariat’s responsibility to inform the Assembly whether there were enough resources to implement new activities.

The ACABQ recommends the Fifth Committee take note of the $440,300 estimate, on the understanding that necessary appropriations will be sought in a consolidated statement of programme budget implications and revised estimates to be submitted to the General Assembly.

[For background on the recommendations of the International Civil Service Commission see Press Release GA/AB/3322 of 27 October.]

Statements

C.S.M Mselle, Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions, introduced that body’s reports on human resources management, and the financial and administrative consequences of recommendations of the ICSC.

Subsequent to the initial ACABQ consideration of the Secretary-General’s recent report on gratis personnel, a further report (document A/54/533) had been submitted, he said. The ACABQ noted that there was clearly a difference in treatment of gratis personnel for the United Nations Interim Administration in Kosovo (UNMIK) when compared to treatment for certain other missions, and he suggested the Secretariat submit information to explain this different treatment.

Assistant Secretary-General for Human Resources Management, RAFIAH SALIM, introduced the Secretary-General’s reports on human resources. She said that, regarding the request for a review of changes that imposed geographic distribution considerations on the outcome of the G to P promotion exam, the matter was now of some urgency. The next round of examinations would take place in February 2000, and the deadline for applications had been November.

Regarding the use of consultants, she said she was pleased to confirm that the Comprehensive Guidelines for the use of Consultants, endorsed by the Assembly in March last year, had now been promulgated in an Administrative Instruction (1999/7). This also included a detailed performance evaluation form for assessment of consultants. The implementation of the guidelines, the use of the new form, and enhanced monitoring would streamline the management of consultants and go a long way to allaying the concerns of the Assembly, she said.

She drew attention to changes in this year’s report on the composition of the Secretariat that responded to Assembly requests, including listing of staff according to the major geographical regions from which they came. In addition, a skills inventory had been included. Forty per cent of staff had participated in the skills inventory project. This tool would continue to be developed and used.

The majority of changes to Staff Rules proposed in the Secretary- General’s reports on that topic would implement provisions of Article 1 of the Staff Regulations, changed by the Assembly at its fifty-second session, to 200 and 300 series staff, she noted. Others were either technical or removed detailed procedural provisions, which would be consolidated into administrative instructions.

Regarding the post structure of the Secretariat, on which the Secretary-General also reported, she said that the Secretary-General had set forth his vision for the Organization in his report on Renewing the United Nations: a programme for reform (document A/51/950), and updated his strategic plan for human resources management in his report document A/53/414. This vision and strategy remained valid today.

FELIPE MABILANGAN (Philippines), speaking on behalf of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) said he was deeply concerned about the inclusion of equitable geographical distribution as part of the realignment with the national competitive examination of the G to P exam. He was seriously concerned that the provision of a paragraph in the General Assembly resolution would exclude General Service staff of certain nationalities, many of whom were from developing countries, from the opportunity of promotion to the Professional category through the G to P examination.

The ASEAN considered the G to P examination a promotion and not a recruitment exercise like the national competitive examination. The General Assembly, he said, had recognized the necessity of providing all staff members in the General Service category, irrespective of nationality, who possessed the requisite experience and academic qualifications, equal opportunity to be promoted to the Professional category through an internal examination. He therefore agreed with the Secretary-General that the General Assembly should reconsider its decision with a view to deleting the concept of equitable geographical distribution as a factor in the alignment of the two examinations.

The ASEAN also believed that more needed to be done to improve the representation of women from developing countries, he said. He urged the Secretary-General to exert greater efforts in this regard.

PATRICIA DURRANT (Jamaica), speaking on behalf of the the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), said she agreed with the recommendation of the ACABQ that a monitoring mechanism should be put in place to ensure impartial evaluation of the performance of consultants, and looked forward to the implementation of Release 5 of the Integrated Management Information System, which would facilitate easier access to the roster of consultants.

She emphasized that CARICOM continued to be committed to the idea of equitable geographical distribution and therefore supported the holding of national competitive examinations in under-represented Member States. However, the national competitive examinations and the G to P examinations served two distinct and essential functions –- the latter being designed specifically for the movement of staff from the general to the professional level.

The General Assembly and the Secretary-General had reaffirmed the need for a career development system, of which promotion on the basis of merit must be an integral part, she said. She said any deviation from this position would have the unintended effect of repressing the career path of staff members solely on the basis of their nationality.

The CARICOM remained committed to supporting efforts to improve the status of women in the Secretariat, in line with Article VIII of the Charter. The increase in the number of women at the different levels was gratifying, but there was still a long road ahead.

NUNO TOMAS (Mozambique) said the human resources management reforms being carried out by the current Secretary-General showed encouraging results, but a large number of Member States -– such as Mozambique -– remained largely unrepresented among United Nations staff. He urged the Secretary-General to give priority in the recruitment process to nationals of under-represented States.

He was concerned with the current recruitment process, including the national competitive examinations. In fact, the first examination -- which had taken place in early 1998 in Mozambique -- had proved that improvements were still needed in the bureaucratic procedures related to recruitment.

His Government shared the view that, while the United Nations needed a Secretariat composed of qualified personnel, this argument should not be used to prevent an equitable geographical distribution of Secretariat staff. This question needed to be given special attention, otherwise many developing countries would remain marginalized in the next century.

YUKIO TAKASU (Japan) described as essential the improvement of equitable geographical representation of Member States within the Secretariat. From this point of view, the serious under-representation of Japanese nationals in the United Nations had attracted keen interest in Japan. The annual report of the Secretary-General on the composition of the Secretariat was eagerly awaited and widely read by Japanese policy-makers.

While he was pleased with some of the improvements achieved as a result of serious efforts to place successful candidates of national competitive examinations, he remained deeply concerned that the number of Japanese nationals subject to geographical distribution remained well below half the lower endpoint of the desirable range. The Japanese Government, political leaders and public took a very grave view of this matter.

He therefore wished to highlight some of the measures the Secretary-General might consider taking to redress the situation. First, an improvement in geographical representation must be made at the senior and mid-professional levels. Second, an increase in fresh recruitment at the entry level was essential to rectify geographical imbalance in the Secretariat and to rejuvenate the Organization.

The national competitive examination was the most effective way to improve geographical representation in the Secretariat, he stressed. Japan therefore strongly supported the expansion of the programme and the early placement of successful candidates.

TAMMAM SULAIMAN (Syria), referring to the report on the Composition of the Secretariat report, asked whether there were any other reports that classified staff according to geographic groups.

ALVARO JARA (Chile) said he supported the statements made by the representatives of the Philippines and Jamaica on the change in the processes for the G to P examination. The only valid criterion for promotion should be merit.

SERGEY O. FEDOROV (Russian Federation) asked whether there were any decisions of the Assembly applied to examinations, and, if so, why were they not being applied.

The President of the Coordinating Committee for International Staff Unions and Associations of the United Nations System (CCISUA), MEHRI MADARSHAHI, said there were many questions on human resources reform. The human resources management proposals did not fully address the existing and persistent problems of personnel management facing the Organization. She cited job security, the variety of contractual arrangements, the performance appraisal system, the P-2 professional entry point, the classification of posts and others issues.

An alarming trend in recent years was that there were more resignations at middle levels than retirements. To what extent, she wondered, were these due to the lack of a comprehensive career development structure? And why was the United Nations unable to compete in the global marketplace. The average age of staff was now 49 and that age was bound to rise in the next decade. The process of placement and promotion in the Secretariat was deficient, and the rank-in-post system was not conducive to credible and constructive career development.

She added that the latest General Assembly resolution on personnel reform, which introduced new criteria for eligibility for promotion, ran counter to the principles of the Charter and the principles of good human resources management. Equitable geographical distribution should play a secondary role to competence, integrity and efficiency.

The record of the United Nations with respect to lateral mobility was also abysmal –- only about 1 per cent. Under the present system, the point of entry determined the entire career. She said that what she was enumerating in her presentation was only the tip of the iceberg. The International Civil Service was beset with difficult problems that threatened its efficacy and very reason for being. The proposed reform failed to address many and most of the fundamental problems she had listed. Its main thrust was two-fold: to delegate all authority on post and staff management to the programme managers without a proper system of scrutiny, and to simplify the basic rules and procedures so that the layman could use, abuse and operate them.

This approach, she said, could easily lead to an array of fiefdoms, where a programme manager could rule and decide issues related to staff and their well-being. In future, the Organization would be managed more like a business inspired by the private sector, rather than a system benefiting the only global multilateral and multicultural Organization.

BERNARD P. GRANDJEAN, president of the Federation of International Civil Servants’ Associations (FICSA), said cooperation must be the general motto employed in considering human resources management, as without it no one could seriously hope to improve such management. It was important that all stakeholders were able to contribute on an equal footing, because a human resources management strategy would be best served by development based on consensus.

No one was better able than staff to know where improvements were important, he stated, as they had practical knowledge of activities and it was in their interest to see the system properly maintained to ensure satisfactory and lasting performance. However, new strategies were developed behind closed doors with the object of imposing them on the rank and file.

He called for a change of attitude to human resources management, stating that input from human resources experts should not exclude input from others. Such a change would best meet the needs of Member States. Obviously organizations must first and foremost manage their human resources on the basis of their specific needs. Staff mobility must be promoted at the United Nations. For it to become a reality, favourable conditions for it must be established.

He asked whether due consideration had been given to the balance that must exist between financial and budgetary constraints, and the necessary flexibility needed for the performance of the miracles expected of them. His associations had identified several areas of concern.

First, steps must be taken to reduce the cumbersome nature of lengthy recruitment procedures, he said. Second, outsourcing was sometimes used to address cash-flow problems, he said, but led to new problems. Staff should be involved in development of outsourcing strategies. In addition, efforts must be taken to ensure that outsourcing did not weaken the Organization.

The abuse of short-term contracts was a matter of serious concern, he said. A balance between permanent and term contracts must be found to preserve the institutional memory of the Organization, which was at risk and without hope of recovery.

Use of the post classification system as a tool for savings or for rewarding performance was equally abhorrent, he said. Objectivity must be applied to determine the level of difficulty and the requirements of a post. Abuses of post classifications must cease if the common system was to be preserved. Existing classification codes must be reviewed and then applied equally across all common system organizations.

None of the common system organizations seemed interested in efficient policies for career development, he said. The system provided no mechanism for promotion. A systematic training policy could partly address this. Organizations should spend at least 2 per cent of payroll on training.

The performance appraisal system was also a concern, as it was biased. The objectivity of such evaluations must be guaranteed by organizations. He noted a “360 degree” appraisal system had been introduced by the World Bank.

Finally, there was the thorny question of working conditions and environment, he said. Slow erosion of remunerations meant they were no longer competitive.

Some measures to address these concerns had been initiated, he said, in particular the creation of the Association for Human Resources Management in International Organizations, which could provide leadership on the matter. Despite resistance to the indispensable modernization of human resources mechanisms, including the International Civil Service Commission, the system must not ignore best practice outside the United Nations.

Ms. SALIM, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Resources Management, answered Member States’ questions. Responding to the Syrian representative, she said she would find out if other Secretary-General’s reports used geographic grouping.

On the replacement of retirees, strategies for individual departments were being developed by the substantive departments and the Human Resources Office. She was confident that the bulk of the problem would be overcome.

Responding to the representative of the Russian Federation’s question, she said that all competitive examinations were conducted in compliance with all Assembly decisions, rules and regulations. For the next G to P examination, staff had already been cautioned that results of this exam would be affected by the outcome of consideration of the exam practice by this session of the Assembly.

The Committee then turned its attention to consideration of the issue of gratis personnel, under its agenda items on human resources management and on reviewing the efficiency of the administrative and financial functioning of the United Nations.

[Gratis personnel are staff provided free to the Organization by Member States for the performance of particular functions.]

Ms. SALIM then introduced the Secretary-General’s reports on gratis personnel, including the latest report –- released this morning -- which included the quarterly report for 1 July to 30 September 1999, as well as the annual report for 1 October 1998 to 30 September 1999 (document A/54/533).

THEODORE ALBRECHT (South Africa) said he wanted to repeat the previously published Non-Aligned Movement position that all mandated programmes and activities of the United Nations should be carried out by international civil servants, in accordance with the United Nations Charter. Gratis personnel should be completely phased out in accordance with the relevant Assembly resolutions.

The Committee then turned its attention to consideration of the financial and administrative implications of the recommendations of the ICSC, under its agenda item on the 2000-2001 programme budget.

AMJAD SIAL (Pakistan) asked, in the context of the ACABQ’s comment that the Secretariat was responsible for advising about the availability of funds to meet new mandates, whether this meant that the ACABQ anticipated that surplus funds had been previously allocated that would allow for new activities, or that contingency funds would be used.

In addition, he noted that a legal opinion had previously been given to the Fifth Committee on the meaning of “taking note”, in which the Committee had been advised that this meant the Assembly took cognisance of something without approving or disapproving it. If the ACABQ advised “taking note” of the Secretary-General’s request for resources to implement decisions and recommendations of the Economic and Social Council, then this would mean no resources would be approved to carry them out, and he asked what would happen to these recommendations and decisions in that case.

In addition, he noted that the ACABQ called for revised estimates to be provided, but that these could only be made to an approved budget not a budget proposal.

DULCE BUERGO RODRIGUEZ (Cuba) asked when and if the Secretary- General's report on revised estimates resulting from resolutions and decisions of the Economic and Social Council at its 1999 session was to be introduced and what the right time would be for her to voice her delegations comments.

PENNY WENSLEY (Australia), Committee Chairman, said that it was standard practice for the Chairman of the ACABQ to introduce such reports, and he had done so in his general introduction at the start of the meeting.

THOMAS REPASCH (United States) said he believed the ICSC item should be considered in the context of the negotiations on the budget.

The CHAIRMAN confirmed that this was what was being done. She proposed that the Committee take action on the administrative and financial implications of the decisions and recommendations contained in the report of the ICSC in the context of its consultations on the report of the ICSC.

The Committee decided to do so.

The Committee then turned its attention to the revised estimates of Economic and Social Council.

Ms. BUERGO RODRIGUEZ (Cuba) said that established budgetary procedures had not been followed properly with regard to the funding for Economic and Social Council decisions and the use of the contingency fund. The human rights sections for example, had been dealt with by a kind of "mini-fund". The General Assembly needed to take a financial decision on perennial and non-perennial activities and the use of the contingency fund. She added that she also doubted that the General Assembly had mandated the activities of special rapporteurs on human rights.

RAMESH CHANDRA (India) endorsed the concerns raised by the representative of Pakistan concerning ACABQ statements about this matter.

WARREN SACH, Director of the Budget Division, then answered questions. He said he would not comment on the ICSC-related revised estimates, as the Committee had taken a decision on them.

On the question raised about human rights activities and the determination of means of funding perennial activities, he said he was not able to understand the relevance of the question. The amount requested, under the human rights section that was required to implement Economic and Social Council decisions and recommendations, stood as a requirement irrespective of the decision that the Assembly might make about the funding of perennial activities.

He understood that the ACABQ had no problems with the Secretary- General’s report of the fifty-second session on the procedure followed in 1998-1999 on perennial expenses. In all cases the activities concerned had been mandated. The Economic and Social Council, as a Charter organ, was competent to give mandates and Assembly approval of Economic and Social Council mandates was not required. Economic and Social Council resolutions on rapporteurs had full force. Therefore, any Assembly decision on financing activities that were not mandated would not be relevant to financing Economic and Social Council mandated activities.

Ms. BUERGO RODRIGUEZ (Cuba) said she noted that the matter would be discussed later, but she had one request that perhaps could also be considered at that stage. She noted a reference in the ACABQ report to a list of Economic and Social Council resolutions and decision that contained the term “within existing resources” and she would like to be provided with this list. Other Matters

The representative of Syria stated that, as a decision on the review of the mandates and activities of the Office of Internal Oversight Services must be taken prior to the consideration of that Office’s 2000- 2001 budget, more informal consultations on the review should be scheduled.

The representative of Egypt, who was charged with coordinating informal consultations on the review of the Oversight Office, then explained that he had asked the Fifth Committee bureau to postpone the allocation of additional consultations pending a breakthrough on the impasse on the item. Following this afternoon’s scheduled informal consultation on the matter, he would discuss the matter with the bureau. No breakthrough on the issue of the Oversight Office review was expected.

The representatives of Cuba and Brazil asked for more balance in the allocation of informal consultations next week, and sought more time to consider the United Nations scale of assessments.

The representative of Costa Rica said that many questions she had previously asked of the Secretariat had not been answered, and she still sought answers to them. She would repeat the questions if need be. She had been told that some answers were awaiting the return to New York of the United Nations Chief of Security. She asked whether he was stationed in New York or whether his post was really that of the Secretary- General’s chief bodyguard.

The representative of Algeria repeated concerns raised previously about the problem of asbestos, which had not been addressed. He said he had some additional specific questions to raise. He asked why staff in the Office of the Group of 77 developing countries and China had not been informed about work undertaken on asbestos in their office, and why no action had been taken to protect them. He sought information on why work was specifically undertaken on the 39th floor. He wished to be provided with technical information on the results of monitoring of air quality on the 39th floor from 1998 and 1999, as well as before and after 13 October when the work had been carried out. He also asked for information from the Medical Service on cases of asbestos contamination, including information on how many staff had been obliged to leave the workplace because of asbestos-related problems.

He asked for details of any litigation or settlement that had occurred as a result of asbestos exposure, and of any damages that had been paid. He also sought information as to whether there were any other parts of the United Nations Headquarters where staff or representatives of Member States were in danger of contamination from asbestos.

He sought information on measures that had been taken to protect staff and representatives of Member States from asbestos contamination, and what degree of reliability pertained to assurances that the ventilation system was not contaminated. He asked for a copy of the contract under which cleaners to remove asbestos were employed, for a report on what measures were envisaged in the master plan for the renewal of United Nations Headquarters to remove asbestos, and to be advised of what date the administrative instruction on this matter had been issued.

The representative of Cuba said it was important to be in a position to use the information contained in reports during informal sessions.

The representative of Morocco commended the bureau for the programme of work in the following week and hoped the same procedure would be followed in other holiday weeks.

The representative of Uganda said a meeting of the African Group had been postponed to Monday evening.

The CHAIRMAN said in response to the matters raised by Costa Rica and Algeria that she would urgently convey these concerns to the Secretariat. The head of United Nations security might also be present at the next formal meeting, she said, as well as the Assistant Secretary- General for Central Support Services, Toshiyuki Niwa.

As far as the possibility of an informal session on the scale of assessments, she pointed out that the coordinator on the scale of assessments would not be available next week.

The Secretary of the Committee, JOSEPH ACAKPO-SATCHIVI, said all new reports would be introduced in the Committee before they were raised in informal meetings.

The representative of Cuba said it was important to take into account the level of work left for the Committee, and if the scale of assessments was not dealt with next week it would have to wait some 10 days.

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