The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today wrapped up the main part of its seventy-seventh session by sending the General Assembly a 2023 budget of nearly $3.4 billion while deciding to make the annual budget cycle a part of the Organization’s financial framework.
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Next, it took up a draft decision titled “Programme budget implications relating to the programme budget for 2023” (document A/C.5/77/L.19), which contains implications for 10 draft resolutions, submitted by the Secretary-General.
The representative of Israel, noting that programme budget implication D contains the request of an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice, described this as part of a wider campaign of systematic discrimination against her country at the United Nations. The Palestinians, she stressed, are once again using the Organization to advance and further an anti-Israel agenda. During the discussions of the Fifth Committee, her Government proposed the full absorption of costs from existing resources and zero-funding of this programme budget implication. As her country’s position remains unchanged, she called for a vote on section D.
The representative of Pakistan, speaking on behalf of the Group of 77 developing countries and China, said he would vote in favour.
Speaking in explanation of vote before the vote, the representative of Israel indicated she would make an explanation after the approval of the entire resolution.
The Committee then approved the draft decision contained in section D of “L.19” by a vote of 105 in favour to 13 against, with 37 abstentions.
The representative of Australia, explaining her country’s abstention, said she does not support a referral to the International Court of Justice and opposes the resolution’s clear bias against Israel. Referring the matter to the Court would be unhelpful in bringing the parties together for negotiation and should not be used to address bilateral disputes, she elaborated. However, Australia respects that the mandate for this resolution has been agreed by the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) and consistently supports human rights resourcing even for mandates such as this, she said.
The representative of the Netherlands, explaining his country’s vote in favour, stressed that the Fifth Committee should refrain from political discussions belonging to other United Nations forums. Once a resolution has been approved, it has the responsibility to ensure necessary funding for full and adequate execution, he said.
The observer for the State of Palestine emphasized that the vote reflects the view of the overwhelming majority of Member States that the right of the Assembly to request an advisory opinion shall not be obstructed by manipulating the financial process and attempting to deny the Court the resources it needs to uphold its mandated duties. For many countries, this vote is also a reflection of the principled support for the State of Palestine and its people. He then said he trusts that all international law-abiding States will honour the opinion of the Court whenever it is issued.
The Committee then approved the draft decisions contained in sections A, B, C, E, F, G, H, I and J of “L.19” without a vote.
The representative of Israel, disassociating herself from “L.19” due to the inclusion of the programme budget implications on Israeli practices, rejected this budgetary implication as well as the request for an advisory opinion.
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For information media. Not an official record.
Document Sources: General Assembly, General Assembly Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary), International Court of Justice (ICJ), United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI)
Country: Australia, Israel, Netherlands, Pakistan, Palestine
Subject: Inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, Israeli practices affecting the human rights of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Legal issues
Publication Date: 30/12/2022
URL source: https://press.un.org/en/2022/gaab4414.doc.htm