Resumed Fifty-fifth General Assembly

Fifth Committee

57^th Meeting (PM)

CONCLUDING FIRST RESUMED SESSION, BUDGET COMMITTEE DEFERS ACTION

ON HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

Following extensive consultations, at the conclusion of its first resumed session (13 March–9 April) this afternoon, the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) decided to defer action on human resources management and approved, without a vote, four other texts on various items on its agenda.

Working mostly in informal consultations throughout its four-week first resumed session, the Committee discussed numerous aspects of human resources management -– most introduced during the main part of the session last year -- covering such issues as the role of the Office of Human Resources Management; human resources planning; contractual arrangements; recruitment and placement of personnel; conditions of service; mobility; delegation of authority; questions related to equitable geographical distribution; administration of justice; career development and performance management.

Addressing the Committee on human resources management on 29 March,

Under-Secretary-General for Management, Joseph E. Connor, said among the key elements of the reform was a new recruitment, placement and promotion system, with programme managers selecting staff and being accountable for those decisions.  Also important was a system of managed mobility, which would facilitate assignment of staff and provide for greater career development opportunities.  The Secretary-General was not yet ready to make final proposals on two other important issues: contractual agreements and administration of justice within the Organization.

Containing over 200 operative paragraphs, the omnibus resolution before the Committee was based on input from various delegations, Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry (Pakistan), coordinator of informal consultations, said introducing the draft.

Also briefing the Committee on the status of informal consultations on human resources, which were extended through early morning Saturday, he said that agreement had been reached on about 180 operative paragraphs.  Given the length of the document, it was not a small achievement.  However, consensus had not been reached on about 20 paragraphs regarding contractual arrangements, recruitment, placement and administration of justice.  Proposing to defer action on the draft, he stressed that it was not for the lack of will that the work had not been finished, but for the enormity of the task before the Committee.

Also this afternoon, the Committee approved a draft resolution, by the terms of which it recommended to the General Assembly to appropriate the amount of some $73.27 million gross for the maintenance of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) for the period from 1 July 2000 to 30 June 2001, in addition to the amount of some $504.4 million gross already appropriated. 

57^th Meeting (PM)                                      9 April 200l

As an ad hoc arrangement, by the terms of that text, the Assembly would initially decide to apportion among Member States an additional amount of some $36.6 million gross.  [In its report before the Committee, the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) recommended apportionment of that amount, representing half of the total $73.3 million additional appropriation.  The balance of the assessment would be subject to a report to the Assembly in the context of its review of the proposed budget for UNAMSIL for

1 July 2001 to 30 June 2002, to be submitted later this year.]

In other action today, the Committee approved -- also without a vote -- three draft decisions:  on strengthening the international civil service; on the reports of the Office of Internal Oversight Services; and on the report of the Secretary-General on the activities of the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS).

By one of those texts, the Committee recommended that the Assembly note the OIOS reports on:  the follow-up to the 1997 review of the programme and administrative practice of the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat); the follow-up to the 1996 review of the programme and administrative practices of the United Nations Environment Programme; the audit of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Field Operation in Rwanda; and the outcome of the consolidation of three former economic and social departments into the Department of Economic and Social Affairs.  The Assembly would also reiterate that the OIOS reports should be considered under the relevant items of its agenda.

By the other two drafts, the Committee deferred consideration of the reports of the Secretary-General on strengthening the international civil service until the fifty-sixth session; and of the report of the Secretary-General on the activities of the OIOS -- to the second part of its resumed fifty-fifth session.

The drafts before the Committee were introduced by Vice-Chairpersons of the Committee, Jasminca Dinic (Croatia), Collen Vixen Kelapile (Botswana) and Ramesh Chandra (India).

Speaking this afternoon were the representatives of Sweden (on behalf of the European Union), Iran (on behalf of the "Group of 77" developing countries and China), Australia (also on behalf of Canada and New Zealand), United States and Syria.

The representative of Iraq addressed the question of the application of Article 19 of the Charter.  [During this session, the Committee continued its consideration of the alternatives to the current method of calculating arrears under that Article, which could encourage Member States to pay their assessed contributions in full and on time.]  On this agenda item, the Committee also took note of the information provided by Mr. Chandra that no action should be taken at this point.  The item would be considered by the Committee on Contributions at its forthcoming meeting. 

The Committee’s second resumed session is scheduled to begin on 7 May.

Drafts before Committee

At the conclusion of its first resumed session this afternoon, the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) had before it several draft decisions and resolutions.

Before the Committee was a draft resolution on the financing of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (document A/C.5/55/L.49), by the terms of which the Assembly would take note of the status of contributions to the United Nations Observer Mission in Sierra Leone and the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) as at 28 February 2001, including the contributions outstanding in the amount of $242.1 million, representing some 41 per cent of the total assessed contributions.  Noting that some 11 per cent of the Member States have paid their assessed contributions in full, and urging all others concerned, in particular those in arrears, to ensure the payment of their contributions, the Assembly would decide to appropriate the amount of some $73.27 million gross ($73.78 million net) for the maintenance of the Mission for the period from 1 July 2000 to 30 June 2001, in addition to the amount of some $504.4 million gross ($496.55 million net) already appropriated.  That figure would be inclusive of some $23.93 million gross for the support account for peacekeeping operations and $3.74 million gross for the United Nations Logistics Base.

As an ad hoc arrangement, at the current time, the Assembly would decide to apportion among Member States an additional amount of some $36.6 million gross.  [In its report before the Committee, the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) recommended apportionment of that amount, representing half of the total $73.3 million additional appropriation.  The balance of the assessment would be subject to a report to the Assembly in the context of its review of the proposed budget for UNAMSIL for 1 July 2001 to 30 June 2002, to be submitted later this year.]

The Committee also had before it a draft decision on strengthening the international civil service (document A/C.5/55/L.55), by the terms of which the Assembly would decide to defer consideration of the reports of the Secretary-General with a view to taking a decision on the matter at its fifty-sixth session.

Also before the Committee was a draft decision on the reports of the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) (document A/C.5/55/L.56), by the terms of which the Assembly would note the OIOS reports on:  the follow-up to the 1997 review of the programme and administrative practice of the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat); the follow-up to the 1996 review of the programme and administrative practices of the United Nations Environment Programme; the audit of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Field Operation in Rwanda, and the outcome of the consolidation of three former economic and social departments into the Department of Economic and Social Affairs.  The Assembly would also reiterate that the OIOS reports should be considered under the relevant items of its agenda.

And finally, by the terms of the draft decision on the report of the Secretary-General on the activities of the OIOS (document A/C.5/55/L.58), the Assembly would defer consideration of its agenda item 126 entitled “Report of the Secretary-General on the activities of the Office of Internal Oversight Services” to the second part of its resumed fifty-fifth session.

Session Round-up

With human resources management occupying centre stage in informal consultations during four weeks of the first resumed session (13 March–9 April), the Committee also devoted much attention to other items on its agenda.  In particular, it discussed the ways of improving the financial situation of the Organization.  Under-Secretary-General on Management, Joseph E.Connor, addressed the Committee on that issue on 22 March, saying that financial stability for the United Nations was within reach, provided the United States made its arrears payments.  The Committee also considered alternatives to the current arrears calculation under Article 19 of the Charter as an incentive for Member States to meet their budget obligations. 

The Committee also made recommendations on the financing of UNAMSIL and the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea.  It recommended continued investigation of possible fee-splitting arrangements between defence counsel and indigent detainees at the International Tribunals and addressed the question of

ad litem judges for the International Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.  Also approved were draft resolutions aligning the terms of office of the members of the Board of Auditors with the budget cycle of the Organization and providing for a more efficient procurement system.

Among other issues considered during this session were several reports of the OIOS; the phasing out of gratis personnel provided to the Organization by Member States; senior appointments within the Organization; internal and external printing practices of the Organization; construction of additional facilities in Bangkok and Addis-Ababa and procurement-related arbitration.

The Committee’s Chairman, GERT ROSENTHAL (Guatemala), said the draft proposals before the Committee had been deferred to today’s meeting with a view to forging ahead in informal consultations on the issue of human resources.  He would return to that item at the end of the meeting.

Financing of United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL)

The Committee had before it a draft resolution on the financing of UNAMSIL.  JASMINCA DINIC (Croatia) introduced the draft and recommended that it be approved without a vote.

The Committee then approved the draft without a vote.

Review of Efficiency of Administrative and Financial Functioning of           United Nations:  Reports of Office of Internal Oversight Services

Turning to the draft decision on the reports of the OIOS, COLLEN VIXEN KELAPILE (Botswana) introduced the draft and recommended that the draft be approved without a vote.  A fifth report -- on the consolidation of technical support services in the Department of General Assembly Affairs and Conference Services (document A/55/803) -- was supposed to have been taken up with the four reports indicated in the decision.  However, following some questions about that report in informal consultations, the Committee had decided to consider the report separately during its second resumed session in May.

The Committee approved the draft decision without a vote.

Scale of Assessment for Apportionment of Expenses of United Nations

      The Committee then turned to the scale of assessments for the apportionment of expenses. 

The Vice-Chairman of the Committee, RAMESH CHANDRA (India), said that there had been near unanimous agreement in informal consultations that the Committee not act on the item at the current time.  The Committee on Contributions would take up the issue at its forthcoming meeting.  The Secretary-General’s report would be considered along with the views of that body. 

AHMED K. AHMED (Iraq) said that the comprehensive sanctions imposed on Iraq by the Security Council in 1991 had banned Iraq from exporting all commodities.  Iraq’s overseas assets had been frozen and Iraq was not allowed to earmark funds for purchasing foods and medicines.  Given the inability of Iraq to pay its assessed contributions in hard currency, Iraq’s arrears were now in excess of the amounts set forth in Article 19 of the Charter.  Since 1994, Iraq requested that the Committee on Contributions exempt it from the provisions of Article 19 until sanctions were lifted, or that it be allowed to pay its assessed contributions in Iraqi local currency.  One Member State, known to all, had blocked that request for political reasons.

He said that Iraq’s most recent request to the Committee on Contributions was made in November 1998.  That request was examined in the Committee’s extraordinary session in February 1999.  Some delegates thought that the request warranted examination.  The Iraqi Foreign Minister wrote to the Secretary-General, requesting that Iraq’s arrears be paid from the oil proceeds under the memorandum of understanding and the Oil-for-Food Programme.   In June 1999 the Secretary-General responded by saying that the subject matter did not fall under his purview, but rather under the purview of the Security Council. 

In January 2000, Iraq addressed a letter to the Security Council, requesting that the Council examine the issue on an urgent basis, he continued.  The Council examined the request in informal consultations in March.  Many members supported it.  The United States, however, had reservations under the pretext that revenues from the Oil-for-Food Programme were to cover humanitarian needs exclusively.  Iraq wrote again to the President of the Council, requesting that Iraqi assessed contribution be deducted from the 2.2 per cent account -– the account earmarked for administrative purposes, which had a surplus.  The President for the month of March conducted bilaterals on that request and informed Iraq that the Council had not been able to reach consensus on the matter.  The United States had objected to the proposal. 

Given the importance Iraq attached to paying its arrears in full, Iraq underlined its legitimate request to pay its full contributions to the Organization from pure Iraqi funds accumulated in the 2.2 per cent account, he said.  Full payment by Iraq would help to mitigate the financial crisis facing the United Nations.

The CHAIRMAN proposed that the Committee take note of information provided by Mr. Chandra and decide not to act on this item.  It was so decided by the Committee.

United Nations Common System:  Strengthening International Civil Service

The Committee had before it a draft decision on strengthening the international civil service.  Mr. CHANDRA introduced the decision and recommended that it be approved without a vote.

The Committee approved the draft decision without a vote.

Report of Secretary-General on Activities of OIOS

Turning to the draft resolution on the report of the Secretary-General on the activities of the OIOS, Mr. KELAPILE introduced the draft, recommending that it be approved without a vote.

The Committee then approved the draft without a vote.

Human Resources Management

Following a short suspension of the meeting, the Committee’s CHAIRMAN said that it was well known that the draft on human resources management had been debated during long hours.  In fact, informal consultations lasted until after 3 in the morning on Saturday.  Although important agreements had been reached, the Committee was not ready to act on the draft.

Coordinator of the informal consultations on this item, AIZAZ AHMAD CHAUDHRY (Pakistan) informed the Committee about the status of work on the item and introduced a draft decision on human resources management.  He said that extensive consultations had been held on the human resources draft, which was based on input from various delegations.  It was an omnibus resolution containing over 200 paragraphs.  Agreement had been reached on about 180 of them.  Given the length of the document, it was not a small achievement.  However, consensus had not been achieved on about 20 paragraphs regarding contractual arrangements, recruitment and placement and administration of justice. 

Turning to the future course of action, he said that there was a general consensus to defer further consideration of the matter to the second part of the resumed session in May.  Work would be resumed from the point where it had been suspended during the current session.  He was confident that the Committee would be able to accomplish its task in May.

It was not for the lack of will that work had not been finished, he said, but for the enormity of the task before the Committee.  He was grateful to all delegations for their cooperation.  He proposed to defer consideration of the item until the second part of the resumed session of the Committee.

The CHAIRMAN then thanked Mr. Chaudhry for ”his heroic efforts”.  He also expressed gratitude to the delegates who had participated in the work on the draft.  He believed the Committee could capitalize on the constructive spirit to carry out the work and resume its activities where they had been interrupted at

4 a.m. last Saturday.  He shared the view that the task could be accomplished.  It was important to create the right conditions for the Organization to secure top quality staff.  He would feel extremely frustrated if the work on the item was not concluded at the end of the second resumed session in June.

The Committee then decided to defer consideration of the item of human resources management to its second resumed session.

MAGNUS LENEFORS (Sweden), speaking on behalf of the European Union, said that intense and fruitful consultations had been conducted in the past four weeks.  The Committee was left with a limited number of issues to consider in May.  The draft was a good basis for continued negotiations.  He thanked all delegations, in particular the representative of Pakistan, for his “heroic” efforts to conclude the item.  The Union looked forward to the second resumed session.

SEYED MORTEZA MIRMOHAMMAD (Iran), speaking on behalf of the "Group of 77" developing countries and China, said the Group had hoped to pass the resolution a week ago, or at the latest, by last Friday.  He regretted that that had not been possible.  He was ready to participate in the second resumed session discussions and hoped that everything in the draft resolution would be concluded. 

HENRY FOX (Australia), also speaking on behalf of Canada and New Zealand (CANZ), said that for some, the Secretary-General’s reform package had raised issues of a complexity that could not be resolved in the time available to the Committee.  The draft represented a significant body of work, and he looked forward to resuming work on it in May.  Notwithstanding the complexity of the issues, delegations took constructive views of the reform package.  While the draft contained strategic guidance, the Committee appeared ready to approve the package as a whole in due course.  He had no reason to believe that the Committee would not endorse the package at the next session.

HUGH DUGAN (United States) said that it was rare that the Committee considered such an ambitious text.  Great progress had been realized and he looked forward to continuing work in the resumed session.

The CHAIRMAN said that he had no doubt as to the Committee’s capacity to find a final landing for the complex and difficult resolution at the May resumed session.  He took note of words of optimism expressed by delegations.

      Other Matters

Regarding the opinion of the Office of Legal Affairs on the use of the phrase “takes note of”, the CHAIRMAN said that after consultation with the Bureau he had asked the United Nations Legal Counsel, Hans Corell, to provide the Committee with a legal opinion. 

The document containing that opinion was then distributed to the Committee. 

The CHAIRMAN said that he had asked Mr. Corell to join the Committee at one of its first meetings during the resumed session in May.

ABDOU AL-MOULA NAKKARI (Syria) expressed his deep gratitude to the Chairman for the wise manner in which he had conducted the Committee’s business.  He also expressed thanks for accommodating all points of view expressed in the Committee.  He would look at the legal explanations given in the paper.  The issue might need to be pursued further under the Chairman’s guidance.  He thanked Mr. Corell for his response and appreciated his willingness to further examine the matter down the road, directly or indirectly.

The CHAIRMAN said that he would meet with the Bureau next week to discuss the Committee’s future activities.  The resumed session would commence on 7 May.  A provisional agenda would be proposed in the next few weeks, starting with the topic of human resources management and moving on to peace operations.  He thanked the Committee for its efforts to provide content to its agenda. 

* *** *