UNIFIL – Finance – Fifth Cttee report

FINANCING OF THE UNITED NATIONS PEACE-KEEPING FORCES IN THE MIDDLE EAST:

UNITED NATIONS INTERIM FORCE IN LEBANON

Report of the Fifth Committee

Rapporteur:  Mr. Shamel NASSER (Egypt)

I.  INTRODUCTION

1. At its 3rd plenary meeting, on 21 September 1990, the General Assembly, on the recommendation of the General Committee, decided to include in the agenda of its forty-fifth session the item entitled

"Financing of the United Nations peace-keeping forces in the Middle East"

"(a) United Nations Disengagement Observer Force;

"(b) United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon"

and to allocate it to the Fifth Committee.

2. The Fifth Committee considered sub-item (b) of agenda item 129 at its 44th and 50th meetings on 12 and 19 December 1990.  It had before it the report of the Secretary-General on the financing of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (A/45/802) and the related report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (A/45/832).

II.  CONSIDERATION OF DRAFT RESOLUTION A/C.5/45/L.10

3. At the 50th meeting, on 19 December 1990, the representative of Norway introduced a draft resolution (A/C.5/45/L.10).  The representative of Ireland orally amended the sixth preambular paragraph as follows.

"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 21 June 1963, in the financing of such operations".

4. At that meeting, the Committee adopted draft resolution A/C.5/45/L.10, as orally revised, without a vote (see para. 6).

5. Statements and observations made in the course of the Committee's consideration of this sub-item are reflected in the relevant summary records (see A/C.5/45/SR.44 and 50).

III.  RECOMMENDATION OF THE FIFTH COMMITTEE

6. The Fifth Committee recommends to the General Assembly the adoption of the following draft resolution:

FINANCING OF THE UNITED NATIONS INTERIM FORCE IN LEBANON

The General Assembly,

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

Bearing in mind Security Council resolution 425 (1978) of 19 March 1978, by which the Council established the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, and the subsequent resolutions by which the Council extended the mandate of the Force, the latest of which was resolution 659 (1990) of 31 July 1990,

Recalling its resolution S-8/2 of 21 April 1978 on the financing of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon and its subsequent resolutions thereon, the latest of which was resolution 44/188 of 21 December 1989,

Reaffirming its previous decisions regarding the fact that, in order to meet the expenditures caused by the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, a different procedure is required from the one 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 operations involving heavy expenditures,

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,

Having regard to the financial position of the Special Account for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, as set forth in the report of the Secretary-General, and referring to paragraph 13 of the report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions,

Recalling its resolution 34/9 E of 17 December 1979 and the subsequent resolution in which it decided that the provisions of regulations 5.2 (b), 5.2 (d), 4.3 and 4.4 of the Financial Regulations of the United Nations should be suspended, the latest of which was resolution 44/188,

Mindful of the fact that it is essential to provide the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon with the necessary financial resources to enable it to fulfil its responsibilities under the relevant resolutions of the Security Council,

Noting with appreciation that voluntary contributions have been made to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon by certain Governments,

Concerned that the Secretary-General continues to face difficulties in meeting the obligations of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon on a current basis, including reimbursement to current and former troop-contributing States, resulting from the withholding of contributions by certain Member States,

Concerned also that the surplus balances in the Special Account for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon have, in effect, been drawn upon to the full extent to supplement the income received from contributions for meeting expenses of the Force,

Concerned further that the application of the provisions of regulations 5.2 (b), 5.2 (d), 4.3 and 4.4 of the Financial Regulations of the United Nations would aggravate the already difficult financial situation of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon,

1. Decides to appropriate to the Special Account referred to in section I, paragraph 1, of General Assembly resolution S-8/2 the amount of 144,012,000 United States dollars gross (141,172,000 dollars net) authorized by the Assembly and apportioned in paragraph 2 of its resolution 44/188 for the operation of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon from 1 February 1990 to 31 January 1991, inclusive;

2. Authorizes the Secretary-General to enter into commitments for the operation of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon at a rate not to exceed 12,789,000 dollars gross (12,557,000 dollars net) per month for the twelve-month period beginning 1 February 1991, should the Security Council decide to continue the Force beyond the period of six months authorized under its resolution 659 (1990);

3. Decides, as an ad hoc arrangement, to apportion the amounts referred to in paragraph 2 above among Member States, 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 resolution 44/192 B of 21 December 1989 and taking into account the scale of assessments for the years 1989, 1990 and 1991, 3/

4. Decides also that Liechtenstein shall be included in paragraph 3 (b) of General Assembly resolution 43/232 and that its contribution to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon shall be calculated in accordance with the provisions of the resolution to be adopted by the Assembly at its forty-fifth session regarding the scale of assessments;

5. Decides further that Namibia shall be included in paragraph 3 (d) of General Assembly resolution 43/232 and that its contribution to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon shall be calculated in accordance with the provisions of the resolution to be adopted by the Assembly at its forty-fifth session regarding the scale of assessments;

6. Decides that, in accordance with regulation 5.2 (c) of the Financial Regulations of the United Nations the contributions to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon until 31 January 1991 of the Member States referred to in paragraphs 4 and 5 of the present resolution shall be treated as miscellaneous income to be set off against the apportionments authorized in paragraph 3 of the present resolution;

7. Decides also that the provisions of regulations 5.2 (b), 5.2 (d), 4.3 and 4.4 of the Financial Regulations of the United Nations shall be suspended in respect of the amount of 21,897,141 dollarss which otherwise would have to be surrendered pursuant to those provisions, this amount to be entered in the account referred to in the operative part of General Assembly resolution 34/9 E and held in suspense until a further decision is taken by the Assembly;

8. Requests the Secretary-General to take all necessary measures to ensure that the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon shall be administered with a maximum of efficiency and economy;

9. Renews its invitation to Member States and other interested parties to make voluntary contributions to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon both in cash and in the form of services and supplies acceptable to the Secretary-General and also to make voluntary contributions in cash to the Suspense Account established in accordance with General Assembly resolution 34/9 D of 17 December 1979.

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Notes

1/ A/45/802.

2/ A/45/832.

3/ See resolution 43/223 A.