REPORTS ON AIR TRAVEL STANDARDS, POSTAL ADMINISTRATION TAKEN UP BY BUDGET COMMITTEE

Sixty-second General Assembly

Fifth Committee

6^th Meeting (AM)

REPORTS ON AIR TRAVEL STANDARDS, POSTAL ADMINISTRATION

TAKEN UP BY BUDGET COMMITTEE

The representative of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China this morning expressed concern over the lack of common United Nations policies on standards of air travel and entitlements, as the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) took up the issue.

Speaking on behalf of the Group, the representative of Pakistan -- the only delegate who spoke this morning -- relayed full support for the recommendation of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), which suggested a comprehensive report by the Secretary-General on the issue, with a view to harmonizing the conditions of travel.

As explained by the Chairman of the Advisory Committee, Rajat Saha, who introduced that body’s reports, the ACABQ believed that the report should also indicate the measures that could be implemented under the Secretary-General’s authority and those that would require approval of the Assembly.  Further, it should take into account the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) study on the subject, the recommendations of the Joint Inspection Unit and the ACABQ.

Pakistan’s representative, while agreeing with the Secretary-General’s discretion to authorize exceptions to air travel on a case-by-case basis and business-class travel by air in special circumstances, also emphasized that every exception to the agreed classes of travel must be carefully scrutinized.  In exercising discretion and exceptions, the developments in the air travel industry and resulting opportunities for a comfortable journey might also be taken into account.

The Committee had before it the Secretary-General’s report on standards of accommodation for air travel which provides detailed information on the exceptions authorized by the Secretary-General to the standards of accommodation normally applicable under the regulations and rules of the Organization.  Introducing the document, the Chief of the Audit and Internal Justice Office of the Office of the Under-Secretary-General for Management, Nancy Hurtz-Soyka, said that, overall, there had been a decrease in the number of exceptions granted.  In total, 236 exceptions had been granted from July 2002 to June 2004, compared to 217 in 2004 to 2006.

Introducing the report on the review of the standards of travel and entitlements for staff members, members of organs and subsidiary bodies of the United Nations and entities of the system, Ken Herman, Senior Adviser on Information Management Policy Coordination of the Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB), said that the goal of the review was to explore the extent to which organizations were moving towards harmonized standards within their travel policies to establish a baseline from which to pursue further coordinated efforts.  One key message that emerged from the report was that harmonization of travel rules had, by and large, proven elusive.  For example, a key indicator, the threshold, measured in hours, over which business class could be utilized, continued to differ across the system.

In some areas, however, organizations had moved towards greater coherence, he said.  For instance, almost all agencies differentiated between staff members above D-2 and those at the D-2 and below for mission travel.  Agencies’ policies were starting to converge in the practice of offering lump-sum payments for many categories of entitlement travel.  As for the rules for representatives of Member States, the rules continued to differ across organizations.

Also this morning, Katrina Nowlan, Chief of Service III for the Programme Planning and Budget Division, introduced a report containing two options to reduce the risk posed to the United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA) by the use of its services for commercial and bulk mail.  The report indicates that the United Nations forwards mail using United Nations stamps to the mail services of the United States, Austria and Switzerland for mailing.  The UNPA offices in Vienna and Geneva are able to use the reduced postage rate negotiated with the local authorities for the overall mail volume of the United Nations.  The volume of first-class mail processed by the UNPA at Headquarters in New York and the extensive pre-sorting requirements of the United States Postal Service do not allow United Nations mail to qualify for volume discounts.

The two options to deal with the situation include the establishment of a contingent liability reserve, or continuation of the current practice of absorbing extra costs related to bulk mailings, as and when necessary.

The representative of Pakistan said that the Group of 77 saw merit in establishing a contingent liability fund, as recommended by the Board of Auditors and the ACABQ, which might also be essential to meet the International Public Sector Accounting Standards requirements.  He also underlined the importance of ensuring a net income and profit by the UNPA through cost-cutting, changes in operations and the introduction of new products.

The Committee will take up the Organization’s second consolidated efficiency report and several other documents under the current budget agenda item at 10 a.m., Thursday, 18 October.

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For information media • not an official record