WORK PROGRAMME OF THE FIFTH COMMITTEE

WEEK OF 8 TO 12 OCTOBER 2001.

As planned, the Committee began its substantive work on 8 October and considered the Annual report of the Joint Inspection Unit (A/56/34 and Corr. 1;); the note by the Secretary-General transmitting the work programme of the Joint Inspection Unit for 2001 and the preliminary listing of potential reports for 2002 and beyond (A/56/84); and the Note by the Secretary-General transmitting the report of the Joint Inspection Unit on the experience with the follow-up system on Joint Inspection Unit reports and recommendations (A/56/356), as well as the Unit’s three thematic reports on “Policies and practices in the use of the services of private management consulting firms in the organizations of the United Nations system. (A/54/702); the related comments of the Administrative Committee on Coordination thereon (A/55/979); “United Nations system common services at Geneva, Part II: Case studies (A/55/856); and the related comment of the Secretary-General and those of the Administrative Committee on Coordination (A/55/417); and the Management of buildings: practices of selected United Nations systems organizations relevant to the renovation of the United Nations Headquarters(A/56/274) and the relevant comments of the Secretary-General thereon (A/56/274/add.1), which the Committee considered also under the item Review of the efficiency of the Administrative and financial functioning of the United Nations. Under this item, the Committee also considered the report of the Secretary-General on the Proposed regulations governing the status, basic rights and duties of officials other than Secretariat officials and experts on mission, in particular those who are elected by the General Assembly. (A/56/437). All these questions are now subject to informal consultations.

The Committee is also considering issues relating to the programme budget for the biennium 2000-2001, in particular the question of enhancing the United Nations experience for visitors (A/55/835); Information technology in the Secretariat: a plan of action (A/55/780); Proposed measures to improve the profitability of the commercial activities of the United Nations (A/55/546); Implementation of projects financed from the Development account (A/55/913). The question of honoraria payable to members of organs and subsidiary organs of the United Nations (A/56/311) will be dealt with on Monday, 15 October.