United
Nations


General Assembly

Distr.
GENERAL
A/RES/51/3
29 October 1996

Fifty-first session
Agenda item 135


RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY


[on the report of the Fifth Committee (A/51/504)]


51/3. Financing of the United Nations
Observer Mission in Liberia
The General Assembly,

Having considered the report of the Secretary-General on the financing of the United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia 1/ and the related report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions, 2/

Recalling Security Council resolution 866 (1993) of 22 September 1993, by which the Council established the United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia, and subsequent resolutions by which the Council extended the mandate of the Observer Mission, the latest of which was resolution 1071 (1996) of 30 August 1996, and resolution 1020 (1995) of 10 November 1995, by which the Council adjusted the mandate of the Observer Mission,

Recalling also its decision 48/478 of 23 December 1993 on the financing of the Observer Mission and its subsequent resolutions and decisions thereon, the latest of which was decision 50/482 B of 17 September 1996,

Reaffirming that the costs of the Observer Mission are expenses of the Organization to be borne by Member States in accordance with Article 17, paragraph 2, of the Charter of the United Nations,

Recalling its previous decision regarding the fact that, in order to meet the expenditures caused by the Observer Mission, a different procedure is required from that applied to meet expenditures of the regular budget of the United Nations,

Taking into account the fact that the economically more developed countries are in a position to make relatively larger contributions and that the economically less developed countries have a relatively limited capacity to contribute towards such an operation,

Bearing in mind the special responsibilities of the States permanent members of the Security Council, as indicated in General Assembly resolution 1874 (S-IV) of 27 June 1963, in the financing of such operations,

Mindful of the fact that it is essential to provide the Observer Mission with the necessary financial resources to enable it to fulfil its responsibilities under the relevant resolutions of the Security Council,

1. Takes note of the status of contributions to the United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia as at 30 September 1996, including the contributions unpaid in the amount of 10,511,972 United States dollars, representing 13 per cent of the total assessed contributions from the inception of the Observer Mission to the period ending 31 March 1996, notes that some 30 per cent of the Member States have paid their assessed contributions in full, and urges all other Member States concerned, in particular those in arrears, to ensure the payment of their outstanding assessed contributions;

2. Expresses concern about the financial situation with regard to peacekeeping activities, in particular as regards the reimbursement of troop contributors, which bear burdens owing to overdue payments by Member States of their assessments;

3. Expresses appreciation to those Member States which have paid their assessed contributions in full;

4. Urges all other Member States to make every possible effort to ensure payment of their assessed contributions to the Observer Mission in full and on time;

5. Endorses the observations and recommendations contained in the report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions; 2/

6. Requests the Secretary-General to take all necessary action to ensure that all United Nations activities related to the Liberian peace process are administered in a coordinated fashion with a maximum of efficiency and economy;

7. Decides to appropriate to the Special Account for the United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia the amount of 14,016,000 dollars gross (13,186,800 dollars net) for the maintenance of the Observer Mission for the twelve-month period from 1 July 1996 to 30 June 1997, inclusive of the amount of 791,800 dollars for the support account for peacekeeping operations, equivalent to a monthly rate of 1,168,000 dollars gross (1,098,900 dollars net), subject to the decision of the Security Council to extend the mandate of the Observer Mission;

8. Decides also that the apportionment for the period from 1 July to 30 November 1996 in the amount of 5,840,000 dollars gross (5,494,500 dollars net) will be made at a later date following the review of the performance report of the Observer Mission for the period from 1 July 1995 to 30 June 1996;

9. Decides further to apportion among Member States the amount of 8,176,000 dollars gross (7,692,300 dollars net) for the period from 1 December 1996 to 30 June 1997 at the rate of 1,168,000 dollars gross (1,098,900 dollars net) per month, subject to the decision of the Security Council to extend the mandate of the Observer Mission beyond 30 November 1996, in accordance with the composition of groups set out in paragraphs 3 and 4 of General Assembly resolution 43/232 of 1 March 1989, as adjusted by the Assembly in its resolutions 44/192 B of 21 December 1989, 45/269 of 27 August 1991, 46/198 A of 20 December 1991, 47/218 A of 23 December 1992, 49/249 A of 20 July 1995, 49/249 B of 14 September 1995 and 50/224 of 11 April 1996 and its decisions 48/472 A of 23 December 1993 and 50/451 B of 23 December 1995, and taking into account the scale of assessments for the years 1996 and 1997, as set out in its resolution 49/19 B of 23 December 1994 and its decision 50/471 A of 23 December 1995;

10. Decides that, in accordance with the provisions of its resolution 973 (X) of 15 December 1955, there shall be set off against the apportionment among Member States, as provided for in paragraph 9 above, their respective share in the Tax Equalization Fund of the estimated staff assessment income of 69,100 dollars per month approved for the Observer Mission for the period from 1 December 1996 to 30 June 1997;

11. Invites voluntary contributions to the Observer Mission in cash and in the form of services and supplies acceptable to the Secretary-General, to be administered, as appropriate, in accordance with the procedure established by the General Assembly in its resolutions 43/230 of 21 December 1988, 44/192 A of 21 December 1989 and 45/258 of 3 May 1991;

12. Decides to keep the item entitled "Financing of the United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia" under review during the fifty- first session.

38th plenary meeting 17 October 1996
Notes

1/ A/50/650/Add.4.

2/ A/51/423.