Budget Committee Examines Cost of Holding High-Level HIV/AIDS Meeting in 2016

The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today examined the proposed additional costs related to the holding of a high-level meeting on HIV/AIDS in June 2016.

The Secretariat proposed an additional conference servicing cost totalling $118,200, which breaks down to $56,200 for interpretation and $62,000 for pre-session documentation.  However, the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), a General Assembly subsidiary body that examines budget proposals, recommended that the additional costs for the meeting, scheduled for 8 to 10 June 2016, should be avoided through savings elsewhere.

Johannes Huisman, Director of the Programme Planning and Budget Division of the Department of Management, introduced the Secretary-General’s statement detailing the programme budget implications of the draft resolution titled “Organization of the 2016 High-level Meeting on HIV/AIDS” (document A/C.5/70/20).  He said that if the Assembly adopted the draft, the requirements would increase by $118,200 under section 2, General Assembly and Economic and Social Council affairs and conference management, of the proposed programme budget for the biennium 2016-2017, and would be charged against the contingency fund.

Carlos Ruiz Massieu, ACABQ Chair, introduced that body’s related report (document A/70/7/Add.40), recommending that the Assembly request the Secretary-General to make every effort to absorb the additional costs.  If, despite efforts, that was not the case, the increased expenditure should be reflected in the relevant performance report for the biennium.  In the future, the last-minute request for reviewing budgetary implications should be avoided, he said.

The Fifth Committee is scheduled to meet again at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, 23 December, to take action on outstanding issues, including the programme budget for biennium 2016-2017, and conclude the current session.