DRAFT URGING SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN UNEP BUDGETARY ALLOCATION INTRODUCED IN SECOND COMMITTEE

Fifty-sixth General Assembly

Second Committee

26^th Meeting (AM) 

DRAFT URGING SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN UNEP BUDGETARY ALLOCATION

INTRODUCED IN SECOND COMMITTEE

The General Assembly would underline the need for sufficient financial resources, on a stable and predictable basis, to ensure the full implementation of the mandate of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), by the terms of a draft resolution introduced this morning in the Second Committee (Economic and Financial). 

The draft, on the report of the UNEP Governing Council on its twenty-first session (document A/C.2/56/L.20), was introduced by Hossein Moeini Meybodi (Iran), on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China.  It would also have the Assembly request the Secretary-General to consider a substantial increase in the budgetary allocation for UNEP and the United Nations Office at Nairobi in the United Nations regular budget for the biennium 2002-2003. 

Further, the Assembly would note the ongoing process initiated by decision 21/21 of 9 February of the Governing Council of UNEP, on establishing an open-ended intergovernmental group of ministers or their representatives on international environmental governance, whose outcome will be submitted to the Preparatory Committee for the World Summit on Sustainable Development for consideration at its third session.

Also this morning, the representative of the Russian Federation joined the co-sponsorship of the draft resolution on the World Summit on an Information Society (document A/C.2/56/L.3).

The Committee will meet again on 19 November to begin its consideration of the report of the Economic and Social Council.

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