Fifth Committee

Delegates in the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today tackled a diverse set of financial issues that included adequate funding to safely drawdown a peacekeeping mission in Africa, creating a stable financing mechanism for the Organization’s Peacebuilding Fund and exploring changes in the complex methodology used to assess Member States’ contributions.  As they opened their seventy-eighth session and approved their work programme, delegates also discussed the Organization’s liquidity woes and once again urged each other to make timely payments so the Organization can fulfil the core mandates laid down by Member States.

The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) elected Osama Mahmoud Abdelkhalek Mahmoud (Egypt) Chair on 1 June.

Prior to adopting 18 Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) draft texts, the General Assembly today took up the 2022 Security Council report, with some delegations appealing for a more substantive and analytical account of the 15-nation organ’s work, while others spotlighted the Council’s limitations due to the veto, which was preventing a timely response to threats to international peace and security.

The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today bolstered the operations of the Organization’s peacekeeping operations by approving $6.1 billion for nine active peacekeeping missions, three service centres and the support staff at Headquarters.

The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today sent the General Assembly three resolutions to help keep three peacekeeping missions running smoothly until the end of June by delivering $14.59 million in additional funding for the 2022/23 fiscal year.

For the United Nations to deliver on its mandate, Member States must pay on time, in full and without conditions, speakers stressed today, as the Fifth Committee (Administrative Budgetary) addressed the Organization’s financial situation before considering the Secretary-General’s request to allocate $391.2 million to the support account and $1.16 billion and $1.28 billion for two peacekeeping missions in Africa for the 2023/24 fiscal year.

The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today considered the Secretary-General’s request to allot nearly $294 million, $1.1 billion and $1.2 billion for three United Nations peacekeeping operations in Africa as the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) recommended respective reductions of nearly $1.7 million, $5.1 million and $3 million.

While the Secretariat has effectively used improved management tools to avert a liquidity crisis and avoid spending restrictions this year, a senior United Nations financial official warned delegates in the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today that the lagging monthly collection rates for the Organization’s 2023 regular budget require careful monitoring.

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.

The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today wrapped up the first part of its resumed seventy-seventh session by sending the General Assembly one decision and four resolutions, including the first human resources management package in more than six years.