UNIFIL financing – GA resolution

Resolution adopted by the General Assembly

[ on the report of the Fifth Committee (A/57/829)]

57/325.   Financing of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon

  The General Assembly,

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

 Recalling Security Council resolution 425 (1978) of 19 March 1978 regarding the establishment of 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 1461 (2003) of 30 January 2003,

 Recalling also its resolution S-8/2 of 21 April 1978 on the financing of the Force and its subsequent resolutions thereon, the latest of which was resolution 56/214 B of 27 June 2002,

 Reaffirming its resolutions 51/233 of 13 June 1997, 52/237 of 26 June 1998, 53/227 of 8 June 1999, 54/267 of 15 June 2000, 55/180 A of 19 December 2000, 55/180 B of 14 June 2001, 56/214 A of 21 December 2001 and 56/214 B,

 Reaffirming also the general principles underlying the financing of United Nations peacekeeping operations, as stated in General Assembly resolutions 1874 (S-IV) of 27 June 1963, 3101 (XXVIII) of 11 December 1973 and 55/235 of 23 December 2000,

 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,

 1.  Takes note of the status of contributions to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon as at 31 March 2003, including the contributions outstanding in the amount of 108.3 million United States dollars, representing some 4 per cent of the total assessed contributions, notes with concern that only twenty-three Member States have paid their assessed contributions in full, and urges all other Member States, in particular those in arrears, to ensure payment of their outstanding assessed contributions;

 2.  Expresses its appreciation to those Member States which have paid their assessed contributions in full, and urges all other Member States to make every possible effort to ensure payment of their assessed contributions to the Force in full;

 3.  Expresses its deep concern that Israel did not comply with General Assembly resolutions 51/233, 52/237, 53/227, 54/267, 55/180 A, 55/180 B, 56/214 A and 56/214 B;

 4.  Stresses once again that Israel should strictly abide by General Assembly resolutions 51/233, 52/237, 53/227, 54/267, 55/180 A, 55/180 B, 56/214 A and 56/214 B;

 5.  Expresses concern at the financial situation with regard to peacekeeping activities, in particular as regards the reimbursements to troop contributors that bear additional burdens owing to overdue payments by Member States of their assessments;

 6.  Takes note of the fact that indemnities have been paid to staff working on fixed-term contracts without a clear or detailed legislative basis, and requests the Secretary-General to ensure that similar cases do not occur in the future without previous specific authorization by the General Assembly;

 7.  Expresses concern at the delay experienced by the Secretary-General in deploying and providing adequate resources to some recent peacekeeping missions, in particular those in Africa;

 8.  Emphasizes that all future and existing peacekeeping missions shall be given equal and non-discriminatory treatment in respect of financial and administrative arrangements;

 9.  Also emphasizes that all peacekeeping missions shall be provided with adequate resources for the effective and efficient discharge of their respective mandates;

 10.  Reiterates its request to the Secretary-General to make the fullest possible use of facilities and equipment at the United Nations Logistics Base at Brindisi, Italy, in order to minimize the costs of procurement for the Force;

 11.  Endorses the conclusions and recommendations contained in the report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions, ³ and requests the Secretary-General to ensure their full implementation without prejudice to a future discussion and decision on the proposal to create the post of Deputy Force Commander;

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

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

 14.  Reiterates its request to the Secretary-General to take the measures necessary to ensure the full implementation of paragraph 8 of its resolution 51/233, paragraph 5 of its resolution 52/237, paragraph 11 of its resolution 53/227, paragraph 14 of its resolution 54/267, paragraph 14 of its resolution 55/180 A, paragraph 15 of its resolution 55/180 B, paragraph 13 of its resolution 56/214 A and paragraph 13 of its resolution 56/214 B, stresses once again that Israel shall pay the amount of 1,117,005 dollars resulting from the incident at Qana on 18 April 1996, and requests the Secretary-General to report on this matter to the General Assembly at its resumed fifty-eighth session;

Financial performance report for the period from 1 July 2001 to 30 June 2002

  15.  Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General on the financial performance of the Force for the period from 1 July 2001 to 30 June 2002; ⁴ 

Budget estimates for the period from 1 July 2003 to 30 June 2004

 16.   Decides to appropriate to the Special Account for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon the amount of 94,055,900 dollars for the period from 1 July 2003 to 30 June 2004, inclusive of 90 million dollars for the maintenance of the Force, 3,105,700 dollars for the support account for peacekeeping operations and 950,200 dollars for the United Nations Logistics Base; 

Financing of the appropriation

 17.  Also decides to apportion among Member States the amount of 94,055,900 dollars at a monthly rate of 7,837,992 dollars, in accordance with the levels set out in resolution 55/235, as adjusted by the General Assembly in its resolutions 55/236 of 23 December 2000 and 57/290 A of 20 December 2002, and taking into account the scale of assessments for 2003 as set out in its resolutions 55/5 B of 23 December 2000 and 57/4 B of 20 December 2002, and for 2004, ⁵ subject to a decision of the Security Council to extend the mandate of the Force;

 18.  Further decides 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 17 above, their respective share in the Tax Equalization Fund of 4,555,000 dollars at a monthly rate of 379,583 dollars, comprising the estimated staff assessment income of 3,799,100 dollars approved for the Force, the prorated share of 699,700 dollars of the estimated staff assessment income approved for the support account and the prorated share of 56,200 dollars of the estimated staff assessment income approved for the United Nations Logistics Base;

 19.  Decides that for Member States that have fulfilled their financial obligations to the Force, there shall be set off against their apportionment, as provided for in paragraph 17 above, their respective share of the unencumbered balance and other income in the total amount of 20,861,900 dollars in respect of the financial period ended 30 June 2002, in accordance with the levels set out in resolution 55/235, as adjusted by the General Assembly in its resolutions 55/236 and 57/290 A, and taking into account the scale of assessments for 2002, as set out in its resolutions 55/5 B and 57/4 B;

 20.  Also decides that, for Member States that have not fulfilled their financial obligations to the Force, their respective share of the unencumbered balance and other income in the total amount of 20,861,900 dollars in respect of the financial period ended 30 June 2002 shall be set off against their outstanding obligations in accordance with the scheme set out in paragraph 19 above;

 21.  Further decides that the increase of 398,800 dollars in the estimated staff assessment income in respect of the financial period ended 30 June 2002 shall be added to the credits from the amount referred to in paragraphs 19 and 20 above and that the respective shares of Member States therein shall be applied in accordance with the provisions of those paragraphs, as appropriate;

 22.  Emphasizes that no peacekeeping mission shall be financed by borrowing funds from other active peacekeeping missions;

 23.  Encourages the Secretary-General to continue to take additional measures to ensure the safety and security of all personnel under the auspices of the United Nations participating in the Force;

 24.  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;

 25.  Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-eighth session, under the item entitled “Financing of the United Nations peacekeeping forces in the Middle East”, the sub-item entitled “United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon”.

90th plenary meeting

18 June 2003

Notes

¹ A/57/662 and Corr.1, A/57/663 and A/57/723.

² A/57/772 and Add.6.

³ See A/57/772/Add.6.

⁴ A/57/662 and Corr.1.

⁵ To be adopted by the General Assembly.