Delegates Call for Unified, Secure, Cost-effective System, as Budget Committee Considers Reports on New Information and Communications Technology Strategy
The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today discussed the Organization’s efforts to develop a contemporary information and communications technology system that will ramp up the system’s security, reduce its severe fragmentation and finally envelope peacekeeping operations.
Yukio Takasu, Under-Secretary-General for Management, laid out the details of the Secretary-General’s latest strategy to streamline the delivery of technology services as he introduced the report titled “Information and communications technology in the United Nations”. The benefits of carrying out the plan would be “a vastly improved service in information and communications technology — inside and out,” Mr. Takasu said. That meant the effective operation of Umoja, the Organization’s enterprise resource system; tighter security; an updated infrastructure; and richer technology expertise.
Noting the growing risks around security, the representative of the European Union delegation said the technology strategy had to correct the minimal oversight of the current system as well as its deeply fragmented infrastructure. The United Nations had to develop streamlined, reliable and efficient technology services that would let it deliver its mandates efficiently and transparently.
The representative of Switzerland, speaking also for Liechtenstein, welcomed the Secretariat’s commitment. “With 2,000 applications, 70 ICT units, over 130 ICT help desks, and 44 data centres, the current fragmentation is not only costly, its management hampers the UN’s effectiveness while seriously weakening information security,” she said. The representative also encouraged the Secretary-General to strengthen its central leadership on information and communications technology affairs.
The representative of Bolivia, speaking on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, said any information and communications technology reform had to support the work of the United Nations in the areas of peace and security, development, and human rights. The revised strategy had to support the Organization’s effective delivery of its mandates and give Member States user-friendly, secure and cost-effective ways to be a part of the decision-making process.
Carlos Ruiz Massieu, Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), introduced that body’s report on the issue and said the Secretary-General’s proposed strategy set forth a good foundation. A strong central leadership was needed to carry out information and communications technology policies and standards. A more detailed analysis was needed and the Advisory Committee recommended that the Assembly ask the Secretary-General to prepare a refined proposal to consider at its seventieth session.
Linda Wong, Chief of Service II of the Department of Management’s Programme Planning and Budget Division, introduced the Secretary-General’s report on the Economic and Social Council’s revised financial estimates for resolutions and decisions made during the Council’s 2014 session. The added costs for the 2014-2015 biennium totalled about $56,300, of which $5,400 could be absorbed within existing resources and the remaining $50,900 would be charged against the contingency fund. The $13.09 million needed for the 2016-2017 biennium would be considered under the proposed programme budget for the 2016-2017 budget cycle. Mr. Massieu then took the floor again to introduce the Advisory Committee’s report on the Council’s revised 2014 estimates.
Atefah Riazi, Assistant Secretary-General and Chief Information Technology Officer, also spoke today.
The representative of the United Republic of Tanzania also made a statement.
The Committee will reconvene at 3 p.m. on Thursday, 4 December, to discuss the financing of peacekeeping missions and appointments to fill vacancies in subsidiary organs & other appointments.
Information and Communications Technology Strategy
YUKIO TAKASU, Under-Secretary-General for Management, introduced the Secretary-General’s report “Information and communications technology in the United Nations” (document A/69/517), and noted the presence of Atefeh Riazi, Assistant Secretary-General and Chief Information Technology Officer.
It had been widely acknowledged by the Secretariat, the General Assembly and regulatory bodies that the delivery of technology at the United Nations was fractured and was not fit for modern times, Mr. Takasu said. After deep reflection and evaluation, the Secretariat had finalized the revised information communications technology strategy now before the Committee. The revised strategy identified three themes: modernization, transformation and innovation. The immediate supporting themes were governance and leadership, and optimal financial management. A detailed information plan had been prepared for the immediate future, the biennium 2016-17 and beyond. The leadership role of the Chief Information Technology Officer was crucial to ensure consistency in fragmented technology structures and delivery, to provide direction for all technology activities, and carry out the common vision.
The benefits of the revised strategy were “a vastly improved service in information and communications technology — inside and out,” Mr. Takasu said. That meant the effective delivery and operation of Umoja; improved information security and resiliency; updated information communications technology systems and structure; and richer technology expertise and professionalism. An early endorsement of the strategy’s overall direction was critical for the Secretariat to undertake project management and benefit analyses for implementation. “To take immediate actions and early measures for 2016-2017 is a prerequisite to a seamless ICT landscape which remedies the current limitations…”, said Mr. Takasu, adding that it will also mean improved service for users and a more visible and accountable governance structure.
CARLOS RUIZ MASSIEU, Chair, Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), introducing its report on “Information and communications technology in the United Nations” (document A/69/610), said that the proposed revised information and communications technology strategy constituted a good basis for future development in that area at the United Nations and supported the overall direction of proposed strategy, including making activities in support of Umoja implementation and mainstreaming a priority. Furthermore, the proposed strategy would be a pragmatic approach towards reducing fragmentation of information and communications technology capacities by building on and developing the existing strengths of units for such technology across the Secretariat, also taking into account the Organization’s decentralized nature.
He highlighted the need for strong central leadership to establish and enforce corporate information and communications technology policies and standards, as well as the commitment of senior managers to fully apply the strategy in that area and decisions made at the central level. In addition a more detailed analysis should be carried out, including, among other things, clear identification of the activities to be managed at the central, regional and local levels; proposals for the establishment of enterprise and regional technology centres; information on the final geographic structure envisaged for information and communications technology delivery; an implementation plan for the revised information and communications technology strategy; and details on expected qualitative and quantitative benefits. The Advisory Committee recommended that, subject to the comments and recommendations in the report, the General Assembly take note of the Secretary-General’s report and request that he submit a refined proposal for its consideration at its seventieth session.
DAYANA RIOS REQUENA (Bolivia), speaking on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, said that information and communications technology reform must support the United Nations work in peace and security, development and human rights, help the Organization deliver its mandate effectively and help Member States to engage in decision-making processes in a user friendly, secure, reliable, cost-effective way. Offices and departments continued to maintain independent information and communications technology units, resulting in a legacy of systems that were decentralized, non-standardised, duplicative, incompatible and outdated. Thus there was limited ability to share and process information, users’ requirements were not fully met and information and communications technology expenditures and staffing lacked transparency across the Organization. Fragmentation drove up the cost of operations and prevented the realization of economies of scale. She asked for details of how previous observations by the Board of Auditors — among them lack of effective governance and an accountability framework for information and communications technology affairs; and of clarity on how information and communications technology changes envisaged were essential to the core objective of the United Nations — had been addressed in the current proposed strategy. Future proposals should ensure harmonization with ongoing activities under the revised information and communications technology strategy and other initiatives.
She asked for details of how the strategy aligned with ongoing initiatives such as Umoja, International Public Sector Accounting Standards (ISPAS), Global Field Support Strategy (GFSS) and human resource management reforms. As the proposed revised strategy was based on a consultative approach, she said further consultation was needed, particularly with offices away from headquarters, and requested details on the extent to which consultations had reached stakeholders working in the field. She called for robust governance, management and accountability arrangements, strong leadership, comprehensive standards and procedures and effective communication and coordination to mitigate risk and ensure the proposed strategy’s successful implementation. As a cost-benefit analysis would evolve over time as implementation progressed, she said it would be important in evaluating projects and should be prepared at the project’s outset. Information on the projected cost and benefits should be presented to Member States in a timely way and any savings should support development-related activities. She supported the interim urgent measures addressing information security within the Organization and expected an update in that regard, as well as an update on the status of the implementation of the Action Plan during the Assembly’s seventieth session.
CARMEL POWER, a representative of the European Union Delegation, said that she found it encouraging that the report recognized the need for a fundamental shift in the information and communications technology environment across the Organization to support the goals of the United Nations. The implementation of any strong information and communications technology strategy should lead to both qualitative and quantitative benefits to enable greater and increasingly needed information security, data sharing and value for money. Noting that information security was facing ever-increasing risks, she stressed the need to address the United Nations’ deeply fragmented infrastructure and little oversight of its current system. It was imperative for the Organization to develop streamlined, reliable and efficient information and communications technology services to allow it to deliver its mandates efficiently and transparently.
The Union agreed with the Advisory Committee that strong central leadership would be critical for the establishment and strict enforcement of information and communications technology policies and standards, she said, underscoring the importance of the post of the Chief Information Technology Officer. The Union wished to receive an accurate and comprehensive indication of the resources that would be needed to implement the proposals so that the Fifth Committee could make a decision on the refined approach which would be considered in the context of the proposed programme budget 2016-2017.
LAURA SCHWEIZER (Switzerland), speaking also for Liechtenstein, welcomed the commitment to drastically reduce fragmentation of the information and communications technology landscape within the Secretariat. “With 2,000 applications, 70 ICT units, over 130 ICT help desks, and 44 data centres, the current fragmentation is not only costly, its management hampers the UN’s effectiveness while seriously weakening information security,” she said, encouraging the Secretary-General to strengthen central leadership on information and communications technology affairs. They should be supported by a stronger, more effective, transparent and coherent governance structure. She sought clarification on the extent to which the new strategy would apply to peacekeeping operations, particularly as the Department of Field Services (DFS) accounted for 75 per cent of the Secretariat’s information and communications technology budget and concurred with the ACABQ recommendation that the Secretary-General provide more details on the modalities proposed to incorporate information and communications technology in peacekeeping in his next report. Also, she said that the Office of Information and Communications Technology (OICT) must implement and coordinate its strategy and activities with Umoja, so that they would reinforce each other. Expressing support for the revised strategy proposed, she added that it must now be refined. A sound and detailed plan for its implementation must be developed to ensure its success.
JUSTIN KISOKA (United Republic of Tanzania), endorsing the statement delivered on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, said information and communications technology should serve to reduce the Organization’s costs and should apply to its daily business. It should speed up development initiatives. The United Nations, however, had not fully tapped the potential of information and communications technology due to high-level fragmentation of operations, with offices and departments operating in isolation. The next-generation information and communications technology systems must connect to peacekeeping operations. He stressed the importance of strengthening video conferencing capabilities at different duty stations as well as the need for further consultation on the revised strategy involving the Departments of Peacekeeping Operations and Field Support.
Ms. RIAZI said she was grateful to be before the Committee and hear the delegates’ feedback and support. The development of the strategy had been a team effort to bring a pragmatic approach to the Committee for its approval. She welcomed the opportunity to discuss the strategy. The strategy was needed to support the security needs of the Organization, to harmonize its technology services and ensure Umoja was receiving the necessary support. The strategy included the Organization’s peacekeeping operations. A cohesive strategy could not leave anyone behind.
Revised Estimates due to 2014 Economic and Social Council Resolutions/Decisions
LINDA WONG, Chief, Service II, Programme Planning and Budget Division, introduced the Secretary-General’s report titled “Revised estimates resulting from resolutions and decisions adopted by the Economic and Social Council during its 2014 session” (document A/69/535). The additional requirements for the 2014-2015 biennium resulting from those resolutions and decisions were estimated at $56,300, of which $5,400 could be absorbed within resources approved for the biennium 2014-2015. The remaining $50,900, under section 2, General Assembly and Economic and Social Council affairs and conference management, of the programme budget of the biennium 2014-2015, would be charged against the contingency fund.
The requirements of $13.09 million for the biennium 2016-2017 would be considered under the proposed programme budget for the 2016-2017 budget cycle, she said. That would include $89,500 under section 2, General Assembly and Economic and Social Council affairs and conference management, and $13 million under section 9, Economic and social affairs, Ms. Wong said. The Secretary-General’s recommendations were in paragraphs 30 and 31 of the report.
Mr. RUIZ MASSIEU, ACABQ Chair, taking the floor again, introduced ACABQ’s eponymous report (document A/69/609). According to the Secretary General those additional requirements for the biennium 2014-2015 were estimated at $56,300 of which $5,400 would be absorbed within resources approved under budget section 9, Economic and social affairs, to which the Advisory Committee had no objections. The remaining $50,900 related to budget section 2, General Assembly and Economic and social affairs and conference management, and would be charged against the contingency fund for the 2014-2015 biennium. It would provide for the production of an 8,500 word report relating to implementation of resolution 2014/12 in all six languages. Production of a report of similar volume had been estimated at $35,100. Thus there was no reason why the report could not be produced at the same cost. Therefore, the Advisory Committee recommended that the additional requirements up to $35,100 be absorbed by the Department for General Assembly and Conference Management.
Additional requirements that would arise during the 2016-2017 biennium, according to the Secretary General, he said, related to the resident coordinator system ($13 million) and to provision of technical assistance and interpretation services to the Group of Experts on Geographical Names during its twenty-ninth session ($89,500), which would be considered in the context of the proposed programme budget for 2016-2017. He stressed that the Assembly had not yet considered the cost-sharing arrangement for the resident coordinator system and the related United Nations contribution. Thus, additional resource requirements should be submitted with the proposed cost-sharing arrangement for the Assembly’s consideration and approval.
Ms. RIOS (Bolivia), speaking again on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, said the Group supported the provision of necessary resources to finance the resolutions and decisions adopted by the Economic and Social Council at its substantive session in 2014. It expected the requirements for the Secretariat’s support to the resident coordinator system, $13 million, would be fully reflected in the 2016-2017 programme budget. The Group again stressed the importance of providing necessary resources to finance all decisions of the Organization’s intergovernmental organs in social and economic development. The Group continued to believe in the need to allocate adequate resources to implement mandates arising from the Economic and Social Council’s resolutions and decisions.