UNDOF/UNIFIL – Finance – SecGen report (excerpts)

FINANCING OF THE UNITED NATIONS PEACE-KEEPING

FORCES IN THE MIDDLE EAST:  UNITED NATIONS

DISENGAGEMENT OBSERVER FORCE

FINANCING OF THE UNITED NATIONS PEACE-KEEPING

FORCES IN THE MIDDLE EAST:  UNITED NATIONS

INTERIM FORCE IN LEBANON

Report of the Secretary-General

INTRODUCTION

1. Owing to time constraints, the General Assembly may not be able to consider the report of the Secretary-General and the related reports of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Question. (ACABQ) on the financing of the following 17 peace-keeping operation during the current regular session:  United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) (item 130 (a)), United Nations Interim  Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) (item 130 (b)), United Nations Angola Verification Mission (UNAVEM II) (item 131), United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission (UNIKOM) (item 132 (a)), United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) (item 133), United Nations Observer Mission in El Salvador (ONUSAL) (item 134), United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) (item 135); United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR) (item 136), United Nations Operation in Somalia (UNOSOM II) (item 137), United Nations Operation in Mozambique (ONUMOZ) (item 149), United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) (item 160), United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) (item 162), United Nations Observer Mission Uganda-Rwanda (UNOMUR) (item 164), United Nations Mission in Haiti (UNMIH) (item 165), United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia (UNOMIL) (item 166), United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR) (item 173), and United Nations Military Liaison Team in Cambodia (item 174).

2. It is recalled that, at the 16th meeting on 12 November 1993, in the context of the organization of the work of the Fifth Committee, it was indicated that priority would be given to completing agenda item 123, Proposed programme budget for the biennium 1994-1995, by the end of the current regular session.  Consequently, certain of the items on the agenda of the Fifth Committee may have to be postponed to the resumed forty-eighth session of the Assembly sometime in April 1994, among them those related to the financing of peace-keeping operations. In order to provide for the operational requirements of the peace-keeping operations, it will be necessary for the Fifth committee to recommend to the Assembly that it grant financial authority to the Secretary-General for the maintenance of the peace-keeping operations.

3. Pending a full review by the Assembly at the resumed forty-eighth session of the reports on the financing of the peace-keeping operations enumerated in paragraph 1 above and in order to provide for their continued maintenance, the present report sets out the requirement for the maintenance of each of the peace-keeping operation for the period ending 30 April 1994.

I.  RESOURCE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAINTENANCE

OF PEACE-KEEPING OPERATIONS

A.  United Nations Disengagement Observer Force

4. The General Assembly, by its resolution 47/204 of 22 December 1992, authorized the Secretary-General to enter into commitments for UNDOF at a rate not to exceed $3,034,000 gross ($2,953,000 net) per month for the period from 1 June to 30 November 1993, should the Security Council decide to continue the Force beyond 31 May 1993. In addition, this amount was to be apportioned among Member States in accordance with the scheme set out in the resolution. The authorization provided for the maintenance of the Force at an average strength of 1,124 troops, all ranks, and 126 civilian staff, including 90 recruited locally.

5. The Security Council, by its resolution 830 (1993) of 26 May 1993, extended the mandate of UNDOF for a period of six months until 30 November 1993. On 29 November 1993, the Council, by its resolution 887 (1993) extended the Force for a further period of six months, until 31 May 1994.

6. For the period beginning 1 December 1993, it is anticipated that the average strength of the Force will be reduced by 88 to 1,036 troops, all ranks, and the civilian staff by 6 to 120, including 84 recruited locally.  On this basis, it is estimated that the cost of maintaining UNDOF during the 12-month period from 1 December 1993 to 30 November 1994 will amount to $32,160,000 gross ($31,188,000 net.). This is equivalent to $2,680,000 gross ($2,599,000 net) per month. Consequent1y, the amount required for the five-month period from 1 December 1993 to 30 April 1994 will amount to $13,400,000 gross ($12,995,000 net).

7. A breakdown of the requirements by major line-items of expenditure for the five-month period ending 30 April 1994 is indicated in the table below. For comparison, the revised apportionment for the prior 12-month period ending 30 November 1993 is also provided.

Table 1

Revised apportionment for the period from 1 December 1992

to 30 November 1992 and cost estimate for the period from

1 December 1993 to 30 April 1994

Summary statement

(Thousands of United States dollars, rounded)

8. The detailed report of the Secretary-General on the financing of UNDOF covering the period from 1 December 1993 to 30 November 1994 is being issued as document A/48/700.

B.  United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon

9. The General Assembly, by its resolution 47/205 of 22 December 1992, authorized the Secretary-General to enter into commitments for UNIFIL at a rate not to exceed $12,190,000 gros ($11,931,500 net) per month for the period beginning 1 February 1993, should the Security Council decide to continue the Force beyond the period of six month. autuhorized under its resolution 768 (1992). In addition, this amount was to be apportioned among Member States in accordance with the scheme set out in the resolution. The authorization provided for the maintenance of the Force at an average strength of 5,250 troops, all ranks, and 542 civilian staff, including 320 recruited locally.

10. The Security Council, by its resolutions 803 (1993) of 28 January 1993 and 852 (1993) of 28 July 1993, extended the mandate of UNIFIL for two consecutive periods of six months each, the first until 31 July 1993 and the second, until 31 January 1994.

11. For the period beginning 1 February 1994, it is anticlpated that the military strength of the Force will be  maintained at 5,250 troops, all ranks, and that the total number of civilian staff will be reduced by 18 to 524, including 339 recruited locally. In spite of the reduced overall civilian staffing proposed, it is anticipated that, with the closing of UNTAC, the release of staff will result in the lowering of the vacancy rate during the next 12 months to only 5 per cent.  On this basis, it is proposed that the cost of maintaining UNIFIL, should the Council decide to continue the Force beyond 31 January 1994, be maintained at the current level of $12,190,000 gross ($11,931,500 net) per month. Consequently, the amount required for the three-month period from l February 1994 to 30 April 1994 will amount to $36,570,000 gross ($35,403,000 net).

12. A breakdown of the requirements by major line-items of expenditure for the three-month period ending 30 April 1994 is indicated in the table below. For compariaon, the revised apportionment for the prior 12-month period ending 31 January 1994 is also provided.

Table 2

Revised apportionment for the period from 1 February 1993

to 31 January 1994 and cost estimate for the period from

1 February to 30 April 1994

Summary statement

(Thousands of United States dollars, rounded)

13. The detailed report of the Secretary-General on the financing of UNIFIL covering the period from 1 February 1994 to 31 January 1995 is under preparation and will be issued as soon as possible.

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