UNDOF – Finance – Fifth Cttee report

Fifty-third session

Agenda item 122 (a)

Financing of the United Nations peacekeeping forces in the Middle East:

United Nations Disengagement Observer Force

Report of the Fifth Committee

Rapporteur: Mr. Tammam Sulaiman (Syrian Arab Republic)

I. Introduction

1. At its 3rd plenary meeting, on 15 September 1998, the General Assembly, on the recommendation of the General Committee, decided to include in the agenda of its fifty-third session the item entitled "Financing of the United Nations peacekeeping forces in the Middle East: United Nations Disengagement Observer Force" and to allocate it to the Fifth Committee.

2. The Fifth Committee considered the item at its 55th, 56th and 62nd meetings, on 10, 11 and 27 May 1999. Statements and observations made in the course of the Committee's consideration of the item are reflected in the relevant summary records (A/C.5/53/SR.55, 56 and 62).

3. For its consideration of the item, the Committee had before it the reports of the Secretary-General on the financing of the United Nations peacekeeping forces in the Middle East: United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (A/53/779 and Add.1 and Corr.1) and the related reports of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (A/53/895 and Add.1).

II. Consideration of draft resolution A/C.5/53/L.56

4. At the 62nd meeting, on 27 May, the representative of Côte d'Ivoire, Vice-Chairman of the Committee and coordinator of informal consultations on item 122 (a), introduced a draft resolution entitled "Financing of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force" (A/C.5/53/L.56).

5. At the same meeting, the Committee adopted draft resolution A/C.5/53/L.56 without a vote (see para. 6).

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 Disengagement Observer Force

The General Assembly,

Having considered the reports of the Secretary-General on the financing of United Nations Disengagement Observer Force 1/ and the related reports of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions, 2/

Recalling Security Council resolution 350 (1974) of 31 May 1974, by which the Council established the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, and the subsequent resolutions by which the Council extended the mandate of the Force, the latest of which was Security Council resolution 1211 (1998) of 25 November 1998,

Recalling also its resolution 3211 B (XXIX) of 29 November 1974 on the financing of the United Nations Emergency Force and the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force and its subsequent resolutions thereon, the latest of which was resolution 52/236 of 26 June 1998,

Reaffirming that the costs of the Force 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 decisions regarding the fact that, in order to meet the expenditures caused by the Force, 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 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,

Noting with appreciation that voluntary contributions have been made to the Force,

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

Concerned that the surplus balances in the Special Account for the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force have been used to meet expenses of the Force in order to compensate for the lack of income resulting from non-payment and late payment by Member States of their contributions,

1. Takes note of the status of contributions to the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force as at 30 April 1999, including the contributions outstanding in the amount of 17.6 million United States dollars, representing 1.4 per cent of the total assessed contributions from the inception of the Force to the period ending 31 May 1999, notes that some 15 per cent of the Member States have paid their assessed contributions in full, and urges all other Member States concerned, particularly 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 additional burdens owing to overdue payments by Member States of their assessments;

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

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

5. Endorses the observations and recommendations contained in the report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions; 3/

6. Requests the Secretary-General to take all necessary action to ensure that the Force is administered with a maximum of efficiency and economy;

7. Also requests the Secretary-General to expedite the process of improving the working conditions of the local staff in the Force, taking into account the difficulties arising from the relocation of Force headquarters from Damascus to Camp Faouar, and requests the Secretary-General to report thereon to the General Assembly at its fifty-fourth session;

8. Further requests the Secretary-General, in order to reduce the cost of employing General Service staff, to continue efforts to employ local staff for the Force against General Service posts, commensurate with the requirements of the Force;

9. Decides to appropriate to the Special Account for the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force the amount of 35,351,308 dollars gross (34,618,408 dollars net) for the maintenance of the Force for the period from 1 July 1999 to 30 June 2000, inclusive of the amount of 1,758,908 dollars for the support account for peacekeeping operations and the amount of 344,900 dollars for the United Nations Logistics Base at Brindisi to be apportioned, as an ad hoc arrangement, among Member States at the monthly rate of 2,945,942 dollars gross (2,884,867 dollars net), in accordance with the composition of groups set out in paragraph 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, 50/224 of 11 April 1996, 51/218 A, B and C of 18 December 1996 and 52/230 of 31 March 1998 and its decisions 48/472 A of 23 December 1993 and 50/451 B and 50/471 A of 23 December 1995, and taking into account the scale of assessments for the years 1999 and 2000, as set out in its resolution 52/215 A of 22 December 1997, subject to the decision of the Security Council to extend the mandate of the Force beyond 30 June 1999;

10. Decides also 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 732,900 dollars approved for the period from 1 July 1999 to 30 June 2000;

11. Decides further that, for Member States that have fulfilled their financial obligations to the Force, there shall be set off against the apportionment, as provided for in paragraph 9 above, their respective share in the unencumbered balance of 1,085,300 dollars gross (887,600 dollars net) for the period from 1 July 1997 to 30 June 1998;

12. Decides that, for Member States that have not fulfilled their financial obligations to the Force, their share of the unencumbered balance of 1,085,300 dollars gross (887,600 dollars net) for the period from 1 July 1997 to 30 June 1998 shall be set off against their outstanding obligations;

13. Requests the Secretary-General to credit back to Member States in a phased manner not to exceed three years, beginning with 5.6 million dollars during the current session of the General Assembly, according to the procedures contained in paragraphs 9 to 12 above, the net surplus balance of 13,622,162 dollars held in the suspense account for the Force;

14. Invites voluntary contributions to the Force 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 and practices established by the General Assembly;

15. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-fourth session, under the item entitled "Financing of the United Nations peacekeeping forces in the Middle East", the sub-item entitled "United Nations Disengagement Observer Force".

Notes

1/ A/53/779 and Add.1 and Corr.1.

2/ A/53/895 and Add.1.

3/ A/53/895/Add.1.