Fifth Committee Speakers Call for Fair, Lasting UN Staff Compensation Package to Retain and Attract Talent, with Focus on Younger Generation, Personnel in Dangerous Locations
Backing the Organization’s efforts to retain and build a highly skilled workforce, the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today reviewed the complex compensation package meant to fairly reward thousands of United Nations employees — including those working in dangerous locales around the world.
Emphasizing that the UN common system needs to remain fair and sustainable through continuous evaluation, Japan’s delegate said the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC)’s upcoming comprehensive review is “a critical opportunity to make the system more sustainable and attractive, particularly for younger generations”. Echoing this sentiment, China’s delegate said, “an adequate compensation system attracts and retain talent.” The Global Staff Survey showed that a fair incentive system impacts the creation of a stable workforce.
The representative of Egypt, speaking for the African Group, said the review process should include a “detailed analysis of the cost-effectiveness, attractiveness and impact on the workforce”. He agreed with the ICSC proposal that a comprehensive review be carried out only every 10 years. The representative of Uganda, speaking for the Group of 77 and China, stressed that the Assembly’s guidance remains critical for the Commission’s work and he is pleased with UN system organizations’ efforts to expand diversity in the common system while emphasizing gender and disability.
The representative of Saudi Arabia noted there has been no increase to the children’s and second dependents’ allowance for 10 years while the new parental leave policy promotes better work-life balance. “Fair, friendly and just policies will retain a quality workforce at the UN,” he added.
Staff union officials stressed the need to maintain a compensation package that builds trust among the global labour force. “We cannot underestimate the impact that this review’s outcome will have on the competitiveness of the common system in recruiting and retaining qualified staff,” said Narda Cupidore, General Secretary of the United Nations International Civil Servants Federation. She urged that the current review retain the status quo elements and levels. “The package, therefore, is not just about the livelihoods of staff and their families, but is directly tied to the fulfilment of organizational mandates and achievements,” she said.
Agreeing, Wadzanai Garwe, President of the Federation of International Civil Servants’ Associations (FICSA), said, “We are thus here to ensure that the conditions of service remain suitable to sustain the world’s most committed workforce and their families.” Noting that many of the 60,000 members of the Coordinating Committee for International Staff Unions and Associations (CCISUA) work in field locations and emergency operations around the globe, CCISUA President Nathalie Meynet called on Member States to do more to stop the escalation of violence in Gaza and Lebanon and protect colleagues and their families in the region. She advised against further erosion of the compensation package if Member States need staff to remain and deliver in dangerous field locations and for the Organization to remain attractive to younger generations.
Compensating thousands of employees throughout the UN Common System
Larbi Djacta, ICSC Chair, presented the Commission’s annual report for 2024 (document A/79/30) and said though the Assembly did not act on the entity’s report in 2023, it continued its planned initiatives and this year’s recommendations supersede those of the previous report, “bringing a refreshed focus and updated direction”. A central Commission goal is thoroughly reviewing the common system’s compensation package for the Professional and higher categories. To ensure a comprehensive review, three working groups met in 2024 and their findings provided guidance for the next steps. As a result, the Commission: requested more detailed expenditure data on various compensation elements under review to facilitate decision-making in 2025; recommended that the Assembly instruct organizations to submit annual expenditure data on family/dependency benefits, education grant allowances, and field entitlements, aligning this data submission with the budgetary cycle; and reaffirmed the need for a comprehensive compensation package review every 10 years to establish a sustainable, cost-efficient review cycle.
To support its review process, the Commission also carried out a Global Staff Survey on the compensation package with its findings laid out in the 2024 report.
International Civil Service Commission’s recommendations
Mr. Djacta then laid out several recommendations:
Following the latest salary movement of the comparator organization, the Commission recommends a 9.5 per cent increase to the United Nations base/floor salary scale, effective 1 January 2025. This adjustment reflects the compounded movement of the comparator’s General Schedule salaries in the two-year period of 2023-2024. Turning to the United Nations/United States Net Remuneration Margin, he said the remuneration margin was recorded at 116.9 and the Commission will continue to monitor this margin, ensuring it stays within the established range of 113-117.
Regarding the education grant, the Commission has proposed a 5.14 per cent increase to the sliding scale and an 8.37 per cent increase to the boarding lump sum, effective for the school year beginning 1 January 2025.
Regarding field allowances, the Commission reviewed the pilot measure allowing payment in lieu of settling-in grants at certain duty stations and recommends its continuation until the comprehensive review of the compensation package is complete, as “it could enhance retention and staff well-being in challenging locations.”
Christophe Monier, Director of the Programme Planning and Budget Division of the Department of Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance’s Office of Programme Planning, Finance and Budget, presented the Secretary-General’ statement, “Programme budget implications arising from recommendations and decisions contained in the report of the International Civil Service Commission for 2024” (document A/C.5/79/5). He said if the Assembly approves the Commission’s recommendations, budget implications for the proposed 2025 programme budget are estimated at $2.95 million. They would be included in upcoming revised estimates that cover the effects of changes in the rates of exchange and inflation for the period. The budget implications for peacekeeping operations are estimated at $1.37 million for the 2024/25 period that began 1 July 2024 and at $1.44 million for the 2025-26 financial period.
Amjad Al Kumaim, Vice Chair of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), presented that body’s related report (document A/79/7/Add.14).
Capital master plan
Chandramouli Ramanathan, UN Controller and Assistant Secretary-General for Programme Planning, Finance and Budget in the Department of Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance, presented the Secretary-General’s twenty-second annual progress report on the capital master plan (document A/79/313)while Mr. Kumaim presented that body’s related report (document A/79/551).
Secretariat Delivers reports on construction and property management issue
Mr. Ramanathan then presented the Secretary-General’s third annual report detailing progress on the Gigiri master plan, which addresses deteriorating conditions and the limited capacity of conference services facilities at the United Nations Office at Nairobi (document A/79/345). Mr. Kumaim presented its related report (document A/79/7/Add.13).
On behalf of the African Group, Egypt’s delegate urged the Secretary-General to keep promoting the use of conference facilities at Nairobi and supported the additional $23.13 million appropriation for the project in 2025. Uganda’s representative, speaking on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, encouraged the additional integration of local knowledge, technology and labour into the project. Kenya’s delegate noted his Government’s investment in upgrading essential infrastructure around the Nairobi compound.
Administering justice inside the United Nations
Alaynes Frankson-Wallce, Executive Director of the Office of Administration of Justice, presented the Secretary-General’s report on the Administration of Justice (document A/79/127).
Shireen Dodson, Assistant Secretary-General, UN Ombudsman, presented the Secretary-General’s report on the Office of the United Nations Ombudsman and Mediation Services (document A/79/156). Mr. Kumaim then presented the Advisory Committee’s related report (document A/79/539).
Fifth Committee Chair Egriselda Aracely González López (El Salvador) then drew delegates’ attention to the Internal Justice Council’s report on Administration of Justice at the United Nations (document A/79/121); the Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) report, Review of the Internal Pre-Tribunal-Stage Appeal Mechanisms Available to Staff of the United Nations System Organizations (document JIU/REP/2023/2); and the Secretary-General’s note detailing his comments and the comments of the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB) on the JIU report (document A/79/301/Add.1).
Several delegates voiced their support for an independent, transparent and impartial justice system for all at the United Nations. “Guaranteed access to the system for everyone is a basic condition for fair justice,” said the representative of Switzerland, speaking also for Liechtenstein, adding that the Office of Staff Legal Assistance requires adequate and predictable funding to fulfil its mandate. The representative of Suriname, speaking on behalf of Caribbean Community (CARICOM), supported the Secretary-General’s efforts to protect employees against retaliation across the United Nations system. The representative of Israel said more must be done to prevent retaliation for complaints as a strong culture of accountability is developed. The representative of Mexico backed efforts to ensure all categories of staff can access internal justice services while Kuwait’s delegate said the Organization has a moral duty to strengthen the Organization’s internal justice system in a world experiencing many conflicts.
Financials of UN specialized agencies and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
Remo Lalli, Secretary, High-level Committee on Management of the United Nations Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB), presented the Secretary-General’s note transmitting the statistical report of the CEB on the budgetary and financial situation of the organizations of the United Nations (document A/79/494).
Programme planning
The Chair then drew delegates attention to correspondence from other committee chairs regarding programme planning: A 21 October letter from the Third Committee chair (documentA/C.5/79/11); a 22 October letter from the First Committee chair (document A/C.5/79/12); a 23 October letter from the Fourth Committee chair (document A/C.5/79/13); and a 25 October letter from the Second Committee chair (document A/C.5/79/14).