UNDOF – SecGen report

FINANCING OF THE UNITED NATIONS PEACE-KEEPING FORCES

IN THE MIDDLE EAST

United Nations Disengagement Observer Force

Report of the Secretary-General

CONTENTS

I.  INTRODUCTION

1. At its forty-third session, the General Assembly adopted 43/228 of 21 December 1988 on the financing of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) for the period from 1 December 1988 to 30 November 1989.  At that time, the mandate of UNDOF had been renewed by the Security Council until 31 May 1989 (Security Council resolution 624 (1988) of 30 November 1988).

2. By paragraph 2 of its resolution 43/228, the General Assembly appropriated the amount of $18,114,000 for UNDOF for the period from 1 December 1988 to 31 May 1989.  By paragraph 6 of the resolution, the Assembly authorized the Secretary-General to enter into commitments for UNDOF at a rate not to exceed $3,019,000 gross ($2,963,000 net) per month for the period from 1 June to 30 November 1989, should the Security Council decide to continue UNDOF beyond 31 May 1989, and to apportion that amount among Member States in accordance with the scheme set out in operative paragraph 3 of resolution 43/228.

3. By its resolution 633 (1989) of 30 May 1989, the Security Council renewed the mandate of UNDOF for another period of six months, until 30 November 1989.

II.  STATUS OF ASSESSED CONTRIBUTIONS

4. As at 30 September 1989, assessments totalling $897.2 million had been apportioned among Member States in respect of UNDOF and the United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF) for the period from inception to 30 November 1989.  Contributions received for the same period amounted to $801.0 million.  Of the unpaid assessed balance due ($78.2 million), only $10.0 million may be considered collectible at this time, which leaves a shortfall of $68.2 million, including $36.0 million transferred to a special account in accordance with General Assembly resolution 36/116 A of 10 December 1981.

5. The table below gives the status of contributions for UNDOF for the periods from its inception to 30 November 1989 as at 30 September 1989.  As indicated therein, approximately $7.7 million of the shortfall is in respect of the periods from 25 October 1979 to 30 November 1989, while some $60.5 million is attributable to the previous periods of UNDOF up to 24 October 1979 together with UNEF until its liquidation in 1980.  In the circumstances, troop contributors have not been reimbursed on time.

Status of contributions as at 30 September 1989

(Millions of dollars)

a/ UNEF from inception to liquidation in 1980, UNDOF from inception to 24 October 1979.

III.  VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS

6. The General Assembly, in paragraph 8 of its resolution 43/228, stressed the need for voluntary contributions to UNDOF both in cash and in the form of services and supplies acceptable to the Secretary-General.  No voluntary contributions have been received in response to that resolution.

IV.  EXPENDITURES AND REVISED APPORTIONMENT FOR PERIODS FROM

1 DECEMBER 1987 TO 30 NOVEMBER 1989

7. The disbursements made and obligations incurred by UNDOF for the two twelve-month periods from 1 December 1987 to 30 November 1989 are set forth in annex I below.

V.  COST ESTIMATE BEYOND 30 NOVEMBER 1989

8. The present mandate of UNDOF expires on 30 November 1989.  Should the Security Council renew the mandate beyond that date, and assuming continuance of its existing responsibilities, the Secretary-General estimates the costs of UNDOF to be $3,368,000 gross ($3,283,000 net) per month from 1 December 1989 onwards.  Appropriation and/or authorization to enter into commitments and apportionment for UNDOF would then, in turn, be required beyond 30 November 1989.  Accordingly, in the event that the Security Council decides to renew the mandate, the Secretary-General requests that the General Assembly, at the present session, make appropriate provision for UNDOF expenses for the period from 1 December 1989 to 30 November 1990.

9. A summary of the cost estimate for UNDOF for the period from 1 December 1989 to 30 November 1990 will be found in annex I and supplementary information thereon is provided in annex II.

VI.  ACTION TO BE TAKEN BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AT

ITS FORTY-FOURTH SESSION

9. The actions that would appear to be required in connection with the past and future financing of UNDOF are as follows:

(a) The appropriation of the amount of $18,114,000 gross ($17,778,000 net) authorized and apportioned in paragraph 6 of General Assembly resolution 43/228 for the period from 1 June to 30 November 1989;

(b) With regard to the period after 30 November 1989, provision, by means of appropriation and/or commitment authorization, as appropriate, for the maintenance of the Force and for the apportionment of such amounts, should the Security Council decide to renew the mandate of UNDOF beyond that date.

Notes

1/ Official Records of the General Assembly, Forty-fourth Session, Supplement No. 6 (A/44/6/Rev.1), sect. 28 A.