Sixty-second session Third Committee Agenda items 128 and 68 (b) Proposed programme budget for the biennium 2008-2009 Elimination of racism and racial discrimination: comprehensive implementation of and follow-up to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action From rhetoric to reality: a global call for concrete action against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and the comprehensive implementation of and follow-up to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action Programme budget implications of draft resolution A/C.3/62/L.65 Statement submitted by the Secretary-General in accordance with rule 153 of the rules of procedure of the General Assembly I. Introduction 1. In his report on the revised estimates resulting from resolutions and decisions adopted by the Human Rights Council at its resumed second session, its third session and its third special session in 2006 (A/61/530/Add.1), the Secretary-General informed the General Assembly that, under the terms of Human Rights Council resolution 3/2, the Council would act as Preparatory Committee for the Durban Review Conference, it was estimated that requirements that would arise to support the preparatory process would be absorbed in the provisions of the programme budget for the biennium 2006-2007 and the estimated requirements for the biennium 2008-2009 would be considered in the context of the proposed programme budget for the biennium 2008-2009. II. Requests contained in the draft resolution 2. Under the terms of operative paragraphs 2, 4, 7 and 19 of draft resolution A/C.3/62/L.65, the General Assembly, would: (a) Welcome the report of the Preparatory Committee for the Durban Review Conference on its first session (A/62/375) and underline that the second session of the Preparatory Committee would elaborate further on the date, duration and level of participation so as to ensure a smooth and successful Review Conference; (b) Decide that the intersessional working group of the Preparatory Committee for the Durban Review Conference would perform functions and undertake activities compatible with, and complementary to, the goals of the Review Conference and that its primary objective would be to commence negotiations with a view to consolidating the draft outcome document of the Conference; (c) Request the Secretary-General to allocate adequate funding, from the regular budget of the United Nations, for the regional preparatory conferences and the Durban Review Conference, including for the funding of delegations from least developed countries, as well as non-governmental organizations, in particular those from the developing countries; (d) Request the Secretary-General to provide the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance with all the necessary human and financial assistance to carry out his mandate efficiently, effectively and expeditiously and to enable him to submit his reports to the General Assembly as required. III. Financial impact and activities by which the proposed requests would be carried out 3. The Secretariat considers that additional resources would arise, particularly with regard to operative paragraphs 4 and 7 of the draft resolution for the following: (a) Additional support staff to service the intersessional working group; (b) Conference services of the regional preparatory conferences, including interpretation and documentation, travel and daily subsistence allowance of interpreters, Secretariat support staff, representatives from the least developed countries and representatives of non-governmental organizations from the given region to the venue of the given regional conference. 4. It is noted that the Preparatory Committee intends to elaborate further on the date, duration and level of participation to ensure a smooth and successful Conference. 5. It is also noted that the issue of regional preparatory meetings and other aspects of the preparatory process of the Durban Review Conference remain under discussions and negotiations among the Member States. 6. Accordingly, upon finalization of such discussions and negotiations and determination of the structure, the precise financial implications would be finalized. This would enable the Secretariat to undertake all the necessary consultations on the specifics of the preparations and regional preparatory meetings. Therefore, the full programme budget implications of draft resolution A/C.3/62/L.65 would be addressed at the appropriate time when such consultations are completed. 7. The Committee is drawn however to the preliminary, initial review, which indicates that estimated additional resources, at this time, would be approximately $7.2 million. Should the General Assembly adopt the draft resolution, a detailed statement of programme budget implications would be submitted to the Assembly for its consideration as the Secretariat will revisit the question at the time it concludes its consultations. 8. With regard to operative paragraph 19 of the draft resolution, attention is drawn to the provisions of section VI of General Assembly resolution 45/248 B of 21 December 1990, in which the Assembly reaffirmed that the Fifth Committee was the appropriate Main Committee of the Assembly entrusted with responsibilities for administrative and budgetary matters, and also reaffirmed the role of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions. IV. Summary 9. Implementation of the above-mentioned activities would require expenditures under sections 2, General Assembly and Economic and Social Council affairs and conference management, 23, Human rights, and 28E, Administration, Geneva, of the proposed programme budget for the biennium 2008-2009. In all, the total requirements arising from the draft resolution are estimated at approximately $7.2 million. Should the General Assembly adopt draft resolution A/C.3/62/L.65, a detailed statement of programme budget implications would be submitted to the Assembly for its consideration in the context of its review of the proposed programme budget for the biennium 2008-2009. 10. The attention of the Third Committee is drawn to the present statement of programme budget implications. In accordance with established practice, the Secretary-General will re-examine the requirements, taking into account any further information that would be available at the time he submits to the Fifth Committee the detailed statement of programme budget implications arising from the draft resolution. The Fifth Committee will examine during the current session of the General Assembly both the detailed statement of the programme budget implications and the report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions thereon in the context of the proposed programme budget for the biennium 2008-2009.   sss1 \* MERGEFORMAT A/C.3/62/L.90 sss1 \* MERGEFORMAT A/C.3/62/L.90 FooterJN \* MERGEFORMAT 07-60786 \* MERGEFORMAT 2 \* MERGEFORMAT 3 FooterJN \* MERGEFORMAT 07-60786 United Nations A/C.3/62/L.90 General Assembly Distr.: Limited 20 November 2007 Original: English jobn \* MERGEFORMAT 07-60786 (E) 231107 Barcode \* MERGEFORMAT *0760786*