Concluding Resumed Session, Budget Committee Approves 5 Texts as Delegates Request Elimination of First-Class Air Travel for Senior Staff
Concluding the first part of its resumed seventy-second session, the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today approved — without a vote — five draft texts, including one on the rationalization of the use of the Organization’s travel resources.
In a text on special subjects related to the 2018‑2019 programme budget, the General Assembly would decide to eliminate the use of first-class travel by Under-Secretaries-Generals and Assistant Secretaries-Generals, including when they represent the Secretary-General, and encourage non-staff entitled to travel first class — except representatives of least developed countries — to voluntarily downgrade to the class immediately below. Those changes, however, would not affect current standards of accommodation for air travel and daily subsistence allowances for members of United Nations organs, subsidiary organs, committees, councils and commissions.
The Secretary-General would be asked to submit a comprehensive report on such standards at its seventy‑third session and hold managers accountable for the judicious use of travel resources.
[The Secretary‑General’s recent report on the standards of accommodation for air travel put the number of trips by commercial aircraft by Secretariat staff from July 2016 to June 2017 at 98,488, of which 84 per cent were in economy class, 13 per cent in business class and less than 1 per cent — or 51 journeys — in first class. Three per cent of trips involved multiple classes of service.]
In closing remarks, speakers welcomed the Committee’s agreement on the rationalized use of air travel resources, calling it an important move to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the Organization’s work.
The representative of the United States welcomed the elimination of first‑class air travel for all United Nations staff as a “positive example of the Committee exercising its authority to affect sensible policy changes, and is a step in the right direction on proper management of resources”. At the same time, the Committee had missed an opportunity to secure a decision on first-class air travel for non-staff across the United Nations system, she said, stressing that members of the International Court of Justice should not travel first class.
The European Union’s representative shared that view, emphasizing: “We believe that an efficient management of air travel at the United Nations is an important element of modern management in the framework of reform. And we believe this resolution is a first step in that direction.”
Further to the text on special subjects, the Secretary-General would be asked to consider submitting a report on the proposed regional restructuring of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) for the Assembly’s consideration at its seventy-fourth session.
Another text established the programme budget implications related to the high-level meeting on the fight against tuberculosis, scheduled for 26 September at Headquarters. If the resolution were to be adopted by the General Assembly, $59,700 would be required for that meeting, with efforts made to absorb that amount within the 2018‑2019 budget.
The Committee also sent the General Assembly texts on the Joint Inspection Unit and the construction of a new facility for the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, Arusha branch. In a final decision, the Committee asked the Assembly to decide to defer to forthcoming sessions consideration of reports by the Secretary-General and the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) on the results of the survey to support the review of the standard rate of reimbursement to troop- and police‑contributing countries, as well as on the review of the experience of the utilization of the contingency fund.
Michel Tommo Monthe (Cameroon), Chair of the Fifth Committee, informed delegations that the Assembly would take up the approved draft resolutions the following week.
Also speaking today were the representatives of Egypt (on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China), Canada (also on behalf of Australia and New Zealand), Japan, China and the Russian Federation.
Action on Drafts
The Committee first took up a draft decision (document A/C.5/72/L.27) on the programme budget implications of draft resolution A/72/L.40 titled “Scope, modalities, format and organization of the high-level meeting on the fight against tuberculosis”. If the resolution were to be adopted, $59,700 would be required, including $49,800 under section 2, General Assembly and Economic and Social Council Affairs and Conference Management, and $9,900 under section 28, Public Information, of the 2018-2019 programme budget. Efforts would be made to absorb that amount within that 2018-2019 budget and the additional expenditures would be reported in the relevant performance report for that biennium.
The draft decision was approved without a vote.
Next, the Committee considered a text titled “Special subjects relating to the programme budget for the biennium 2018-2019” (document A/C.5/72/L.28), by which the Assembly, recalling that paragraph 20 of ACABQ’s report on standards of accommodation for air travel (document A/72/7/Add.44), would decide to eliminate the use of first-class travel of United Nations staff members for their official travel; encourage non-staff entitled to travel first class, with the exception of representatives of least developed countries, to voluntarily downgrade to the class immediately below; and ask the Secretary-General to submit a comprehensive report on standards of accommodation for air travel at its seventy‑third session. It would also encourage him to include the advance purchase of tickets as a key performance indicator, reiterate its request to hold managers accountable for the judicious use of travel resources and request the Secretary‑General to report on any new trends for making use of frequent flyer miles.
By further terms, the Assembly would decide to reinstate travel days and maintain the 70 per cent lump sum payment for entitlement travel while looking forward to a comprehensive analysis of implementation of that option. It would also request from the Secretary-General recommendations concerning a single threshold for the use of business class by staff — and eligible family members — below the Assistant Secretary-General level. It would moreover request the Secretary-General to encourage the voluntary use of economy and premium economy instead of business class wherever possible.
Also by the text, the Assembly would decide that changes set out in the present draft shall not affect current standards of accommodation for air travel and daily subsistence allowances for members of United Nations organs, subsidiary organs, committees, councils and commissions. It would request the Secretary‑General to keep limiting the use of exceptions and to strengthen internal controls on standards of accommodation, and that he ensure that procurement of air travel management services contracts be conducted with a view to best value for money; fairness, integrity and transparency; effective international competition; and the interest of the Organization.
With regard to the proposed regional restructuring of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the Assembly would request the Secretary-General to consider submitting a report on the matter, if necessary, for its consideration at its seventy-fourth session.
The Committee approved the draft without a vote.
The Committee then took up a draft resolution on the Joint Inspection Unit (document A/C.5/72/L.26), which would have the Assembly take note of the Unit’s report for 2017 and programme of work for 2018. It would reiterate its request to the executive heads of the participating organizations to fully comply with the statutory procedures for consideration of the Unit’s reports and, in particular, submit their comments — including information on what they intended to do regarding the Unit’s recommendations — to distribute reports in time for consideration by legislative organs, and to provide information on the steps to be taken to implement recommendations accepted by those organs and the executive heads of participating organizations.
Also by the text, the Assembly would stress the importance of the oversight functions of the Unit in identifying concrete managerial, administrative and programming questions within the participating organizations and providing the Assembly with action-oriented recommendations to improve governance of the United Nations. It would also welcome the completion of the migration of the web-based tracking system and the website of the Unit to platforms hosted by the Secretariat, and heads of participating organizations would be requested to make full use of the web-based tracking system of the Unit. By further terms, heads of participating organizations would be encouraged to examine options to improve coordinated action, including through the Chief Executives Board for Coordination.
The draft was approved without a vote.
The Committee then took up a draft resolution on the construction of a new facility for the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, Arusha branch (document A/C.5/72/L.25). By its terms, the General Assembly would take note of the Secretary-General’s report (document A/72/734) and endorse the conclusions and recommendations in the related report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) (document A/72/785).
The text was approved without a vote.
Next, the Committee considered a draft decision (document A/C.5/72/L.29) on questions deferred for future consideration, by which the General Assembly would defer until the second part of its resumed seventy-second session consideration of the Secretary-General’s report on the results of the survey to support the review of the standard rate of reimbursement to troop- and police-contributing countries (document A/72/728) and ACABQ’s corresponding report (document A/72/771). Furthermore, it would defer until the main part of its seventy-third session consideration of Secretary-General’s report on the review of the experience of the utilization of the contingency fund (document A/70/395) and ACABQ’s related report (document A/70/7/Add.7).
The draft was approved without a vote.
Closing Remarks
MOHAMED FOUAD AHMED (Egypt), speaking on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, said that the Group was especially pleased with the outcome of negotiations on the Joint Inspection Unit and air travel, which culminated with two resolutions which would enhance the efficiency of the Organization in delivering on its mandate and set better guidelines with regard to air travel management. The Group would work closely with all stakeholders on a pragmatic approach to the Committee’s heavy agenda for the second resumed session and hoped all stakeholders would engage in discussions in a spirit of constructiveness, flexibility and mutual compromise.
JAN DE PRETER of the European Union said that improving the working methods of the Fifth Committee required the Committee’s full attention. Too many timeslots had remained open. He welcomed the consensus reached on several items, including air travel, Joint Inspection Unit and construction of the International Residual Mechanism’s Arusha branch. The resolution adopted on air travel finally eliminated all staff entitlements to first-class standards of accommodation. He regretted, however, that the Committee failed to secure proportionally on first class for non-staff across the United Nations system. He strongly encouraged members of the International Court of Justice to refrain from travelling first class. “We believe that an efficient management of air travel at the United Nations is an important element of modern management in the framework of reform. And we believe this resolution is a first step in that direction,” he said. He regretted that, once again, no consensus could be found on the use of the contingency fund, or on the regional restructuring of OHCHR, adding: “We recall that the Fifth Committee is a technical committee and we regret the politicization of this item.”
KENT VACHON (Canada), also speaking on behalf of Australia and New Zealand and aligning himself with the statement of the European Union, expressed support for the decision to shorten the duration of the Committee’s session, stressing that the two weeks of conference services that had not been used should be made available for the second resumed session. In a more effective United Nations, it should be within the purview of the Secretary-General to move resources to where they could best accomplish their mandates; free of the micromanagement and politicization that had often characterized the Committee’s work.
CHERITH NORMAN CHALET (United States) noted that the Committee took action to support fiscal discipline within the Organization while supporting high priorities issues, including furthering the fight against tuberculosis and completion of construction of the International Residual Mechanism’s Arusha branch. She welcomed the elimination of first-class air travel for all United Nations staff as a “positive example of the Committee exercising its authority to affect sensible policy changes and is a step in the right direction on proper management of resources”. At the same time, the Committee had missed an opportunity to secure a decision on first-class air travel for non-staff across the United Nations system, she said, stressing that members of the International Court of Justice should not travel first class. Her delegation looked forward to discussing the item further so that such gaps could be properly and fully addressed. Furthermore, she remained dismayed that the Committee had delayed an important opportunity to improve the ability of OHCHR to more effectively promote and protect human rights. The United States remained supportive of that Secretary-General’s proposed restructuring which enabled OHCHR to enhance services in the field. She commended the High Commissioner for putting forward a cost‑neutral proposal and looked forward to discussing its substantive aspects in future.
KATSUHIKO IMADA (Japan) said that, during two weeks of negotiations, the Committee had been able to come to agreements that proved that the United Nations was able to deliver necessary changes in its working culture. He highlighted, in particular, the agreement reached regarding the rationalized use of travel resources, in which the Committee agreed to phase out all first-class travel for United Nations staff on official travel, among other measures. “We believe this is a first step towards wider reforms, not only in terms of travel resources, but in the general effort to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the work of the United Nations,” he said.
FU DAOPENG (China), aligning himself with the Group of 77, called attention to the consensus had been reached on the air travel standards, which had not come easily and represented a milestone for the session. This year, the Committee was facing daunting tasks, growing challenges and increasing requirements. To improve the effectiveness of the Committee, all activities must be based on rules and procedures, reports must be prepared within the prescribed deadlines, and consultations must be democratic in nature. Negotiations were not a zero-sum game, but rather all Member States must work together to reach “win-win” results.
SERGEY V. KHALIZOV (Russian Federation) expressed satisfaction with the results that had been achieved during the resumed session and underscored that all the decisions that were made had been based on consensus, which was a principle that his delegation supported. He joined those delegations that expressed concern regarding the importance of the timely presentation of documents for consideration by the Committee, which would be particularly important in the context of the upcoming session in May.