STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE GROUP OF 77 AND CHINA BY THE DELEGATION OF THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA IN THE FIFTH COMMITTEE OF THE U.N. GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON AGENDA ITEM 142: DEATH AND DISABLITY BENEFITS

New York, 6 October 1997

Mr. Chairman,

I take this opportunity to speak on behalf of the G-77 and China on agenda item 142 relating to death and disability benefits. The G-77 and China welcomes the presentation of the Secretary-General=s report A/52/369 and wish to thank the Chairman of the ACABQ for presentation of the related report A/52/410. We wish to commend the Secretariat for the report presented to the Member States well in time.

We are confident that under the new procedure proposed by the Secretary-General in the document A/52/369 the processing of death and disability claims would be completed expeditiously. Further, we are confident that the scope of the new system of compensation would encompass all cases of mission incurred death and disability. In this regard, we would like the Secretariat to clarify the points mentioned in paragraph 13 of the ACABQ report A/52/410.

The G-77 and China concurs with the recommendation of the ACABQ that adequate levels of resources should be maintained for early and full settlement of death and disability claims, including the clearance of backlog. In this context, the G-77 and China would also like to highlight the recommendation of the ACABQ for allocation of sufficient level of resources for expeditious settlement of other claims.

In order to facilitate expeditious and full settlement of claims, the G-77 and China would like to reiterate that Member States should pay their assessed contributions in full, on time and without conditions.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.