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O N B E H A L FO F T H E E U R O P E A N N I O N U
STATEMENT ENNODROFENIK BY COUNSELLOR PERMANENT MISSION AUSTRIA THE UNITED OF TO NATIONS

Item 122,124, 128, 129and 136: Investingin the United Nations: DetailedReport

FIFTH COMMITTEE

New York,16 June 2006

P E R M A N E N TS S I o NF A U S T R IT o T H EU N I T E D A T I O N S MI A o N N P 8 2 3 U N I T E D A I O N S L A Z A , T HF L . ,N E W Y O R K ,Y 1 0 0 1 7 . r E L . ( 2 1 2 9 4 9 - 1 8 4 0 . F A x : ( 2 1 2 )5 3 - 1 3 0 2 N D( 2 1 2 )9 8 3 - 2 6 7 7 S N ) 9 A . EMAIL: new-york-ov bmaa.gv.at WEBStTE: @ http://www.aussenministerium.atlnewyorkov

Investing in the UnitedNations:detailedreport
I have the honourto speak on behalfof the European Union.The Acceding Countries Bulgariaand Romania,the CandidateCountriesTurkey, Croatia. and the former YugoslavRepublic Macedonia-, Countries the Stabilisation Association of the of and Process and potential candidates Albaniaand Serbia,and the EFTA countrylceland, memberof the EuropeanEconomic Area, as well as Ukraineand the Republicof Moldova alignthemselves withthisdeclaration. M r .C h a i r m a n , We would like to thank the Controller Mr. Warren Sach for presenting with the us detailedreporton "lnvesting the UnitedNations". in We are aware that two further addendaon procurement and accountability be forthcoming, we will address will and theseissuesat the appropriate time.We alsothankthe Chairman the ACABQfor his of presentation the reportof the Committee. of The reportof the Secretary-General corresponds the mandateset out at the World to Summit2005,namelyto make proposals the General to Assembly its consideration for on the conditionsand measuresnecessary for him to carry out his managerial responsibilities effectively. While we regretthat the detailedelaboration some reform of proposals not beforeus as an outcomeof the voted resolution last May,we believe is of that the report still provides enough substancefor a meaningfuldiscussionon management reform. M r .C h a i r ma n , Please allowme to highlight someof the priorities the European of Union: The EuropeanUnion endorsesthe establishment a Chief Information of Technology Officer, who will be responsible co-ordinating ICT initiatives for the withinthe Secretariat and who will ensure that an adequateICT perspective incorporated all major is in managerial decisions. Whilewe understand the organisational that structure needs still to be developed wouldlike to emphasis needfor a largely we position the independent within Secretariat. the We supportthe replacement the Integrated of Management Information System.The lMlS systemhas been developed in-house and has servedthe Organisation relatively well in the past. In light of the increasing demandson the system,the proposed introduction new accounting of standards a growingnumberof shortcomings and vis-dvis available off-the-shelf solutions, replacement becomea necessity. should the has lt be the first major task of a new Chief Information TechnologyOfficer to accurately establish user-needs a newsystem the for andto prepare invitation tenders. the for
' Croatiaand the formerYugoslavRepublic Macedonia of continueto be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.

The European Unionsupports introduction International the of PublicSector Accounting Standards. The currentUnitedNationsAccounting Standards longeraddressthe no needs for a modern,transparent and accountable Organisation. The switchto new accounting standardsis overdueand will benefitthe Organisation and all member states. One of the main prioritiesof the EuropeanUnion remains increasedefficiency, effectiveness accountability budgetary and in implementation. needto be awarethat We there are too many restrictions upon the seniormanagement the Organisation of in termsof how it is authorised manage to and deploythe resources its disposal. at While generally to achieve such restrictions fail adequate controland accountability, do they put an unduestrain on efficient programme delivery. order to give the Secretaryln General necessary the toolsto implement budgetefficiently the and to fully preserve the prerogative the GeneralAssembly, of we have to implement the limiteddiscretion decided the budgetresolution in 2006-2007. The Secretary-General makingtwo proposals addressthese concerns:Firstly,a is to proposalto transfer up to 10 percentof the resourcesbetweenthe sectionsof one budget part. Secondly, a proposalto establishthree differentstaff categoriesand allowingfor discretionon reclassification, redeployment and conversion within and between them. While both proposalsare very modest in nature and fall behind the originalSG proposals, they go into the right direction.The European Union supportsthese proposals. Theiradoption finallyimplement request limited will the for discretion agreed in the budgetresolution 2006^2007. line with the parameters In agreedwe must ensure that the Secretariat fully accountable the GeneralAssemblyfor any use of its is to discretion. believethat any changesto the presentsystemneed to preserve We the prerogative the General of Assembly consider to and approve resources. questions ACABQraises some pertinent aboutthe scopeof the discretion be granted to to the Secretary-General the accountability proceduresunder which it would and operate. The ACABQ asksthe Secretary-General provideclarification thesepoints. to on The European Union is of the view that it is withinthe purviewof memberstatesto specify scopeof discretion the and the accountability mechanisms whichaccompany it and we are ready to provide languageto do this. We are looking forward to a constructive debatein the informal consultations. ln the context improved of transparency accountability European and the Unionsupports proposals improvethe currentreporting to mechanisms. are lookingfonruard get We to more clarification the proposed on new annualreportin the informal consultations and support whole-heartedly the ACABQ recommendation the Secretary-General to to concentrate developing comprehensive on a financialand programme reportfor the GeneralAssembly.The EuropeanUnion also endorses the related proposalfor developing policy publicaccess UN documentation. a for to

The European Union welcomes the proposal for consolidation peacekeeping of accounts. Sucha measure wouldensure liquidity individual the of missions, facilitate the promptreimbursement troopcontributing of countries and makeassessments fewerand more predictable. are lookingfonvardto receiving We more information the relevant on technicalities the informal in consultations. havelearned We fromthe ACABQreport that the proposalhas been amended with a view to ensuringthe linkage between assessments and Security Council mandatesthrough quarterlyassessments. The European Union considersthat this modification improvesthe initialproposal the of Secretary-General reiterates request maintaining and its for detailed information about eachpeacekeeping operation. M r .C h a i r ma n , We are committedto achieve resultson these proposalsby the end of the second resumedsession. While we are fully aware of the heavy workload the Committee is facing,we would like to recallthat most of the proposals have been discussed by memberstates for months and that a detailedQ&A sessionwith the Secretariat has takenplacein the latterpart of the first resumedsession. We are confident thatwith the necessary spiritof compromise co-operation will be ableadhere our schedule. and we to We should try to avoid procedural debatesand move without undue delay to the discussion the substantive of proposals frontof us. The European in Unionis willing to work constructively with all member states towards a successfuloutcome of our considerations. I would simply like to reiteratethat the EuropeanUnion is eager to discussthe substance these proposals of and keen to listento the views of colleagues the on substance we must in the end find a solution which is acceptable all. We stand to readyto discuss further substance the EU position the of bothwithinthe Committee and bilaterally necessary. as y T h a n k o u ,Mr.C h a i rma n