OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAMME OF WORK OF THE FIFTH COMMITTEE
      55TH SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
       WEEKS OF 25 SEPTEMBER TO 13 OCTOBER 2000
 

      The Fifth Committee began its substantive work on 25 September 2000 and took up the Annual report of the Joint Inspection Unit and the Programme of work of the Unit for the year 2000 and beyond. In addition to the traditional chapters of the annual report for 1999 of the Joint Inspection Unit, the report also focussed on the follow-up on reports and recommendations of the Joint Inspection Unit.
 
      The Committee also considered the question of requests for exemptions under Article 19 of the
UN Charter (Burundi, the Comoros, Georgia, Tajikistan, the Republic of Moldova, and Sao Tome and Principe), under item 122:  Scale of Assessment for the apportionment of the expenses of the United Nations. Due to divergent views, this question was referred to informal consultations.
The Committee has held 4 rounds of informal consultations, but unfortunately, failed to reach a consensus to satisfy the concerns of all its members.
 
      During the weeks of 2 to 13 October, the Committee began its consideration of the two most contentious items on its agenda, i.e., the regular budget scale of assessments and the peacekeeping scale of assessments. It concluded its general discussion on 6 October 2000. A total of 112 statements were delivered, almost all by Permanent Representatives, in the course of six meetings. Both items are currently the subject of informal consultations.
 
      The Committee began its consideration of the item entitled  "Pattern of Conferences". Following a short general discussion, the Committee is now negotiating a draft resolution on the item.
 
      On Monday, 2 October, the Committee adopted a draft resolution on the Annual Report of the Joint Inspection Unit (A/C.5/55/L.5) and a draft decision on the review of the problem of HIV/AIDS.
 
      The Committee held the first round of informal consultations on the question of the relocation of South Africa from group B to group C of General Assembly resolution 43/232 (item 153(b)) and agreed, in principle, to the request of South Africa, effective 1 January 2001. 

The Committee would take a formal decision on the matter later during the session.