Sixty-second General Assembly

Fifth Committee

33^rd & 34^th Meetings (AM & PM)

BUDGET COMMITTEE TAKES UP SECRETARY-GENERAL’S $21.04 MILLION PROPOSAL

TO STRENGTHEN UNITED NATIONS DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS

Strengthening the Organization’s capacity to step in to resolve conflicts earlier rather than later was among the smartest investments that could be made, the Under-Secretary-General for Management, Alicia Bárcena, told the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today, asking for an appropriation of $21.04 million, with some 100 new posts, to strengthen the United Nations Department of Political Affairs.

Also making the case for the Secretary-General’s proposal for strengthening the Department responsible for preventive diplomacy and supporting the Secretary-General’s good offices function, the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, B. Lynn Pascoe, said it was a vital complement to the earlier reforms to United Nations peacekeeping operations.  The Organization needed to become more effective, not only at stabilizing conflict situations and dealing with their humanitarian side effects, but at preventing and resolving them through political means.

Canada’s representative, also speaking on behalf of Australia and New Zealand (CANZ), said the Secretary-General’s proposals were pertinent, as they provided the opportunity to focus on three key elements: reconfiguring the structure to make the Department more field-oriented; providing adequate resources for preventive diplomacy; and ensuring better cooperation with partners, both in and outside the Organization.

He needed to be convinced that all opportunities for reallocation had been exhausted and that the extra resources requested stood up to a critical analysis, he added.  However, he recognized that additional resources would be necessary.  In particular, the arguments for increasing resources to the Asia and Pacific and Africa divisions were well founded, as was the decision to split the current Asia and Pacific Division into two.  The proposals to strengthen the Mediation Support Unit and the Electoral Assistance Division, both of which performed difficult tasks with limited resources, were also well justified and deserving of support.

While stressing the Organization’s role in preventing conflicts, several speakers commented on the piecemeal approach to financing United Nations activities this year, with revised estimates presented following the adoption of the 2008-2009 budget and the likelihood of duplication with such existing structures as the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, the Department of Field Support and funds and programmes on the ground.

The representative of Slovenia, speaking on behalf of European Union, said that, in strengthening the Department, the aim of the Union would be to fill gaps, avoid duplication and ensure a coordinated and a coherent approach to conflict prevention, peacekeeping and peacebuilding across the United Nations system.  The common objective should always be to ensure that the Organization was able to deliver as a whole in the best and most efficient manner; therefore, synergies, as well as possible overlap, needed close attention.  The focus of the Union would also be towards cost-effective and lean management and on how to organize the change management process.

Japan’s representative raised the subject of consistency and efficiency in the field and at Headquarters and stressed the need for budgetary discipline.  He said that, currently, peacekeeping operations and special political missions were conducted without any clear criteria or consistent definition.  A well thought out and clearly defined division of labour between the Department of Political Affairs and the Department of Peacekeeping Operations in leading those missions was essential.  Moreover, field offices should be created only after taking fully into account other field presences, including not only peacekeeping operations, but also funds and programmes.

Many delegations also shared the concern of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, voiced by the representative of Antigua and Barbuda, who expressed regret that the report -- in essence, a financial and administrative document -- contained political judgements, and that a number of proposals had no intergovernmental mandate.  The Department of Political Affairs had no mandates other than those provided by relevant resolutions and decisions of the United Nations.  Therefore, any adjustment in the Department’s mandates and structure should flow from the decisions of Member States.

The Group of 77 shared the view that improving the United Nations capacity to prevent and resolve conflicts was a better investment than dealing with the aftermath of armed conflicts, but any effort to enhance the role of the United Nations in that regard needed to be balanced, comprehensive and in full accordance with the Charter and international law.  Those efforts would never be successful, unless they went hand in hand with parallel efforts addressing the root causes of conflicts.  A stronger United Nations needed a stronger development pillar, because there could be no peace without development.

The representative of Mexico, on behalf of the Rio Group, said the Group was willing to consider the Secretary-General’s proposals, but regretted that the political elements contained in his report had not been dealt with in a forum other than the Fifth Committee, which should only pronounce itself on the financial and budgetary issues of the proposals.  He noted with great concern inappropriate references and judgements about the Latin America and Caribbean region, which had caused great concerns for the Rio Group’s member States.

The representative of Cape Verde, speaking on behalf of the African Group, said Africa suffered from a greater burden of conflict than any other region, and conflict prevention and resolution on the continent could not be treated only within the framework of the Secretary-General’s proposal.  The continent needed special consideration for preventive diplomacy to be successful.  Development and all the indices that generated conflict in the region needed to be addressed squarely.  There was a compelling need to have a corresponding increase in the provision of resources aiming at preventing and resolving conflicts on the continent, if the objective of the proposed reform was to be achieved.

Many speakers were also concerned about the proposal to establish regional offices of the Department of Political Affairs.  The representative of the Philippines, also speaking on behalf of Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand and Lao People’s Democratic Republic, insisted that the views of concerned Member States must be heard and their full consent obtained before such regional offices were set up.  The establishment of regional offices must also have the approval of appropriate legislative bodies, in this case, the General Assembly.  For that approval, Member States should be fully appraised of the objective and functions of, as well as organizational and financial arrangements for, the proposed regional offices.

Also speaking today were representatives of Norway (also on behalf of Iceland), Republic of Korea, Nicaragua (also on behalf of Bolivia), Turkey, United States, Morocco, Panama, China, Syria, Uganda, Croatia, United Republic of Tanzania, Venezuela, Côte d’Ivoire, Iran, Viet Nam, Argentina, Brazil, Indonesia, South Africa and Algeria.  The related report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) was introduced by the Chairperson of that body, Susan McLurg.

The date and time of the Committee’s next formal meeting will be announced.

Background

The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) met this morning to begin its consideration of proposed measures to strengthen the Department of Political Affairs.

In his report before the Committee (document A/62/521 and Corr.1), the Secretary-General asks for an appropriation of $21.04 million towards that end, while also seeking approval of 96 new posts and reclassification of 5 posts within the Department.

According to the document, following the restructuring of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the creation of the Department of Field Support, the strengthening of the Department of Political Affairs -- the structure responsible for preventive diplomacy and supporting the Secretary-General’s good offices function -- is the next vital step in the effort to meet the Organization’s increasingly heavy and complex responsibilities in the area of peace and security.  Focus must be put on the capacity to prevent and resolve conflicts -- a better investment than dealing with the costly aftermath of war.

The Secretary-General is, therefore, proposing to reconfigure the structure of the Department of Political Affairs to make it more field-oriented, to provide adequate resources to make the concept of preventive diplomacy workable and to ensure better cooperation and liaison with partners inside and outside of the Organization.  He further argues that the Department’s responsibilities have multiplied over the years without proportionate budgetary increases.  In addition, rapid growth in the number of political missions makes adequate oversight at current staffing levels extremely difficult.

The report envisions building up of the capacity of the Department’s regional divisions, including the splitting of two “mega-divisions” (the Asia and Pacific Division and the Americas and Europe Division), which would result in a total of six divisions (instead of the current four).  It also proposes the establishment of a Policy, Partnerships and Mediation Support Division; an increase in the resources of the Electoral Assistance Division; an increase in the staffing resources of the Security Council Affairs Division; the establishment of a network of regional offices to assist Member States and regional organizations in the area of peace and security; and tightening of the management, executive and oversight functions by refocusing the work of the Office of the Under-Secretary-General and reinforcing the capabilities of the Executive Office of the Department.

According to the report, the plan provides for more efficient use of existing resources and a more strategic approach to partnerships with regional organizations.  The proposals also take into account capacity in, and enhanced links to, other parts of the United Nations system.

The Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), in a related report (document A/62/7/Add.32), recognizes that there are organizational and resource constraints in certain areas of the Department of Political Affairs that challenge its capacity to fulfil its tasks.  While recommending acceptance of some proposed additional capacity, ACABQ cautions against the fragmentation of the regional divisions into a multiplicity of units, with requests for additional senior posts to head those units.  Such an approach leads to structural rigidity, making it difficult to deploy staff where they are required.  In some cases, it would be more efficient to deal with issues in an integrated manner instead of on a country-specific basis, given the work of regional organizations.

The Advisory Committee is recommending approval of the establishment of 56 additional posts, including the reclassification of 4 posts (1 D-1 to D-2, 1 P-5 to D-1, 1 P-3 to P-4 and 1 P-2 to P-3) under section 3, political affairs, as well as the establishment of four additional posts, including the reclassification of one post from D-1 to D-2, under section 1, overall policymaking, direction and coordination, for the United Nations Liaison Office at Addis Ababa.  The recommendations of ACABQ would entail a total reduction of some $8.14 million from the additional estimate of $21.04 million proposed by the Secretary-General.

The Advisory Committee recalls that, in a previous report on peace operations, it had indicated that attention should be given to possible synergies, not only between the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the Department of Political Affairs, but also among all departments of the Secretariat and specialized agencies, funds and programmes, thus leading to efficiencies and savings, instead of just resorting to requests for additional resources.  This observation is equally relevant in the context of the proposals for strengthening the Department of Political Affairs.

As stated in the Secretary-General’s report, the Department of Political Affairs is not an operational department and does not undertake development projects, ACABQ continues.  The Department does provide the overall strategic approach for countries in conflict or emerging from conflict.  In discharging its role on the wide range of cross-cutting global issues, the Department must do so in a manner that is fully cognizant of the competence of other relevant entities that have a substantive comparative advantage in dealing with certain issues.  In some regions, the Department should complement, rather than duplicate, the work already done by a network of competent regional and subregional organizations involved in peace and security matters.

Relationships and operational arrangements between the Department of Political Affairs and the Department of Peacekeeping Operations may have improved, but ACABQ stresses the need to address pending issues and existing shortcomings in that regard.  Noting that more formal means of communication are being developed between the Department of Political Affairs and the Department of Field Support, the Advisory Committee also points out that, as the newly established Department of Field Support becomes operational, respective roles of the two Departments in the area of support for special political missions should be clearly defined and reported to the General Assembly.  Also, the development of clear criteria or transparent decision-making mechanisms to determine the lead department for special political missions in the field remains to be addressed.

The Advisory Committee agrees with the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) that merely adding staff is insufficient to ensure fulfilment of mandates.  A transformation in qualitative terms in the work processes of the Department of Political Affairs is also required.  Measures for improvement require immediate attention to a human resources strategy for the Department, which should address requisite skill sets for staff, linguistic competencies, training and mobility.

In connection with the proposed regional approach to preventive diplomacy and mediation, there is a need to avoid a fragmented and piecemeal approach.  Given the scope and multiplicity of offices contemplated for several locations, ACABQ believes that full information should be provided on the justification for the establishment of such offices; procedures for their approval; the process for seeking the views of Member States in the area of focus; the functions envisaged; and the mechanisms for interaction and coordination with other entities in the field, as well as the organizational and financial arrangements envisaged.

The Committee also had before it a letter to the Secretary-General from the Permanent Representatives of Antigua and Barbuda and Cuba in their capacity as co-chairs of the Joint Coordination Committee (“Group of 77” developing countries and China, and the Non-Aligned Movement) (document A/C.5/62/24), in which the Coordination Committee -- while supporting some elements of the proposals before the Committee -- expresses concern that the views, priorities and role of developing countries, including their contribution to conflict prevention and resolution, are not adequately reflected in the Secretary-General’s report.  For example, the Coordination Committee has concerns regarding the establishment and nature of the proposed regional offices and stresses that these offices can only be established with full support of all Member States and an appropriate mandate from the General Assembly.  The letter also expresses the Coordination Committee’s concerns regarding some of the proposals for restructuring the regional divisions within the Department of Political Affairs.  In that connection, the Coordination Committee requests the Secretariat to issue a corrigendum to the Secretary-General’s report, reflecting the comments and concerns of Member States.

Also before the Committee was the Secretariat’s response to that letter (document A/C.5/62/25), issued on 12 March 2008, addressing the issues of the Department of Political Affairs’ mandates, regional offices, geographic representation and gender balance, structure of the regional divisions and policy-planning and cross-cutting issues.

Introduction of Reports

The Under-Secretary-General for Management, ALICIA BÁRCENA, introduced the Secretary-General’s report on the strengthening of the Department of Political Affairs, recalling that, in introducing the 2008-2009 budget, the Secretary-General had stressed an unbreakable link between peace and security, human rights and development -- the three main pillars of the work of the United Nations, as well as his intention to keep engaging the general membership on the reform and strengthening of the Department of Political Affairs, the Department of Economic and Social Affairs and other departments.  That difficult work had begun.  Now it was time to turn attention to conflict prevention and peacebuilding, and make use of the fullest potential for good offices and international mediation in the broadest spirit of the United Nations Charter.  Strengthening the Organization’s capacity to step in -- to resolve conflicts earlier rather than later -- was among the smartest investments that could be made.

Through strengthening the Department of Political Affairs, the Secretariat would become a more proactive and effective platform for preventive diplomacy and good offices, including mediation, in the service of Member States, while at the same time being in a better position to work closely in partnership with Member States and other international and regional organizations.  Outlining the main elements of the Secretary-General’s proposals, she said the United Nations Liaison Office in Addis Ababa would be reinforced and renamed the Peace and Security Support Office to the African Union Commissions.  Regional divisions would be strengthened to allow for sufficient capacity for improved monitoring and analysis, effective policy formulation and rapid dispatch to support early resolution of conflicts and good offices efforts.  Other proposed changes included the establishment of a Policy and Mediation Support Division; adjustment to the resources of the Electoral Assistance Division; strengthening of the Security Council Affairs Division; and reinforcing the Office of the Under-Secretary-General and the capabilities of the Department’s Executive Office.

The totality of the proposals to strengthen the Department amounted to some $21.04 million for 2008-2009 and included the addition of 101 posts, she said.

The Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, B. LYNN PASCOE, said the Committee’s deliberations were the culmination of a process that had begun early this year, when the Secretary-General had identified the strengthening of the Department of Political Affairs as an important part of his broader vision for strengthening the United Nations along all of its pillars.  Since that time, the Secretary-General had met with many delegations individually and in the context of the regional groups, making the case for the proposals and listening carefully to their questions and concerns.  He welcomed the opportunity to continue that conversation today.

The Secretary-General’s proposals for strengthening the Department of Political Affairs was a vital complement to the earlier reforms of United Nations peacekeeping operations, he continued.  The Organization needed to become more effective not only at stabilizing conflict situations and dealing with their humanitarian side effects, but at preventing and resolving them through political means.  The proposals responded, in particular, to the call for a more effective use of tools such as preventive diplomacy, mediation and the good offices of the Secretary-General in the service of Member States and the Organization’s partners in regional organizations.  The Secretary-General wanted a United Nations that could act quickly and effectively in the field, as the needs and opportunities arose.  The recent experience in Kenya was a good example of the direction in which the United Nations was heading.  The Department of Political Affairs had been deployed quickly to Nairobi at the request of the African Union-led mediation team.  Its political and electoral experts had been able to make critical contributions to averting a larger tragedy in Kenya.  But, even as that showed that results were possible, the Organization’s role in Kenya also underscored the limitations it faced.  Mobilizing just a few key staff to Nairobi throughout the talks had proven to be a major strain on the Department’s regional divisions for Africa, at the cost of greatly diminished attention to other critical situations.

According to OIOS, there had been a six-fold increase since 1990 in United Nations preventive diplomacy missions, he said, and there was no reason to expect that demand to drop off.  Meanwhile, the Department of Political Affairs had continued to shoulder its other substantial everyday responsibilities, including servicing committees of the General Assembly and the Security Council and carrying out its role as the political-diplomatic support structure for the Secretary-General.  In proposing some steps to strengthen the Department, the idea was not only to bring in more resources, but to use existing resources more efficiently.  Under the Secretary-General’s proposal, the Department of Political Affairs staffing would increase by just over 100 posts, up from the current base of 223.  The Secretary-General had also outlined, in concept only, the establishment of a limited network of regional offices, in consultation with Member States.

Throughout the discussions during the past few months, he had been encouraged by strong expressions of support for strengthening the Department, he said.  There was consensus on the importance of preventive diplomacy and of the wisdom in sharpening the diplomatic tools of the Secretary-General.  At the same time, he acknowledged and appreciated the concerns and questions that had been raised by a number of delegations -- both with the content of the proposal and the process itself.  Some of those concerns had been addressed in the recent exchange of letters between the Joint Coordination Committee and the Secretary-General.

With regard to the regional offices, he wanted to be clear that those would only be opened at the request of the host country and all others in the region, together with an appropriate mandate.  The new Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia, based in Turkmenistan, had been established after five years of consultations with the Governments of the region.  There were also requests from several African States to establish a regional office for Central Africa along the lines of the Central Asia model.  He was fully aware that there could be no “one-size-fits-all” approach, given the diversity of the Organization’s clients.  Partnerships and coordination with regional and subregional organizations would have greater immediacy and relevance in some areas than the prevention of conflict.

“We will also work to make DPA more geographically diverse,” he said.  “I can assure you that we will give priority in staffing for any new posts to women and men from underrepresented countries.”  With regard to the regional divisions within the Department, he underscored that the proposed sections and units could be easily changed.  He had heard several alternative proposals and would likely continue with the flexible team approach already in place.  The Department did not seek to duplicate knowledge or capacity that existed elsewhere in the system.  Decisions by Member States to create new bodies that covered cross-cutting issues, such as the Peacebuilding Commission, the Peacebuilding Support Office and the Peacebuilding Fund had resulted in more, not less, demand upon the Department of Political Affairs, since the outputs and decisions of those bodies must include political inputs.  Many of those cross-cutting issues were the subject of regular debates in the Assembly and other legislative bodies.

The report of the Advisory Committee was introduced by its Chair, Susan Mclurg.

Statements

ALEŠKA SIMKIĆ (Slovenia), speaking on behalf of the European Union, said the Union attached great importance to the role of the United Nations in preventing conflicts and strongly supported the work of the Organization in the area of preventive diplomacy.  While repeating its concern about the piecemeal approach to the regular budget for 2008-2009, the Union recognized that there were organizational and resource constraints in the Department of Political Affairs that limited its capacity to fulfil its tasks.  The Union looked forward to discussing the present proposals on their merits.

In strengthening the Department, the aim of the European Union would be to fill gaps, avoid duplication and ensure a coordinated and a coherent approach to conflict prevention, peacekeeping and peacebuilding across the United Nations system, she went on.  The common objective of all should always be to ensure that the Organization was able to deliver as a whole in the best and most efficient manner; therefore, synergies, as well as possible overlap, needed close attention.  The focus of the European Union would also be towards cost-effective and lean management, and on how to organize the change management process.

CONROD HUNTE (Antigua and Barbuda), speaking on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, said the Group attached great importance to the strengthening of the United Nations and felt that that effort should continue until the Organization achieved its full potential on the basis of priorities and mandates approved by the Member States.

The Group of 77 shared the view that improving the United Nations capacity to prevent and resolve conflicts was a better investment than dealing with the costly aftermath of wars and armed conflicts, he went on.  However, any effort to enhance the role of the United Nations in preventing conflict needed to be balanced, comprehensive and in full accordance with the Charter and international law, in order to be effective and results-oriented.  Those efforts would never be successful unless they went hand in hand with parallel efforts addressing the root causes of conflicts, in particular by achieving sustainable development through sustained economic growth and the eradication of poverty.  The Group of 77 believed that a stronger United Nations needed a stronger development pillar, because there could be no peace without development.

While welcoming some elements of the proposals contained in the Secretary-General’s report, he expressed the Group’s important concerns, as reflected in the letter from the Chairs of the Joint Coordination Committee to the Secretary-General.  The Group of 77 was disappointed that the Secretariat had not satisfied the Group’s initial request. The Group also regretted that the report, which was, in essence, to be exclusively a financial and administrative document, contained, at times, approximate political judgements that might have counterproductive consequences in Member States’ interaction with the Secretariat.  Further, a number of the proposals had no intergovernmental mandate.

He said the views, priorities and role of developing countries, including their contribution to conflict prevention and resolution, were not adequately reflected in the report.  Some proposals also lacked detailed information that would allow Member States to make an informed decision and, therefore, needed more clarification.  The Group of 77 believed that the Department of Political Affairs had no mandate other than those provided by relevant resolutions and decisions of the United Nations.  Therefore, any adjustment in the Department’s mandate and structure should flow from the decisions of Member States.  The Group of 77 would like more information from OIOS on that issue, as well as on its comments regarding which department of the Organization should be held accountable for special political missions.

Regarding the establishment of regional offices, he agreed with the observations of ACABQ and stressed that the establishment of such offices would require an appropriate mandate to be approved by the General Assembly.  Such a mandate should not cover any territories beyond the countries of the region concerned and should come after seeking the full views and agreement of all concerned countries.  That should be done on a case-by case-basis, taking into account the different nature of various regions and the full respect of the principles of sovereignty and independence.

The Group of 77 also had concerns regarding some of the proposals for restructuring the regional divisions within the Department, he continued.  It fully concurred with ACABQ that some divisions did not warrant the proposed multiplicity of units and would benefit more from an issue-oriented approach.  The reply by Mr. Pascoe -- that the Department would continue the current practice of using flexible teams, rather than dividing each regional division into formal sections and units -- seemed to be insufficient.  More clarity on the issue was needed.

He reiterated the importance of the principle of equitable geographical representation regarding any decision taken by the Secretariat in terms of human resources, so as to ameliorate the current geographical imbalance in the Department of Political Affairs.  Citizens of the concerned regions had the most knowledge about the specificities and needs of their regions.  In that regard, giving priority to women and men from underrepresented countries did not address the concerns of the Group.  It might even lead to deepening of the current imbalance in the geographical representation in the Department.

JOHN MCNEE ( Canada), speaking also on behalf of Australia and New Zealand (CANZ), said conflict prevention and the peaceful settlement of disputes were central to the mandate of the United Nations.  Preventive diplomacy was at the core of Charter and the Organization’s effective pursuit of those functions had an enormous impact on the security, stability and prosperity of all.  Demands on the Department of Political Affairs to provide support for those activities had continued to grow.  Growing independent reports showed the Department was not equipped for the strategic leadership necessary for the Organization to truly engage in preventive diplomacy.

He believed the Secretary-General’s proposals were pertinent, as they provided the opportunity to focus on three key elements: reconfiguring the structure to make the Department more field-oriented; providing adequate resources for preventive diplomacy; and ensuring better cooperation with partners, both within and outside the Organization.  There was need for better coordination across the United Nations system in addressing potential conflict situations.  In that regard, CANZ would be seeking reassurances that the Department of Political Affairs was working effectively, not only with the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the Department of Field Support, but also with the wide range of actors within the United Nations system.  ACABQ had raised a number of valid concerns in that regard, and he looked forward to hearing the responses.

He stated that, while he was committed to equipping the Secretariat with the resources it needed to operate effectively and efficiently, he needed to be convinced that all opportunities for reallocation had been exhausted and that the extra resources requested stood up to a critical analysis.  He recognized, however, that additional resources would be necessary.  In particular, the arguments for increasing resources to the Asia and Pacific and Africa divisions were well founded, as was the decision to split the current Asia and Pacific Division into two.  The proposals to strengthen the Mediation Support Unit and the Electoral Assistance Division, both of which performed difficult tasks with limited resources, were also well justified and deserving of support.

ANTONIO PEDRO MONTEIRO LIMA ( Cape Verde), speaking on behalf of the African Group, said Africa carried a greater burden of conflict than any other region.  Aware of that situation, it was obvious that conflict prevention and resolution on the continent could not be treated only within the framework contained in the Secretary-General’s proposal.  The continent needed special consideration for preventive diplomacy to be successful.  Development and all the indices that generated conflict in the region needed to be addressed squarely.  Among those were poverty, weak economic system and unstable democratic institutions that led to general discontent and social strife.

He said there was a compelling need to have a corresponding increase in the provision of resources aiming at preventing and resolving conflicts on the continent, if the objective of the proposed reform was to be achieved.  The Group noted with concern, in that regard, that ACABQ had recommended against many of the posts requested for Africa.  Thus, it would be looking forward to hearing the Secretariat’s views on the impact of those recommendations.  The Group was equally concerned about the proposed approach of establishing regional offices.  It felt strongly that the establishment of such offices should be done not only with the concurrence and approval of the country and countries concerned, but with the endorsement of the General Assembly.  The powers of such offices should only be exercised within the limits of their distinct borders.

He added that the African Group held dearly the principle of equitable geographical representation, which was also a cardinal principle of the United Nations.  That principle should be adhered to in any emerging proposed reform.

CLAUDE HELLER ( Mexico), speaking on behalf of the Rio Group, acknowledged the importance of having mechanisms that would strengthen the preventive diplomacy capacity of the Organization.  Certain areas of the Department of Political Affairs had limitations both in structure and resources, therefore undermining its capacity to carry out its functions effectively.  In that sense, the Rio Group was willing to consider the proposals contained in the Secretary-General’s report. Nonetheless, the Rio Group regretted that the political elements contained in the report had not been dealt with in a forum other than the Fifth Committee, which should only consider and pronounce itself on the financial and budgetary issues of the proposals.  Therefore, he noted with great concern inappropriate references and judgements about the Latin America and the Caribbean region.  Such interpretations had caused great concerns for the Group’s member States.  The Group had already expressed those problems to the Secretariat and would seek to correct them.

With respect to the proposal on the Division of the Americas contained in the report, the Rio Group supported in principle the idea of having a division devoted exclusively to addressing the needs of the continent.  However, it did not share the subdivisions, or sections, proposed by the Secretary-General.  A logical and financially prudent subdivision would be to have only three sections: North America, South America and Central America and the Caribbean.   Haiti, the only country of the region on the Security Council’s agenda, should receive the attention it needed from the Department of Political Affairs, particularly on electoral assistance, in coordination with the Department of Peacekeeping Operations.  Likewise, it was of utmost importance that the Department, through the Division of the Americas, coordinated with regional organizations, such as the Organization of American States, as well as subregional organizations.

The sound report of ACABQ was a good basis for the Committee’s discussion, he continued.  However, the proposals should also be scrutinized, taking into account the strengthening of other departments, particularly the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, and possible synergies with other entities of the United Nations system.  The latter was particularly important, since part of the rationale of the proposal was to make the Department more field-oriented.  As for the creation of regional offices, at the moment, the Rio Group was not convinced about the benefits of establishing a regional office of the Department of Political Affairs in Latin America.  For other regions, such a possibility should be analysed and approved only with the consent of the States involved, in full coordination with competent regional bodies and according to each region’s needs.  He agreed with ACABQ that full information and justification be provided in the future for the creation of such bodies.

MONA JUUL ( Norway), speaking also on behalf of Iceland, said she believed in a United Nations that formulated and coordinated collective responses to global challenges.  The General Assembly had on many occasions recognized the need to strengthen the Organization’s ability to carry out its responsibility in the prevention and resolution of conflicts.  The efforts to strengthen the Secretariat’s capacity for analytical work, preventive diplomacy and mediation must continue.  Norway, therefore, supported the Secretary-General’s desire to reform and strengthen the Department of Political Affairs.  A prerequisite for strengthening any part of the United Nations family must be an assurance from the Secretariat that existing resources were being fully utilized.  Possible efficiencies and savings must be explored in any exercise to strengthen a department.  The training and mobility of staff were also important.

Continuing, she agreed with ACABQ on the need to broaden the Department’s collaboration with the rest of the United Nations system.  Strengthening of the Department of Political Affairs regional divisions must be carried out with a view to securing further collaboration and avoiding duplication with work already done by others.   Norway believed, however, that the regional divisions were overstretched and agreed with the proposals to reform and strengthen them.  That should be done while keeping in mind the need for the Department to work closely with the whole United Nations system.   Norway also shared the view of ACABQ that the respective roles of the Department of Field Support and the Department of Political Affairs in support of special political missions needed to be clarified.  An update on the efforts of the Department of Political Affairs and Department of Field Support to establish terms of reference to govern their cooperation on field missions would be most welcome.  She would welcome the development of a methodology on support arrangements for special political missions.  That must be done with a view to supporting the overall efforts to reform the United Nations system and strengthen its collective field efforts.

She added that it was important to have “best practices functions” to help the Department in its efforts to secure a results-based working culture.  She would welcome further clarification on how that was intended to be implemented by the Department.   Norway also stressed the need to use the efforts to reform the Department to improve the work towards reaching gender and geographic targets.  In particular, some countries, including her own, continued to be underrepresented in the Department.

She welcomed the proposals to establish a Policy, Partnership and Mediation Support Division, she said.  A robust Division should be able to improve the Department’s work in those vital areas.  Its work should receive firm support from the Office of the Under-Secretary-General.  Norway expected the policy and partnership unit to have close working relations with similar units in the Peacebuilding Support Office, the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, the Department of Economic and Social Affairs and other parts of the system.   Norway recognized the clear need for an expansion of United Nations mediation support and would like to remind Members of the newly established Standby Team for peace mediation in the Mediation Support Unit.  She also strongly supported an expanded Electoral Assistance Division to support the demands of Member States for assistance.   That Division’s work should be closely linked to the work carried out by the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Electoral Division, to utilize resources in the best possible manner.

KIM HYUN CHONG ( Republic of Korea) said the United Nations had developed an adequate mechanism to cope with the challenges in the area of the maintenance of international peace and security.  Among other things, recent establishment of the Peacebuilding Commission had given the Organization a full–range capacity to deal with post-conflict situations.  The Organization’s 2007-2008 peacekeeping budget amounted to nearly $7 billion.  The entire membership must consider the costs.  That was a new challenge that called for collective wisdom.  While the management of ongoing conflicts and peacebuilding enjoyed the necessary attention, prevention of conflicts had been underestimated.  As correctly pointed out in the Secretary-General’s report, prevention was much better than cure.  Preventive diplomacy was a core function of the United Nations.  Therefore, it was time to give conflict prevention the attention it deserved.  He fully supported the proposals of the Secretary-General to strengthen the Department of Political Affairs.  Those proposals were appropriate, relevant and timely.

However, no reform initiative was perfect from the start, he continued.  Thus, he believed more information should be provided on how much savings the proposed measures would bring.  The Secretariat also needed to present more success stories of preventive diplomacy and ensure cost effectiveness and efficiency in the restructuring, while also avoiding duplication.  The Secretariat also needed to pay full attention to updating collaboration mechanisms.  As pointed out by ACABQ, fragmentation of regional divisions into a multiplicity of units could lead to requests for additional senior posts to head those units.  Attention should be given to possible synergies with other competent elements.

DANILO ROSALES DÍAZ (Nicaragua), also speaking on behalf of Bolivia, aligned himself with the statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and expressed support for the use of the good offices of the Secretary-General.  Pledging to work constructively in assisting the Committee to carry out its work, he said his delegation believed that there had been no clear mandate from the Assembly to the Secretariat to carry out the restructuring proposed in the report before the Committee.  It was, therefore, with surprise that delegations had discovered the content of the report.  The lack of caution and the feeling of political misunderstanding were overwhelming with regard to some aspects of that report.

Continuing, he said Nicaragua had taken part in a decision-making process that called for the publication of a corrigendum by the Secretary-General, in order to safeguard the administrative and financial nature of the work of the Fifth Committee with regard to the report, but that corrigendum had not been published.  The explanation had been that there had not been enough time to get it ready and that such publication would set a precedent.  Yet, it was precisely to resolve that kind of argument that the corrigenda had been requested.  There had been a lack of transparency on the part of a limited number of delegations.

There still needed to be clear understanding of the breakdown of work among all the departments, he went on.  Conflict prevention through facilitation of good offices of the Secretary-General would not be sufficient to resolve the social and economic problems that were central to many conflicts worldwide.  Those conflicts were the ones that often ended up being manipulated by internal and external actors, leading to major crises.  His delegation hoped that that essential approach aimed at preventing conflict would be integrated into the work of the Organization.

On establishment of Department of Political Affairs’ regional offices, he said his delegation agreed with ACABQ that such an action must have not only a General Assembly mandate, but also the explicit and unequivocal consent of the States concerned.  The Secretary-General’s report contained a lengthy list of analysis that was erroneous, including the section that dealt with the Americas.  That analysis was part of a fallacy, which suggested that, when leftist, democratically elected Governments were in office, then there was a problem.  That was historically false.   Nicaragua agreed with the ACABQ recommendation with regard to the capacity of the Americas Division of the Department of Political Affairs.  That Division required true equitable geographical representation, particularly from developing countries, so the staff would have the full capacity needed to understand the region.   Nicaragua fully rejected the establishment of any regional office in the Americas.  If any country agreed to the establishment of such an office in its territory, then that office should be for only that country, and not in any way a regional office.

HILARIO G. DAVIDE (Philippines), also speaking on behalf of Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand and Lao People’s Democratic Republic, supported the position of the Group of 77 and highlighted the main points on the proposal to strengthen the Department of Political Affairs’ regional offices, particularly since paragraph 290 of the Secretary-General’s report indicated that creation of such an office was being considered in South-East Asia.  In that regard, the delegations he represented wanted to underscore the importance of a consultation process with Member States in the coverage area.

The views of concerned Member States must be heard and their full consent obtained before such regional office was set up, he continued.  That was crucial, since the cooperation of Member States was always a necessary prerequisite, a sine qua non, for the success of any United Nations initiative.  The establishment of regional offices must also have the approval of appropriate legislative bodies, in this case, the General Assembly.  For that approval, Member States should be fully appraised of the objective and functions of, as well as organizational and financial arrangements for, the proposed regional office.

Stressing the importance of avoiding duplication, he said full information should be provided to Member States concerning the interaction and coordination mechanisms of the proposed regional office with other United Nations entities in the field.  He also wanted to know how the proposed regional office would relate to the existing regional organization in the area of focus.  He was gratified with the clarifications provided by Mr. Pascoe in document A/C.5/62/25, where he had stated that those offices would be opened only with prior consent of the host country and all countries in the region, as well as an appropriate mandate, as established by Member States, on a case-by-case basis.  He noted that those offices would be established, over time and only if requested, as special political missions.  He welcomed the assurance that those offices would not have an extraterritorial mandate and that they would be tailored to the specific needs of the region.  He also took note that the list of potential offices in the Secretary-General’s report was only indicative.  Moreover, there was no specific request for funding regional offices in the document.

BAKI İLKIN ( Turkey) said that, if there was a clear imbalance between the responsibilities with which the Department of Political Affairs was entrusted and the means it had to carry them out, then that should definitely be corrected.  It was preferable to have resources to overcome disputes at an early stage and, thus, prevent larger conflicts.  Turkey believed that problems should be solved before they became more acute and complex.  Within that context, greater mobility and presence in the field were important factors in coping with potential conflicts.  As a result, the United Nations needed to be a more proactive and effective platform for preventive diplomacy, good offices and mediation.  Therefore, the proposal requiring additional funding for the strengthening of the Department of Political Affairs needed to receive the careful and positive attention of the Committee.

He stated that add-ons to the general budget needed to be included during initial submission, and a piecemeal and fragmented approach needed to be avoided.  The United Nations should try to find ways and means to redeploy staff from within the system to understaffed units, instead of directly creating new posts.  As had been suggested by ACABQ, coordination and cooperation among the United Nations units should be enhanced, in order to ensure complementarities and to avoid duplication and overlap.

BRUCE RASHKOW ( United States) expressed strong support for the Department of Political Affairs mandate and said that his country recognized the need to strengthen the Department.  Notwithstanding that support, however, the present proposals had raised a number of questions and concerns that needed to be fully addressed before action could be taken.  As noted by ACABQ, the Secretariat had failed to address a number of concerns, including those raised in several reports of OIOS.  Principal among those was an understanding of the functions and activities of the Department of Political Affairs and how those related to other United Nations entities carrying out related functions.  There was a lack of clear division of labour between the Department of Political Affairs, Department of Peacekeeping Operations, Department of Field Support and other United Nations entities, including the Peacebuilding Support Office.  Those questions and the concerns of all Member States needed to be fully addressed before the Committee could move forward.

The United States believed that the present proposal, like others, needed to be considered in the context of the budget, he went on.  The piecemeal, ad hoc approach of the current budget was inconsistent with sound budgeting practices.  Moreover, the Secretariat had identified more than $1 billion in potential add-ons to the initial budget passed in December that were to be addressed during the current session and the remainder of the biennium.  Approval of the add-ons would result in the largest ever increase in the United Nations budget –- some 25 per cent -- and the largest ever United Nations budget. The United Sates hoped that the Secretary-General, in presenting proposals such as the present one that required additional resources, would identify offsetting savings and efficiencies.

NOR DINE SADOUK ( Morocco) supported the position of the Group of 77 and said his delegation attached major importance to the reform of the United Nations.  He supported preventive diplomacy and peaceful resolution of conflicts, and encouraged strengthening the United Nations in that field.  However, any efforts in that regard needed to be carried out in a balanced and concerted way, in conformity with the Charter and international law, and respecting the mandates and decisions by Member States.  He noted that the report of the Secretary-General, although containing some positive elements, required further clarifications before Member States could make informed decisions.

He welcomed the clarifications provided in Mr. Pascoe’s letter, but believed that some details required further clarification, he said.  For instance, the Secretary-General’s report noted an expansion of the Department of Political Affairs functions in the area of some cross-cutting issues, including climate change, drug trafficking, terrorism and migration.  Those questions had not garnered the necessary consensus and were normally dealt with by other bodies.  Since the Department of Political Affairs’ mandates on cross-cutting issues lacked clarity, more detailed information should be provided on broadening the mandate and functions of the Department in that regard.

Turning to the regional offices, he said all such structures should be created on the basis of appropriate mandates, with the support of host countries and with the agreement of Member States of the region in question.  Such offices should not have an extraterritorial mandate.  He also noted the underrepresentation of developing countries in the Department, saying more candidates from un- and underrepresented countries should be hired on a priority basis.

KEN MUKAI ( Japan) said he wanted to comment briefly on the subject of consistency and efficiency in the field and at Headquarters, and budgetary discipline.  His delegation understood the importance of conflict prevention, preventive diplomacy and mediation.  A certain field presence was needed for that.  However, consistency and efficiency should be pursued in the field of peace and security as a whole.  Currently, peacekeeping operations and special political missions were conducted without any clear criteria or consistent definition.  A well thought out and clearly defined division of labour between the Department of Political Affairs and the Department of Peacekeeping Operations in leading those missions was essential.  Any reform should be conducted along that line.  Moreover, field offices should be created only after taking fully into account other field presences, including not only peacekeeping operations, but also funds and programmes.

Similarly, at Headquarters, he would like to see the problem of consistency and efficiency addressed.  A lack of communication and coordination between the functions of the regional divisions of the Department of Political Affairs and the Office of Operations of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations was observed.  An OIOS report on the audit of the management of special political missions by the Department of Political Affairs (document A/61/357) pointed out that the resources of both departments could be dedicated to performing the same tasks.  In his view, Political Affairs and Peacekeeping should redeploy political affairs officers flexibly, in order to respond to emerging regional conflicts, rather than by requesting excessive officers.  On the other hand, he appreciated that the bulk of the posts requested were at the P-2 to P-4 levels, which contributed to the rejuvenation of the Organization.

Last but not least, he expressed concern that, in the past year, the restructuring of the Secretariat had been proposed in a piecemeal way, which seriously undermined the Secretary-General’s accountability to Member States.  His plan of reform should have been presented as a whole, in the form of the biennial budget, following the established practice.  Requirements should have been carefully selected under budgetary discipline, with a sharp focus on high priorities, and through redeploying resources from activities no longer in use.  In that context, his delegation wished to scrutinize the rationale for each resource requirement, one by one.

CARMEN ÁVILA ( Panama) expressed support for the earlier statements on behalf of the Group of 77 and the Rio Group and said that Panama also supported the proposals to strengthen the Department of Political Affairs.  It was important to increase the role of preventive diplomacy before conflicts that could affect international security with attendant high costs in human and material resources.  Panama, however, had some comments on the Secretary-General’s report with regard to procedure and substance.  It shared the concerns already expressed by some delegations with regard to the analysis and political aspects of the report.

Panama supported the proposal to increase the Department of Political Affairs’ presence in Africa and in other regions where its presence was required, she went on.  In doing that, it was important that the Department join forces with agencies that were already established on the ground.  With regard to the proposal to establish regional presence, Panama was of the view that any regional offices must be set up solely with the consent of the receiving States and with mandates approved by the relevant bodies. In that regard, it supported the recommendation that had been made by ACABQ.  It also supported the establishment of a regional office in the Americas, but shared the concern that the proposal should be analysed further and qualified staff from the region must be on board.   Panama would work constructively throughout negotiations on the issues contained in the report of the Secretary-General, in order to make the Department of Political Affairs more effective.

REN YISHENG ( China) expressed support for the necessary and rational reform of the Secretariat aimed at enhancing management and efficiency.   China also supported the United Nations positive role in safeguarding international peace and security in accordance with Charter provisions.  While giving full play to the leading role of the Security Council, a reasonable increase of input in the areas of prevention and mediation to strengthen mechanisms and measures, such as early warning and fact-finding missions, would have a positive effect on conflict prevention and resolution.  Many international hot spot issues were closely linked to the issue of development, and it was impetrative that the United Nations strengthen vigorously its development activities and pay high attention to post-conflict peacebuilding.

Continuing, he said that, in recent years, the workload of the Department of Political Affairs had been increased in the areas of preventive diplomacy, the Secretary-General’s good offices, as well as mediation.   China favoured adequate strengthening of the Department through restructuring and an increase of staff.  In the process of restructuring the Department’s regional divisions, the effort should be aimed at making it streamlined and efficient, in order to avoid overstaffing.  The establishment of regional offices should be addressed on a case-by-case basis, in light of the actual needs presented and consent given by the countries in the region concerned.  It should also be in accordance with the mandate of the General Assembly and the principle of consensus.

BASHAR JA’AFARI ( Syria) supported the position of the Group of 77 and said his delegation supported all the genuine reform initiatives aimed at making the United Nations more effective and transparent, so that the Organization could meet the challenges of the twenty-first century.  He also underscored the importance of respecting legislative mandates as defined by Member States and drew attention to the need for the Secretary-General to consult Member States before making proposals, to address their concerns.  The Department of Political Affairs -- one of the most important departments of the United Nations -– should implement legislative mandates given by the General Assembly and Security Council in the areas of its competence, including preventive diplomacy and resolution of conflicts by peaceful means.

There had been an increase in the Department’s activities, but those activities were being reduced in the case of the Middle East peace process, he said.  His delegation did not see any broad attention being given to the problems of his region, which occupied an important place in the work of the Organization.  Calling for the restructuring of the Department of Political Affairs, the report of the Secretary-General requested additional human and financial resources, but without the mandates having been modified.  In that connection, he reiterated that whatever new legislative mandate was given, it should be done through the General Assembly.  The report also contained various sensitive political elements, which meant there must be more consultation with Member States.

According to the report, the Middle East and West Asia Division would be divided into the Middle East Section and the Gulf Section, but the proposed structure was not based on any logic, or correct analysis of the prevailing realities in the Middle East.  His delegation had on many occasions drawn attention to that serious concern with senior members of the Department of Political Affairs, who had generally recognized the legitimacy of those views.  He hoped those concerns would appear in the revised report of the Secretary-General.  Concerns had also been expressed in the letter by the Joint Coordination Committee.  That also demonstrated the need for the Office of the Secretary-General to consult Member States and exchange views before coming up with any new proposals, to avoid such a situation in the future.

He also addressed the need to ensure equitable geographical representation within the Department, particularly as far as developing countries were concerned.  There was a total absence of Arab countries in the Department.  The Department should also provide the necessary support to programmes defined by the Security Council and General Assembly, including the activities of the Division for Palestinian Rights, the Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process and the registrar of the damage caused by the construction of the separation wall.  His delegation intended to take an active part in the consultations on the matter, so its concerns were reflected in the final Committee resolution.

FRANCIS K. BUTAGIRA ( Uganda) aligned himself with the position of the Group of 77 and the African Group, and said that one could not overemphasize the importance of preventive diplomacy, through mediation and enhanced use of good offices.  His delegation took note of the Secretary-General’s intention to “rationalize the Department’s presence in the field through the establishment of a small network of regional offices that would assist Member States and regional organizations with their preventive diplomacy efforts”, as well as his intention to propose, sometime this year, the establishment of a regional office in Central Africa and the Great Lakes region to, among other things, support the efforts of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region.  While that sounded like a noble idea, he was inclined to concur with the recommendations of ACABQ in paragraph 23 of its report.  The process of seeking the views of Member States and regional organizations where such a regional office was to be established had to be well elaborated and known to all.  He trusted that those processes would be adhered to in the establishment of the proposed office in Central Africa and the Great Lakes region.

He was very grateful to the Secretary-General, who, through his Special Envoy for Lord’s Resistance Army-Affected Areas, had played an important role in the Juba peace talks between the Government of Uganda and the Lord’s Resistance Army, he continued.  Thanks to that complementary role, his country could now realistically think of a comprehensive peace agreement being signed sooner, than later.  He noted the Secretary-General’s proposal to establish a post for a Political Affairs Officer at the P-4 level to “work exclusively on supporting the peace process in northern Uganda”.  His delegation did not see merit in the creation of that post, as the talks had reached their concluding stage and there was little value to be derived from the post.  He would be making further specific comments during the consideration of revised estimates relating to special political missions.

JASMINKA DINIĆ (Croatia) aligned her delegation with the statement made earlier on behalf of the European Union and said that Croatia supported the strengthening of the Department of Political Affairs, as well as recognized the important role of preventive diplomacy.  It supported the establishment of regional offices of the Department of Political Affairs only if that was done with full consent of the countries in the region concerned.  Also, such offices could not be established on a one size fits all approach.   Croatia appreciated Mr. Pascoe’s clarification that full information and justification on the establishment of new offices would be provided in future.  In the staffing of those offices, it would be important to ensure that the principle of geographical representation and gender balance were fully respected.   Croatia agreed with the comment of ACABQ that fragmentation might not be the best way to enhance the work of the Department.  Instead, the Department should work with United Nations entities already on the ground in the regions.

JOHN NG’ONGOLO (United Republic of Tanzania) aligned his delegation with the statements made on behalf of the Group of 77 and the African Group.  He said that, in Africa, conflicts usually appeared as interstate or intrastate conflicts, but that the strengthening of the African Union had greatly contributed to the lessening of interstate tensions and the prevention of interstate conflicts, which had been caused mainly by disputes over the equitable sharing of cross-border natural resources.  The challenge for Africa, now, was mainly on how to prevent interstate conflicts, the root cause of which was the effects of underdevelopment that were often misinterpreted by outsiders as ethnic.  The effects of conflict on the economies of African countries were devastating and the conflicts discouraged the flow of direct foreign investment and tourists to Africa.

Preventive diplomacy, thus, had a complementary effect on the efforts of African countries and their development partners in achieving socio-economic development, he went on.  The United Republic of Tanzania fully supported the proposal by the Secretary-General to strengthen the Department of Political Affairs so as to increase its capacity in preventive diplomacy.  It supported the strengthening of the Liaison Office in Addis Ababa by elevating it to the Peace and Security Office to the African Union Commission.  It also supported the initiative by the Department on measures aimed at enhancing its cooperation with regional and subregional integration schemes in Africa, so as to promote peace and security in the region.

ALOUAN KANAFANI ( Venezuela) associated himself with the position of the Group of 77 and the Rio Group and said his delegation had expressed its view on the political elements in the report.  The Secretariat had responded to the concerns of the Group of 77 and the Non-Aligned Movement in a letter last week.  While the publication of a corrigendum to the Secretary-General’s report had not been possible, due to time constraints, the response by the Under-Secretary-General was a binding document for the purposes of the negotiations.  He welcomed the willingness of the Secretary-General to respond to the concerns of Member States.  His delegation believed it was necessary to take advantage of the time available to consider the proposals before the Committee in a comprehensive manner, taking into account the reforms previously approved for the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the Department of Field Support, as well as the need to strengthen the development pillar.  The latter was essential, if the reform was to reflect balance between the three major pillars of the Organization.  As part of such a balanced approach, the proposals to strengthen the development pillar should be dealt with as a matter of priority.

Venezuela supported strengthening the political role of the Secretary-General, whose diplomatic mediation was essential, he said.  His delegation would not oppose some of the central objectives of the reform of the Department of Political Affairs, but some aspects reflected in the report exceeded the functioning of the Department and usurped the functions of other entities, including the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the Department of Field Support.  As for the mandate of the Department, while the Under-Secretary-General had responded to some issues, other elements needed to be addressed.  More information should be provided, in that regard.

On the proposal to strengthen the Department’s regional divisions, he recognized that the Department required resources, once the concerns of the Group of 77 and Rio Group had been taken into account.  As for the Americas Division, that structure must reflect the geographical and political reality in the subregions.  In that connection, he supported the position of the Rio Group.  He also underscored the need for regional divisions and their subdivisions having qualified staff from the region, with direct understanding of the situation on the ground.  It was also important to ensure an appropriate gender balance.  In conclusion, he also stressed the need for ACABQ to finalize its report on the development pillar, so the Committee had sufficient time to consider the matter during the current session.

BROUZ RALPH COFFI ( Côte d’Ivoire) supported the position of the Group of 77, African Group and the Non-Aligned Movement and emphasized that the strengthening of the Department of Political Affairs would inevitably be a major step forward.  He welcomed the fact that the Secretary-General, on the basis of resolution 57/337 and Security Council presidential statement S/PRST/2002/31, had proposed to strengthen the capacity of the Organization in preventive diplomacy, good offices, mediation and organization of elections, seeking lasting solutions to crises.  That approach was in the spirit and letter of the Charter and would strengthen the effectiveness of the Organization, complementing peacekeeping and peacebuilding activities throughout the world.  The new Department of Political Affairs would have to be the structure for supporting good offices, based on impartial information from the field, verified by credible existing sources.

Continuing, he said he wanted to address the failure to respect geographic representation of States, particularly of the countries of the South.  That situation was particularly aggravated by the breach of the principles and administrative rules of the United Nations.  That led to unfair human resources practices, which were used to promote interests that were remote from the Charter and to serve interests not in accordance with the mandate given by the Assembly.

In view of the extremely politicized nature of the Department of Political Affairs, it was necessary to forestall deviation from the mandates of peacekeeping, which could create an impression that the United Nations was taking sides or becoming a party to conflict.  Otherwise, the new Department of Political Affairs regional offices would run the risk of being rejected by host country populations.  In order to avoid that situation, it was necessary to systematically carry out recruiting and redeployment of posts in accordance with agreed rules; take account of lessons learned in the field, to reduce causes of instability in certain professional categories, notably those in the 200 and 300 series; redress unequal geographical representation in senior posts, particularly as far as countries of the South, including Africa, were concerned; and reduce misuse of the Performance Appraisal System as an arbitrary way of grading United Nations staff, by setting up a more objective grading system.  Further, the new posts should not be limited by the recommendations made by ACABQ.

JAVAD SAFAEI (Iran) agreed with the statement by the representative of Antigua and Barbuda on behalf of the Group of 77 and said that, despite the fact that the function of the Fifth Committee, according to its mandate, was to deal with financial and budget matters, the report before the Committee included proposals that sometimes contained political judgements and did not reflect the intergovernmental process.  The Secretary-General had been requested to submit a comprehensive report to the Committee.  The present report seemed difficult to manage.

In its recommendations, ACABQ had called for full information to be provided to the Committee, he went on.   Iran concurred with that recommendation and felt that merely adding staff was insufficient to ensure the fulfilment of the full mandate of the Department of Political Affairs.  The report currently lacked some important elements.   Iran was also fully attached to the concept that genuine and serious efforts to enhance preventive diplomacy should attack the root causes of conflicts.

Regarding the establishment of regional offices of the Department of Political Affairs, he said that any effort in that direction needed to be in full line with the Charter and with full respect for the sovereignty of the countries concerned.  The United Nations should seek the consent of the host country, as well as those of all the countries in the region concerned.  Such establishment should also be on a case-by-case basis and the offices should have no extraterritorial mandate.  They must also be established with the mandate of the General Assembly.   Iran was ready to work, in a spirit of cooperation, to reach a successful conclusion on issue.

BUI THE GIANG (Viet Nam), associating his delegation with the statement on behalf of the Group of 77, said that, in a generally stable region, such as South-East Asia, where the regional countries had proved capable of effectively and efficiently handling their political affairs, it was more suitable to view the strengthening of the Department of Political Affairs mainly as the strengthening of coordination mechanisms among the Department, those countries and existing institutions, such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), in appropriate cases.  Also, given the increasing responsibilities of the United Nations, which entailed increasing financial burdens, and given the increasing development needs in developing countries, it was more appropriate that the funds intended for a Department of Political Affairs office be used to help better satisfy the development needs of those countries.

Viet Nam agreed with Mr. Pascoe’s statement that regional offices would only be opened at the request of the host country and all other countries in the region, together with an appropriate mandate, he continued.  Should there be the need for such a Department of Political Affairs regional presence, a clear, transparent and inclusive process of consultation was required before a reasonable and informed decision could be made at both the national and regional levels.

ALEJANDRO TORRES LEPORI ( Argentina) supported the position of the Group of 77 and the Rio Group and said there was sufficient argument for the need to strengthen preventive diplomacy.  Therefore, strengthening the Department of Political Affairs was necessary.  The report of ACABQ provided a good foundation for proceeding in that direction.  With respect to the proposal on the Division of the Americas, he supported the position of the Rio Group and believed that there should be a South American section within that Division.  He hoped that, within that section, the Department of Political Affairs would make better use of officials who came from countries in South America.  Clearly, they would have a better understanding of the realities in the countries of the region.  It was also important to achieve gender balance.

Continuing, he urged the Department of Political Affairs to strengthen all capacities of the existing regional and subregional bodies.  All the problems that could emerge in a region should be looked at by a regional mechanism before they were addressed by a more universal body, the United Nations.  As the Secretary-General had pointed out, peace, development and security were mutually reinforcing and there could be no progress in one area without progress in another.  The global proposal for reform was complemented by the proposal to strengthen the development activities of the Organization.

FERNANDO DE OLIVEIRA SENA ( Brazil) said his country supported the statements by the Group of 77 and the Rio Group.  It also supported the Department of Political Affairs and recognized the need to strengthen preventive diplomacy, especially in Africa and the Middle East.   Brazil had pointed out some concrete concerns it had with regard to the present report, including the question of a lack of prior consultations in its preparation and the fact that a political report had been submitted to the Fifth Committee.  With regard to Latin America and Caribbean, Brazil was of the opinion that collective means and institutions existed in region to deal with any problems that might arise.  In that regard, the role of the Department of Political Affairs in the region should be supportive of the existing mechanisms.  Further, preventive diplomacy could not be divorced from efforts to attack hunger and eradicate poverty.

He said his delegation was not convinced of the need for a regional office of the Department of Political Affairs in Latin America.  The establishment of such an office did not enjoy the full support of the Member States of the region, a factor that constituted a prerequisite for any proposal to establish such an office.   Brazil, however, believed that the Department of Political Affairs could play an important role in Haiti, where it could be crucial in the institution-building project there.  He called for appropriate consultation with regional institutions, such as the Organization of American States, and stated that his country wanted to see more staff of the region working in the Department of Political Affairs, as such staff would have more knowledge of the realities in the region.

ADE PETRANTO ( Indonesia) aligned himself with the position of the Group of 77 and said his delegation shared the views and concerns of other countries of South-East Asia and the members of ASEAN on the proposal to establish Department of Political Affairs regional offices.  In that connection, he underscored the need to consult and obtain the consent of countries in the region before such a regional office was set up.  There was clear recognition of such a need in the letter of the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs to the Joint Coordination Committee dated 11 March 2008.

Given resource constraints, it would be prudent to set priorities for the development of the Department of Political Affairs’ preventive diplomacy and mediation capacities and use them where they were most needed, he continued.  Also, synergy was needed with regional preventive diplomacy efforts.  In South-East Asia, for example, ASEAN had, over the years, pursued significant preventive diplomacy efforts in addressing possible emerging conflict situations.  The development of such capacity had received further stimulus, as ASEAN strived to achieve the goal of an ASEAN Security Community.  It was notable that ASEAN had been the driving force for similar preventive diplomacy capacity within the ASEAN Regional Forum.  Any possible future development of the Department of Political Affairs’ regional preventive diplomacy capacity in South-East Asia should be in synergy with such existing and fast-developing ASEAN capacities.

JOSIEL MOTUMISI TAWANA ( South Africa) said his country believed in strengthening of the Department of Political Affairs, as a strengthened department would be helpful in conflict prevention.  He was, however, mindful of the possible encroachments that might arise as a result of such proposals.  In that regard, the reform of the Department should play a complementary role within the overall reform of the United Nations.   South Africa also believed in the principle of equitable geographic representation in recruitment of staff and looked forward to constructive discussion on those issues during the informal consultations on the report before the Committee.

ABDELATIF DEBABECHE ( Algeria) supported the position of the Group of 77 and added that the Secretary-General’s report should not have been introduced in its current form.  From various statements this morning, it was clear that the reform was not broadly supported for many reasons.  He was not surprised.  Those most in favour of the reform were not willing to give it all the necessary financing, but insisted on the use of existing resources, hoping that reform would be carried out to the detriment of action in other areas.  He also commented on the piecemeal approach to the budget and the likelihood of duplication, as there had been little planning for possible synergies with the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, the Department of Field Support and entities in charge of development.

“Who could possibly oppose the concept of prevention?” he asked, turning to the proposed measures.  Nevertheless, different questions should be asked, albeit difficult ones.  Those questions were linked with serious slippage in the work of the Committee, which was becoming increasingly politicized.  Political elements should be removed from the proposal, and then the report should be returned to the Committee for a technical decision.  That procedure had not been followed, contrary to the wish of the largest group to obtain a corrigendum.  That was part of the strategy of the Secretariat -– once so democratic and transparent –- to avoid any democratic debate and to impose reforms through budgetary posts.  Such a trend would exacerbate the credibility gap and hinder the real possibility for reform coming from the Secretariat.  That was why his delegation supported ACABQ’s opinion and wanted an additional report to define the terms of reference.  The Fifth Committee should remain within its own competencies.

Adding to his previous intervention, Mr. TORRES LEPORI ( Argentina) expressed support for measures to strengthen the Electoral Support Division.  Lately, that Division had been overloaded with numerous requests for help and deserved strong support.

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For information media • not an official record