The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today heard United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon formally unveil an initial budget proposal of $5.57 billion for the 2016-2017 budget cycle that begins 1 January 2016. The proposal was down 1.6 per cent, or $90.8 million, from the appropriation for the current two-year budget cycle that ends in December and up $10.2 million, or 0.2 per cent, from the budget outline figure set by the General Assembly nearly a year ago.
The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today began examining the United Nations’ programme planning, a critical process in the Organization’s regular budget formulation, while approving a recommendation that five Member States in arrears on dues payment be allowed to vote in the General Assembly.
Members of the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today called on each other to work together this session as they tackled a complex and ambitious agenda that included the Organization’s two‑year multi‑billion‑dollar budget for 2016-2017 and whether to re-adjust the methodology used over the next three years to assess Member States’ contribution to the regular budget as well as its peacekeeping operations.
Durga Prasad Bhattarai, Permanent Representative of Nepal to the United Nations, was elected Chair of the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) on 15 June 2015.
Concluding its second resumed session, the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today sent 22 draft resolutions and one decision to the General Assembly, asking the world body to authorize the allocation of $8.26 billion to finance 15 peacekeeping missions for the year beginning 1 July 2015 and to take action on a number of pressing issues, including responding to recent allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse.
The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today recommended that the General Assembly authorize an additional $80.33 million to finance the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) for the year ending 30 June 2015.
The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today postponed action on a draft text on financing of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) for the 2015/16 budget year.
Additional $88.1 million was needed to support the “last mile” of the international response to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, the United Nations Controller told the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today as delegates reiterated concern about significant resources spent to support the operation’s high-level staff positions.
Concerned over outstanding balances owed to the United Nations and overdue payments to Member States for peacekeeping operations, delegates said the Organization had a “long way to go” before receiving a “clean bill of financial health”, the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) heard today.
As Haiti approached presidential and municipal elections, adequate international support was needed to avoid a security vacuum and a loss of gains made towards democracy and development, the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) heard today as it weighed a substantial cut to the 2015/16 budget of the United Nations peacekeeping operation in that country.
