Sixty-first session Agenda item 144 (a) Financing of the United Nations peacekeeping forces in the Middle East: United Nations Disengagement Observer Force Report of the Fifth Committee Rapporteur: Mr. Diego Simancas (Mexico) I. Introduction 1. At its 2nd plenary meeting, on 13 September 2006, the General Assembly, on the recommendation of the General Committee, decided to include in the agenda of its sixty-first session the item entitled “Financing of the United Nations peacekeeping forces in the Middle East: United Nations Disengagement Observer Force” and to allocate it to the Fifth Committee. 2. The Fifth Committee considered the item at its 49th and 58th meetings, on 10 May and 27 June 2007. Statements and observations made in the course of the Committee’s consideration of the item are reflected in the relevant summary records (A/C.5/61/SR.49 and 58). 3. For its consideration of the item, the Committee had before it the following documents: (a) Report of the Secretary-General on the performance of the budget of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force for the period from 1 July 2005 to 30 June 2006 (A/61/662); (b) Report of the Secretary-General on the budget for the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force for the period from 1 July 2007 to 30 June 2008 (A/61/671 and Corr.1); (c) Report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (A/61/852/Add.1). II. Consideration of draft resolution A/C.5/61/L.65 4. At its 58th meeting, on 27 June, the Committee had before it a draft resolution entitled “Financing of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force” (A/C.5/61/L.65), submitted by the Chairman on the basis of informal consultations coordinated by the representative of Argentina. 5. At the same meeting, the Committee adopted draft resolution A/C.5/61/L.65 without a vote (see para. 6). III. Recommendation of the Fifth Committee 6. The Fifth Committee recommends to the General Assembly the adoption of the following draft resolution: Financing of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force The General Assembly, Having considered the reports of the Secretary-General on the financing of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force and the related report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions, Recalling Security Council resolution 350 (1974) of 31 May 1974 regarding the establishment of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force and the subsequent resolutions by which the Council extended the mandate of the Force, the latest of which was resolution 1729 (2006) of 15 December 2006, Recalling also its resolution 3211 B (XXIX) of 29 November 1974 on the financing of the United Nations Emergency Force and of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force and its subsequent resolutions thereon, the latest of which was resolution 60/277 of 30 June 2006, Reaffirming 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, 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, 1. Requests the Secretary-General to entrust the Head of Mission with the task of formulating future budget proposals in full accordance with the provisions of General Assembly resolutions 59/296 of 22 June 2005, 60/266 of 30 June 2006 and 61/___ of __ June 2007, as well as other relevant resolutions; 2. Takes note of the status of contributions to the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force as at 31 March 2007, including the contributions outstanding in the amount of 20.8 million United States dollars, representing some 1.3 per cent of the total assessed contributions, notes with concern that only thirty-five Member States have paid their assessed contributions in full, and urges all other Member States, in particular those in arrears, to ensure the payment of their outstanding assessed contributions; 3. Expresses its appreciation to those Member States which have paid their assessed contributions in full, and urges all other Member States to make every possible effort to ensure payment of their assessed contributions to the Force in full; 4. 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; 5. 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; 6. Emphasizes that all future and existing peacekeeping missions shall be given equal and non-discriminatory treatment in respect of financial and administrative arrangements; 7. Also emphasizes that all peacekeeping missions shall be provided with adequate resources for the effective and efficient discharge of their respective mandates; 8. 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; 9. Endorses the conclusions and recommendations contained in the report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions,2 subject to the provisions of the present resolution, and requests the Secretary-General to ensure their full implementation; 10. Decides to maintain a dedicated capacity in the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force for the Geographic Information System mapping project, and requests the Secretary-General to report thereon in the performance report for the period 2007/08; 11. Requests the Secretary-General to ensure the full implementation of the relevant provisions of its resolutions 59/296, 60/266 and 61/___;3 12. Also requests the Secretary-General to take all necessary action to ensure that the Force is administered with a maximum of efficiency and economy; 13. Further 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; Financial performance report for the period from 1 July 2005 to 30 June 2006 14. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General on the financial performance of the Force for the period from 1 July 2005 to 30 June 2006; Budget estimates for the period from 1 July 2007 to 30 June 2008 15. Decides to appropriate to the Special Account for the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force the amount of 41,586,600 dollars for the period from 1 July 2007 to 30 June 2008, inclusive of 39,662,500 dollars for the maintenance of the Force, 1,654,800 dollars for the support account for peacekeeping operations and 269,300 dollars for the United Nations Logistics Base; Financing of the appropriation 16. Also decides to apportion among Member States the amount of 41,586,600 dollars at a monthly rate of 3,465,550 dollars, in accordance with the levels updated in General Assembly resolution 61/243 of 22 December 2006, and taking into account the scale of assessments for 2007 and 2008, as set out in its resolution 61/237 of 22 December 2006, subject to a decision of the Security Council to extend the mandate of the Force; 17. Further decides 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 1,297,300 dollars, comprising the estimated staff assessment income of 1,110,600 dollars approved for the Force for the period from 1 July 2007 to 30 June 2008, the prorated share of 168,400 dollars of the estimated staff assessment income approved for the support account and the prorated share of 18,300 dollars of the estimated staff assessment income approved for the United Nations Logistics Base; 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 and other income in the amount of 5,600,500 dollars in respect of the financial period ended 30 June 2006, in accordance with the levels updated in its resolution 58/256 of 23 December 2003, and taking into account the scale of assessments for 2006, as set out in its resolution 58/1 B of 23 December 2003; 19. Decides also that, for Member States that have not fulfilled their financial obligations to the Force, there shall be set off against their outstanding obligations their respective share of the unencumbered balance and other income in the amount of 5,600,500 dollars in respect of the financial period ended 30 June 2006, in accordance with the scheme set out in paragraph 18 above; 20. Decides further that the decrease of 16,200 dollars in the estimated staff assessment income in respect of the financial period ended 30 June 2006 shall be set off against the credits from the amount of 5,600,500 dollars 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, bearing in mind paragraphs 5 and 6 of Security Council resolution 1502 (2003) of 26 August 2003; 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 sixty-second session, under the item entitled “Financing of the United Nations peacekeeping forces in the Middle East”, the sub-item entitled “United Nations Disengagement Observer Force”. A/61/662 and A/61/671 and Corr.1. A/61/852/Add.1. See A/C.5/61/L.49. A/61/662. __________________ __________________  sss1 \* MERGEFORMAT A/61/976 sss1 \* MERGEFORMAT A/61/976 FooterJN \* MERGEFORMAT 07-41015 \* MERGEFORMAT 2 \* MERGEFORMAT 3 FooterJN \* MERGEFORMAT 07-41015 United Nations A/61/976 General Assembly Distr.: General 28 June 2007 English Original: Spanish jobn \* MERGEFORMAT 07-41015 (E) 120707 Barcode \* MERGEFORMAT *0741015*