Fifth Committee Approves $6.1 Billion Budget for 9 Active Peacekeeping Operations, Averting Shutdown, as It Concludes Second Resumed Session
Delegates Concerned about Financing for Drawdown of Mission in Mali, Following Security Council Decision to Terminate Operation
The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today bolstered the operations of the Organization’s peacekeeping operations by approving $6.1 billion for nine active peacekeeping missions, three service centres and the support staff at Headquarters. By sending the General Assembly 17 resolutions and one draft decision that deferred some issues for future consideration, the Committee wrapped its second resumed session a month past its official 31 May deadline.
The approved peacekeeping budget covers the financing needs of these Missions from 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024. A further $590 million was approved to keep the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) running until year’s end.
All but one of the texts were adopted without a vote. The exception dealt with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and its financing document was adopted by a recorded vote of 123 in favour to 3 against (Canada, Israel, United States), with no abstentions.
That was after the Committee rejected, also by recorded vote, an oral amendment proposed by Israel to delete four paragraphs referring to the shelling of a UNIFIL compound in Qana, Lebanon, by the Israeli armed forces on 18 April 1996.
Chandramouli Ramanathan, the United Nations Controller and Assistant Secretary-General for Programme Planning, Finance and Budget, said today’s approval of peacekeeping mission budgets just managed to avert a shut-down of peacekeeping operations on 1 July due to a lack of spending authority. “This was not only a close call, but has had several consequences already,” he said. He again appealed to the Committee to realize the impact of extending the last meetings of its second resumed and main sessions into the last days of the budget period. “This is not sustainable, and I would urge the Committee to give some serious consideration to how to alleviate these challenges,” he added.
The representative of Uganda, speaking on behalf of the African Group and associating himself with the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, said the Committee must explore realistic timelines and deadlines for the consideration of its reports and the conclusion of the session. The official one-month allocation for the resumed session is unrealistic, as evidenced by today’s conclusion of the session being a month late.
Several delegates expressed their regret that the Committee had been unable to agree on a financing device for peacekeeping activities. Noting the lack of consensus on the “investing in prevention and peacebuilding” agenda item, Japan’s delegate said she hoped Member States will keep seeking ways to ensure adequate, predictable and sustained financing for peacebuilding.
Echoing that concern, the representative of the European Union, in its capacity as observer, said it is particularly regrettable that on the anniversary of General Assembly resolution 76/305 on peacebuilding financing, the Committee did not act on the Assembly’s mandate to provide assessed funding to the Peacebuilding Fund. It is the Committee’s responsibility to provide sustainable and predictable resources so the peacekeeping missions are adequately financed and sufficiently equipped to carry out their mandates. “We didn’t rise to these standards in our decision on MINUSMA, and while adhering to its outcome, we consider it one of the lowest moments of this Committee,” he said.
Several other delegates expressed their concern with the financing allotted for the six-month drawdown of MINUSMA — whose mission the Security Council today decided to terminate immediately, ceasing its operations, transferring its tasks and withdrawing its personnel by 31 December 2023. (For background, see Press Release SC/15341.)
The Committee sent the Assembly a text authorizing the Secretary-General to commit not more than $590 million for Mission activities for the remaining 1 July to 31 December 2023 period.
The representative of the United States noted that the Committee’s negotiations this session were complicated by the transition Government in Mali’s request for MINUSMA’s withdrawal. An orderly drawdown will be difficult to accomplish, which is why his delegation pushed for greater resources and flexibility to accomplish this “extraordinarily difficult task”. The delegation joined the more limited commitment authority provided today in the interest of consensus, he said.
The representative of China, associating himself with the Group of 77, said the Secretariat must give timely updates on MINUSMA’s withdrawal, noting the Organization’s years-long heavy investment in Mali and the need to reflect on the effectiveness of peacekeeping operations.
Atul Khare, Under-Secretary-General for Field Support, thanked the Committee for adopting the resolution granting a commitment authority to MINUSMA and for the funding of the peacekeeping mission. Noting that MINUSMA’s closure will be even more complex and challenging than that of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID), he said the closing will require disciplined execution of a detailed plan. The circumstances and compressed timeline will inevitably increase the Organization’s costs, probably by about 20 to 25 per cent. The absence of adequate resources for the drawdown exponentially increases the risks associated with the drawdown and eventual liquidation, he warned.
Opening Remarks
PHILIPPE KRIDELKA (Belgium), Fifth Committee Chair, said the Committee has worked very diligently since September and made many achievements, such as the ambitious renovation of United Nations facilities in Nairobi, which is especially important for the Organization’s African partners. He regretted that there had been no conclusion on some files, including the Peacebuilding Fund. It is an important and delicate file and has created a useful ground for the upcoming Fifth Committee Chair, Osama Mahmoud Abdelkhalek Mahmoud (Egypt). Progress was made despite a heavy workload and the Committee has shown unwavering dedication as it ensured financing across all of the Organization’s pillars, he said, adding that this long-standing consensus is an example of the very essence of multilateralism.
Appointment to Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions
The Fifth Committee recommended by acclamation the appointment to the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) of Minhong Yi (Republic of Korea) from the Group of Asia-Pacific States to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Ji-sun Jun (Republic of Korea), effective 31 July 2023. If approved by the General Assembly, Mr. Yi will serve until 31 December 2025.
Action on Draft Resolutions
The Committee first approved the draft resolution “Financial reports and audited financial statements, and reports of the Board of Auditors” (document A/C.5/77/L.41). By its terms, the Assembly would consider several reports including the Board’s financial report and audited financial statements for the 12-month period from 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2022 and the report of the Board of Auditors on United Nations peacekeeping operations.
The Committee then turned to administrative and budgetary aspects of the financing of the United Nations peacekeeping operations, which included four draft resolutions.
It first approved the draft resolution “Triennial review of the rates and standards for reimbursement to Member States for contingent-owned equipment” (document A/C.5/77/L.40), by which the Assembly would take note of the 2023 Working Group on Contingent-Owned Equipment and the Secretary-General’s report on the triennial review of the rates and standards for reimbursement to Member States for contingent-owned equipment. It would also endorse the recommendations contained in the related ACABQ report.
By the terms of a second draft resolution, “Support Account for peacekeeping operations” (document A/C.5/77/L.42), the Assembly would approve support account requirements of $387.8 million for the financial period from 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024. This would include $17.68 million for the enterprise resource planning project; $518,400 for death and disability claims for closed peacekeeping operations; $868,500 for the efficiency model for management services (previously the global service delivery model project); as well as other allotments.
By approving the draft resolution “Financing of the United Nations Logistics Base at Brindisi, Italy” (document A/C.5/77/L.43,) the Assembly would approve cost estimates of $65.97 million for the 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024 fiscal period.
With the approval of the text “Financing of the Regional Service Centre in Entebbe, Uganda” (document A/C.5/77/L.43), the Committee asked the Assembly to approve $43.65 million to maintain the Regional Service Centre for the 2023/24 period.
It then approved without a vote the draft resolution on financing of the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) (document A/C.5/77/L.45), as orally revised, by the representative of Uganda, speaking on behalf of the African Group, who read a paragraph for insertion after paragraph 8 of the text. By the text, the Assembly would decide to appropriate to UNISFA’s Special Account $315.94 million for the period from 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024.
Next, the Committee approved without a vote the draft resolution on financing of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) (document A/C.5/77/L.52), by which the Assembly would decide to appropriate to MINUSCA’s Special Account $1.26 billion for the 2023/24 period.
The Committee then approved without a vote the draft resolution on financing of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) (document A/C.5/77/L.46), through which the Assembly would decide to appropriate to UNFICYP’s Special Account $61.31 million for the period 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024.
Next, it approved without a vote the draft resolution on financing of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) (document A/C.5/77/L.47), as orally revised, by the representative of Uganda, speaking on behalf of the African Group. By its terms, the Assembly would decide to appropriate to MONUSCO’s Special Account $1.17 billion for the 2023/24 period.
The Committee then approved without a vote the draft resolution “Financing of the United Nations Mission for Justice Support in Haiti” (MINUJUSTH) (document A/C.5/77/L.39) by which the Assembly would decide that Member States that have fulfilled their financial obligations to MINUJUSTH shall be credited with their respective share of the net cash available in the Special Account for the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH)and MINUJUSTH in the amount of $7.73 million as of 30 June 2022. The Assembly would also decide that for Member States that have not fulfilled their financial obligations to MINUJUSTH, their respective share of the net cash available in the Special Account for MINUSTAH and MINUJUSTH and in the amount of $7.83 million as of 30 June 2022 shall be set off against their outstanding obligations.
Next, the Committee approved without a vote the draft resolution on financing of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) (document A/C.5/77/L.48), through which the Assembly would appropriate to UNMIK’s Special Account $44.34 million for the period 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024.
It then approved without a vote the draft resolution on financing of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) (document A/C.5/77/L.53), through which the Assembly would authorize the Secretary-General to enter into commitments for the Mission in an amount not exceeding $590 million for the period 1 July to 31 December 2023.
Under its agenda item on financing of the United Nations peacekeeping forces in the Middle East, the Committee considered two texts. It first approved financing for the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) (document A/C.5/77/L.54), through which the Assembly would appropriate to UNDOF’s Special Account nearly $75.6 million for the 2023/24 period.
It then turned to the draft resolution on financing the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) (document A/C.5/77/L.38). Before action, the representative of Cuba, speaking on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, said that the Secretary-General stated in his report that Israel has not paid the amount for which it is accountable because of the incident in Qana in April 1996. The amount due should be paid by Israel, she stressed, requesting the Secretary-General to report to the Assembly on the matter at its seventy-eighth session.
She then introduced amendments to the draft resolution, namely a revision on paragraph 10 and the insertion of a new operative paragraph 10.bis, after operative paragraph 10, as read during the meeting.
The representative of Israel, stressing that politicized language against Israel in the draft text has no relation to the UNIFIL budget proposal, proposed an oral amendment which would delete preambular paragraph 4 and operative paragraphs 4, 5 and 13.
The representative of Cuba then requested a recorded vote on the oral amendment proposed by Israel’s representative.
The amendment was rejected by a vote of 3 in favour (Canada, Israel, United States) to 69 against, with 50 abstentions.
The Committee then approved “L.38” as whole by a vote of 123 in favour to 3 against (Canada, Israel, United States).
The representative of Sweden, speaking on behalf of the European Union, said her delegation was concerned with the trend that resorts to annual voting for the financing of UNIFIL. She abstained from the oral amendment vote, presented by the representative of Israel, and regretted that consultations extended beyond the Committee’s administrative and budgetary competence. Her delegation voted in favour of the resolution as a whole in order to allow the Mission to fulfil its mandate, she said.
The Committee then approved draft resolution “Financing of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan” (document A/C.5/77/L.49) as orally amended. With its approval, the Assembly would decide to appropriate to the special account for the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) $1.26 billion for the 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024 period.
The Committee then approved the draft resolution “Financing of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara” (document A/C.5/77/L.50) by which the Assembly would note the status of contributions to the Mission as of 30 April 2023, including outstanding contributions of $59.3 million, representing some 3.9 per cent of the total assessed contributions. It would note that only 104 Member States have paid their assessed contributions in full, and urge all other Member States, particularly those in arrears, to ensure payment of their outstanding assessed contributions,
ATUL KHARE, Under-Secretary-General for Field Support, Department of Field Support, then took the floor to thank the Committee for adopting the resolution granting a commitment authority to MINUSMA and for the peacekeeping resolutions. He said the closure of MINUSMA will be even more complex and challenging than that of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) as there are about 12,420 uniformed personnel in Mali and there were 6,200 personnel at the commencement of the drawdown in Darfur. The number of civilian staff at UNAMID was 1,453 while there are 4,313 in Mali. UNAMID was a mission that had been drawing down for three years prior to its cessation of mandate; MINUSMA has experienced no prior drawdown and was in the process of deploying new capacities and equipment. “And finally, MINUSMA is the most dangerous United Nations peacekeeping mission we currently have, with 309 fatalities experienced since its establishment,” he said.
He said MINUSMA’s closure will require the most detailed planning and a disciplined execution of that plan. The circumstances and compressed timeline will inevitably increase the Organization’s costs, probably by about 20 to 25 per cent. The cancellation of deployments to the Mission, and subsequent repatriation of contingent-owned equipment, will cost nearly $100 million. Reimbursements for this equipment, which has not yet been reimbursed due to liquidity challenges, for the January-March 2023 period total $37.5 million. Amounts of $88.7 million would be required for the trimesters April-June, July-September and October-December. The total due to troop-contributing countries by the end of the drawdown period would be $303 million. The absence of adequate resources for the drawdown exponentially increases the risks associated with the drawdown and eventual liquidation, he warned. He said his department will complete a budget for the full financing of this closure in the absence of full details.
Turning to a draft resolution on financing of the activities arising from Security Council resolution 1863 (2009) (document A/C.5/77/L.51), the representative of Uganda, speaking on behalf of the African Group, introduced an oral amendment. The Committee then approved without a vote the draft resolution as orally amended. By the text, the Assembly would decide to appropriate to the Special Account for the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) $606.74 million for the period from 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024.
Next, the Committee took note of a note by the Secretary-General (document A/C.5/77/31) on the financing of the support account for peacekeeping operations, the United Nations Logistics Base at Brindisi, Italy, and the Regional Service Centre in Entebbe, Uganda, which indicated the prorated amounts to be approved by the Assembly in respect of each peacekeeping mission for the operations for the period 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024.
It also took note of another note by the Secretary-General (document A/C.5/77/32) pertaining to approved resources for peacekeeping operations for the 2023/24 period.
The Committee then approved without a vote a draft decision on questions deferred for future consideration (document A/C.5/77/L.55), by which the Assembly would defer the reports of the Secretary-General and ACABQ on investing in prevention and peacebuilding until the main part of its seventy-eighth session. The Assembly would also defer until the second part of its resumed seventy-eighth session the reports of the Secretary-General and ACABQ on the delivery model of the United Nations Mine Action Service, as well as on the financing of the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI), United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) and the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operations in Darfur (UNAMID).
Closing Remarks
DALIA MARLEN TORRES SEARA (Cuba), speaking on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, said this session was very challenging even though less texts were agreed upon. The intense hours showed the necessity of working by consensus and adopting a mutual approach. It is necessary to understand that no one is at a higher level than others and no delegation should adopt a “take it or leave it” approach, she said. The negotiations showed that time is not an endless resource, she said, adding that the Group was a driving force and managed to set a tone during the negotiations. In the next session, the Group will advocate for greater geographical representation in the senior ranks of peacekeeping missions.
MEDARD AINOMUHISHA (Uganda), speaking on behalf of the African Group and associating himself with the Group of 77 and China, said the issue of allocating realistic timelines and deadlines for the consideration of the reports before the Committee and for the conclusion of the session must be addressed. The official one-month allocation for the resumed session is unrealistic, as evidenced by today’s conclusion of the session being a month late, he added. Not reaching consensus on the cross-cutting resolution had unintended consequences on the mission-specific policy language, which necessitated his bloc’s presentation of oral amendments, he said, voicing hope that consensus can be reached in the future without “resorting” to such oral amendments. Adding that consensus could also not be reached on the resolution on peacebuilding, he called upon all delegations to find compromise to ease the discussions in the forthcoming main session. He then went on to detail the bloc’s recommendations with respect to specific peacekeeping missions.
SILVIO GONZATO, Deputy Head of Delegation of the European Union, in its capacity as observer, stressed that it is the Committee’s responsibility to provide sustainable and predictable resources so the peacekeeping missions are adequately financed and sufficiently equipped to carry out their mandates. “We didn’t rise to these standards in our decision on MINUSMA, and while adhering to its outcome, we consider it one of the lowest moments of this Committee,” he said. The Committee’s disregard for repeated pleas from MINUSMA and the Secretariat will hamper the Mission’s ability to adequately organize its withdrawal. It could hinder the safety and security of the peacekeepers and civilian personnel still deployed in Mali today.
In addition, his delegation regretted that “posturing and horse-trading” hindered the Committee’s efforts to build compromise and forced the adoption of “skeletal resolutions” on several items, he said. He also regretted that for the third year in a row, the Committee did not comment on the budget request for the Support Account, the Global Service Centre and the Regional Service Centre. It is particularly regrettable that on the anniversary of General Assembly resolution 76/305 on peacebuilding financing, the Committee did not act on the Assembly’s mandate to provide assessed funding to the Peacebuilding Fund. He reiterated his delegation’s strong commitment to reach decisions by consensus.
RICHARD CROKER (United Kingdom), noting that the Committee is not ending “on a high” for several reasons related to process and substance, said it is unfortunate that missions were treated differently without technical basis. Most worrying, the Committee has failed to allocate sufficient resources for MINUSMA to effectively close, withdraw and liquidate, he added, noting that his delegation will call for additional time and resources to be allocated as required. It is unsatisfactory that the Committee was unable to reach agreement on so many items, most notably on cross-cutting policy, he said, wondering whether the Committee is abdicating responsibility by not being able to reach such agreements. Voicing regret that the posts of Victim Rights Officers could not be secured for MINUSCA, among other missions, he underscored that protecting the people whom the Organization serves should be the most basic of Member States’ obligations.
CHRIS LU (United States) said more than 88,000 peacekeeping personnel serve in some of the most challenging environments around the world at great risk to their own lives and deserve the international community’s deep appreciation. After two months of difficult negotiations, the Committee has reached agreement on a $6.1 billion budget for nine active peacekeeping missions, including the support mission in Somalia, three service centres and the support staff at Headquarters. The Committee has also provided six months of commitment authority for MINUSMA. When the costs for MINUSMA are excluded, this budget reflects a 4.9 per cent increase over last year’s budget, with the increase driven largely by rising fuel costs, increased air operations and higher equipment reimbursements.
He noted that this session’s negotiations were complicated by the transition Government in Mali’s request for MINUSMA’s withdrawal. An orderly drawdown will be difficult to accomplish, which is why his delegation pushed for greater resources and flexibility to accomplish this “extraordinarily difficult task”. The delegation joined the more limited commitment authority provided today in the interest of consensus. He called the Committee’s inability this year to achieve a cross-cutting policy resolution to guide the work of peacekeeping operations “an unfortunate abdication of the Committee’s oversight function”. Regarding the Peacebuilding Fund, he noted the progress in bridging differences on how the funding could be assessed and administered. The United States supports using assessed funding for peacebuilding and look forwards to negotiations in the fall to achieve a resolution, he said.
CHENG LIE (China), associating himself with the Group of 77, said his country supports providing appropriate funding for all peacekeeping missions and improved efficiency of fund usage, and stressed that peacekeeping operations must stay faithful to their mandate. The Secretariat must give timely updates on MINUSMA’s withdrawal, he pointed out, noting the Organization’s years-long heavy investment in Mali and the need to reflect on the effectiveness of peacekeeping operations. Pointing to further delay in deliberations on the issue of the Peacebuilding Fund, he said his delegation’s concerns remain to be addressed despite its proposals. Member States’ authority over assessed funding must be respected, he stressed, voicing hope that there will be constructive discussions on the matter in the future.
ABO AI (Japan) said her delegation remains a strong supporter of United Nations peacekeeping operations and welcomed the Committee’s agreement to provide adequate and necessary funding for the 2023/24 peacekeeping budget — which will allow missions to deliver on their critical mandates and ensure the safety, security and health of their personnel. She welcomed that at critical moments during the budget negotiations difficulties were overcome and solutions found to make a consensus possible. However, it is regrettable that a cross-cutting resolution was not adopted this year, after last year’s successful adoption, and the Committee could not reach consensus on the “investing in prevention and peacebuilding” agenda item. She sincerely hoped that Member States will continue to seek ways to ensure adequate, predictable and sustained financing for peacebuilding.
JESÚS VELÁZQUEZ CASTILLO (Mexico), commending the satisfactory conclusion of the Committee’s work and the agreements reached, pointed however to the lack of flexibility which impeded action on all issues crucial to peacekeeping operations and to various services provided by Secretariat staff involved in that field. He expressed hope that the Committee will achieve a successful outcome on the matter in its next session, welcoming significant progress in discussions on investment, prevention and peacebuilding. He also voiced hope that the Committee will be able to adopt the budgetary formula so that Member States can contribute to the financing and strengthening of the peacebuilding fund. That mechanism must be adopted, he stressed.
ABDULLAH IBRAHIM ABDELHAMID ALSAYED ATTELB (Egypt), speaking on behalf of Mr. Mahmoud, incoming Committee Chair for the Assembly’s seventy-eighth session, said his delegation recognized the Committee’s monumental achievements during this session, intends to build on that success and looks forward to working with all delegations in the next session.
CHANDRAMOULI RAMANATHAN, Controller, Assistant Secretary-General for Programme Planning, Finance and Budget, Department of Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance, said the approval of peacekeeping mission budgets today just managed to avert a shut-down of peacekeeping operations on 1 July due to a lack of spending authority. “This was not only a close call, but has had several consequences already,” he said. For the third year in succession, the Committee has embraced a practice whereby the Controller’s team finalized draft resolutions and the Committee’s notes on the financials, with the clear understanding that any subsequent decisions on policy or posts would not affect the agreement on the overall budget levels. This step was necessary with the time constraints and its sustainability in the future remains to be seen.
He again appealed to the Committee to realize the impact of extending the last meetings of its second resumed and main sessions into the last days of the budget period. It significantly affects the Secretariat’s ability to process year-end and beginning-of-year transactions and delays the preparation of assessment letters. This could impact collections and first-quarter payments to troop- and police-contributing countries. It also affects the Secretariat’s ability to service some of the intergovernmental processes due to concurrent meetings and requests for information. “This is not sustainable, and I would urge the Committee to give some serious consideration to how to alleviate these challenges,” he added. The Secretariat will continue to find ways to automate and provide information to ACABQ in electronic format through portals to enable negotiations.
ALBERTO DAL DEGAN (Italy) said the Committee’s fight for consensus, despite considerable differences, makes it unique, and encouraged its members to preserve that value. He thanked the interpreters for supporting the Committee’s work and its desire for consensus and facilitating multilingualism.