Administrative and budgetary issues

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary), in New York today:

Delegates of the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today urged each other to build on their momentum as they consider the Secretariat’s $6.8 billion budget for 11 peacekeeping operations and agree on a financing device for peacebuilding activities.

Delegates in the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budget) today asked for details on cost savings and efficiency as the Organization’s top official for supply chain management unveiled the Secretariat’s plan to restructure the way the Department of Operational Support manages and delivers equipment and services to peacekeeping missions around the world.

The support account for peacekeeping missions should correspond with the number and mandates of such operations in the field, speakers told the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budget) today as it considered the Secretary-General’s proposed budget for the account during the upcoming 2022/23 fiscal cycle as well as financing for five peacekeeping missions in Africa.

The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today wrapped up the first part of its resumed seventy-sixth session by sending the General Assembly three resolutions and one decision, yet still not giving the Secretary-General guidance on human resources or resolving the Organization’s ongoing liquidity problems.

Amid praise for efforts to strengthen the United Nations internal anti-corruption measures, ensure gender parity and promote high standards of competence among its staff, delegates in the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today pointed to continued imbalances in the equitable geographic representation among Secretariat employees and limited career prospects for existing personnel as major sources of concern.

The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) wrapped up the main part of its seventy-sixth session on 23 December by approving resources of $3.12 billion for the 2022 regular budget, the Organization’s third annual budget in 50 years.

Humanitarian officials warn that, without sustained funding, millions of people in in north-eastern Nigeria’s Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states will struggle to feed themselves during the lean season due to conflict, COVID-19, high food prices and the effects of climate change.

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ introduction to the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) of the proposed programme budget for 2021, in New York today:

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.