Remarks by the President of the General Assembly,  

Mr. Dennis Francis,  

to the Formal Meeting of the Fifth Committee

9 October 2023

[As Delivered]

 

Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates,

 

Before I begin, I must express my deepest concern over the deteriorating security situation in the Middle East.

The attacks by Hamas on Saturday resulted in an escalation that left hundreds dead and scores more wounded, in Israel and in the State of Palestine.

I join the Secretary General in stating, unequivocally, that violence is not a viable path forward; it offers neither sustainable peace nor prosperity for any involved. This is a path that has proven to lead only to more bloodshed, more conflict, and more tragedy.  In most cases these are innocent citizens – women, men and children – who are paying the price.

I call for an immediate cessation of violence, for all parties to exercise maximum restraint, and for all stakeholders to engage in diplomatic discussions to de-escalate the situation, to protect civilians, and to chart a path to a two-state solution that offers peace, progress, and prosperity for all parties.

 

Your Excellency, Osama Mahmoud Abdel Khalek Mahmoud, Permanent Representative of Egypt,

 

Let me begin by congratulating you, Chair, and the other bureau members, on your well-deserved election to steer the work of the Fifth Committee during the 78th Session.

I also express my gratitude to the Secretariat, led by Mr. Lionel Berridge, for its important support to the Committee, and to the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions for its legendary role.

 

“All roads lead to the Fifth Committee” – as the saying goes.

 

It is no exaggeration to say that your work is the lifeblood of the entire UN system.

 

Our ability to finance and design appropriate support structures to implement all UN mandates determines whether people will eat or go hungry; take shelter or go unprotected; attend school or spend yet another day without access to education.

 

Your work therefore underpins our collective pursuit of peace, prosperity, progress, and sustainability for all, across the world.

 

Given the centrality of your role, I have deep respect for the Fifth Committee’s adherence to the long-standing practice of working to achieve the broadest possible agreement or consensus among Member States, regardless of circumstances – in accordance with the relevant resolutions, such as 41/213 and 42/211.

 

Indeed, working by consensus enhances the inclusivity of negotiations and cultivates the spirit of buy-in and ownership of results achieved through shared involvement of all Member States.

 

Consensus is an anchor of our multilateral system. It enforces the principle of sovereign equality of all Member States, wherein the voices of each and every UN Member State – big or small, developed or developing – are heard and accommodated to the extent possible.

 

It is especially important that countries in special situations are properly engaged in the decision-making process on resource allocation – to ensure that their vulnerability is acknowledged and their peculiar perspectives are also taken into account.

 

In this regard, during my Presidency I have committed to prioritise the interests of the LDCs, SIDS, and LLDCs so that they may be better placed on a footing from which to achieve sustainable development.

 

 

Excellencies,

 

I must, however, also acknowledge that by its very nature, the process of achieving broadest possible agreement or consensus is a painstaking one – thus necessitating the typical Fifth Committee tradition of convening day and night.

 

But I have full confidence in the Fifth Committee’s tested track record of meeting the moment.

 

Allow me here to acknowledge and indeed to appreciate your determination, distinguished Chair, to conclude the Committee’s work by mid-December. I am sure that all delegations will fully cooperate with your good intentions.

 

The timely conclusion of the Fifth Committee’s main session will be essential for stabilizing the Organisation’s liquidity situation, and thereby allow the Secretariat sufficient time to plan better for the new year.

 

I therefore urge all delegations to work in earnest to reach the earliest possible agreement on the regular budget. This is precisely what allows predictable financing, business continuity – and it enables us to live up to our commitments and uphold the credibility of the Organisation.

 

I am also aware that it was just last year that the Member States made the annual budget cycle permanent – delivering on a top reform priority for the Secretary-General and ushering in a new era of more responsive UN budgeting.

 

Let me nonetheless recall that – in accordance with the UN Charter – the financing of our organization is a collective responsibility of all Member States. I therefore urge the Member States – once the budget is approved – to pay their assessed contributions on time and in full.

 

Delays in the receipt of payments make it difficult to implement the mandates given by the Member States themselves and – as has been the case before – invariably result a liquidity crisis, which could even deepen in the next year.

 

In addition to the regular budget, the Fifth Committee has much on its agenda – including the orderly drawdown and withdrawal of the Mission in Mali (MINUSMA).

 

We all can agree that a seamless transition in Mali is important for sustainable peace and security for that host country, as well as for the safety and well-being of our cherished UN peacekeepers.

 

The Fifth Committee will in this session also be called on to assist the General Assembly in making important decisions on the provision of adequate, predictable, and sustainable financing for peacebuilding, human rights mandates, and assured funding for UNRWA.

 

 

Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates,

 

On Programme Planning, once again this year, the Committee for Programme and Coordination was not able to close 10 programmes, and these have been brought to the attention of Main Committees for their consideration.

 

In its most recent resolution on Programme Planning, the Fifth Committee requested that I work with the Chair to reach out to, and support, the Chairs of the other Main Committees, to ensure that their conclusions and recommendations are issued on time.

 

In this regard, I am happy to inform you that in my addresses to each of the Main Committees at the start of their sessions, I will continue to remind them of their responsibility to review the relevant programmes and to provide their recommendations as soon as possible to the Fifth Committee in order not to delay the consideration of the budget.

 

 

Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates,

 

As I conclude, throughout your efforts, I encourage you to build on what unites.

 

At the midway point of the 2030 Agenda, the demand for meaningful outcomes is greater than ever.

 

The pressure on us to deliver is at an all-time high.

 

We simply must do so.

 

I am confident that this session will yield successes that will strengthen the role of the UN in leading a robust multilateral system.

 

I wish you all fruitful deliberations and a timely conclusion to your work.

 

I thank you.