UNIFIL/Financing – GA resolution

Resolution adopted by the General Assembly

[ on the report of the Fifth Committee (A/56/722/Add.1)]

56/214.   Financing of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon

B¹ 

The General Assembly,

Having considered the reports of the Secretary-General on the financing of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon ² and the related reports of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions, ³

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 1391 (2002) of 28 January 2002,

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 56/214A of 21 December 2001,

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 and 56/214A,

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,

Concerned that the Secretary-General continues to face difficulties in meeting the obligations of the Force on a current basis, including reimbursement to current and former troop-contributing States,

Concerned also that the surplus balances in the Special Account for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon 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 Interim Force in Lebanon as at 30 April 2002, including the contributions outstanding in the amount of 112.8 million United States dollars, representing some 4 per cent of the total assessed contributions, notes with concern that only twenty-seven 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 on time, and urges all other Member States to make every possible effort to ensure payment of their assessed contributions to the Force in full and on time;

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 and 56/214A;

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 and 56/214A;

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. Also 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;

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

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

9. 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;

10. Endorses the conclusions and recommendations contained in the report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions, ⁴ and requests the Secretary-General to ensure their full implementation;

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;

13. 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 and paragraph 13 of its resolution 56/214A, stresses once again that Israel shall pay the amount of 1,284,633 dollars resulting from the incident at Qana on 18 April 1996, and requests the Secretary-General to report on this matter to the Assembly at its resumed fifty-seventh session;

Financial performance report for the period from 1 July 2000 to 30 June 2001

14. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General on the financial performance of the Force for the period from 1 July 2000 to 30 June 2001;⁵

Budget estimates for the period from 1 July 2002 to 30 June 2003

15. Decides to appropriate to the Special Account for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon the amount of 117,123,800 dollars for the period from 1 July 2002 to 30 June 2003, inclusive of 112,042,500 dollars for the maintenance of the Force, 4,537,700 dollars for the support account for peacekeeping operations and 543,600 dollars for the United Nations Logistics Base;

Financing of the appropriation

16. Decides also to apportion among Member States the amount of 117,123,800 dollars at a monthly rate of 9,760,317 dollars, in accordance with the levels set out in resolution 55/235, as adjusted by the General Assembly in its resolution 55/236 of 23 December 2000, and taking into account the scale of assessments for the years 2002 and 2003 as set out in its resolution 55/5 B of the same date, subject to a decision of the Security Council to extend the mandate of the Force;

17. 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 16 above, their respective share in the Tax Equalization Fund of 4,307,600 dollars for the period from 1 July 2002 to 30 June 2003, at a monthly rate of 358,967 dollars, comprising the estimated staff assessment income of 3,641,300 dollars approved for the Force for the period from 1 July 2002 to 30 June 2003, the prorated share of 617,900 dollars of the estimated staff assessment income approved for the support account for the period from 1 July 2002 to 30 June 2003 and the increase in staff assessment income of that account for the period from 1 July 2000 to 30 June 2001, and the prorated share of 48,400 dollars of the estimated staff assessment income approved for the United Nations Logistics Base for the period from 1 July 2002 to 30 June 2003 and the reduction in staff assessment income of that account for the period from 1 July 2000 to 30 June 2001;

18. 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 16 above, their respective share of the unencumbered balance of 23,343,100 dollars and their respective share of other income of 12,482,000 dollars in respect of the financial period ended 30 June 2001, in accordance with the levels set out in resolution 55/235, as adjusted by the General Assembly in its resolution 55/236, and taking into account the scale of assessments for the year 2001, as set out in its resolution 55/5 B;

19. Decides also that for Member States that have not fulfilled their financial obligations to the Force, their respective share of the unencumbered balance of 23,343,100 dollars and other income of 12,482,000 dollars in respect of the financial period ended 30 June 2001 shall be set off against their outstanding obligations in accordance with the scheme set out in paragraph 16 above;

20. Decides further that the decrease in the staff assessment income of 420,200 dollars shall be set off against the credits from the unencumbered balance in respect of the financial period ended 30 June 2001 referred to in paragraphs 18 and 19 above;

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

22. 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;

23. 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;

24. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-seventh 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”.

105th plenary meeting
27 June 2002

Notes

¹Consequently, resolution 56/214 in section VI of the Official Records of the General Assembly, Fifty-sixth Session, Supplement No. 49 and corrigendum (A/56/49 and A/56/49 (Vol.I)/Corr.1), becomes resolution 56/214 A.

²A/56/822 and A/56/893.

³A/56/887 and Add.7.

⁴A/56/887 and Add.7.

⁵A/56/822.