General Assembly Adopts 21 Draft Resolutions from Fifth Committee Reports, Agreeing on Peacekeeping Budget for 2020/21 Fiscal Year
16 Vice-Presidents for Seventy-Fifth Session also Elected
The General Assembly elected Vice-Presidents for its seventy-fifth session and adopted a basket of resolutions and decisions from 23 to 30 June, including 21 on the recommendation of its Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) authorizing the United Nations peacekeeping budget for the 2020/21 fiscal year, taking action under its temporary silence procedure due to COVID-19 restrictions.
The approved funding covers the cost of 12 peacekeeping missions and the United Nations Support Office in Somalia over the period 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021. It also includes related funds for the United Nations Logistics Base at Brindisi, Italy; the Regional Service Centre in Entebbe, Uganda; and the peacekeeping support account.
On 23 June, the Assembly adopted decision 74/559, “Postponement of the seventy-second session of the International Law Commission” (document A/74/L.70), delaying the date pending restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On 26 June, it approved the final list of 78 non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, academic institutions and private sector representatives and eight individuals to join a multi-stakeholder hearing ahead of the Assembly’s high-level meeting to celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women, to be held on 21 July. (For details, see the Assembly President’s letter of 30 June 2020.)
On 29 June, the Assembly adopted decision 74/420, by which it elected the following 16 Vice-Presidents of its plenary bureau: Afghanistan, Albania, Cameroon, Eswatini, Grenada, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Mali, Monaco, Palau, Paraguay, Peru, Somalia, Togo and Turkmenistan. Rounding out the 21 Vice-Presidents were the five permanent members of the Security Council — China, France, Russian Federation, United Kingdom and the United States.
On 30 June, the General Assembly adopted 21 resolutions recommended by its Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) on peacekeeping operations.
It adopted resolution 74/249B, “Financial reports and audited financial statements, and reports of the Board of Auditors” (document A/C.5/74/L.33), contained in report A/74/603/Add.1. By its terms, the Assembly took note of the audit opinions and findings, and endorsed the recommendations, contained in the Board of Auditors’ report. It also endorsed the conclusions and recommendations contained in the report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) and took note of the Secretary-General’s report on the implementation of the recommendations of the Board of Auditors concerning United Nations peacekeeping operations for the financial period ended 30 June 2019.
The Assembly also adopted five resolutions contained in the Fifth Committee report on “Administrative and budgetary aspects of the financing of the United Nations peacekeeping operations” (document A/74/910).
Considering draft I, “Closed peacekeeping missions” (document A/C.5/74/L.31), the Assembly adopted it as resolution 74/278, endorsing the conclusions and recommendations in the Advisory Committee’s reports, subject to the provisions of the present resolution. By those provisions, the Assembly urged Member States to make every possible effort to ensure payment of their assessed contributions in full and requested the Secretary-General to continue to take every measure necessary to reimburse troop- and police-contributing countries before the closure of any peacekeeping mission and to avoid the current practice of delaying reimbursements to troop- and police-contributing countries. The Assembly also noted that the use of unreturned balances to cover temporary liquidity needs of the Organization in 2018 and 2019 is not an established mechanism and emphasized that this practice is not sustainable.
The Assembly also adopted draft II, “Triennial review of the rates and standards for reimbursement to Member States for contingent-owned equipment” (document A/C.5/74/L.32), as resolution 74/279. By its terms, the Assembly took note of the report of the 2020 Working Group on Contingent-Owned Equipment and the Secretary-General’s related report. It also acknowledged with appreciation the work of the Working Group and endorsed the conclusions and recommendations in the Advisory Committee’s report.
Adopting draft III, “Support account for peacekeeping operations” (document A/C.5/74/L.36), as resolution 74/280, the Assembly approved the support account requirements of $355.69 million for 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021, including $13.38 million for the enterprise resource planning project; $868,500 for the global service delivery model project; $3.88 million for the peacekeeping capability readiness and $18.05 million for Umoja maintenance and support costs. The latter amount includes funds for 1,355 continuing posts and 2 new temporary posts, as well as the abolishment, redeployment, reassignment and reclassification of posts, as set out in annex I to the present resolution; 62 continuing and 6 new general temporary assistance positions and 50 person-months, as set out in annex II, as well as related post and non-post requirements.
Covering the 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021 period, the Assembly also adopted draft IV, “Financing of the Regional Service Centre in Entebbe, Uganda” (document A/C.5/74/L.34), as resolution 74/281, approving $37.16 million for the Centre’s maintenance, and draft V, “Financing of the United Nations Logistics Base at Brindisi, Italy” (document A/C.5/74/L.35), as resolution 74/282, approving cost estimates amounting to $62.06 million.
Turning to texts on individual peacekeeping missions, the Assembly adopted resolution 74/283 on financing of the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) (document A/C.5/74/L.37), contained in report A/74/911. By its terms, it decided to appropriate to the Special Account for UNISFA $283.11 million for 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021, including $263.78 million for the maintenance of the Force, $15.08 million for the support account for peacekeeping operations, $2.54 million for the United Nations Logistics Base at Brindisi and $1.71 million for the Regional Service Centre in Entebbe.
The Assembly adopted resolution 74/284, on financing of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) (document A/C.5/74/L.38), contained in report A/74/912. In doing so, it decided to appropriate to the Special Account for MINUSCA $1.01 billion for 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021, including $937.71 million for the Mission’s maintenance, $53.60 million for the peacekeeping operations support account, $9.04 million for the United Nations Logistics Base at Brindisi and $6.08 million for the Regional Service Centre in Entebbe.
Adopting resolution 74/285, on financing of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) (document A/C.5/74/L.39), contained in report A/74/913, the Assembly decided to appropriate to the Special Account for UNFICYP $55.21 million for the 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021 period, including $51.75 million for the maintenance of the Force, $2.96 million for the support account for peacekeeping operations and $498,600 for the United Nations Logistics Base at Brindisi.
The Assembly adopted resolution 74/286, on financing of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) (document A/C.5/74/L.40), contained in report A/74/914, by which it decided to appropriate to the Special Account $1.15 billion for the period 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021, including $1.08 billion to maintain the Mission, $61.4 million for the peacekeeping operations support account, $10.36 million for the Logistics Base at Brindisi and $6.97 million for the Regional Service Centre in Entebbe.
Adopting resolution 74/287, on financing of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) (document A/C.5/74/L.41), contained in report A/74/915, the Assembly took note of the status of contributions to the Mission as of 30 April 2020, including outstanding contributions of $7.3 million, representing some 0.1 per cent of total assessed contributions. It noted with concern that only 174 Member States have paid their assessed contributions in full and urged all other Member States to ensure payment of their outstanding assessments. It also took note of the Secretary-General’s report on the final disposition of the Mission’s assets and encouraged him to continue to draw on lessons learned and best practices for future drawdowns and closures.
The Assembly adopted resolution 74/260B, on financing of the United Nations Mission for Justice Support in Haiti (MINUJUSTH) (document A/C.5/74/L.42), contained in report A/74/608/Add.1. By its terms, it took note of the status of contributions to the Mission as of 30 April 2020, including $21.10 million in outstanding contributions, representing some 8 per cent of total assessments. The Assembly also noted with concern that only 109 Member States have paid their assessed contributions in full and urged all other Member States to ensure payment of their outstanding amounts.
Adopting resolution 74/288, on financing of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) (document A/C.5/74/L.43), contained in report A/74/916, it decided to appropriate to the Special Account for UNMIK $42.49 million for the 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021 period, including $39.83 million for the maintenance of the Mission, $2.28 million for the support account for peacekeeping operations and $383,800 for the United Nations Logistics Base at Brindisi.
It adopted resolution 74/289, on financing of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) (document A/C.5/74/L.44), contained in report A/74/917. By its terms, it took note of the status of contributions to UNMIL as at 30 April 2020, including $9.1 million in outstanding contributions, which is some 0.1 per cent of the total assessed contributions. It also noted with concern that only 161 Member States have paid their assessed contributions in full and urged all other Member States to ensure payment of their outstanding assessments.
Adopting resolution 74/290, on financing of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) (document A/C.5/74/L.45), contained in report A/74/918, the Assembly decided to appropriate to the Special Account for MINUSMA $1.27 billion for the period 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021, including $1.18 billion for the Mission’s maintenance, $67.64 million for the peacekeeping operations support account, $11.40 million for the Logistics Base at Brindisi and $7.67 million for the Regional Service Centre in Entebbe.
The Assembly adopted resolution 74/291, on financing of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) (document A/C.5/74/L.46), contained in report A/74/919. By its terms, it decided to appropriate to the Special Account for UNDOF $67.57 million for the period 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021, including $63.34 million for the maintenance of the Force, $3.62 million for the support account for peacekeeping operations and $610,300 for the United Nations Logistics Base at Brindisi.
Adopting resolution 74/292, on financing of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) (document A/C.5/74/L.47), contained in report A/74/920, the Assembly took into account the special circumstances created by the COVID-19 pandemic and authorized the Secretary-General to enter into commitments for the 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021 period of up to $480.65 million for the maintenance of the Force. The Assembly also decided to appropriate to the Special Account for UNIFIL $32.10 million for the same period, comprising $27.47 million for the support account for peacekeeping operations and $4.63 million for the United Nations Logistics Base at Brindisi.
It also adopted resolution 74/293, on financing of the United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNMISS) (document A/C.5/74/L.48), contained in report A/74/921. By its terms, the Assembly decided to appropriate to the Special Account for UNMISS $1.26 billion for the period 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021, including $1.18 billion for the maintenance of the Mission, $67.37 million for the peacekeeping operations support account, $11.36 million for the Logistics Base at Brindisi and $7.64 million for the Regional Service Centre in Entebbe.
Adopting resolution 74/294, on financing of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) (document A/C.5/74/L.49), contained in report A/74/922, the Assembly decided to appropriate to the Special Account for MINURSO $61.74 million for the 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021 period, including $57.52 million for the Mission’s maintenance, $3.29 million for the support account for peacekeeping operations, $554,300 for the United Nations Logistics Base at Brindisi and $373,000 for the Regional Service Centre in Entebbe.
It also adopted resolution 74/261C, on financing of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) (document A/C.5/74/L.50), contained in report A/74/607/Add.1. By its terms, it authorized the Secretary-General to enter into commitments for the Operation in an amount not exceeding $240.18 million for the period 1 July to 31 December 2020. It also decided to appropriate to the Special Account for UNAMID $17.60 million for the same period, comprising $13.73 million for the peacekeeping operations support account, $2.31 million for the Logistics Base at Brindisi and $1.56 million for the Regional Service Centre.
Adopting resolution 74/295, on financing of the activities arising from Security Council resolution 1863 (2009) (document A/C.5/74/L.51), contained in report A/74/923, the Assembly decided to appropriate to the Special Account for the United Nations Support Office in Somalia $590.96 million for the period 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021, including $550.61 million for the maintenance of the Support Office, $31.47 million for the support account for peacekeeping operations, $5.3 million for the United Nations Logistics Base at Brindisi and $3.57 million for the Regional Service Centre in Entebbe.
The representative of Lebanon, in a written explanation of position on “L.47”, said that while recognizing the extraordinary circumstance caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, he deeply regretted to note the lack of an alternative method for voting on a draft resolution which would allow the General Assembly to fully and efficiently function. He understood that the commitment authority mentioned in “L.47” was an interim measure that should be followed by the regular financing of the UNIFIL resolution when conditions are met to physically convene a General Assembly session. As such, Lebanon will submit a relevant draft resolution as soon as conditions permit.
[Under decision 74/544, “Procedure for taking decisions of the General Assembly during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19) pandemic”, adopted on 27 March 2020, the Assembly President is authorized to circulate, after consultation with the General Committee, its draft decisions to all Member States under a silence procedure of at least 72 hours. If the silence is not broken, the decision should be considered adopted. On 15 May 2020, through decision 74/555 (document A/74/L.65), and again on 18 June 2020, through decision 74/558 (document A/74/L.72), the silence procedure was extended until the end of June and July 2020, respectively. (See also Press Releases GA/12244, GA/12245 and GA/12251.)
The final version of decisions adopted during the resumed part of the General Assembly’s seventy-fourth session will be contained in the Assembly’s official record (document A/74/49 (Vol. III)) after editorial review.]