Switzerland’s representative today urged the General Assembly’s Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) to stay the course on the United Nations’ nearly decade-long project to renovate its historic Geneva headquarters — a call that comes as those offices, along with UN Headquarters in New York, face the prospect of relocating staff to less expensive duty stations.
As the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) continues its second resumed session today, delegates will consider cross-cutting issues under their agenda item “administrative and budgetary aspects of financing UN peacekeeping operations”.
A severe cash shortfall is forcing the United Nations to slash spending and freeze hiring, jeopardizing its ability to deliver on mandated programmes and exposing the Organization to growing reputational risk, the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) heard today, as Member States explored potential solutions to the liquidity crisis.
The Secretary-General has appointed experts to develop recommendations for measures that complement or go beyond Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This is a way to recognize that GDP — relied upon as a gauge of prosperity — provides an incomplete picture of the different dimensions of sustainable development.
As of 30 April, the United Nations’ regular budget collections have trailed estimates and fallen significantly below last year’s levels, the Organization’s top finance official reported to the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today, urging Member States to expedite their payments and communicate their payment plans promptly.
As peacekeeping missions continue to evolve in complexity and size and mandates, the Fifth Committee began its consideration of the budget for the support account for those operations during the upcoming fiscal cycle and listened to the findings of a comprehensive review of that account.
As the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) opened the second part of its resumed session today, delegates began consideration of the proposed $5.5 billion budget for United Nations peacekeeping operations for the period from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026, emphasizing the need for stringent oversight of the Organization’s resources amid a deepening cash crisis.
While the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) concluded the first part of its resumed seventy-ninth session today with the consensual approval of five texts, several delegates expressed concern that the results were disappointing and minimal.
The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today sent the General Assembly the names of three candidates to fill two vacancies on the Committee on Contributions and one vacancy on the Independent Audit Advisory Committee.
Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) delegates today began reviewing the revised financial implications of the Secretary-General’s plan to draw down 510 personnel from the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) over the course of 2025, with the bulk of reductions set for year-end.
