Financing of UNIFIL

FIFTH COMMITTEE

Agenda item 123 (b)

FINANCING OF THE UNITED NATIONS PEACEKEEPING FORCES IN THE

MIDDLE EAST:  UNITED NATIONS INTERIM FORCE IN LEBANON

United Republic of Tanzania*:  draft resolution

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 report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions,2/  

Bearing in mind Security Council resolution 425 (1978) of 19 March 1978, by which the Council established 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 1095 (1997) of 28 January 1997,

Recalling 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 50/89 B of 7 June 1996,

Reaffirming that the costs of the Force are expenses of the Organization to be borne by Member States in accordance with Article 17, paragraph 2, of the Charter of the United Nations,

Recalling also its previous decisions regarding the fact that, in order to meet the expenditures caused by the Force, a different procedure is required from that applied to meet expenditures of the regular budget of the United Nations,

Taking into account the fact that the economically more developed countries are in a position to make relatively larger contributions and that the economically less developed countries have a relatively limited capacity to contribute towards such an operation,

Bearing in mind the special responsibilities of the States permanent members of the Security Council, as indicated in General Assembly resolution 1874 (S-IV) of 27 June 1963, in the financing of such operations,

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,

Recalling its resolution 50/89 B, in which it requested the Secretary-General to include in his next report on the financing of the Force a full evaluation of damages resulting from the incident that occurred at the headquarters of the Force at Qana on 18 April 1996 and the costs thereof,

1. Takes note of the status of contributions to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon as at 30 April 1997, including the contributions outstanding in the amount of 176.8 million United States dollars, representing 6.6 per cent of the total assessed contributions from the inception of the Force to the period ending on 30 June 1997, notes that some 16 per cent of the Member States have paid their assessed contributions in full, and urges all other Member States concerned, in particular those in arrears, to ensure the payment of their outstanding assessed contributions;

2. Expresses concern about the financial situation with regard to peacekeeping activities, in particular as regards the reimbursement of troop contributors, which bear burdens owing to overdue payments by Member States of their assessments;

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

4. 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;

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

6. Decides to exclude from the budget of the Force for the period from 1 July 1997 to 30 June 1998 the costs directly attributable to the incident of 18 April 1996, in the amount of 844,318 dollars, and the cost of the relocation of the Fijian battalion, in the amount of 880,300 dollars;

7. Decides also that the total amount mentioned in paragraph 6 above, namely 1,724,618 dollars, shall be borne only by Israel;

8. Decides to appropriate to the Special Account for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon the amount of ______ dollars gross (______ dollars net)  for the maintenance of the Force for the period from 1 July 1997 to 30 June 1998, inclusive of the amount of _____ dollars for the support account for peacekeeping operations and the amount of _____ dollars for the United Nations Logistics Base, to be assessed on Member States at the monthly rate of _____ dollars gross (_____ dollars net) in accordance with the composition of groups set out in paragraphs 3 and 4 of General Assembly resolution 43/232 of 1 March 1989, as adjusted by the Assembly in its resolutions 44/192 B of 21 December 1989, 45/269 of 27 August 1991, 46/198 A of 20 December 1991, 47/218 A of 23 December 1992, 49/249 A of 20 July 1995, 49/249 B of 14 September 1995, 50/224 of 11 April 1996 and 51/218 A and B of 18 December 1996 and its decisions 48/472 A of 23 December 1993 and 50/451 B of 23 December 1995, and taking into account the scale of assessments for the years 1997, as set out in its resolution 49/19 B of 23 December 1994 and decision 50/471 A of 23 December 1995, and 1998,To be adopted by the General Assembly. subject to the decision of the Security Council to extend the mandate of the Force beyond 31 July 1997;

9. Decides also 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 8 above, their respective share in the Tax Equalization Fund of the estimated staff assessment income of 4,089,000 dollars approved for the period from 1 July 1997 to 30 June 1998;

10. Decides further that there shall be set off against the apportionment among Member States, as provided for in paragraph 8 above, their respective share in the estimated other income of 20,000 dollars for the period from 1 July 1997 to 30 June 1998;

11. 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 8 above, their respective share in the unencumbered balance of 2,863,500 dollars gross (2,679,700 dollars net) in respect of the period ending on 30 June 1996;

12. Decides also that, for Member States that have not fulfilled their financial obligations to the Force, their share of the unencumbered balance of 2,863,500 dollars gross (2,679,700 dollars net) for the period ending on 30 June 1996 shall be set off against their outstanding obligations;

13. 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;

14. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-second 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".

* On behalf of the States Members of the United Nations that are members of the Group of 77 and China.

Notes

1/ A/51/535/Add.1 and 2.

2/ A/51/684/Add.1.

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