FIFTH COMMITTEE OPENS FIRST PART OF RESUMED FIFTY-FOURTH SESSION

Press Release
GA/AB/3357

FIFTH COMMITTEE OPENS FIRST PART OF RESUMED FIFTY-FOURTH SESSION

The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) opened the first part of its resumed fifty-fourth session this morning by adopting its programme of work as orally amended, and hearing calls for the timely submission of reports.

The representative of Nigeria, speaking on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, called for priority in scheduling to be given to agenda items on the scale of assessment, programme planning, the programme budget for 2000-2001, improving the financial situation of the United Nations, human resources management gratis personnel and the pattern of conferences.

The representative of Portugal, speaking on behalf of the European Union and associated States, said the resumed session provided an opportunity to resolve issues long on the Committee’s agenda. He stressed the need for early consideration following this session of reports on proposed changes to a results basis for United Nations budgeting.

When the Committee turned to other matters today, the representative of Syria expressed dissatisfaction with the performance and hours of operation of the Staff Cafeteria and Vienna Café. He stressed that when outside contractors were awarded United Nations service contracts, they should be aware that their operations were not dictated by profit, but rather by the need to serve delegates.

The representatives of Kuwait and Cuba also spoke.

The Committee is next scheduled to meet at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, 21 March, when it planned to discuss its agenda items on review of efficiency, programme budget for 1998-1999 and programme planning.

Fifth Committee - 2 - Press Release GA/AB/3357 51st Meeting (AM) 13 March 2000

Committee Work Programme

The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) met this morning to begin the first part of its resumed fifty-fourth session of the General Assembly. During the course of the three-week session, the Committee is expected to focus primarily on agenda items left pending from the main fifty-fourth session.

This morning, the Committee had before it several documents concerning its organization of work for the session. A note by the Secretariat (document A/C.5/54/L.40) listed the documents before the Committee for the resumed session, as well as the status of preparedness of new reports requested under various agenda items.

A note by the Bureau (document A/C.5/54/L.41) concerns the Committee’s organization of work. The Bureau recommends that the Committee postpone consideration of a number of reports to the second part of its resumed fifty-fourth session and the fifty-fifth session. A report on the administrative and financial issues concerning the Non-Governmental Organizations Section of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs -– specifically, the number and level of posts -– would be postponed until the second part of its resumed session, as would reports on financing the United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission (UNIKOM) and financing the two ad hoc criminal tribunals for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia. The Bureau recommends postponing until the fifty-fifth session reports on the programme budget for 2000-2001.

In addition, the Committee had before it a letter dated 2 March from the President of the General Assembly (document A/C.5/54/1/Add.4) informing the Chairman of the Committee of the decision taken by the Assembly at its ninetieth plenary meeting, to allocate to the Fifth Committee agenda item 175, entitled: “Financing of the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo”.

Statements

The Committee’s Acting Chairman, AHMED H. DARWISH (Egypt), drew the Committee’s attention to the three documents before it.

Committee Secretary, Joseph Ackapo-Satchivi, informed the Committee of a number of developments with regard to reports that had occurred after the issuance of the status of preparedness of reports document.

The Committee then commenced its consideration of its programme of work for this session.

EDUARDO RAMOS (Portugal), speaking on behalf of the European Union and Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Cyprus, Malta, Turkey, Iceland and Norway, said that while the Fifth Committee’s agenda was no less heavy than usual, results should be possible if Member States were pragmatic and to the point. The Committee’s working procedures needed to be reviewed to ensure that they were more economical, effective and efficient. This session would provide an opportunity to address and resolve issues long on the Committee’s agenda. Wherever possible, the Committee should note undisputed reports and move on.

While generally pleased with the programme of work, he said the Union wished to restate its interest in early consideration of pending reports on results-based budgeting. Analysis of those reports by the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) was not practical at this stage because of the Advisory Committee’s workload, but the Union sought their early submission to that Committee. He called for the Secretariat to submit reports on a coherent and timely basis. Noting that the report requested on administrative and financial aspects of the non-governmental organizations section had not yet been submitted, he invited consideration of the possibility that this report be provided to the Fifth Committee for action during this resumed session.

HASSAN MOHAMMED HASSAN (Nigeria), speaking on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, thanked the Secretariat for the timely submission of the two documents on the programme of work and status of documentation. The proposed programme of work would accommodate almost all outstanding issues that could not be completed last session. The chronic problem of late submission needed to be addressed, and the Secretariat should conform to the six-week rule on submission of documents.

The programme of work should be streamlined to allow exhaustive examination of the most important items, he said. Sufficient time must be allocated to agenda items on the scale of assessment, programme planning, the programme budget for 2000- 2001, improving the financial situation of the United Nations, human resources management, gratis personnel and the pattern of conferences. Other items could be considered if time allowed, and there should definitely be no night or evening meetings during the session. An explanation of the reasons for the delay in the presentation of the report on the strengthening of the non-governmental organizations section must be provided.

ZIYAD MONAYAIR (Kuwait) supported the statement made for the Group of 77 and China. He said the overpayments of mission subsistence allowance in the UNIKOM should be discussed in informal consultations during the current session. The Assembly had decided that UNIKOM would be included in the agenda of the first resumed session. The Bureau’s suggestion was therefore surprising and it contravened the Assembly’s resolution. The item should be kept on the agenda of the first resumed session pending clarification as to why the Secretariat had not been able to include the important item on the agenda.

The Acting Chairman said the Secretariat would take note of that comment. He then proposed that the Committee agree to postpone consideration of the documents referred to in the note by the Bureau, taking into account the comments made by the representative of Kuwait.

Mr. MONAYAIR (Kuwait) repeated that the item should remain on the agenda until more clarification was received.

The Committee agreed to that, and also approved its programme of work, taking into account the observations made in the course of the meeting.

The Acting Chairman announced that the Bureau would review the programme of work and submit revisions.

Other Matters

TAMMAM SULAIMAN (Syria) said the performance of the cafeteria and Vienna Café was deteriorating. Hours of operation were another problem. Meetings were being held and the cafeteria was not open. When he had asked about this, a cafeteria worker had informed him that there was not sufficient demand for business to keep

the cafeteria open. It seemed that parties awarded external contracts from the Organization were not aware that the cafeteria and other services were not for profit and were there to serve the delegates. This must be taken into account by those who contracted to provide services to the United Nations.

The granting of contracts to external sources was a growing problem that had been discussed many times, he continued. Many United Nations activities were in private hands, including the audio-video tapes. The granting of service contracts to private companies weakened the Organization’s international character.

When there were more meetings in session, the cafeteria stayed open, he noted. He objected to that practice. There must be services even if there was only one small working group in session. The matter should be raised with those who ran the cafeterias and restaurants. He would follow the matter until a satisfactory solution was found.

The Acting Chairman said he would convey that to the relevant persons.

EVA SILOT BRAVO (Cuba) said that while her delegation agreed with the programme of work and had not expressed any objection to it, she wished to draw attention to the report due on the Master Plan for the Capital Improvements to the United Nations, which it was now proposed be deferred. The matter had gone on for a year and a half, and the Committee should allocate adequate time to its consideration.

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