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United Nations General Assembly Sixtieth session Agenda items 46, 118, 120, 122, 124, 128, 129 and 136 Intergrated and coordinated implementation of and follow-up to the outcomes of the major United Nations conferences and summits in the economic, social and related fields United Nations reform: measures and proposals Follow-up to the outcome of the Millennium Summit Review of the efficiency of the administrative and financial functioning of the United Nations Proposed programme budget for the biennium 2006-2007 Scale of assessments for the apportionment of the expenses of the United Nations Human resources management Administrative and budgetary aspectsof th financing of the United Nations peacekeeping operations

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Investing in the United Nations: for a stronger Organization worldwide Report of the Secretary-General

STATEMENT BY

Ms. Mari Skflre Counsellor

NEW YORK, 3 April 2006

. . 825 .O2AO YORK 10022 TEL212.421 . F^X212.644,055 NEW NEW AVENUE, YORK, NATIONS THlRD To MlssLoN NoRWAY THEUNITED oF PERMANENT

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Thank you Mr Chairman, On behalf of Norway, I would like to congratulateMark Malloch Brown on his appointment as Deputy Secretary-General, and thank him for his presentationof the report Investing in the United Nations: for a stronger Organization worldwide.I would also like to thank the Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Bud getaryQuestions (ACABe) Rajat Saha for his presentationof the committee's report on this matter. Mr Chairman, The Secretary-General urging Member Statesto invest in the United Nations. Norway is is investing in the lIN. Ever since the inauguration of the organisation, our strong support to the UN has been a cornerstoneof Norwegian foreign policy. We have been a reliable contributor both in monetary terms and in terms of participating actively in policy deliberations and norm-setting processes. My Government supportsa stronger [IN that makes and coordinates collective responses global challengesand acts as the principal arena for international to lawmaking and policy formulation. While we understandthe rationale behind many of the proposals contained in the report before us, we disagreewith some and need to consider more closely the operative consequences others. I will not comment in detail on all the proposals,but I would like to of sketch the broader lines of Norway's position. Mr Chairrnan, A substantialamount of Norwegian public money is transferredto the UN. We have a responsibility to our taxpayersas well as to the people in need of UN assistance, and this means that we must monitor the organisation and ensureeffective and efficient management of its resources.Today we see seriousweaknesses the tIN adminiskation. in Stepshave been taken to rectify this situation, but more needsto be done. If the IIN is to have full credibility, it must have a transparent,effective and accountablesystem for resource management.This does not mean that we have to set up intricate structuresand mechanisms, but there must be clarity as to who is responsiblefor what, and leadersat all levels must shoulder fully the responsibilities involved in leading the organisation. The impression that there are managersin the Secretariatwho are not always acting in accordancewith the principles of the Charter is very damaging to the organisation. Norway has been promoting a strongerexecutive leadershipof the tIN for a long time and has advocatedthat the Member Statesshould give the Secretary-General greater authority to manage the resourcesthe organisationreceives.However, greater authority for the SecretaryGeneral and his staff, as proposed in the report, has to be coupled with managerial accountability, including accountability vis-ir-vis the Member States.The General Assembly has addressed issue of accountability many times, and we are surprisedthat it has not been the adequatelyresponded to. With regard to the role of the Deputy Secretary-General, recognise the need for greater we delegation of authority on the part of the Secretary-General facilitate better managementof to the organisation,but the overall responsibility must rest with the Secretary-General. We would caution against the establishmentof what could be perceived as two power basesin the

Secretariat and we would also caution against decisionsbeing taken in the General Assembly that could undermine the Secretary-General'sauthority and prerogative to organise his offices. Mr Chairrnan, The Secretary-Generalhas not limited his proposalsto in-house reforms of the Secretariat; he also addresses flaws in the governancesystem.The Member Statescertainly carry a lot of the responsibility for the difficulties in ensuring efficient and effective managementof the organisation, and Norway appreciates this opporhrnity to expressits views on the Member States' responsibilities and the problems in the governancesystem. The Secretary-Generalpinpoints the challengesrelating to the governanceissue in his report when he says, "Many stateshave causeto feel excluded from any real say in the affairs of the Organization .... This puts them at loggerheadswith other stateswho feei, on the contrary,that their financial contribution entitlesthem to a decisivesay on thesesameissues. ... This conflict has broken down the division of labour betweenmyself, as Chief Administrative Officer, and Member States." It understandablethat many countries are concerned,and that they wish to counter what could be seenas affempts to transfer functions from the General Assembly to a small circle of rich and powerful nations. We sharethis concern. It is the multilateral and universal characterof the United Nations that makes it what it is: the leading organisationproviding solutions to global problems. Take away the multilateral and univ"trut characterof the UN, and it is no longer qualified to be the leading organisation for world order. We would therefore strongly caution against the proposals in the report on establishing new govemance structureswithin the fIN, consisting of small groups of "representative" Member States.We do not believe that this would be in the interesiof tire United Nations or in our national interests. While we agree that there are some serious challengesto be dealt with in our decision-making processes,we do not agreethat the large number of Member Statesin the organisation and their participation in negotiations, in itself, constitutesa problem. We regard the challengesin governing the organisation as being of a more political nature. Statesoften seem unwilling to compromise on their own interestsin negotiations and often fall in the trap of micro-managementof the Secretariatrather than giving strategic guidance. There is a tendency for Member Statesto take an ir-la-c arte approachto ihe UN-and a gap between what Member Statesmandatethe organisationto doand the collective resources made availableto do the job.

Mr Chairrnan, Concerns that Member Stateshave been excluded from decision-making processes in the General Assembly should not lead to blind protection of the statusq.ro initte Secretariator in the General Assembly. We need the organisation to be stronger and more efficient. There is a good deal of room for improvement that would benefit the real clientele of the organisation, namely the people of the world.

We concur with the main thrust of the Secretary-General's proposals on human resource management,budget and finance, but we need more clarity on the operative consequences of some of theseproposals. In particular, we believe it is of the utmost importance to ensurethat the organisation possesses best relevant competence,and we see a need for improvements the both in the recruitment system,to make programme managersmore accountablefor their decisions, and in personnel management.As Article 101 of the Charter states,"The paramount considerationin employment of staff and in determination of the conditions of service shall be the necessityof securing the highest standardsof efficiency, competenceand integrity." A number of the proposalsput forward in this report do not seemto require legislative action by the General Assembly, os the follow-up action falls underthe Secretary-General's authority as Chief Executive Officer. We would like to learn more about theseinitiatives, and we understandthat specific guidance and decisions from the General Assembly might be necessaryat alater stage. Mr Chairman, In conclusion, Norway remains fully committed to the United Nations' Charter. In many of our cuffent discussions,including the discussionson managementreform, the Charter still reflects our highest ideals and objectives. But while we must preserve what we have achieved, we must continually adapt and improve the organisationto meet the needsof a changing world. We are looking forward to thorough and fi:uitful discussionsin the Committee. Thank you.