General Assembly Adopts Peacekeeping Budget of Nearly $7.8 Billion for Period 1 July 2009 to 20 June 2010
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| Department of Public Information • News and Media Division • New York |
Sixty-third General Assembly
Plenary
93rd Meeting* (AM)
general assembly adopts peacekeeping budget of nearly $7.8 billion
for period 1 july 2009 to 20 june 2010
Acting on the recommendations of its Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary), the General Assembly this morning adopted a peacekeeping budget approaching $7.8 billion for the period from 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2010.
The amount approved today will provide for the Organization’s 14 peacekeeping missions (including the United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia, which was terminated during the consideration of peacekeeping financing), the support package for the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), the Logistics Base in Brindisi, Italy, and the peacekeeping support account. The breakdown of the appropriation is as follows:
|
Mission |
Amount |
|
MINURCAT ( Mission in Central African Republic and Chad) |
$690.75 million |
|
MINURSO ( Mission for Referendum in Western Sahara) |
$53.53 million |
|
MINUSTAH (Stabilization Mission in Haiti) |
$611.75 million |
|
MONUC (Organization Mission in Democratic Republic of the Congo) |
$1.35 billion |
|
UNAMID (Hybrid Operation in Darfur) |
$1.6 billion |
|
UNDOF (Disengagement Observer Force) |
$45.03 million |
|
UNFICYP (Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus) |
$54.41 million |
|
UNIFIL (Interim Force in Lebanon) |
$589.8 million |
|
UNMIK ( Mission in Kosovo) |
$46.81 million |
|
UNMIL ( Mission in Liberia) |
$561 million |
|
UNMIS ( Mission in Sudan) |
$958.35 million |
|
UNMIT (Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste) |
$205.94 million |
|
UNOCI (Operation in Côte d’Ivoire) |
$491.77 million |
|
UNOMIG (Observer Mission in Georgia) |
$15 million |
|
Support of AMISOM |
$138.8 million |
|
Brindisi |
$57.95 million |
|
Support Account |
$294.03 million |
|
Total |
$7.75 billion |
All the resolutions today were approved without a vote, except the text on the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which received 134 votes in favour and 2 against (Israel, United States), with no abstentions (see Annex II).
Prior to action on the text as a whole, a separate vote was held on the paragraphs referring to several previous resolutions that called for Israel to pay some $1.12 million for the damage resulting from a 1996 incident at the UNIFIL headquarters in Qana, Lebanon. The paragraphs were retained by a vote of 75 in favour to 6 against (Australia, Canada, Israel, New Zealand, Trinidad and Tobago, United States), with 46 abstentions (Annex I).
By the terms of the draft on the United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG), following its termination earlier this month, the General Assembly asked the Secretary-General to submit a liquidation budget at the main part of the sixty-fourth session, appropriating for that purpose an amount of $15 million for the period of 1 July to 31 December 2009.
The Assembly also adopted a text on activities arising from Security Council resolution 1863 (2009), which authorized the African Union Mission in Somalia to carry out its existing mandate until 31 January 2010. In that connection, the Assembly authorized the Secretary-General to enter into commitments for the support of AMISOM for the period from 1 July to 31 December 2009 in a total amount not exceeding $138.8 million, while also requesting him to ensure effectiveness, efficiency and transparency with regard to the use of United Nations resources, bearing in mind the specific nature of the support package.
The Secretary-General was requested to submit his proposal on the full 2009/10 budget for the support of AMISOM in a timely manner, so that the decision could be made no later than 31 October this year.
By another draft, the Assembly accepted the audited financial statements of the United Nations peacekeeping operations for the 2007/08 period, while endorsing the recommendations contained in the Board of Auditors’ report.
Adopting the draft on the pattern of conferences, the Assembly addressed the issue of timely submission of documents and requested an Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) review of the reasons why the Human Rights Council was not provided with conference services this year. It also asked the Secretary-General to maintain support to major groups participating in this year’s substantive session of the Economic and Social Council in Geneva.
In connection with closed missions, the Assembly adopted texts determining the disposition of assets of the United Nations Operation in Burundi (ONUB) and the ways of crediting of Member States’ respective shares of cash available in the accounts of the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) and the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL). And by the terms of a separate draft decision, it decided to return two thirds of the credits available in the account of the United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission (UNIKOM) to the Government of Kuwait in the amount of $996,800. The Assembly decided to consider the updated financial position of closed peacekeeping missions during its sixty-fourth session.
On the rates of reimbursement to troop-contributing countries, the Assembly endorsed the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions(ACABQ), which did not object to the new methodology proposed by the Secretary-General and requested a mock-up of the proposed formula. The ACABQ further noted that the application of the new methodology could lead to a change in the current applicable rates of reimbursement. [The methodology proposed by the Secretary-General consists of four phases: survey design, data collection, data analysis and reporting.]
The Assembly further decided that any equipment bought by a troop-contributing country in a foreign currency, as well as any troops paid in foreign currency, could be reported in that currency. It also approved the increase of payment from four to 15 days of the recreational leave allowance for members of military contingents and formed police units.
And finally, the Assembly -- by a draft decision approved today -- deferred until its sixty-fourth session its consideration of several reports before the Fifth Committee.
Action on Drafts
The reports of the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) before the Assembly were introduced by the Committee’s Rapporteur, PATRICK CHUASOTO ( Philippines). He said that during its second resumed session, which had been devoted primarily to peacekeeping financing, the Committee had considered, among other things, the financing of 18 peacekeeping missions and related peacekeeping items.
The first text before the Assembly was a draft resolution on financial reports and audited financial statements, and reports of the Board of Auditors (document A/63/637/Add.1).
By its terms, it would accept the audited financial statements of the United Nations peacekeeping operations for the 2007/08 period, while taking note of observations contained in the Board of Auditors’ report and endorsing its recommendations. Reiterating that the nature of outstanding assessed contributions was “a policy matter”, the Assembly would urge all Member States to make every possible effort to ensure payment of assessed contributions in full and on time.
Further to the text, the Assembly would request the Secretary-General to ensure that the Board’s recommendations were implemented fully and promptly, as well as related recommendations by the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ). It would request the Secretary-General to indicate a timeframe for implementing those recommendations and to indicate the priorities for their implementation, including measures for holding office holders accountable. It would further request the Secretary-General to provide, in his next report, a full explanation for the delays in implementing outstanding recommendations, the root causes of the recurring issues, and measures to be taken.
By the text’s other provisions, the Assembly would take note of the ACABQ’s observations on the issue, while endorsing the recommendations contained in its report. It would take note, as well, of the Secretary-General’s report on the implementation of the Board of Auditors’ recommendations concerning United Nations peacekeeping operations for the financial period ended 30 June 2008.
The draft resolution was adopted without a vote.
Also before the Assembly was a draft resolution on the estimates in respect of special political missions, good offices and other political initiatives authorized by the General Assembly and/or Security Council (document A/63/648/Add.6), by the terms of which the Assembly would approve a revised budget for the United Nations Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS) in the amount of $16.18 million gross. Taking into account the unencumbered balance of some $6.64 million, based on actual expenditures incurred in 2008, the Assembly would decide to appropriate an amount of $8.62 million for the remainder of the 2008‑2009 biennium.
The draft was adopted without a vote.
The Assembly then turned to a draft resolution on the pattern of conferences (document A/63/638/Add.1), by the terms of which it would take note of the Secretary-General’s report on action taken to improve the situation in regard to improving the timely issuance of documents and welcome the progress achieved so far by the task force concerning the issuance of documents for the Fifth Committee on peacekeeping financing.
The Assembly would also note with concern the lack of conference services being provided to the Human Rights Council and request the Secretary-General to ensure that the Council was provided with all the necessary services to support its activities, including its universal periodic review of countries’ reports. The Secretary-General would be further requested to entrust the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) with a review of the circumstances that led to that situation this year, and to present its recommendations at the main part of the sixty-fourth session. The Assembly would also request the Secretary-General to maintain support to major groups participating in this year’s substantive session of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in Geneva.
The text was adopted without a vote.
Contained in a report on the administrative and budgetary aspects of peacekeeping financing (document A/63/894) were three draft resolutions and a draft decision recommended by the Fifth Committee.
Acting on the rates of reimbursement to troop-contributing countries (draft resolution I), the Assembly then adopted, without a vote, a draft resolution on the matter.
By the terms of the text, the Assembly took note of the Secretary-General’s updated report on the review of the methodology for those rates and endorsed the recommendations contained in part IV of the report of the ACABQ, subject to the provisions of the draft resolution.
[The methodology proposed by the Secretary-General consists of four phases, namely, survey design, data collection, data analysis and reporting. The Advisory Committee, in its report, does not object to the Secretary-General’s proposals, noting, among other things, his intention to provide reliable and comprehensive data, which would be more transparent and constitute an improved basis for informed decision-making. The ACABQ further notes that the application of the new methodology could lead to a change in the current applicable rates of reimbursement. In order to facilitate the Assembly’s consideration of the revised methodology, the ACABQ requested that a mock-up of the application of the proposed formula be provided to the Assembly.]
Further by the terms of the draft, the Assembly decided that any equipment that a troop contributor buys for foreign currency, as well as any troops paid in foreign currency, could be reported in that currency. It would also approve an increase in payment of recreational leave allowance from four to 15 days for members of military contingents and formed police units.
Adopting, without a vote, a draft resolution on the financing of the United Nations Logistics Base at Brindisi, Italy (draft resolution II), the Assembly approved the cost estimates for the Base in the amount of $57.95 million for the period from 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2010.
By other terms of the text, it requested the Secretary-General to ensure that indicators of achievement reflected more fully the scope of functions and services provided by the Base to peacekeeping operations and other field missions, and to expedite receipt and inspection of strategic deployment stocks shipped from the Base. It also welcomed the intention of the Secretary-General to submit proposals on a global support strategy for United Nations peacekeeping, requesting that those proposals include a thorough cost-benefit analysis. The Assembly also decided to relocate the Standing Police Capacity to Brindisi.
The Assembly then turned to a draft resolution on the support account (draft III), by the terms of which it would approve the support account requirements in the amount of some $294.03 million for 2009/10, including 1,175 continuing posts and 63 new temporary posts, and 83 continuing and 60 new general temporary assistance positions, as well as their related post and non-post requirements.
The text was adopted without a vote.
The Assembly’s attention was then drawn to a draft decision on closed peacekeeping missions, by the terms of which it would decide to return two thirds of the credits available in the account of the United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission (UNIKOM) to the Government of Kuwait in the amount of $996,800. It would also decide to consider the updated financial position of closed peacekeeping missions during its sixty-fourth session.
The draft was adopted without a vote.
The Assembly also approved, without a vote, a draft resolution on the disposition of the assets of the United Nations Operation in Burundi (ONUB) (document A/ 63/895), by which it would encourage Member States that are owed credits for that closed mission to apply those amounts to any accounts where they have outstanding assessments. The Assembly would also urge all Member States to make every possible effort to ensure the payment of their assessed contributions in full.
By the terms of a draft resolution on the financing of the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI) (document A/63/896), the Assembly would decide to appropriate the amount of $491.77 million for the maintenance of the mission in 2009/10.
As in the texts on all individual active missions, the text includes provisions expressing concern regarding peacekeeping activities’ financial situation and delays in deploying and providing adequate resources to some recent operations, particularly in Africa. By the terms, the Assembly would also emphasize that all peacekeeping missions should be given equal and non-discriminatory treatment and provided with adequate resources for effective and efficient discharge of their mandates.
Further by the texts, the Secretary-General would be requested to make the fullest possible use of facilities and equipment at the United Nations Logistics Base at Brindisi, Italy, and the Entebbe Logistics Hub, Uganda, where applicable. The Secretary-General would also be asked to ensure that proposed peacekeeping budgets are based on relevant legislative mandates.
Taking note of the missions’ performance reports for 2007/08, the Assembly would request the Secretary-General to ensure that each operation is administered with maximum efficiency and economy and to continue his efforts to recruit local staff against General Service posts.
The draft was adopted without a vote.
Also adopted without a vote was a draft resolution on the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) (document A/63/897), by which the Assembly appropriated some $54.41 million for the maintenance of the mission in 2009/10.
The Assembly also had before it a draft resolution on the financing of the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) (document A/63/898), by the terms of which it would decide to appropriate about $1.35 billion for the maintenance of the Mission in 2009/10. Among other terms of the text, there is also a provision approving 16 general temporary assistance positions for the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Great Lakes region for six months.
The text was adopted without a vote.
The Assembly then turned to a draft resolution on the financing of the United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT) (document A/63/899), by the terms of which it would request the Secretary-General to ensure that the Mission provides all the necessary support for Timor-Leste’s local elections this year, approving the amount of $3.07 million towards that end. It would also welcome the introduction of a misconduct tracking system in 2008, aimed at more accurate recording of all complaints and allegations received by the Mission. It would note, in that connection, the increased number of allegations of serious and minor misconduct and request the Secretary-General to ensure that necessary measures are being taken to address this situation.
Further by the draft, the Assembly would appropriate $205.94 million for the maintenance of the Mission in 2009/10.
The draft was adopted without a vote.
The Assembly then adopted, without a vote, a draft resolution on the financing of the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), which was terminated on 31 July last year (document A/63/646/Add.2).
By the text, the General Assembly took note of the status of contributions to the Mission as at 30 April 2009, including the contributions outstanding in the amount of $17.5 million (1 per cent of the total assessments), noting with concern that only 56 Member States have paid their dues in full. Taking note of the report on the financial performance of the Mission for the period from 1 July 2007 to 30 June 2008, the Assembly also took note of the unencumbered balance and other income in UNMEE’s account in the amount of about $17.61 million.
In that connection, the Assembly decided that Member States that have fulfilled their financial obligations to the Mission shall be credited with their respective share of the $2.88 million in net cash available in the Mission’s account. Those countries would be encouraged to apply their credits to any accounts where they have outstanding assessments. Under the scheme presented in the draft, the shares of the available cash of those Member States that have not fulfilled their financial obligations to the Mission would be set off against their outstanding obligations.
Asking the Secretary-General to report on the updated financial position of the Mission during the second resumed sixty-fourth session, the Assembly would also decide to defer to that session a decision on the treatment of the balance of $14.74 million.
By the terms of a draft resolution on the financing of the United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) (document A/63/900), the Assembly would, following the termination of the Mission by the Security Council, request the Secretary-General to ensure that the liquidation of UNOMIG is administered with maximum efficiency and economy. The Assembly would further ask the Secretary-General to submit the liquidation budget of the Mission at the main part of the sixty-fourth session and decide to appropriate for that purpose an amount of $15 million for the period of 1 July to 31 December 2009.
The text was adopted without a vote.
On Haiti, the Assembly adopted, also without a vote, a draft resolution on the financing of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) (document A/63/901), by the terms of which it would appropriate some $611.75 million for the maintenance of the Mission for the period of 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2010, while also allocating up to $3 million for quick-impact projects on the ground.
On the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), the Assembly had before it a draft resolution (document A/63/902), by the terms of which it would appropriate some $46.81 million for the maintenance of the Mission in 2009/10.
The draft was adopted without a vote.
Speaking in explanation of position after the action on the draft, the representative of Serbia expressed satisfaction over the creation of three professional positions in the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General. Those positions were intended to ensure coordination and cooperation between UNMIK and the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX), within the status neutral framework of resolution 1244 (1999). Creation of those positions would fill the void in coordination between the two missions. He expected the posts to have a clear and well-defined role, particularly regarding the police, justice and customs, the three core functions of EULEX.
The Assembly also adopted without a vote a draft resolution on the financing of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) (document A/63/903), by which it appropriated an amount of about $561 million for the maintenance of the Mission in 2009/10.
Also adopted without a vote was a draft resolution on the financing of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) (document A/63/904), by the terms of which the Assembly appropriated an amount of $2.52 million for the period of 1 July 2007 to 30 June 2008, in addition to the amount of $41.59 million already appropriated for the maintenance of the Force for that period. An amount of $45.03 million was appropriated for the maintenance of UNDOF in 2009/10.
The Assembly then turned to the draft resolution on the financing of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) (document A/63/905), by the terms of which it would appropriate about $589.8 million for the maintenance of the mission in 2009/10.
Prior to action on the text as a whole, a separate vote was requested on the paragraphs of the draft referring to several previous resolutions that called for Israel to pay some $1.12 million for the damage resulting from a 1996 incident at the UNIFIL headquarters in Qana, Lebanon.
The paragraphs were retained by a vote of 75 to 6 against ( Australia, Canada, Israel, New Zealand, Trinidad and Tobago and the United States), with 46 abstentions (see Annex I).
The text as a whole was adopted by a vote of 134 to 2 against ( Israel, United States), with no abstentions (Annex II).
Speaking in explanation of position after the vote, Syria’s representative said that his delegation joined the consensus and had voted in favour of the text. He had done that in virtue of the principle that the responsibility for the financing of the Mission needed to be borne by Israel, the occupying Power, which had been the cause for the establishment of the mission.
The Acting President pointed out that the Assembly was not voting on UNDOF, but on UNIFIL.
The representative of Israel said a mistake had been made and the vote should have been regarding paragraph 19, not paragraph 15, which corresponded with the vote of the committee. The Secretariat responded that there was a mistake made in the notes, and it was paragraph 19 that required the vote.
She expressed her full support for UNIFIL, but said the resolution lacked the necessary impartiality and was a repetition of annual political manoeuvring. Diplomatic manipulation had occurred. This past December and January, Israel was attacked by rockets from Lebanon and Israel’s safety had been threatened.
Member States had hijacked this resolution to promote political purposes, she said. The Fifth Committee resolutions were technical in nature. The Fifth Committee and the General Assembly should reject this sort of political manoeuvring that had undermined budgetary and peacekeeping issues.
The representative of Lebanon said that her delegation had explained its position before the Fifth Committee and had not intended to take the floor again, but found itself obliged to do so to clarify some points. She reaffirmed that the Government of Lebanon fully supported the activities of UNIFIL, in cooperation with the Lebanese army in Southern Lebanon, in order to avoid any possibility of a renewed Israeli aggression. Concerning the financing of UNIFIL, her delegation’s belief in the collective responsibility for carrying the costs of peacekeeping did not contradict the principle of the responsibility of each individual State for its wrongdoing in international affairs. The events in Qana in 1996 represented such wrongdoing, carried out by Israel, and the international community must hold it fully responsible for it. That included compensation for the material damage incurred.
Israel had not yet complied with 16 resolutions issued by the General Assembly, which called on that country to pay the amounts due as a result of its bombardment of United Nations facilities in Qana in 1996. Truly, UNIFIL was carrying out important tasks, but to date it was still unable to carry them out fully because of Israel’s daily violations of Lebanon’s air space. Israel also persisted in its occupation of the northern part of al-Ghajar village.
She added that her delegation was not the one that wanted to politicize a resolution of a financial character. Lebanon was dealing with the issues of national reconciliation and dialogue in Lebanon. Israel was the one trying to interfere in her country’s internal affairs. The resolution was to provide financial and administrative support for Lebanon.
Speaking on a point of order, Syria’s representative clarified that he had spoken in explanation of vote on both UNDOF and UNIFIL.
By the draft resolution on the financing of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (document A/63/906), the Assembly, having considered the reports on the final performance of the Mission, would take note of the status of contributions to the United Nations Observer Mission in Sierra Leone (UNOMSIL) and the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone as at 30 April 2009, including the credits in the amount of $44.9 million.
The Assembly would decide to credit Member States that have fulfilled their financial obligations to the Mission with their respective share of the net cash available in the Mission’s Special Account in the amount of $15.63 million as at 30 April 2009, while encouraging those countries to apply their credits to any accounts where they have outstanding dues.
Urging all Member States to make every possible effort to ensure payment of their assessed contributions in full, the Assembly would also decide that the shares of those Member States that have not fulfilled their obligations to the Mission be set off against their outstanding dues.
Further by the text, the Assembly would also decide that updated information on the financial position of the Mission shall be included in the report on the updated position of closed peacekeeping missions, to be considered during the sixty-fourth session.
The draft was adopted without a vote.
On the financing of the United Nations Mission in the Sudan (UNMIS), the Assembly had before it a draft resolution (document A/63/787/Add.1), by the terms of which it would appropriate about $958.35 million for the maintenance of the Mission in 2009/10. On the post requirements, it would decide to establish a post of Field Service Security Officer, internal audit, and 10 Field Service Security Officers, risk assessment, posts in the Safety and Security Section, as well as 187 disarmament, demobilization and reintegration posts. A 50 per cent vacancy factor would be applied to the new international posts.
The Secretary-General would be encouraged, where feasible, to enhance regional and inter-mission cooperation with a view to achieving greater synergies in the use of resources and the implementation of mandates of the missions, while bearing in mind that individual missions are responsible for the preparation and implementation of their own budgets and for controlling their assets and logistical operations.
The text was then adopted without a vote.
For the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) (document A/63/907), the Assembly, acting without a vote, appropriated some $53.53 million for the maintenance of the Mission in 2009/10.
The Assembly then turned to a draft resolution on the financing of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) (document A/63/647/Add.1), by the terms of which it would appropriate about $1.6 billion for the period from 1 July 2009 through 30 June 2010.
By other terms of the draft, the Assembly would stress the importance of strengthened accountability in the Organization and of ensuring greater accountability of the Secretary-General to Member States, among other things, for effective implementation of legislative mandates on procurement and related use of financial and human resources. The Secretary-General would be requested to ensure that all procurement projects for the Organization are in full compliance with relevant resolutions, and that lessons learned from previous application of flexibility and administrative procedures are fully taken into account. The Assembly would further request the Independent Audit Advisory Committee (IAAC) to provide advice on measures to ensure compliance of management with the OIOS audit and recommendations.
Among other things, the draft also contains a request for the Secretary-General to ensure that the activities of the Child Protection Unit are carried out in an integrated manner, and that its resource requirements are appropriately reflected in the next budget submission.
The draft resolution was adopted without a vote.
Turning to the United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad (MINURCAT), the Assembly then adopted, without a vote, a draft resolution on the financing of that Mission (document A/63/788/Add.1), by which the Assembly appropriated some $690.75 million for its maintenance in 2009/10.
[The most recent extension of the mandate of MINURCAT was authorized by the Security Council in its resolution 1861 (2009), by which the Council, among others, authorized the deployment of its military component to follow up the European Union-led force (EUFOR) in both Chad and the Central African Republic at the end of its mandate. The transfer of authority between EUFOR and the military component of MINURCAT took place on 15 March 2009.]
By other terms of the text, the Assembly decided to reclassify the post of the Chief of Staff in the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General from the D-1 to D-2 level; recognize that the improvement of national airport infrastructure is the responsibility of the host country, where possible; welcome the dispatch of a dedicated recruitment and staffing team -- “Tiger Team” -- which had expedited recruitment for the Mission; and commend the Mission for its initiative to prepare a water production and conservation policy and to increase the number of female officers in the Détachement integré de sécurité.
The Assembly then adopted, without a vote, a draft resolution on the financing of activities arising from Security Council resolution 1863 (2009) (document A/63/789/Add.1), which authorized the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) to carry out its existing mandate until 31 January 2010. In that connection, the Assembly authorized the Secretary-General to enter into commitments for the support of AMISOM for the period from 1 July to 31 December 2009 in a total amount not exceeding $138.8 million, while also requesting him to ensure effectiveness, efficiency and transparency with regard to the use of United Nations resources, bearing in mind the specific nature of the support package.
The Secretary-General was requested to submit his proposal on the full 2009/10 budget for the support of AMISOM in a timely manner, with the view to taking a decision no later than 31 October this year.
Finally, the Assembly adopted without a vote a draft decision on questions deferred for future consideration (document A/63/649/Add.2), by which it would decide to defer until its sixty-fourth session consideration of 22 reports regarding: programme budget for the biennium 2008-2009; administrative and budgetary aspects of the financing of the United Nations peacekeeping operations; Office of Internal Oversight Services; and closed peacekeeping missions.
(annexes follow)
ANNEX I
Vote on Separate Paragraphs/Lebanon
The fourth preambular paragraph and operative paragraphs 4, 5, and 19 of the draft resolution on financing of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (document A/63/905) were retained by a recorded vote of 75 in favour to 6 against, with 46 abstentions, as follows:
In favour: Afghanistan, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Benin, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Chile, China, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Eritrea, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tunisia, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Against: Australia, Canada, Israel, New Zealand, Trinidad and Tobago, United States.
Abstain: Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom.
Absent: Angola, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Kiribati, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Micronesia (Federated States of), Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Norway, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu.
(END OF ANNEX I)
ANNEX II
Vote on Financing for Lebanon Force
The draft resolution on financing for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (document A/63/905) was adopted by a recorded vote of 134 in favour to 2 against, as follows:
In favour: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Myanmar, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Against: Israel, United States.
Abstain: None.
Absent: Angola, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bhutan, Bolivia, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Chad, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gambia, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Honduras, Kiribati, Lebanon, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Spain, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu.
* *** *
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* The 92nd Meeting was covered in Press Release GA/10840 dated 29 June 2009.
For information media • not an official record