Delegate Opposes Funding Cuts to Operation in Iraq, As Fifth Committee Considers Proposed 2019 Budgets for Assistance Missions
The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) began its consideration of the proposed 2019 budgets of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) today, with Iraq’s representative underscoring his Government’s opposition to any cutbacks to the funding for UNAMI or to the number of positions held by Iraqi nationals within the Mission.
Ali Mohammed Faeq Abdalaziz Al-dabag, representative of Iraq, stressing the very important role played by the United Nations in his country, said UNAMI must have the necessary financial and human resources to carry out its work. A significant reduction could lead to an imbalance of its functions, he warned, adding that Iraq will not support any cuts to financial resources or the elimination of national posts in the Mission, whose current mandate – approved by the Security Council – expires on 31 May 2019.
He warned that the proposed 2019 budget could have an impact on the goals and functions of UNAMI, as well as on operative paragraph 11 of General Assembly resolution 72/262C, which urged the Secretary‑General to carry on efforts to promote a switch to national posts within the Mission. He voiced regret over a lack of progress in putting operative paragraph 11 into place and noted the absence of a detailed plan for its implementation or the strengthening of national capacity.
Chandramouli Ramanathan, Acting Controller of the Department of Management’s Office of Programme Planning, Budget and Accounts, introduced the proposed budgets for UNAMA and UNAMI, contained in the Secretary‑General’s report on estimates in respect of special political missions, good offices and other political initiatives authorized by the General Assembly and/or Security Council (documents A/73/365/Add.4 and A/73/365/Add.5).
Turning first to UNAMA, he said it would require $141.5 million for 2019 - a net decrease of $7.2 million from approved resources in 2018 that primarily reflects reduced requirements for national staff due to the proposed net reduction of 28 local level positions and a new cost‑sharing arrangement between the Mission and United Nations agencies, funds and programmes. The net decrease also reflects the impact of the disengagement of military and police advisers following a strategic review of the Mission, he explained.
On UNAMI, he said it would require $105.8 million in 2019, reflecting a net decrease of $2.8 million from this year’s approved resources resulting from lower requirements for military contingents and civilian staff costs. Those savings are mainly attributable to cost recovery from the United Nations country team and a net decrease of 52 civilian positions resulting from Mission restructuring and the abolishment of cost‑shared security positions.
Babou Sene, Vice-Chair of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), introduced the Advisory Committee’s eponymous reports (documents A/73/498/Add.4 and A/73/498/Add.5).
Regarding the Mission in Afghanistan, the Advisory Committee recommends approval of the staffing resources requested for 2019 and urges all vacant positions be filled expeditiously, he said. Regarding operational costs, it recommends reductions in facilities, infrastructure and office travel, and trusts the outsourcing of security services will not impact the safety and security of staff and premises. The Advisory Committee notes that the explanation of expenditures should be provided in future budget submissions.
Turning to the Mission for Iraq, he said the proposed resources would provide for 245 military personnel, unchanged from last year, and for 800 civilian personnel, a decrease of 52 staff. The Advisory Committee recommends approval of the Secretary‑General’s proposals regarding staffing, other than the establishment of one of the three proposed Human Rights Officer positions, without a clear delineation of their respective functions and detailed workload information. Regarding operational costs, the Advisory Committee recommends reductions under consultants and official travel and welcomes the reduction under air operations achieved through cost‑sharing arrangements with the Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary‑General for Yemen.
He went on to say that the Advisory Committee’s comments, included in the main report on special political missions (document A/73/498), regarding proposed structural changes in the Office of the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary‑General for Development and Humanitarian Affairs, reflect the Mission’s progressive shift from a humanitarian emergency focus towards a more development-oriented approach. On the matters of the Mission’s assistance to the incoming United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Da’esh/Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (UNITAD), the Advisory Committee stresses that any administrative support should be provided on a reimbursable basis.
The Fifth Committee will meet again at a date and time to be announced.