NORTVAY
Checkagainstdeliver.v
United Nations GeneralAssembly 60thSession Agandaitems46,118,120,122,124,128,129 136 and Intergrated and coordinated implementation of and follow-up to the outcomesof the major United Nations conferences and summitsin the economis. socialand relatedfields fields United Nations reform: measures and proposals Follow-up to the outcomeof the Millennium Summitt Review of the efficiency of the administrative and financial functioning of the United Nations programme budgetfor the biennium 2006-2007 Proposed Scaleof assessments the apportionmentof the expenses for of the United Nations Human resources management Administrative and budgetary aspectsof the financing of the United Nations peacekeeping operations Investing in the United Nations: for a stronger Organization worldwide:detailed report Report of the Secretary-General

STATEMENT bv H.E. Ms. Mona Juul Ambassador Deputy PermanentRepresentative

uJ w,{t {uJa-un,0 uJ 0 a ra
. . . T N A , N P E R M A N E NM I S S I O N F N O R W A Y O T H EU N I T E D A T I O N S 8 2 5 T H I R D V E N U EN E W Y O R K . E W Y O R K1 0 0 2 2 T \ L 2 1 2 . 4 2 1 . 0 2 8 0 F A X2 1 2 . 6 8 8 . 0 5 5 4 T O

New York, 16 June 2006

Mr. Chairman, At the outsetI wish to thankthe Controller,WarrenSachfor his presentation the detailed of report on "Investing in the United Nations for a stronger Orgarnzation world wide" and the chairmanof ACABQ, Rajat Saha,for his presentation the Committee'sreporton this of matter. Mr. Chairman, Good management to makeeffectiveuseof resources achieveyour goals. Norway is to agrees with the SecretaryGeneralthat andical overhaulof the rules,structure, systemand cultureof the Secretariat necessary. is necessary is It both because tasksand challenges the of this organisationhavechanged over the yearsand we needto adaptit to present realitiesand because seriesof incidentsandreportshaveuncovered a intolerableweaknesses the in organizattonand its management. Almost ayear haspassed sincethe world leaders and initiatedmanagement reform measures. We acknowledge someprogress beenmadeand that we aremoving in the right that has direction,but more hasto be doneif we areto restorethe organization's credibility and enhance effectiveness. encourage'the its We Secretary-General continueto carryout reform to measures suchas strengthen leadership managerial the and accountability within the Secretariat. are looking forward to an additionalreporton accountability We later this month. World leaders requested yearrecommendations how to improvethe conditionsfor the last on Secretary-General carry out his responsibilitiesand how to improve the current rules and to policiesin humanand financialmanagement enablea more efficient and effective to organization.We havethe first set of detailedproposalsbefore us. We are looking forward to receivingreportson accountability procurement and laterthis month. Mr. Chairman, Of the management reform proposals forward for actionby the GeneralAssemblyin the put detailedreportaddendum - 4, we find the proposals financialandbudgetary 1 on management to be of particularlystrategic importance. implemented, If theseproposals could makea real differenceand facilitatebetterfinancialmanagement practices the organization. in The Secretary-General points out in his first "Investingin the UIrf'- reportthat: 'its [the report's] primary financialmessage that therehasbeenmassive is underinvestment people, in systems informationtechnology'. We agreethat thereis a gapbetween and what Member mandate organization do and the collectiveresources States the to madeavailableto do the job, andwe shouldkeepthis message mind when discussing variousproposals. in the We hopethat we canreachan agreement proposals on suchas establishment a reserve of fund, increase the commitmentauthorityandWorking CapitalFund and consolidation of of the peacekeeping accounts well as the adoptionof intemationalaccounting as standards. However,a prerequisite soundfinancialmanagement the organizationis for of that Member pay their contributions full and in time. This is unfortunately the caseand the States in not volatile cashsituationof the organisation regrettrable. would thereforealsolook is We favourablyat the proposalon chargingintereston MemberStates'arrears. Any measure to

improve the cashsituationas compensation lack of payments for shouldbe coupledwith measures encourage payments arrears. to of Norway hasover the yearstakencarein trying not to undermine Secretary-General's the authoritywith to detailedresolutions budgetand administrative on issues. The extentof the Secretary-General's flexibility, and therefore ability to manage organization his the efficiently, is dependent only on the tools MemberStates not provide him to redeploy resources within a budgetperiod,but alsoon the contentof the budgetresolutions andthe budgetlevel itself. We think that the tendency go into detail andmicro manage present to is even in currentbudgetnegotiations. Norway hasbeenpromotinga stronger executiveleadership the IJN for a long time and for has advocated the MemberStates that shouldgive the Secretary-General greaterauthorityin budgetimplementation. The UN is a multibillion enterprise. How can you manage this organisation efficiently when the full powersgrantedto the Chief AdministrativeOfficer to redeployresources so narrow? are All Member States recognize do that thereis a needfor Secretary-General have 'limited to discretionin budgetimplementation'. Thereis alsoagreement amongall MemberStates that therehasto be clear accountability mechanisms how this discretionwould be exercised. on Let us now definethe parameters! In additionto our supportfor variousproposals financialandbudgetarymanagement, on we alsowish to pronounce that we agreethat a prerequisite goodmanagement an updated for is and integrated informationand communications technologyavailable.We do alsobelievethat the organization would benefithavingguidelinesfor public access IIN documentation. to Mr. Chairman, It will take sometime to change cultureandmanagement the practices the organization, of and our reform discussions not endin June.For example,the humanresource do reform proposals expected September potentiallyof greatimportance a soundand efficient in are for management. Otherreform tracksare alsoimportantandwe anticipateconstructive debates on the many proposals that have,andthat will, comebeforethe GeneralAssembly. We do, however,acknowledge thereare differentviews amongMemberStates the that on variousreform issues. the discussions comewe will listencarefully to the views of our In to partnersand strive for solutionsthat we all can standbehindand which will ensure that necessary reformsare agreed and implemented. I thank vou Mr. Chairman.