Sixtieth session Agenda items 72 and 124 Holocaust remembrance Proposed programme budget for the biennium 2006-2007 Holocaust remembrance Programme budget implications of draft resolution A/60/L.12 Seventh report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions 1. The Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions has considered the statement submitted by the Secretary-General in accordance with rule 153 of the rules of procedure of the General Assembly on the programme budget implications of draft resolution A/60/L.12 (A/60/526). 2. The Advisory Committee points out the extraordinary nature of the proceedings on the above-mentioned documents. The Committee did not receive the statement of programme budget implications until 31 October, two hours before it was scheduled for consideration in the Fifth Committee. The Advisory Committee further points out that the draft resolution bears the date of 26 October. The Committee is of the opinion that this method of proceeding calls into question the validity of procedures for the consideration of administrative and budgetary matters. The Committee trusts it can be avoided in future. 3. Under the terms of draft resolution A/60/L.12, the General Assembly would request the Secretary-General to establish a programme of outreach on the subject of the Holocaust and the United Nations as well as measures to mobilize civil society for Holocaust remembrance and education in order to help prevent future acts of genocide; to report to the General Assembly on the establishment of the programme within six months of the date of the adoption of the draft resolution; and to report on the implementation of the programme at its sixty-third session. 4. It is estimated that an amount of $345,200 will be required under section 27, Public information, of the proposed programme budget for biennium 2006-2007 (A/60/6 (Sect. 27)), mainly for general temporary assistance. 5. In this connection, the Advisory Committee recalls that the Secretary-General has proposed an amount of $172.8 million under section 27 for 2006-2007. Under this proposal, the Department of Public Information would have a total regular budget establishment of 747 posts, including 162 P-4/P-3 posts and 231 General Service (Other level) posts. According to information received by the Committee, the Department would also have available to it in excess of $4.7 million in general temporary assistance resources, not counting nearly $1 million for overtime and personal service contracts. 6. The Advisory Committee has consistently cautioned against the Secretariat’s inclination to request additional resources for each and every new activity instead of maximizing the existing potential. Surely in a budget the size of that of the Department of Public Information, the activities envisaged can be carried out without additional resources. Accordingly, the Committee recommends that the Fifth Committee report to the General Assembly that, should it adopt draft resolution A/60/L.12, there would be no need for an additional appropriation at this time. Should any such requirement materialize, it can be reported in the relevant performance report on the programme budget for 2006-2007.   \* MERGEFORMAT 2 \* MERGEFORMAT 2 United Nations A/60/7/Add.6 General Assembly Distr.: General 31 October 2005 Original: English 05-58021 (E) 311005 *0558021* A/60/7/Add.6 A/60/7/Add.6