Delegates in Fifth Committee Consider 2025 Programme Budget Implications of Draft Resolutions Presented by General Assembly’s First, Third Committees
Members Also Review Funding Requirements to Maintain Investigation into Death of Former UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld
Delegates in the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today considered the 2025 budget implications of five outputs of the First Committee’s (Disarmament and International Security) 2024 session that — if adopted by the General Assembly — would deliver nearly $800,000 to help verify nuclear disarmament, study nuclear-weapon-free zones and explore how the military’s use of artificial intelligence will impact peace and security. These First Committee actions would also establish a 21-member independent Scientific Panel on the Effects of Nuclear War and boost the progress of a group studying security and the use of communications technologies.
Delegates today also sent the Assembly a resolution — approved by the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) — to provide $309,700 to keep the United Nations African Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders running smoothly in 2025 and gave the financial green light to an Assembly resolution to provide $77,200 next year to maintain the investigation of the death of former UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld.
Fifth Committee Chair Egriselda Aracely González López (El Salvador) today also urged delegates to negotiate diligently over the next week to conclude the main session on 20 December. “We are at a crucial stage,” she said, adding that the delays of reports had contributed to the need to extend the main session. “I urge you to maintain a constructive engagement in your approach and not let disenchantment undermine our work.”
Encouraging delegates to hold in-person meetings, she said the UN Headquarters premises are open and ready to host delegations. “This is a critical juncture of our working process. I urge you to go the extra mile and work with resolve, optimism and perseverance.”
Ms. Lopez thanked Abdallah Bachar Bong, outgoing Chair of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), for his devotion and leadership over the past five years. She thanked him for always keeping his door open to delegates.
Thanking all delegates for their support, Mr. Bong said he believed the past five years of hard work was for a good cause. He said he holds much respect for all delegates and will remain available to support them as they continue their work. The representative of Uganda, speaking on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, thanked Mr. Bong wholeheartedly for his help. “We have had a healthy and helpful relationship,” he added.
Mr. Bong will be replaced by Advisory Committee member Juliana Gaspar Ruas (Brazil).
Secretariat Delivers Its Reports
Christophe Monier, Director of the Programme Planning and Budget Division of the Office of Programme Planning, Finance and Budget, first introduced the Secretary-General’s statements regarding the programme budget implications, prepared in accordance with rule 153 of the General Assembly’s procedural rules, of five draft resolutions approved by the Assembly’s First Committee. All proposed resources would represent charges against the contingency fund.
Draft Resolutions of First Committee
He first presented the statement (document A/C.5/79/15) on the draft resolution titled “Open-ended working group on security of and in the use of information and communications technologies 2021-2025 established pursuant to General Assembly resolution 75/240”, approved at the First Committee’s 31 November 2024 meeting without a vote. Through this text, the Assembly would convene additional intersessional meetings of up to 10 days across 2024 and 2025 to advance discussions, build on the annual progress reports and support the Open-ended Working Group’s work. In order to implement the resolution, the Secretary-General proposes resources of $51,900 for 2025, comprising $5,900 under section 28, Global communications, and $46,000 under section 29C, Office of Information and Communications Technology.
He then turned to the statement (document A/C.5/79/16) on draft resolution A/C.1/79/L.39 titled “Nuclear war effects and scientific research”, which was approved at the First Committee’s 1 November 2024 meeting by a recorded vote of 144 to 3, with 30 abstentions. By the text, the Assembly, among other mandates, would decide to establish a 21-member independent Scientific Panel on the Effects of Nuclear War. The Secretary-General proposes resources of $61,400, comprising $9,500 under section 4, Disarmament; $5,900 under section 28, Global communications; and $46,000 under section 29C, Office of Information and Communications Technology.
He then presented the statement (document A/C.5/79/17) on draft A/C.1/79/L.43 titled “Artificial intelligence in the military domain and its implications for international peace and security”, which was approved by the First Committee at its 6 November 2024 meeting by a recorded vote of 165 to 2, with 6 abstentions. By the text, the Assembly would ask the Secretary-General to seek the Member States’ and observer States’ views on the opportunities and challenges posed to international peace and security by the application of artificial intelligence in the military domain. As the 2025 proposed programme budget has no provision for this mandate, the Assembly would need to appropriate $143,800 under section 2, General Assembly and Economic and Social Council affairs and conference management, of the proposed programme budget for 2025. Additional resource requirements of $17,300 would arise under section 36, Staff assessment, to be offset by an equivalent increase of $17,300 under income section 1, Income from staff assessment.
He then turned to the statement (document A/C.5/79/18) on draft A/C.1/79/L.67 titled “Group of Scientific and Technical Experts on Nuclear Disarmament Verification”, approved by the First Committee on 1 November 2024 by a recorded vote of 173 to 1, with 2 abstentions. By the text, the Assembly would ask the Secretary-General to seek the views of Member States, in writing, on the establishment of a Group of Scientific and Technical Experts on Nuclear Disarmament Verification within the United Nations. The Assembly is asked to approve additional resources of $92,800, comprising $86,300 under Section 2, General Assembly and Economic and Social Council affairs and conference management; $5,800 under Section 29C, Office of Information and Communications Technology; and $700 under Section 29E, Administration, Geneva.
Finally, he presented the statement (document A/C.5/79/19) on draft resolution A/C.1/79/L.68/Rev.1 titled “Comprehensive study of the question of nuclear-weapon-free zones in all its aspects”, approved by the First Committee on 1 November 2024 by a recorded vote of 172 to 2, with 3 abstentions. By the text, the Assembly would ask the Secretary-General to convene a qualified group of up to 25 experts, using equitable geographic distribution and gender balance, to prepare a new comprehensive study of the question of nuclear-weapon-free zones. Additional resources of $440,600 would be needed, comprising $137,100 under Section 2, General Assembly and Economic and Social Council affairs and conference management; $283,000 under Section 4, Disarmament; and $20,200 under Section 29C, Office of Information and Communications Technology.
Draft Resolution of Third Committee
Turning to the Third Committee resolution, he presented the Secretary-General’s statement (document A/C.5/79/22) on the programme budget implications of draft resolution A/C.3/79/L.10/Rev.1 titled “United Nations African Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders”, which was adopted at its 18 November 2024 meeting without a vote. By its terms, the additional resources of $309,700 requested would augment the current grant to the Institute under section 18, Economic and social development in Africa, of the proposed programme budget for 2025.
Draft Resolution on Investigation into Tragic Death of Dag Hammarskjöld
Finally, Mr. Monier presented the Secretary-General’s statement (document A/C.5/79/27) in relation to resolution A/79/L.26 titled “Investigation into the conditions and circumstances resulting in the tragic death of Dag Hammarskjöld and of the members of the party accompanying him”. The Secretary-General proposes resources of $77,200 under Section 1, Overall policymaking, direction and coordination.
ACABQ Presents Related Reports
Mr. Bong introduced the Advisory Committee’s related reports regarding the draft resolutions of the First Committee (documents A/79/7/Add.32,A/79/7/Add.31,A/79/7/Add.28,A/79/7/Add.30 and A/79/7/Add.29); the Third Committee (document A/79/7/Add.36); and the General Assembly (document A/79/7/Add.34).
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