Concluding Resumed Session, Budget Committee Approves Texts on Financial Outlays for 15 Peacekeeping Missions in 2015/16, Cross-Cutting Issues

Concluding its second resumed session, the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today sent 25 draft resolutions and one decision to the General Assembly, asking the world body to authorize the allocation of $8.26 billion to finance 15 peacekeeping missions for the year beginning 1 July 2015 and to take action on a number of pressing issues, including responding to recent allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse.

For the first time in three years, the Committee had been successful in reaching agreement on cross-cutting issues related to the financing of United Nations peacekeeping operations.  Its approval of a draft resolution on the subject would have the General Assembly address a range of items, and among other things, welcome progress achieved and the benefits realized with regard to the Global Field Support Strategy.  The world body would also take action related to financial management, personnel issues, operational requirements and special measures for protection from sexual exploitation and sexual abuse.

With regard to the latter, the Assembly would, by the text, welcome the establishment of an External Independent Review by the Secretary-General to review and assess the response of the United Nations to recent allegations of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse, including in the Central African Republic.

Commending the Committee’s success in passing the draft text, Atul Khare, Under-Secretary-General for Field Support, highlighted that conduct and discipline remained among the highest priorities, especially related to sexual exploitation and abuse.  “We collectively share the responsibility for eliminating it,” he said.  “I am very pleased that the Committee has agreed on a way forward, particularly in relation to the methodology of reporting to the General Assembly.”

Susana Malcorra, Chef de Cabinet in the Executive Office of the Secretary-General, applauded delegates for their diligence in approving the resolution and a range of texts that supported the work of peacekeeping missions around the world.

The Committee also approved three related drafts on the support account for peacekeeping operations, and financing for the account, as well as for the United Nations Logistics Base at Brindisi, Italy.  Also approved was a text on the United Nations financial reports and audited financial statements on peacekeeping missions, as well as the Board of Auditors’ reports on them.  In addition, the Committee sent to the Assembly texts on four closed peacekeeping missions:  the United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad (MINURCAT); United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT); United Nations Mission in the Sudan (UNMIS); and the United Nations Support Mission in Syria (UNSMIS).

It approved a draft resolution on special subjects relating to the 2014-2015 programme budget and a draft decision, by which the Assembly would defer until the second part of its resumed seventieth session consideration of reports on the financial position of closed peacekeeping missions.

All the texts were approved without a vote, except a draft resolution setting out the provisional budgetary arrangements for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which the Committee passed by a recorded vote of 139 in favour to 3 against (Canada, Israel, United States), with 1 abstention (Central African Republic).

The Committee also elected Gert Auvaart (Estonia), from the Group of Eastern European States, as the Rapporteur of its seventieth session.  Outgoing Committee Chair František Ružička (Slovakia) recalled that, at its 15 June meeting, the body had elected Durga Pradas Bhattari (Nepal) from the Group of Asia Pacific States, as Chair, and Omar Lisandro Castaneda Solares (Guatemala), Yotam Goren (Israel) and Abdallah Bachar Bong (Chad) as Vice-Chairs of the session.

Also delivering statements today were representatives of South Africa (speaking for the “Group of 77” developing countries and China), Israel, United States, Lebanon, Latvia (speaking for the European Union), Togo (speaking for the African Group), Republic of Korea (also speaking for Mexico, Indonesia, Turkey and Australia), Japan, Uganda, Cameroon, Uruguay, Rwanda, Russian Federation and Poland.

Mission	Total Appropriation
MINURSO (Mission for Referendum in Western Sahara)	$53.65 million
MINUSCA (Mission in Central African Republic)	$854.37 million
MINUSMA (Mission in Mali)	$969.01 million
MINUSTAH (United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti)	$399.19 million
MONUSCO (Stabilization Mission in Democratic Republic of the Congo)	$1.4 billion
UNAMID (African Union-United Nations in Darfur) UNDOF (Disengagement Observer Force)	$1.2 billion $54.3 million
UNFICYP (Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus)	$55.14 million
UNIFIL (Interim Force in Lebanon)	$531.41 million
UNISFA (Interim Security Force in Abyei)	$281.54 million
UNMIK (Mission in Kosovo)	$42.01 million
UNMIL (Mission in Liberia)	$361.72 million
UNMISS (Mission in South Sudan) UNOCI (Operation in Côte d’Ivoire)	$1.14 billion $422.73 million
UNSOA (Political Office for Somalia)	$538.85 million
TOTAL	$8.26 billion

 

 

Action on Draft Resolutions

The Committee approved all but one of the draft resolutions before it without a vote.

By the terms of the draft on financial reports and audited financial statements, and reports of the Board of Auditors (document A/C.5/69/L.43), the General Assembly would accept the financial report and audited financial statements of United Nations peacekeeping operations for the period 1 July 2013 to 30 June 2014.  It would also endorse the recommendations in the corresponding reports of the Board and the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), and ask the Secretary-General to ensure their full implementation.

Turning to drafts on peacekeeping missions, the Committee first approved a provisional text on financing of the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) (document A/C.5/69/L.46), by which the Assembly would decide to appropriate to the Special Account for UNISFA the amount of $281.54 million for the period 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016, including $268.26 million for the maintenance of the Force, $11.05 million for the support account for peacekeeping operations and $2.23 million for the United Nations Logistics Base at Brindisi, Italy.

It then approved a draft resolution on financing of the United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad (MINURCAT) (document A/C.5/69/L.39), by which the Assembly would takes note of the status of contributions to the Mission as at 30 April 2015, including the credits in the amount of $13.6 million.

Turning to a provisional text on financing of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) (document A/C.5/69/L.47), the Committee approved the text, by which the Assembly would decide to appropriate to the Special Account for the Mission $854.37 million from 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016, including $814.07 million for the maintenance of the Mission, $33.54 million for the support account for peacekeeping operations and $6.58 million for the United Nations Logistics Base at Brindisi, Italy.

The Committee then approved a provisional text on financing of the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI) (document A/C.5/69/L.48).  By its terms, the Assembly would be asked to appropriate $422.73 million to the Special Account for UNOCI for the period 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016, including $402.79 million for the maintenance of the Operation, $16.60 million for the support account for peacekeeping operations and $3.34 million for the United Nations Logistics Base at Brindisi, Italy.

The Committee approved a provisional text on financing of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) (document A/C.5/69/L.49).  By its terms, the Assembly would decide to appropriate to the Special Account for UNFICYP $55.14 million for the period 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016, inclusive of $52.54 million for the maintenance of the Force, $2.16 million for the support account for peacekeeping operations and $436,100 for the United Nations Logistics Base at Brindisi, Italy.

Next, it approved a provisional text on financing of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) (document A/C.5/69/L.50).  The Assembly would be asked to appropriate to the Special Account for MONUSCO $1.40 billion for the period 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016, inclusive of $1.33 billion for the maintenance of the Mission, $54.83 million for the support account for peacekeeping operations and $11.05 million for the United Nations Logistics Base at Brindisi, Italy.

The Committee approved a text on financing of the United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT) (document A/C.5/69/L.40).  By the text, the Assembly would be asked to take note of the status of contributions to UNMIT as of 30 April 2015, including the $2 million in outstanding contributions, representing some 0.2 per cent of the total assessed contributions, note with concern that only 152 Member States have paid their assessed contributions in full, and urge all other Member States, in particular those in arrears, to ensure payment of their outstanding contributions.

It the approved a provisional text on financing of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) (document A/C.5/69/L.51) which would have the Assembly decide to appropriate to the Special Account for that Mission $399.19 million for the period 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016, including $380.36 million for MINUSTAH’s maintenance, $15.67 million for the support account for peacekeeping operations and $3.16 million for the United Nations Logistics Base at Brindisi, Italy.

The Committee approved a provisional text on financing of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) (document A/C.5/69/L.52), by which the Assembly would decide to appropriate to the Special Account for UNMIK $42.01 million for the period 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016, inclusive of $40.03 million for the maintenance of the Mission, $1.65 million for the support account for peacekeeping operations and $332,300 for the United Nations Logistics Base at Brindisi, Italy.

It then approved a provisional draft on financing of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) (document A/C.5/69/L.53).  By its terms, the Assembly would appropriate to the Special Account for UNMIL $361.72 million for the period 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016, including $344.66 million for the maintenance of the Mission, $14.20 million for the support account for peacekeeping operations and $2.86 million for the United Nations Logistics Base at Brindisi, Italy.

The Committee also approved a provisional draft on financing of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) (document A/C.5/69/L.54), by which the Assembly would decide to appropriate to the Special Account for the Force $969.01 million for the period 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016, including $923.30 million for the maintenance of the Mission, $38.04 million for the support account for peacekeeping operations and $7.66 million for the United Nations Logistics Base at Brindisi, Italy.

Under its agenda item on financing of the United Nations peacekeeping forces in the Middle East, the Committee approved two texts.  It first approved a provisional draft on the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) (document A/C.5/67/L.55), by which the Assembly would decide to appropriate to the Special Account for the Force $54.67 million for the period 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016, including $51.71 million for the maintenance of UNDOF, $2.13 million for the support account for peacekeeping operations and $429,200 for the United Nations Logistics Base at Brindisi, Italy.

Next, it took up a provisional draft on the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) (document A/C.5/67/L.44), approving it as orally amended.  By its terms, the Assembly would decide to appropriate to the Special Account for UNIFIL $_____ for the period from 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016, inclusive of $_____ for the maintenance of the Force, $_____ for the support account for peacekeeping operations and $_____ for the United Nations Logistics Base at Brindisi, Italy.

Also by the draft, the Assembly would express deep concern that Israel had not complied with previous resolutions on UNIFIL, and request that the Secretary-General take the measures necessary to ensure the full implementation of their relevant paragraphs.  It would “stress once again that Israel shall pay the amount of $1.12 million resulting from the incident at Qana on 18 April 1996”.

Before that action, the representative of South Africa, speaking on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, said an understanding was reached during informal consultations that the following paragraph 10bis would be included “Notes with concern the observations of the Advisory Committee identified in paragraph 27 of its report, and in this regard requests the Secretary-General to ensure that the proposed staffing levels contained in the budget report will not have a detrimental effect on the provision of essential maintenance support services to the different mission components, and to report thereon in his next performance report and budget proposal for UNIFIL”.

The representative of Israel said that his country had continued to demonstrate its contributions to peacekeeping operations and was proud to be among the nations that had paid its dues in full and on time.  Several paragraphs of the draft attempted to turn a budgetary matter into a political one.  For those reasons, his delegation would vote against the text.

The Committee then took action on operative paragraphs 4, 5 and 13.

By a recorded vote of 86 in favour to 3 against (Canada, Israel, United States), with 50 abstentions, those paragraphs in question were approved.

Following that action, the representative of United States said that her country supported UNIFIL, however, the use of General Assembly funding for resolutions to pursue claims against a Member State was not procedurally correct.  As such, her delegation would cast a vote against the draft.

Taking action on the draft resolution as a whole, the Committee approved it by a recorded vote of 139 in favour to 3 against (Canada, Israel, United States), with 1 abstention (Central African Republic).

After the vote, the representative of Lebanon expressed his delegation’s appreciation for the Chair’s efforts and saluted all United Nations peacekeepers for their work in his region and around the world.  He thanked the troop-contributing countries, as well as the Member States that voted to approve the draft text on UNIFIL.  He also highlighted the provision requiring the repayment of $1.12 million stemming from the attack on the Qana compound in 1996.

Latvia’s representative, speaking for the European Union, said her delegation regretted that politics had seeped into consultations over draft “L.44”.

The Committee then approved a provisional draft on financing of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) (document A/C.5/69/L.56), by which the Assembly would decide to appropriate to the Special Account for the Mission $1.14 billion for the period from 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016, including $1.09 billion for the maintenance of the Mission, $44.74 million for the support account for peacekeeping operations and $9.01 million for the United Nations Logistics Base at Brindisi, Italy.

It then approved a draft on financing of the United Nations Mission in the Sudan (UNMIS) (document A/C.5/69/L.41), by which the Assembly would decide that Member States that have fulfilled their financial obligations to the Mission shall be credited with their respective share of the net cash available in the Special Account for the Mission in the amount of $14.97 million as of 30 April 2015, in accordance with the levels updated in its resolution 64/249 of 24 December 2009, taking into account the scale of assessments for 2011, as set out in its resolution 64/248 of 24 December 2009.

The Assembly, by the text, would also decides that, for Member States that have not fulfilled their financial obligations to the Mission, their respective share of the net cash available in the Special Account for the Mission in the amount of $14.97 million  as of 30 April 2015 shall be set off against their outstanding obligations.  It would further decide to delete from its agenda the item entitled “Financing of the United Nations Mission in the Sudan”.

The Committee next approved a draft on financing of the United Nations Supervision Mission in the Syrian Arab Republic (UNSMIS) (document A/C.5/69/L.42), by which the Assembly would take note of the status of contributions to UNSMIS as of 30 April 2015, including outstanding contributions in the amount of $0.2 million, representing some 1 per cent of the total assessed contributions, note with concern that only 122 Member States have paid their assessed contributions in full, and urge all other Member States, in particular those in arrears, to ensure payment of their outstanding assessed contributions.

The Committee also approved a draft on financing of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) (document A/C.5/69/L.57), by which the Assembly would decide to appropriate to the Special Account for the Mission $53.65 million for the period from 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016, including $51.12 million for the maintenance of the Mission, $2.11 million for the support account for peacekeeping operations and $424,300 for the United Nations Logistics Base at Brindisi, Italy.

It then approved a draft on financing of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) (document A/C.5/69/L.58), which would have the Assembly appropriate to the Special Account for the Operation $1.16 billion from 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016, inclusive of $1.10 billion for the maintenance of the Operation, $45.41 million for the support account for peacekeeping operations and $9.15 million for the United Nations Logistics Base at Brindisi, Italy.

It then took up a provisional text on financing of the activities arising from Security Council resolution 1863 (2009) (document A/C.5/69/L.59), by which the Assembly would appropriate to the Special Account for the United Nations Support Office for the African Union Mission in Somalia (UNSOA) the amount of $538.84 million for the period 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016, inclusive of $513.42 million for the maintenance of the Office, $21.15 million for the support account for peacekeeping operations and $4.26 million for the United Nations Logistics Base at Brindisi, Italy.

It also approved a provisional draft resolution on cross-cutting issues (document A/C.5/69/L.60).

By that text, the General Assembly would take action in a number of key areas, including budget presentation and financial management, personnel issues, operational requirements, protection from sexual exploitation and sexual abuse and the Global Field Support Strategy.

On budget presentation and financial management, the Assembly would reiterate that the delegation of authority on the part of the Secretary-General should be to facilitate the better management of the Organization, but would also stress that the overall responsibility rested with the Secretary-General as Chief Administrative Officer.  It would reaffirm the need for the Secretary-General to ensure that the delegation of authority to the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, the Department of Field Support and field missions was in strict compliance with relevant resolutions and decisions, as well as relevant rules and procedures of the Assembly.

The Assembly would also emphasize that all field missions would be provided with adequate resources for the effective and efficient discharge of their respective mandates.  Further, the Assembly would decide on an exceptional basis and without setting a precedent, to apply fuel prices for the financial year 2015-2016 based on the average rates from November 2014 to April 2015, and exchange rates for 2015-2016 at the rate as of 1 May 2015.  The Secretary-General would be asked to report thereon in the context of the next performance reports of the individual missions.

In the area of personnel issues, the Assembly would encourage the Secretary-General to regularly review the civilian staffing needs of peacekeeping operations and urge him to make every effort to reduce recruitment lead time for staff in field missions, taking into account the relevant provisions governing staff recruitment, to enhance the transparency of the staffing process at all stages and to report on the steps taken and results achieved in the context of his next overview report on the peacekeeping financing.  It would also request the Secretary-General to intensify his efforts to ensure proper representation of troop-contributing countries in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and Department of Field Support, taking into account their contribution to United Nations peacekeeping, and to report thereon in the context of his next overview report.

On operational requirements, the Assembly would welcome the successful implementation of the International Public Sector Accounting Standards in the missions and request the Secretary-General to continue his efforts to address the underlying challenges related to its implementation, while taking into account lessons learned and best practices.  The Assembly would request the Secretary-General to strengthen oversight and internal controls in the areas of procurement and asset management across peacekeeping missions, and would further request him to make full use of the Regional Procurement Office in Entebbe for procurement in the field.

The Assembly would further ask the Secretary-General to present in his budget proposals a clear vision of the construction requirements for each mission and to continue efforts to improve all aspects of project planning.  Noting the often dangerous and hostile environment in which air crews under contract with the United Nations operated, it would ask the Secretary-General to consider steps to strengthen the security of such crews and to report thereon in the context of his next peacekeeping overview report.

On special measures for protection from sexual exploitation and sexual abuse, the Assembly would welcome the Secretary-General’s determination to strengthen protection measures, note the declining number of allegations of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse cases during the reporting period, and reiterate its concern at the number of cases, especially those involving the most egregious forms of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse.

The Assembly would express concern about the response of the United Nations to the recent allegations of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse in the Central African Republic, welcome the creation of an External Independent Review by the Secretary-General to assess the response to those allegations and to a broad range of systemic issues related to how the Organization responds to serious information of this kind, and ask him to report expeditiously to the Assembly on the Review’s findings.  It would further request him to report on the lessons learned and measures for improvement no later than the main part of its seventieth session.

In addition, the Assembly, recalling paragraph 21 of its resolution 69/272, would encourage the Secretary-General to continue his efforts to strengthen accountability in all sectors of field missions.  To that end, it would urge the Secretary-General and Member States to undertake all relevant actions within their respective areas of competence, including holding perpetrators accountable.  The Secretary-General would be asked to engage in consultations with Member States, in particular troop-contributing countries, on the reporting methodology on sexual abuse and exploitation cases, and to update the relevant Committees on the results of his efforts in that regard in his future reports.

On the Global Field Support Strategy, the Assembly would welcome the progress achieved and the benefits realized in implementing it.  It would request the Secretary-General to provide, in his next overview report on peacekeeping operations, detailed information on the final evaluation of the Strategy, including cost-benefit analysis, lessons learned, best practices and benchmarks for reporting on progress and assessing achievements, as well as information on planned activities for post-Strategy period and on their mainstreaming into the ongoing work of the Secretariat.

Recalling paragraph 51 of the report of the Advisory Committee, the Assembly would decide to give the Regional Service Centre at Entebbe operational and managerial independence, and would request the Secretary-General to submit a 2016-2017 budget proposal for the Centre to be charged against the missions which the Centre supported.  Finally, the Assembly would welcome the Secretary-General’s continuing efforts to improve the performance of the Centre to meet client needs, welcome his proposal to rebalance Centre’s staffing component and request him to continue the nationalization plan in a phased manner over a two-year period.  The Assembly would also endorse the Secretary-General’s initiative that the Centre report directly to the Department of Field Support.

It then approved a text on the support account for peacekeeping operations (document A/C.5/69/L.61).  By its terms, the Assembly would decide to approve the support account requirements of $336.49 million for the period 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016, including $31.30 million for the enterprise resource planning project and $821,500 for information and systems security.  It would also approve the requirement of 1,322 continuing and 25 new temporary posts, as well as the redeployment, reassignment and reclassification of posts, as set out in annex I of the text, 109 continuing and 5 new general temporary assistance positions and 52 person-months, as set out in annex II, as well as related post and non-post requirements.

The Committee then approved a provisional draft on the financing of the United Nations Logistics Base at Brindisi, Italy (document A/C.5/69/L.62), by which the Assembly would approve the cost estimates for the Base in the amount of $67.15 million for the period 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016.

It then took note of the Secretary-General’s note on the financing of the support account for peacekeeping operations and the United Nations Logistics Base at Brindisi (document A/C.5/69/23), which sets forth the “appropriations to be approved by the Assembly for peacekeeping operations for the period from 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016”.

The Committee then approved a draft on special subjects relating to the programme budget for the biennium 2014-2015 (document A/C.5/69/L.63).  With regard to estimates in respect of revised estimates relating to the programme budget for the biennium 2014-2015 for the Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on Ebola and the United Nations Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER), the text would have the Assembly decide to appropriate an amount of $87.84 million (net of staff assessment) of the programme budget for the biennium 2014-2015, comprising $862,300 for peacekeeping operations, $100,200 for legal affairs, $84.54 million for humanitarian assistance, $150,200 for the Office of Programme Planning, Budget and Accounts, $828,000 for the Office of Human Resources Management, $1.24 million for the Office of Central Support Services, and $115,200 for safety and security and $2.83 million for staff assessment, to be offset by a corresponding amount under income section 1, “Income from staff assessment”, of the programme budget for the biennium 2014-2015.

Also by that text and related to estimates in respect of special political missions, good offices and other political initiatives authorized by the Assembly and/or the Security Council, the Assembly would decide to appropriate an additional amount of $73.13 million under section 3, “Political affairs”, of the programme budget for the biennium 2014-2015.

The Committee approved a provisional draft decision on questions deferred for future consideration (document A/C.5/69/L.64).  The text would allow the Assembly to defer until the second part of its resumed seventieth session consideration of the reports of the Secretary-General and the ACABQ on closed peacekeeping missions.

Closing Remarks

The representative of South Africa, speaking on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, welcomed, among other things, the successful negotiations on the cross-cutting resolution, which would give further impetus to the betterment and efficacy of peacekeeping operations in terms of budget presentation and financial management, personnel issues, operational requirements, special measures for protection from sexual exploitation and sexual abuse, the Global Field Support Strategy and other issues.

The representative of Togo, speaking on behalf of the African Group, said that, after three years of negotiations, the Committee finally adopted a resolution on cross-cutting issues.  But, due to a lack of compliance with deadlines, the Committee members were forced to work beyond the time allocated.

The representative of the European Union Delegation said that the outcome of intense negotiations in the current session ensured that peacekeeping missions were provided with the necessary financial resources to continue their operations.  She regretted that lengthy negotiations that were so critical to reaching a consensus had again impeded the prompt issuance of the draft resolutions in all official languages of the Organization.  She welcomed the adoption of the cross-cutting resolution following a two-year absence of such a text.

The representative of Republic of Korea, speaking also for Mexico, Indonesia, Turkey and Australia, said that she was glad to see agreement reached on most outstanding issues by consensus.  But the working method needed to be improved as the session had run over time by more than three weeks.

The representative of Japan commended the strenuous efforts of those in negotiations on the cross-cutting resolution, adopted for the first time in three years.  His delegation strongly expected that all requests by the Assembly, including those in the cross-cutting text, would be duly implemented by the Secretariat, in particular on the special measure for protection from sexual exploitation and sexual abuse.

The representative of Uganda, associating with the Group of 77 and China, and with the African Group, said his Government continued to support peacekeeping operations by providing financial contributions and troops.  He asked the Secretary-General to consider increasing funds for training and equipment for regional peacekeeping efforts.

The representative of the United States, welcoming the adoption of a cross-cutting resolution, noted that the Committee had identified savings and efficiencies that would not diminish the effectiveness of peacekeeping operations in mandate delivery.  Her delegation looked forward to seeing the lessons learned from the Global Field Support Strategy incorporated into future change initiatives.  Regarding approval of the UNMEER resolution, the Mission had served its purpose and could be drawn down responsibly.

The representative of Cameroon, associating with the Group of 77 and China, and with the African Group, said that he, as a former Chair of the Committee, praised the outgoing Chair for his technical expertise, leadership and historical accomplishments, noting that he passed the three tests.  He stressed the importance of achieving consensus in the Committee, even at the sacrifice of time.

The representative of Uruguay, associating with the Group of 77 and China, welcomed the launch of discussions on the Committee’s working method.

The representative of Rwanda welcomed the adoption of a text on cross-cutting issues as it set the benchmark for the next session.

The representative of the Russian Federation noted with satisfaction that most of resolutions were adopted by consensus.  He drew attention to one provision in the cross-cutting resolution related to the physical safety of workers under contract in hostile environments.  A number of incidents involving deaths and abductions had been reported, and additional efforts were required, he said, seeking comprehensive information from the Secretariat on the matter in future sessions.

The representative of Poland also expressed her appreciation for everyone’s effort to successfully conclude the Committee’s work.

ATUL KHARE, Under-Secretary-General for Field Support, said that, despite significant increases in requirements for some missions, the overall reduction in peacekeeping costs for 2015/16, from the previous 12-month period, reflected efforts to pursue efficiency and to focus on priorities, in particular decisions of the Committee to adjust budget proposals to reduced levels of fuel prices, currency exchange rates and troop reimbursement.  Regarding the Global Field Support Strategy, he said that it had brought about many positive changes and his Department would continue to mainstream field support into its work.  He also expressed appreciation for Member States in supporting an initiative to strengthen the management of the Organization’s global supply chain, in order ensure a more efficient end-to-end approach to sourcing, distribution and oversight across all missions.

Recalling that conduct and discipline remained among the highest priorities, especially related to sexual exploitation and abuse, he said:  “We collectively share the responsibility for eliminating it.  I am very pleased that the Committee has agreed on a way forward, particularly in relation to the methodology of reporting to the General Assembly.”

Committee Chair FRANTIŠEK RUŽIČKA (Slovakia) said the road had not always been easy, but very interesting.  Thanking all those that had contributed to the work during the session, he said the Committee’s efforts had contributed to the work of the United Nations.  He hoped the momentum would continue through the next session.  Recalling some of its accomplishments, he said the Committee had considered 54 documents, totalling more than 1 million words, not counting revisions.

Turning to the just-approved cross-cutting issues text, he said the resolution had addressed serious matters, including sexual exploitation, and would foster change.  In closing, he thanked delegates for their hard work.

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*The 43^rd Meeting was covered in Press Release GA/11654 of 15 June 2015.