Statement by the Representative of Indonesia on behalf of the Group of 77 and China before the Fifth Committee on the issue of the Support Account for Peacekeeping Operations at the 53^rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly

New York, 7 October 1998

Mr. Chairman,

1. The Group of 77 and China would like to thank the Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) for introducing the report on the Support Account for peacekeeping operations (A/53/418).

2. We deeply regret the delay in issuance of the ACABQ report by the Secretariat. This should have been issued much earlier in order to give ample time to the delegations to thoroughly examine the important issue of Support Account.

3. The Group of 77 and China also regrets to note the comments of the Advisory Committee that little had been done to meet its explicit concerns concerning the quality of information contained in the report of the Secretary-General and the concerns of the Fifth Committee expressed in paragraph 4 of the General Resolution 52/248. We would like to underline that in future Secretary-General's reports on peacekeeping Support Account should fully take into account the General Assembly resolutions and the ACABQ recommendations endorsed by General Assembly.

4. We would like to reiterate that the Group attaches great importance to the role of the United Nations in the maintenance of international peace and security as enshrined in the United Nations Charter. For this purpose we underscore that it is collective responsibility of the Member States to provide adequate resources for full implementation of mandated activities to enable the United Nations to carry out its role effectively.

5. The Group of 77 and China reaffirms that all mandated programmes and activities should be carried out by international civil servants in accordance with Article 100 and 101 of the United Nations Charter. We emphasize that all gratis personnel should be phased out by February 1999 in accordance with the General Assembly Resolutions 52/234 and 52/248.

6. The Group of 77 and China reiterates its concern over the staffing structure of the department of peacekeeping operations where the developing countries are insufficiently represented. Therefore, we stress expeditious recruitment of staff including replacement of gratis personnel on the basis of equitable geographical representation to fulfill the requirement under the Charter.

7. The Secretary-General in his report A/52/837 had proposed 469 temporary support account posts for the period 1 July 1998 to 30 June 1999. The Group of 77 and China recalls paragraph 11 of General Assembly resolution 51/239 on the need for adequate funding for the backstopping of peacekeeping operations. In this context, the Group of 77 and China strongly emphasizes the need for immediate conversion of positions occupied by gratis personnel to fully funded temporary posts. The Advisory Committee has now recommended 47 additional posts to the staffing level approved for 1997-1998, and re-deployment of 29 posts for the Department of Peacekeeping Operations. This issue would need to be discussed in view of the actual requirements for the backstopping of peacekeeping operations, in the informal consultations.

8. The Advisory Committee has recommended re-deployment of 29 posts. The proposal for redeployment of posts needs further clarification. The Group of 77 and China would like the Secretariat to inform this Committee about the feasibility of the implementation of Advisory Committee's recommendations if approved by the General Assembly.

9. The Group of 77 and China has noted that the level of financial resources required for the backstopping of the peacekeeping operations has not been indicated in the Advisory Committee's report to take into account the adjustments recommended by the ACABQ. We would like to be informed by the Secretariat whether the amount of US $ 34.4 million tentatively approved by the General Assembly for the period from 1 July 1998 to 30 June 1999 would be sufficient to meet all the requirements of backstopping of peacekeeping operations during this financial year.

10. The Group of 77 and China would like to emphasize the need to review the relationship between the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the Department of Political Affairs in order to avoid duplication and overlap, and similarly to review any possible duplication between some functions performed by the Department of Management and the Administration in the field.

11. The Group of 77 and China shares the views of the ACABQ that planning functions of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations should be reviewed with a view to their streamlining and to avoid duplication and overlap between the Office of the Military Advisor and the Planning Division.

12. The Group of 77 and China shares the view of the ACABQ in paragraphs 34 and 35 of its report on the need to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the Situation Centre including its workload, functions and responsibilities.

13. The Group of 77 and China fully endorses the observation of the ACABQ in paragraph 12 of its report requesting that a separate report of the Secretary-General on the Rapid Deployment Mission Headquarters to be submitted to the General Assembly as soon as possible.

14. The Group of 77 and China is looking forward to have in-depth evaluation of the relevant reports on support account at the informal consultations. The Group is ready to engage itself constructively in the negotiations.

Thank you.