Sixtieth session
Agenda item 124



		Programme budget for the biennium 2006-2007


		Report of the Fifth Committee


		Rapporteur: Ms. Katja Pehrman (Finland)


	I.	Introduction


1.	The previous recommendations made by the Fifth Committee to the General Assembly under agenda item 124 appear in the report of the Committee contained in document A/60/608 and Corr.1.
2.	The Fifth Committee resumed its consideration of the item at its 37th, 39th to 42nd and 46th meetings, on 6, 14, 15, 21 and 22 March and 11 April 2006. Statements and observations made in the course of the Committee’s consideration of the question are reflected in the relevant summary records (A/C.5/60/SR.37, 39-42 and 46). 
3.	For its further consideration of this item, the Committee had before it the following documents:
	(a)	Note by the Secretary-General on the introduction of a cost-accounting system (A/60/714);
	(b)	Report by the Secretary-General on a strengthened and unified security management system for the United Nations: standardized access control (A/60/695);
	(c)	Related report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (A/60/7/Add.35);
	(d)	Report of the Secretary-General on the 2005 World Summit Outcome: Peacebuilding Support Office: revised estimates to the programme budget for the biennium 2006-2007 (A/60/694);
	(e)	Related report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (A/60/7/Add.36);
	(f)	Note by the Secretary-General on information and communication technology security, business continuity and disaster recovery (A/60/677);
	(g)	Related report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (A/60/7/Add.33);
	(h)	Reports of the Secretary-General on the estimates in respect of special political missions, good offices and other political initiatives authorized by the General Assembly and/or the Security Council (A/60/585 and Corr.1 and Add.1 and 2);
	(i)	Related report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (A/60/7/Add.37).
	

	II.	Consideration of draft resolution A/C.5/60/L.35


4.	At its 46th meeting, on 11 April 2006, the Committee had before it a draft resolution entitled “Special subjects relating to the programme budget for the biennium 2006-2007” (A/C.5/60/L.35), which was submitted by the Chairman of the Committee on the basis of informal consultations coordinated by the representatives of Germany, Malawi and Namibia.
5.	At the same meeting, the Committee adopted draft resolution A/C.5/60/L.35 without a vote (see para. 7).
6.	After the adoption of the draft resolution, statements in explanation of position were made by the representatives of Uganda and Cameroon.

	III.	Recommendation of the Fifth Committee


7.	The Fifth Committee recommends to the General Assembly the adoption of the following draft resolution:


		Special subjects relating to the programme budget for 
the biennium 2006-2007


	The General Assembly,

		I
		Estimates in respect of special political missions, good offices and 
other political initiatives authorized by the General Assembly and/or
the Security Council

	Having considered the reports of the Secretary-General on the estimates in respect of special political missions, good offices and other political initiatives authorized by the General Assembly and/or the Security Council, as well as the related reports of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions,
	Recalling its resolution 60/248 of 23 December 2005, by which it approved a charge of 100 million United States dollars for the twenty-six special political missions dealt with in the report of the Secretary-General against the provision for special political missions,
	Noting the importance of enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of political missions of the United Nations,
	Recognizing the need to identify and achieve greater complementarities and synergies, where possible, among the various special political missions and good offices of United Nations entities,
	1.	Takes note of the reports of the Secretary-General;1
	2.	Endorses the conclusions and recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions,2 subject to the provisions of the present resolution; 
	3.	Requests the Secretary-General to reflect the improvements proposed in paragraphs 11 and 12 of the report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions2 in the presentation of the budgets for special political missions for 2007;
	4.	Recalls paragraph 7 of section VII of its resolution 59/276 of 23 December 2004, and requests the Secretary-General to ensure that future budget proposals for special political missions are presented at an early date in order to facilitate proper consideration by the General Assembly; 
	5.	Welcomes the efforts of the Secretary-General to utilize the existing expertise of staff within the United Nations system, including experts from regions where special political missions are located;
	6.	Encourages the Secretary-General to ensure the deployment of staff with relevant knowledge and experience to special political missions and good offices of the United Nations and to include information on progress made in future budget proposals;
	7.	Notes with appreciation efforts made to include information on actual and potential synergies and complementarities for each individual mission, and requests the Secretary-General to continue to develop and improve the presentation of information in this regard;
	8.	Requests the Secretary-General to identify means to achieve greater complementarities and synergies among the various special political missions and good offices of United Nations entities, including, where possible, through greater sharing of human resources and logistical arrangements, particularly where mandates are similar or interconnected, while being cognizant of their respective mandates;
	9.	Recalls that in paragraph 9 of its resolution 55/231 of 23 December 2000, it requested the Secretary-General to ensure that, in presenting the programme budget, expected accomplishments and, where possible, indicators of achievement are included to measure achievements in the implementation of the programmes of the Organization and not those of individual Member States;
	10.	Requests the Secretary-General to submit his future budget proposals in full compliance with its resolution 55/231; 
	11.	Notes the lack of information analysing the growth and decrease in resources proposed as well as the variances between appropriations and expenditures in the reports of the Secretary-General;1
	12.	Also notes the variance between the vacancy rates used in formulating budgets and the actual vacancy situation, in particular in medium-sized to large missions; 
	13.	Requests the Secretary-General to formulate and present future budgets of special political missions on the basis of an analysis of actual expenditure patterns, including the latest vacancy situation and variances between appropriations and expenditures, for the purpose of achieving more realistic budgeting; 
	14.	Also requests the Secretary-General to entrust to the Office of Internal Oversight Services a management review as outlined in paragraph 16 of the report of the Advisory Committee2 and to submit it to the General Assembly at the main part of its sixty-first session; 
	15.	Reiterates that experts and consultants for all special political missions, good offices and other political initiatives should be used in full compliance with the existing rules and the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly and in cases where the required expertise is not available within the United Nations system;
	16.	Requests the Secretary-General, in this connection, to provide full justification in future budget submissions when requesting resources for experts and consultants; 
	17.	Notes the observation of the Advisory Committee in paragraph 52 (c) of its report2 regarding the two positions funded from general temporary assistance, and requests the Secretary-General to include specific information on their status in the budget submission for 2007; 
	18.	Takes note of paragraph 29 of the report of the Advisory Committee,2 and decides to establish a position for a Political Affairs Officer at the P-4 level within the Office of the Personal Representative of the Secretary-General for Lebanon;
	19.	Approves an additional charge of 202,469,500 dollars against the provision for special political missions already approved under section 3, Political affairs, of the programme budget for the biennium 2006-2007;

		II
		2005 World Summit Outcome: Peacebuilding Support Office; revised
estimates to the programme budget for the biennium 2006-2007	

	Having considered the report of the Secretary-General on the Peacebuilding Support Office and the related revised estimates to the programme budget for the biennium 2006-2007, as well as the related report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions,
	1.	Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General;5
	2.	Also takes note of the report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions;6
	3.	Decides to authorize the Secretary-General to utilize an amount of up to 1,571,300 dollars from the approved initial provision for special political missions under section 3, Political affairs, of the programme budget for the biennium 2006-2007,4 to operationalize a peacebuilding support office;
	4.	Stresses that the authorization from the provision for special political missions referred to in paragraph 3 above is a provisional and exceptional measure, decides that the Peacebuilding Support Office shall be financed from the programme budget, and requests the Secretary-General to include a provision for the Peacebuilding Support Office in the appropriate section of the programme budget, commencing with the proposed programme budget for the biennium 2008-2009, to ensure sustainable and reliable long-term financing of the Office;
	5.	Decides to revert to the issues regarding level, staffing and functions of the Peacebuilding Support Office as contained in the report of the Secretary-General5 in the context of its consideration of the proposed programme budget for the biennium 2008-2009 and in the light of decisions, if any, that may result from the consideration by the General Assembly of the report of the Secretary-General to be submitted in accordance with paragraph 25 of its resolution 60/180 of 20 December 2005;
	6.	Requests the Secretary-General to ensure that the Peacebuilding Support Office has the necessary gender competence to support the Peacebuilding Commission in implementing its mandate to integrate a gender perspective into all of its work, taking into account, inter alia, Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) and drawing on the appropriate expertise in the United Nations system;
	7.	Also requests the Secretary-General to ensure the efficient use of the resources approved in the provision for special political missions for the biennium 2006-2007, taking into account the provisions of paragraph 23 of its resolution 60/180;

		III
		Liabilities and proposed funding for after-service health insurance benefits

	Recalling its resolution 58/249 A of 23 December 2003,
	Having considered the report of the Secretary-General on liabilities and proposed funding for after-service health insurance benefits and the related report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions, 
	1.	Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General7 and the related report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions;8
	2.	Also takes note of the background information on the after-service health insurance programme provided in paragraphs 6 to 9 of the report of the Secretary-General,7 and requests further explanation of the programme;
	3.	Recognizes the end-of-service accrued benefit liabilities reported by the Secretary-General in his report,7 and requests the Secretary-General to take the necessary steps to disclose those liabilities in the United Nations financial statements;
	4.	Requests the Secretary-General to submit a report that addresses the issues raised in paragraph 2 above, as well as the issues raised by the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions in its report,8 and that provides updated information on the status of liabilities, clarifications with regard to the assumptions used to determine liabilities and alternative strategies to fund the liabilities to the General Assembly at its sixty-first session;

		IV
		Harmonization of the conditions of travel

	Noting with appreciation the report of the Joint Inspection Unit on harmonization of the conditions of travel throughout the United Nations system and the note by the Secretary-General transmitting his comments and those of the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination thereon,
	1.	Decides to revert to the consideration of the report of the Joint Inspection Unit,9 the note by the Secretary-General10 and any relevant contributions by the International Civil Service Commission at its sixty-first session, together with the question “Standards of accommodation for air travel”;
	2.	Requests the Secretary-General to initiate, within the framework of the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination, a review of the standards of travel and entitlements for staff members, members of organs and subsidiary organs of the United Nations and organizations of the United Nations system, with a view to adopting a common policy at the United Nations system level;
	3.	Also requests the Secretary-General to submit the results of that review to the General Assembly at the first part of its resumed sixty-first session.


	 	A/60/585 and Corr.1 and Add.1 and 2.
	 	A/60/7/Add.37.
	 	A/60/585 and Corr.1.
	 	See A/60/6 (Sect. 3) and resolution 60/247 A.
	 	A/60/694.
	 	A/60/7/Add.36.
	 	A/60/450 and Corr.1.
	 	A/60/7/Add.11.
	 	See A/60/78.
	 	A/60/78/Add.1.

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 United Nations
A/60/608/Add.1
 
 General Assembly
Distr.: General
12 April 2006

Original: English



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 A/60/608/Add.1


A/60/608/Add.1