STATEMENT OF THE GROUP OF 77 AND CHINA ON BEHALF BY H.E. AMBASSADOR DUMISANI KUMALO, PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA TO THE UNITED NATIONS AND CHAIRMAII OF THB GROUP OB 77' INTRODUCING DRAFT RESOLUTION A/C.5I 60IL.37/REV.1 TO THE FIFTH COMMITTEE OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

New York, 24 Nil2046

Mr. Chairrnan, of 77 I have the honour to introduce on behalf of the Member Statesof the Group "Investing in the United and China draft resolution NC.5l60/L.37lRev.t entitled, and China requests Nations: for a stronger Organrzationworldwide." The Group of 77 today' that action be taken by consensus with For more than two weeks, the Group of 77 and China has worked tirelessly the concernsof other Member Statesto produce a balanced draft that takes into account way forward on the different States.There is general agreementamong Member Stateson the Secretary-General.The first draft of our almost all of the proporul, put forward by that Member States agreements included all of the consensus resolution A/C.5 1601L.37 the negotiations. were able to reach by the deadline of 18 April 2006 that was set for that were agreedto by This draft now includes further contributions from Member States by consensus 20 and 21 APril 20A6. Mr. Chairman, supports There should be no doubt that the Group of 77 and China strongly Nations that ongoing efforts to reform the United Nations. We are committed to a United in the Charter is more efficient, effective and accountableto Member Statesas enshrined and should servethe of the United Nations. We believe that reform is a collective agenda of the United Nations interest of all Member Statesand any attempt to exclude Members of this Otganization from contributing decisions to the strengihening and operation contradicts the spirit and the letter of the Charter. that the Draft resolution NC.5l60/L.37lRev.1 anticipates the three reports Assembly in Muy, June has Secretary-General indicated he would provide to the General all Member States and Sepiember 2006. We are pleasedthat there is consensusamong critical in assisting will that the three reports to be presentedby the Secretary-General be "Investing in report on Member Statesto decide on the important issuescontainedin the Member State the United Nations: For a StrongerOrganizationworldwide." Every single issuancebecause has supportedthe issuanceof these reports and the timelines for their

2 there is overwhelming consensus that we would need more information to make the critical decisionsthat are stake. It is particularly important to remind ourselvesthat the three reports will elaborate on the proposals of the Secretary-Generalto recruit and retain highly-quality staff reflecting the international character of the Organisation, improve the conditions of service of staff, strengthenleadership in the Secretariat,increasetraining, improve the information and communication technology systems, enhance the procurement procedures,and improve the perfofinance evaluationand reporting of the Secretariat. Mr. Chairman, The Group of 77 and China is on record as strongly supporting the strengthening of oversight and accountability in the Organisation.Already, the Group of 77 and China was supportive of the creation of an ethics office, the formulation of a whistle-blower policy and increasing the auditing and investigation capacity of the Office of Internal OversightServices. It was important for the Group of 77 and China that this draft resolution should include a section on accountability.We were pleasedthat other Member Stateswere able to join consensusin stressing the importance of accountability for the effective and efficient implementation of legislative mandates and the use of resources. We look forward to the Secretary-General further defining accountability, including its mechanisms, as well as proposing parameters and instruments for the rigorous enforcementof accountabilitywithout exceptionand at all levels of the Secretariat. Mr. Chairman, It becameclear during the negotiationsthat there are some areaswhere there is a wide divergence of views. These areastouch on the role and prerogatives of Member Statesin the General Assembly that are clearly enshrinedin the Charter. And these are We in the Group reform of the Secretariat. issuesthat have no relation to the management expand and try to of 77 and China have come to notice that there is a deliberateattempt to give a wider interpretation to Paragraphs 162 and L63 of the Outcome Document by iryrtrg to introduce extraneousissues that were rejected during the negotiations for the Summit of last September. The issue is not about conditions and measuresnecessary for the SecretaryGeneralto carry his managerialresponsibilitieseffectively. We all support the SecretaryGeneral in his Charter defined role as chief administrativeofficer of the United Nations. However, we do not understandor acceptthat in order for the SecretaryGeneralto carry by out his duties, this should be accompanied the denial of the right of all Member States ro pronounce on the administration of the United Nations, including on its budgetary "small but representativegroup of Members States" can decisions. To suggestthat a replacethe role of all Member Statesin carrying out the oversight responsibilities of the

3 GeneralAssembly is to deny every Member of the United Nations the role due to them and to attempt to amend the equality of Member Statesthat is enshrinedin the Charter. The Group of 77 and China stressesin the draft resolution before you that proposals20 and 21 do not bear any relation to the requestsof the Assembly as outlined in resolution 60/1 or in any other legislativemandateadoptedby the Assembly. The Group of 77 and China strongly believesthat the right of every Member State to have an equal say in the decision-making of the Organization must be upheld. This right is not dependenton the financial contributions of Member Statesto the budget of the Organizatton.To suggestthat the Assembly can either stay quiet, or even postpone, pronouncing itself on the govemance proposals is to avoid the responsibility that is enshrined in the Charter. Furthermore, in avoiding living up to the responsibility to decide on this fundamental matter can only guaranteethat a cloud of doubt about the future of this Organrzationwill always remain. SectionsVI, VII and VIII of the draft resolutionprovide for the broadestpossible consensus between the diverse views expressed Member Stateson governance by and the decision-makingprocesses the GeneralAssembly. The majority of paragraphs these of in sectionsare based on agreed languageand agreements that were reachedby consensus, some as recently as 23 December 2005, and also in the course of the negotiationsin March and April2006. Mr. Chairman, The draft resolution contains all of the agreements that Member Stateswere able to reachduring the negotiations,including the agreement the elementsto be contained on in the three reports to be submitted in Muy, June and September 2006. On the more contentiousareas,it provides a middle ground for the broadestpossible consensus. The resolutionwill enableMember Statesto act decisively on the additional resources that the may need in order to implement the proposals. Secretary-General The Group of 77 and China has made a concertedeffort to include the concernsof other groups and Member States. Our draft includes contributions from various Member Statesand in placing this draft resolution for action today, we believe that all Member will be able to join the consensus this balanced on text. States I thank vou.