WHAT IS MISSION SUBSISTENCE ALLOWANCE (MSA)?

Mission subsistence allowance (MSA) is a daily allowance payable by the Organization for living expenses incurred by staff members in the field in connection with their temporary assignment or appointment to a special mission*.

*The special mission area shall be defined by the Organization in accordance with relevant resolutions of the Security Council and the General Assembly.

WHO IS ENTITLED?

All international civilian staff, civilian police and military observers assigned to a special mission.

ESTABLISHMENT OF MSA RATES

• MSA rates are established for each mission on the basis of cost of long-term accommodation, food and miscellaneous expenses at the duty station of the mission assignment;

• MSA rates may be established wholly or partly in the currency of the mission area;

• The rates are subject to reductions to reflect accommodation and/or food provided by the Organization:
  • When accommodation is provided free of charge by the United Nations, the standard rate of MSA will be reduced by 50 per cent regardless of whether the accommodation provided is permanent, prefabricated or tented.

To view/download THE CURRENT LIST OF MSA RATES, click here.

PAYMENT OF MSA RATES

• MSA is payable:

  • for actual work days spent in the mission area;

  • for weekends and official holidays spent within or outside the mission area;

  • for annual leave accrued while on mission assignment, and taken prior to the expiration of the mission assignment where the annual leave was accrued provided that annual leave with MSA at the end of mission assignment may not exceed 10 working days, and my be taken only after authorization by the responsible official, who shall decide whether to approve the leave request on the basis of operational needs. Exceptionally, staff members reassigned from one special mission to another shall be allowed to carry forward up to 14 calendar days of annual leave with MSA accrued at the previous special mission, for which the allowance will be paid at the rate applicable when the leave is taken at the new mission;

  • For periods of official business within the mission area, the accommodation portion of the regular mission subsistence allowance shall remain payable;
  • A staff member travelling on official business requiring an overnight stay at a location other than his or her regular duty station within the mission area shall receive the ‘first 30 days?mission subsistence allowance rate established for the location of the overnight stay. For travel on extended official business for more than 30 consecutive days, the ‘after 30 days?mission subsistence allowance rate for the location of the overnight stay shall be payable;
  • A staff member traveling on official business outside the mission area shall receive the accommodation portion of the MSA applicable at the duty station of the mission assignment and the daily subsistence established by the ICSC for the designated travel location. No daily subsistence allowance is payable when on official travel to the parent duty station;
  • for sick leave or maternity leave, subject to the conditions specified below;

    • For periods of official business outside the mission area, including when a staff member is on authorized medical evacuation, the accommodation portion of the MSA shall remain payable;

    • A staff member hospitalized in the mission area shall be entitled to the accommodation portion of the MSA;

    • MSA shall not be payable when a staff member is hospitalized or on sick leave outside the mission area. However, in case of hospitalization, and in case of maternity leave outside the mission area, the United Nations shall pay for retained accommodation subject to submission of supporting documentation and up to 50 per cent of the MSA rate.

     

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