UNDOF/Financing – Fifth Cttee action – Report

Financing of the United Nations peacekeeping forces

in the Middle East: United Nations Disengagement Observer Force

 

 

Report of the Fifth Committee

 

 

   Rapporteur : Mr. Fouad Rajeh ………………………………… (Saudi Arabia)

 

 

 I.  Introduction 

  

1.   At its 2nd plenary meeting, on 19 September 2003, the General Assembly, on the recommendation of the General Committee, decided to include in the agenda of its fifty-eighth session the item entitled “Financing of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force” and to allocate it to the Fifth Committee.

2.   The Fifth Committee considered the item at its 40th, 41st and 51st meetings, on 3 and 4 May and 3 June 2004. Statements and observations made in the course of the Committee’s consideration of the item are reflected in the relevant summary records (A/C.5/58/SR.40, 41 and 51).

3.   For its consideration of the item, the Committee had before it the following documents:

 (a)   Report of the Secretary-General on the performance of the budget of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force for the period from 1 July 2002 to 30 June 2003 (A/58/641);

 (b)   Report of the Secretary-General on the budget for the Force for the period from 1 July 2004 to 30 June 2005 (A/58/662 and Corr.1);

 (c)   Report of the Secretary-General on the overview of the financing of the United Nations peacekeeping operations: budget performance for the period from 1 July 2002 to 30 June 2003 and budget for the period from 1 July 2004 to 30 June 2005 (A/58/705);

 (d)   Reports of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (A/58/759 and Add.7).

 II.   Consideration of draft resolution A/C.5/58/L.73

 

4.   At its 51st meeting, on 3 June, the Committee had before it a draft resolution entitled “Financing of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force” (A/C.5/58/L.73), which was submitted by the Chairman on the basis of informal consultations coordinated by the representative of Argentina.

5.   At the same meeting, the Committee adopted draft resolution A/C.5/58/L.73 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 the 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 regarding the establishment of 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 resolution 1520 (2003) of 22 December 2003,

 Recalling also its resolution 3211 B (XXIX) of 29 November 1974 on the financing of the United Nations Emergency Force and of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, and its subsequent resolutions thereon, the latest of which was resolution 57/324 of 18 June 2003,

 Reaffirming 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,

 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 Disengagement Observer Force as at 15 April 2004, including the contributions outstanding in the amount of 17.4 million United States dollars, representing some 1 per cent of the total assessed contributions, notes with concern that only thirty-eight Member States have paid their assessed contributions in full, and urges all other Member States, in particular those in arrears, to ensure the payment of their outstanding assessed contributions;

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

 3.  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;

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

 5.  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;

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

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

 8.   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;

 9.  Endorses the conclusions and recommendations contained in the report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions, ³ except those in paragraphs 16 and 20, and requests the Secretary-General to ensure their full implementation;

 10.  Authorizes the Secretary-General to fund the fourteen contractual posts mentioned in paragraph 10 of his report on the budget for the Force for the period from 1 July 2004 to 30 June 2005 ⁴ through general temporary assistance, without prejudice to a future discussion and decision on the proposal, and requests the Secretary-General to resubmit with full justification this request in the context of the budget proposal for the period from 1 July 2005 to 30 June 2006, taking into account the recommendation of the Advisory Committee contained in paragraph 19 of its report; ³

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

 12.  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;

 

    Financial performance report for the period from 1 July 2002 to 30 June 2003

  

 13.  Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General on the financial performance of the Force for the period from 1 July 2002 to 30 June 2003; ⁵ 

 

    Budget estimates for the period from 1 July 2004 to 30 June 2005 

 

 14.   Decides to appropriate to the Special Account for the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force the amount of 43,033,400 dollars for the period from 1 July 2004 to 30 June 2005, inclusive of 40,902,100 dollars for the maintenance of the Force, 1,742,400 dollars for the support account for peacekeeping operations and 388,900 dollars for the United Nations Logistics Base;

 

    Financing of the appropriation

 

 15.   Decides also to apportion among Member States the amount of 43,033,400 dollars at a monthly rate of 3,586,116 dollars, in accordance with the levels set out in General Assembly resolution 55/235, as adjusted by the General Assembly in its resolution 55/236 of 23 December 2000 and updated in its resolution 58/256 of 23 December 2003, and taking into account the scale of assessments for 2004 and 2005, as set out in its resolution 58/1 B of 23 December 2003, subject to a decision of the Security Council to extend the mandate of the Force;

 16.  Decides further 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 15 above, their respective share in the Tax Equalization Fund of 1,451,700 dollars, comprising the estimated staff assessment income of 1,175,400 dollars approved for the Force, the prorated share of 254,300 dollars of the estimated staff assessment income approved for the support account and the prorated share of 22,000 dollars of the estimated staff assessment income approved for the United Nations Logistics Base;

 17.  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 15 above, their respective share of the unencumbered balance and other income in the total amount of 1,891,100 dollars in respect of the financial period ended 30 June 2003, 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 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;

 18.  Decides also 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 1,891,100 dollars in respect of the financial period ended 30 June 2003, shall be set off against their outstanding obligations in accordance with the scheme set out in paragraph 17 above;

 19.  Decides further that the increase of 86,600 dollars in the estimated staff assessment income in respect of the financial period ended 30 June 2003 shall be added to the credits from the amount referred to in paragraphs 17 and 18 above and that the respective shares of Member States therein shall be applied in accordance with the provisions of those paragraphs as appropriate;

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

 21.  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;

 22.  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;

 23.  Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-ninth 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

¹A/58/641, A/58/662 and Corr.1 and A/58/705.

²A/58/759 and Add.7.

³A/58/759/Add.7.

⁴ A/58/662 and Corr.1.

⁵A/58/641.

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