Speakers Seek Details on Planned Activities for Stabilization Mission in Central African Republic, as Fifth Committee Considers 2014/15 Budget Proposal
The United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic, which was established in April last year, would receive more than $628.7 million for the year ending 30 June 2015, should Member States approve the proposed amount, the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) heard today.
Introducing the Secretary-General’s budget proposal, contained in document A/69/557, Chandru Ramanathan, Officer-in-Charge of the Department of Management’s Office of Programme Planning, Budget and Accounts, said that the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) required that amount for the 2014/15 period, including $253.4 million already authorized for the six months ending 31 December 2014.
He said that the proposed budget was prepared on the basis of historical deployment trends and expenditure patterns during the start-up phase of a mission, taking into account typical structures for peacekeeping missions as well as past experience. The budget also included provisions to support the phased deployment of up to 10,000 military, 1,800 police, 946 civilian, and 20 Government-provided personnel.
Carlos Ruiz Massieu, Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), presenting his body’s report on MINUSCA’s budget for 2014/15, contained in document A/69/641, recommended that the General Assembly approve the Secretary-General’s proposed outlay in full. The Advisory Committee, however, expressed concern about the late submission of the Secretary-General’s budget report and related written responses, as well as inconsistencies and the lack of clarity in some parts of the report. Those issues must be addressed in the next budget cycle, he urged.
On the methodology used to formulate the budget, he emphasized that resources requested should always be sufficiently detailed and justified. On staffing, he encouraged the Mission to intensify its efforts to recruit staff with the necessary language skills. The Advisory Committee would consider in greater detail certain matters, including the use of the Regional Service Centre, United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) the Logistics Base and Regional Procurement Office in Entebbe, Uganda, and quick impact projects, in its future reports on peacekeeping operations.
Togo’s representative, speaking on behalf of the African Group, expressed support for the Secretary-General’s proposed budget for the Mission but sought more detailed information on implementation of the planned activities, including those related to facilities and infrastructure, recruitment, quick impact projects, capacity-building and support to the national authorities. The Group also sought clarification about the support from the Logistic Base during the start-up phase, including information and communications technology support for the Mission. It concurred with ACABQ that regardless of the budgetary methodology, resource requirements should not be underestimated. The Group also registered serious concern about the late submission of the documentation.
The Fifth Committee will meet again at 3 p.m., on Monday, 15 December, to discuss the 2014-2015 programme budget for special political missions, a request for a subvention to the Courts of Cambodia and financing of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan.