Sixty-second General Assembly

Fifth Committee

21^st Meeting (AM)

FIFTH COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS $993 MILLION FOR 2008-2009 CAPITAL MASTER PLAN BUDGET,

ALSO APPROVES TEXTS ON INTERNATIONAL CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION, PROGRAMME PLANNING

 

The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) this morning recommended an appropriation of $992.77 million for the 2008-2009 biennium for the refurbishment of the United Nations complex in New York -- the so-called capital master plan -- while suggesting no changes in the payment schedule for Member States’ contributions to the project, which had been agreed upon last year.

In 2006, the General Assembly approved a budget of $1.88 billion for the plan and a financing mechanism through Member States’ assessments, while also instructing the Secretary-General to “make every effort to avoid budget increases” and to submit “possible options” on how to remain within the approved budget.

With the project behind schedule this year, the Secretary-General, in his fifth annual progress report, had proposed an accelerated strategy, which would save money on construction by speeding up the renovation, in particular by emptying the whole Secretariat Building in one phase, instead of the four envisioned in the plan approved by the Assemblylast year.  Such a scenario would require more office swing space off site, but the costs of such space would be offset by the lowered cost of the renovation itself, which would be completed by 2013 instead of 2016.

By the draft resolution that was approved without a vote today, the Assembly would request the Secretary-General to ensure full accountability for the delays, lack of responsiveness of management to the needs of the plan, and other factors that had contributed to the delays and projected budget overrun.

Taking note of the Secretary-General’s proposal on the accelerated strategy, the Assembly would authorize the Secretary-General to enter into an additional swing space arrangement needed for a single-phase renovation of the Secretariat Building as a matter of urgency.  The Assembly would approve the changes in the schedule of renovation work proposed by the Secretary-General, subject to the availability of the additional swing space, and would specify that, should such an arrangement not be entered into within 120 days, the Secretary-General should proceed without further delay with the phased approach to the renovation as approved by the Assembly in resolution 61/251.

By the terms of another draft -- also approved without a vote today -- the Assembly would take note with appreciation of the work of the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) and its report for 2007, which contains the Commission’s latest recommendations on the conditions of service within the Organization’s common system, covering over 52,000 staff members at various duty stations.  It would also welcome the steps taken by the Commission to strengthen its role and improve its functioning, and encourage the Commission to continue that process.

By this text, the Assembly would approve, with effect from 1 January 2008, a 1.97 per cent adjustment to the base/floor salary scale for the Professional and higher categories of staff by increasing base salary and commensurately reducing post adjustment multiplier points.  It would also reaffirm that the range of 110 to 120 for the margin between the net remuneration of officials in comparable Professional and higher positions in the United Nations and federal civil service in Washington, D.C., should continue to apply, on the understanding that the margin would be maintained at a level around the desirable midpoint of 115.

The third text approved without a vote today was a draft resolution on programme planning -- a process that allows the Organization to translate intergovernmental mandates into concrete implementable programmes.  By its terms, the Assembly would reaffirm the role of the Committee for Programme and Coordination (CPC) as the Organization’s main planning, programming and coordinating body and endorse its conclusions and recommendations on the review of the efficiency of the administrative and financial functioning of the United Nations, on programme planning, on evaluation, on the annual overview report of the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB) for 2006/2007, on United Nations system support for the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), and on improving its working methods and procedures.

The representative of the United States, however, disassociated from the consensus on the text, saying that it did not adequately address the CPC’s continued failure to fulfil its original mandated tasks of coordinating, monitoring and evaluating the programmes and activities of the United Nations.  The CPC members had been authorized by the Assembly and the Economic and Social Council to review the legislative mandates approved by Member States with the goal of eliminating duplication and overlap in the work of the United Nations, thereby helping to ensure that resources would be utilized to maximum advantage.  Unfortunately, the CPC was failing to perform that essential coordination function, he said.

Japan’s representative said that, although his delegation had no intention of blocking consensus on the text, there was much room for improvement in the performance of the Committee for Programme and Coordination, particularly in its pursuance of its mandate for policy coordination.   Japan was not fully satisfied with the text -- for instance, its provisions on improving the methods and procedures of the CPC.  His delegation strongly hoped that the CPC would continue to enhance its efforts to pursue its mandate for policy coordination in the United Nations, to fully meet the expectations of Member States.

In that connection, Pakistan’s representative, speaking on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, reiterated the importance of the work being done by the Committee for Programme and Coordination and said it was unfortunate that a delegation that had usually participated in the negotiations and consensus on the issue had now dissociated itself from the consensus; and another delegation, which had a number of its concerns taken on board during the negotiations, was now expressing dissatisfaction with the draft.

The representative of Kuwait also made a statement in explanation of position after action on the capital master plan draft.

Also this morning, representatives of Portugal, on behalf of the European Union, Pakistan, on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, and Brazil participated in the discussion of several reports on the transfer of buildings to the United Nations Logistics Base by the Government of Italy and revised estimates resulting from resolutions and decisions of the Economic and Social Council.

Documents before the Committee were introduced by Bock Yeo, Officer-in-Charge of the Peacekeeping Financing Division; Rajat Saha, Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ); and Linda Wong, of the Programme Planning and Budget Division.

The Committee will meet again at a time to be announced.

Background

The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) met this morning to take action on the draft resolutions on the capital master plan, programme planning and the Organization’s common system (see action on drafts), and to take up a series of reports on the financing of peacekeeping and revised estimates in connection with decisions of the Economic and Social Council.

The first report before the Committee was the Secretary-General ’s note on the transfer of buildings to the United Nations Logistics Base in Brindisi, Italy (document A/62/548). The document contains a proposal for the acceptance of six buildings and 12 open air areas pledged by the Government of Italy, in addition to five buildings approved in decision 58/577.

According to the document, the acceptance of the offer, while cost-effective for the Organization in the long term, would involve an additional financial liability for the United Nations in respect of the cost of maintenance.  The market value of the equivalent office space was estimated on an annualized basis at approximately $600,000.  Under the principles of the memorandum of understanding between the Government of Italy and the United Nations, the United Nations would renovate nine of the total number of 11 buildings, at an estimated cost of $3 million, as well as all of the open areas, at an estimated cost of $600,000.  Therefore, the Assembly’s approval of the transfer is sought, consistent with existing financial regulations.

The Secretary-General indicates that the Logistics Base proposed budget for 2008/2009 would include provisions for renovation of the buildings and open spaces.  Upon approval of the transfer by the Assembly, an amendment to the memorandum of understanding between the Government of Italy and the United Nations regarding the use of the facilities by the Organization will be concluded.

Another report from the Secretary-General before the Committee this morning details revised budgetary estimates resulting from resolutions and decisions adopted by the Economic and Social Council at its 2007 substantive and resumed sessions (document A/62/515).  The report requests the Assembly to approve additional requirements estimated at $14.12 million under the proposed programme budget for 2008-2009, including $13.29 million under section 2, General Assembly and Economic and Social Council affairs and conference management, and $830,000 under section 23, Human rights, as a charge against the contingency fund.  Other estimated requirements in the amount of $238,000 could be absorbed within the 2006-2007 budget, and another $84,400 would be absorbed into the relevant sections of the 2008-2009 proposed provisions.

The Assembly is also requested to approve proposed modifications to the programme narratives and outputs to be incorporated into the programme of work of section 9, Economic and social affairs, and section 23, Human rights, of the proposed programme budget.  Additional expenditures listed in the report result from a number of resolutions, in which the Economic and Social Council authorized relevant functional commissions, standing committees or expert bodies to undertake additional activities, including meetings, for which no provision had been made in the 2006-2007 budget and which would have an impact on estimates proposed for 2008-2009.

The Economic and Social Council decided, among other things, to:  extend the mandate of Ad Hoc Advisory Groups on Haiti and Guinea-Bissau; offer further support to the Bureau of the United Nations Forum on Forests; take note of several reports, including those of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs on its fiftieth session and provisional agenda for its fifty-first session, of the Commission on Crime and Prevention and Criminal Justice on its sixteenth session and provisional agenda for its seventeenth session and of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, on its thirty-seventh, thirty-eighth and thirty-ninth sessions.  The Council decisions also encompass consideration of the International Expert Group Meeting on Indigenous Languages and venue and dates of the seventh session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, as well as documents in connection with regional cooperation.

Commenting on the Secretary-General’s report, the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQO), in a related document (A/62/7/Add.16), states that it has no objection to the approach proposed by the Secretary-General, who put the expenditure requirements for the biennium 2006-2007 arising as a result of the Council’s resolutions and decisions at $238,300, stating that that amount could be absorbed within the resources provided under the budget for the biennium 2006-2007.  With regard to the biennium 2008-2009, additional requirements of $14.2 million had been estimated, including an amount of $84,400 that would be absorbed within the provisions contained in the proposed programme budget for the biennium 2008-2009.  The balance of $14.1 million would, therefore, be required under the proposed programme budget for the biennium 2008-2009, including $13.3 million under section 2, General Assembly and Economic and Social Council affairs and conference management, and $830,900 under section 23, Human rights.  According to the Secretary-General, that total amount of $14.1 million would represent a charge against the contingency fund for the biennium 2008-2009, to be approved by the General Assembly at its sixty-second session.

United Nations Logistics Base

BOCK YEO, Officer-in-Charge of the Peacekeeping Financing Division, introduced the Secretary-General’s report on the transfer of buildings to the United Nations Logistics Base.

Introducing a related report of the Advisory Committee (document A/62/559), the Chairman of that body, RAJAT SAHA, said that ACABQ was recommending approval of the Secretary-General’s proposal for the acceptance of six additional buildings and 12 open spaces offered by the Government of Italy.  That was in addition to Italy’s previous offer to transfer five buildings to the Base, which had been approved by the Assembly in its decision 58/557.  The Advisory Committee understood that two of the 12 buildings were to be used by the World Food Programme (WFP).  Furthermore, the availability of additional premises at the Base would allow closure of the off-site warehouse in San Pancrazio.

He went on to say that it was proposed to renovate and adapt the nine buildings and 12 open areas at a cost of $3 million and $0.6 million, respectively.  Those requirements were to be included in the budget proposal for 2008/2009.  Total annual maintenance costs to be borne by the Organization for the 12 buildings and open spaces were estimated at $370,000.

Upon conclusion of the amendment to the existing memorandum of understanding between Italy and the United Nations on the use of premises at the Logistics Base in Brindisi, it would be possible to commence work on the renovation and alteration of the buildings, during the period 2007/2008.  The Advisory Committee recommended that unutilized funds already appropriated for the current period be utilized to cover costs of renovation and maintenance of the additional buildings in 2007/2008, with a corresponding reduction in the overall requirement of $3.6 million for 2008-2009.  Budget proposals for 2008-2009 should also reflect savings resulting from the closure of the San Pancrazio facility.  The Advisory Committee welcomed the contributions of the Government of Italy in support of the Base in Brindisi.

EDUARDO RAMOS ( Portugal), on behalf of the European Union, welcomed the contribution of the Government of Italy of six additional buildings and 12 open spaces for the Logistics Base.  The European Union agreed that the transfer of buildings and the conclusion of the memorandum of understanding would allow the Base to continue to ensure the best performance of logistics support for peacekeeping missions and to conduct its activities in a more cost-effective manner.  The European Union, therefore, shared the comments expressed by ACABQ in its report and agreed with its conclusions.

Revised Estimate by Economic and Social Council

LINDA WONG, of the Programme Planning and Budget Division, introduced the report on the revised estimates resulting from resolutions and decisions adopted by the Economic and Social Council at its substantive and resumed substantive sessions of 2007 (document A/62/515).  She said that subsequent to the issuance of that report and its consideration by ACABQ, the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) adopted draft resolution A/C.3/63/L.20/Rev.1 by which the provisions of operative paragraphs 14 and 15 would result in changes in the programme of work and the resource requirements of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, previously decided by the Committee and communicated to the Council.

Although ACABQ, in its report A/62/7/Add.16, had pronounced it had no objection to the amount of $14.1 million communicated in document A/62/515 as a charge against the contingency fund for the biennium 2008-2009, based on the decision of the Third Committee in its draft resolution A/C.3/62/L.20/Rev.1 and the statement of programme budget implications A/C.5/62/15, the additional requirements had been revised downward to $10.8 million.  The estimates, thus, fully replaced the previous statement of programme budget implications of Economic and Social Council’s decision 2007/279, contained in the revised estimates resulting from resolutions and decisions adopted by the Council at its substantive and resumed substantive sessions in 2007.  The difference between the additional requirements estimated in document A/62/515 (Part H) and in document A/C.5/62/15 amounted to $3.3 million.  The revision, therefore, set the charge against the contingency fund for the biennium 2008-2009 at $10.8 million based on draft resolution A/C.3/62/L.20/Rev.1 on the future scope of the activities of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.

She said that the General Assembly was also requested to approve the proposed modifications to the programme narratives and outputs to be incorporated into the programme of work of section 9, Economic and social affairs, of the proposed programme budget for the biennium 2008-2009, outlined under paragraph 17 of the report.  Approval of the proposed modifications to the programme narratives and outputs to be incorporated into the programme of work of section 23, Human rights, of the proposed programme budget for the biennium 2008-2009, outlined under paragraph 61 of the report, was also requested of the General assembly.

Mr. SAHA, ACABQ Chairman, introduced the related ACABQ report.  He said that subsequent adjustments would be reflected in due course in future reports before the General Assembly.

Speaking on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries, IMTIAZ HUSSAIN ( Pakistan) said that the Group supported programme budget implications arising from the decisions of the Economic and Social Council.  However, the Group would consider all such requests together, whenever the whole cluster was ready.

FERNANDO DE OLIVEIRA SENA ( Brazil) said that his delegation supported the position of the Group of 77 and wanted to put on record its strong position regarding strengthening of the United Nations Forum on Forests.  Of course, during the consideration of this agenda item, Brazil would pay particular attention to that issue.

The Secretary of the Committee, MOVSES ABELIAN, informed the delegates that additional statements of programme budget implications might be coming from the Second Committee (Economic and Financial), the work of which had been extended until 7 December.  Other resolutions might have programme budget implications, as well, including the draft on the Law of the Sea (a General Assembly item).  When everything was ready, all programme budget implication statements and revised estimates would be put together for introduction to the Fifth Committee.

Action on Drafts

The first text before the Committee was a draft resolution on the United Nations common system (document A/C.5/62/L.6), by the terms of which the Assembly would express appreciation for the work of the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) and take note of its 2007 report, while also reiterating its invitation to the Secretary-General, in his capacity as Chairman of the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB), to urge the heads of the United Nations organizations to fully support the work of the Commission.

The Assembly would also decide to consider the Commission’s recommendations on the proposed measures to retain staff of the International Tribunals for Rwanda and the former Yugoslaviaunder the agenda items relating to the financing of those two courts.  [The Commission suggested, in its report, that offering special financial incentives towards that end would set a precedent, which should be avoided.  However, existing non-monetary incentives, including outplacement services and consideration as internal candidates when applying for other common system positions, are appropriate.  In addition, if staff members’ fixed terms of service expire prematurely because their skills are no longer needed at the Tribunals, they would be eligible for termination indemnities.]

Turning to ICSC recommendations that call for its decisions, the Assembly would note that the margin between net remuneration of the United Nations staff in grades P-1 to D-2 in New York and that of officials in comparable positions in the United States federal civil service in Washington, D.C., for the period from 1 January to 31 December 2007, is estimated at 114.0 and that the average margin level for the past five years (2003-2007) stands at 112.3.  In that connection, the Assembly would reaffirm that the range of 110 to 120 for the margin between the net remuneration of United Nations and comparator (United States civil service) officials in the Professional and higher categories should continue to apply, on the understanding that the margin would be maintained at a level around the desirable midpoint of 115 over a period of time.

Further by the text, the Assembly would approve, with effect from 1 January 2008, the revised base/floor scale of salaries for staff in the Professional and higher categories, as recommended by ICSC.  [In its report, the Commission recommended a 1.97 per cent adjustment to the base/floor salary scale for those categories of staff by increasing base salary and commensurately reducing post adjustment multiplier points.]  The Assembly would also note the Commission’s recommendations regarding language incentives and the promotion of multilingualism.

The Assembly would also welcome the steps taken by the Commission to strengthen its role and improve its functioning, as set out in paragraphs 68 to 72 of its report, and encourage ICSC to continue that process.  [Described in the report is the Commission’s work to outline a strategy to strengthen its role and functions, based on the recognition that the role of ICSC, as both a regulatory and coordinating body, needs to be refocused, with the common system requiring both coherence and flexibility.  In addition to streamlining and simplifying its activities, the Commission also seeks to develop an action plan to build a more efficient and strategic Commission, build a more solid personnel database and maintain an inventory of best practices within and outside the common system.  Other measures include holding shorter formal meetings and having more informal meetings, task forces and retreats.]

The Committee approved the draft without a vote.

The Committee then turned to a draft resolution on programme planning (document A/C.5/62/L.7), by which the General Assembly would  endorse the conclusions and recommendations of the Committee for Programme and Coordination (CPC) on the review of the efficiency of the administrative and financial functioning of the United Nations, on programme planning, on evaluation, on the annual overview report of the CEB for 2006/2007, on United Nations system support for the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), and on improving the working methods and procedures of the CPC within the framework of its mandate.

[On programme questions, the CPC recommended maintaining the strategic framework as the principal policy directive of the United Nations, which serves as the basis for programme planning, budgeting, monitoring and evaluation, with effect from the biennium 2010-2011.  Also recommended by the CPC was continuation of including “part one:  plan outline” in the strategic framework, while requesting the Secretary-General to improve the format of that document and reflection of longer-term objectives therein, elaborating on the priorities agreed to by Member States.  As recommended by the Committee, the Assembly would also reaffirm that the CPC would continue to review the programmatic aspects of the new or revised mandates approved subsequent to the adoption of the programme plan, as well as any differences arising between the biennial programme plan and the programmatic aspects of the budget proposal.  The CPC would also continue to perform its role in reviewing the strategic framework.]

Further, the draft would have the Assembly emphasize that, in full accordance with its mandate to assist the Economic and Social Council and the General Assembly on coordination, the Committee should enhance its coordination role through improved cooperation with the secretariats of the Chief Executives Board and the Joint Inspection Unit, in order to increase planning efficiency and effectiveness so as to continue to ensure the timeliness of the implementation of, and prevent duplication and redundancy in, the action of the Organization.

The Assembly would also reaffirm the role of the Committee for Programme and Coordination in monitoring and evaluation, and encourage it, in reviewing performance and evaluation reports, to provide action-oriented recommendations aimed at enhancing the effectiveness and impact of the activities of the Organization.  The Assembly would also reiterate its requests to the Secretary-General to submit proposals, at its sixty-second session to improve the links between monitoring, evaluation, programme planning and budgeting.

Taking the floor prior to action on the draft, ANDREW S. HILLMAN ( United States) said that his delegation did not join consensus in support of the adoption of the draft on programme planning.  The United States could not lend its support to the text because it did not adequately address the Committee for Programme and Coordination’s continued failure to fulfil its original mandated tasks of coordinating, monitoring and evaluating the programmes and activities of the United Nations.  His country had fully supported the creation of the CPC to serve as the principal intergovernmental body responsible for coordination of the Organization’s work.  Its members had been authorized by the Assembly and the Economic and Social Council to review the legislative mandates approved by Member States, with the goal of eliminating duplication and overlap in the work of the United Nations, thereby helping to ensure that resources would be utilized to maximum advantage.  Unfortunately, the CPC was failing to perform that essential coordination function.

As his delegation had stated when the agenda item had been first introduced on 29 October, the Committee for Programme and Coordination had the potential to contribute in a more meaningful way to the work of the Organization, if it reoriented its priorities to function as the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council had originally envisioned.  Programme planning and coordination remained essential elements in the success of the United Nations.  He commended Israel, Chair of the Committee for Programme and Coordination’s forty-seventh session last summer, for attempting to highlight the importance of coordination and the role that the Committee could be playing in that regard.  However, as long as there were those who were unwilling to improve the Committee’s functioning, including its working methods and procedures, valuable resources would continue to be wasted, and the Committee’s relevance would continue to be questioned.  Therefore, the United States disassociated from consensus in support of the resolution on programme planning.

The draft was approved without a vote.

Speaking in explanation of position after action on the text, JUN YAMADA ( Japan) reiterated his delegation’s view that there was much room for improvement in the performance of the Committee for Programme and Coordination, particularly in its pursuance of its mandate for policy coordination.  Although his delegation had no intention of blocking consensus on the draft, it was not fully satisfied with the text -- for instance, its operative paragraph 15 on improving the methods and procedures of the CPC.  His delegation strongly hoped that the CPC would continue to enhance its efforts to pursue its mandate for policy coordination in the United Nations to fully meet the expectations of Member States.

AHMED FAROOQ ( Pakistan), on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, reiterated the important and useful work being done by the Committee for Programme and Coordination.  The Group expressed appreciation for the positive approach of the partners during the negotiations.  It was unfortunate that a delegation that had usually participated in the negotiations and consensus on the issue had now dissociated itself from the consensus; and another delegation, which had a number of its concerns taken on board during the negotiations, was now expressing dissatisfaction with the draft resolution.  The Group viewed those developments with disappointment.

The Committee then approved, also without a vote, a draft resolution on the capital master plan (document A/C.5/62/L.8).

By the text, the Assembly would express deep regret over procedural difficulties in United Nations departments, delays in decision-making by Secretariat leadership and insufficient responsiveness to the needs of the project by United Nations management, which had resulted in projected cost escalation of the project.  In that connection, the Assembly would stress the centrality of the leadership and oversight of the Secretary-General and senior management, as well as a commitment to the project from all departments during its completion, to avoid a recurrence of the mistakes and delays, as well as their negative implications for the Organization.  The Secretary-General would be requested to ensure full accountability for the delays, lack of responsiveness of management to the needs of the plan and other factors that have contributed to delays in its implementation and the projected budget overrun.

Further by the text, the Assembly would take note of the Secretary-General’s proposal on the accelerated strategy IV for the renovation of the United Nations complex in New York, and authorize the Secretary-General to enter into an additional swing space arrangement needed for a single phase renovation of the Secretariat Building as a matter of urgency.  The Assembly would also approve the changes in the schedule of renovation work proposed by the Secretary-General, subject to the availability of the additional swing space.  If such an arrangement is not entered into within 120 days of the adoption of the resolution, the Secretary-General would be requested to proceed without further delay with the phased approach to the renovation of the Secretariat Building, as approved by the Assembly in its resolution 61/251.

The Assembly would appropriate $992.77 million for the 2008-2009 biennium, while deciding that there will be no change in the payment schedule for Member States’ contributions to the plan.

Requesting the Secretary-General “to ensure by all means” that the project costs are brought back within the approved budget, the Assembly would further note that forward-pricing escalation is already included in the approved budget contained in the fourth annual progress report on the project.  It would request the Secretary-General to avoid budget increases through sound project management practices and to keep the project within the approved budget, schedule of assessments and time schedule.

The Assembly would also take note of the Secretary-General’s proposal to utilize value engineering as a tool to recover the projected cost overruns in the approved capital master plan budget, directed at improving performance, reliability, quality, safety and life-cycle costs.  In that connection, the Secretary-General would be requested to expeditiously and clearly identify the areas of work where efficiency gains and cost reductions are possible, and to report thereon in the context of the sixth annual progress report.  In that report, the Assembly would also ask for specific information on the guaranteed maximum price contracts and the activities of the external consultant that the United Nations has hired, as well as associated costs.  The Secretary-General would be requested to make every effort to absorb such costs within the approved budget of the plan.

The Secretary-General would be also requested to ensure that measures and procedures are put in place by the Office of the Capital Master Plan to appropriately handle the works of art, masterpieces and other gifts during all the stages of the renovation, unless otherwise indicated by the Member States concerned, and to report thereon in the context of the sixth progress report.

Speaking after action on the text, KHALED AL-KHURAINEJ ( Kuwait) said that his delegation supported the proposal of the Secretary-General on the accelerated strategy for the implementation of the plan.  He urged Member States to pay their assessments on the project, so the plan could be implemented without delay and without additional costs to Member States.  His delegation also would like the Assembly to allow the Secretary-General to obtain the temporary swing space that was urgently needed for the implementation of the plan in one phase.

He added that Kuwait had been one of the first members to pay in full its share of the costs of the project.  He hoped the Secretary-General, in his sixth annual report on the capital master plan, would give specific information on contracts and the activities of external consultants contracted for the project.  He also hoped the plan would be implemented within the budget approved by the Assembly.

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