Mr Chairman

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Group of 77 and China on agenda item 135, entitled "Programme Planning".

I wish to refer to the reports before the Committee as just highlighted by the Chair. The Group wishes to commend the Chair of the Committee on Programme and Coordination (CPC), Mr Yuri Ambrazevich under whose guidance and skilful leadership, the CPC was able to successfully complete their recent session.

Mr Chairman

Programme Planning transforms intergovernmental mandates into implementable programs. In this regard, the Group reiterates the importance of the work of the Committee for Program and Coordination as the main subsidiary organ of the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council for planning, programming and coordination. The CPC not only gives guidance to the Secretariat by interpreting legislative mandates but also considers and develops evaluation procedures for the improvement of programme design and the avoidance of overlap and duplication. The G77 and China considers the work of the CPC to be at the core of the General Assembly's capacity to provide guidance and oversight in these key areas.

The G77 and China would like to commend members of the Bureau of the fifty-fifth session of the Committee for Program and Coordination for their efficient and highly professional work as well as the members of the CPC for the constructive and professional nature of negotiations during this session.

Mr Chairman

As in previous years, the report of the Committee provides an excellent basis for the consideration of the relevant items on the agenda of the Fifth Committee. We highly value the inputs provided by the CPC and fully endorse the recommendations and conclusions contained in its fifty-fifth report. Nevertheless, the Group would like to underline a few specific issues.

The G77 highlights the importance of the work performed in relation to the proposed revisions to the Regulations and Rules Governing Programme Planning, the Programme Aspects of the Budget, the Monitoring of Implementation and the Methods of Evaluation, usually known as PPBME.

The Group is satisfied that when considering such proposed revisions the CPC ensured that approved changes to the PPBME originated from specific mandates and have direct links to General Assembly resolutions. It is positive to note that during the discussions the Secretariat, at the request of the CPC members, provided general overviews of all changes, including historic information on earlier revisions and explanations for the introduction of new concepts and other underlying justifications.

Nevertheless, the G77 and China takes note of the decision of the CPC to defer to its fifty-seventh session the consideration of the proposed revisions to article VI : Evaluation, and the annex of the PPBME. The Group awaits these proposed revisions with interest and expects that they shall be put forward taking into account all relevant resolutions of the General Assembly.

The G77 and China agrees with the conclusion of the CPC that the current set of the PPBME shall be periodically updated. The Group also reaffirms the role of the CPC in verifying that programmes of activities are fully implemented in line with the legislative mandates and ensuring comprehensive implementation of rules and regulations.

Mr Chairman

Concerning the consolidated changes to the biennial programme plan as reflected in the proposed programme budget for the biennium 2016 - 2017, the G77 and China echoes the recommendations of the CPC which requested the Secretary General to ensure that programme managers further improve the formulation of objectives, expected accomplishments and indicators of achievement in order to allow for better evaluation of results. In this regard, the Group underlines the need to take appropriate measures to develop, on a continuous basis, and implement an adequate training programme to ensure staff's proficiency in the relevant concepts and techniques, including the formulation of expected accomplishments and indicators of achievement.

The CPC also dealt with the improvement of the implementation of results-based budgeting. The G77 and China believes that any development in this matter should take into account the need to ensure that expected accomplishments, indicators of achievement and objectives are defined, bearing in mind the direct link between inputs and outputs, and that inputs must correspond with the needs of programmes. It is also important to address the international character of the United Nations, its Charter and its legislative mandates, as well as the fact that there exist real and concrete difficulties in achieving results in complex and longstanding political activities within specific time frames. Furthermore, it is crucial to understand that the objectives of the Organization may not be realized in one biennial cycle only. The G77 and China recalls that these principles have been fully endorsed in General Assembly resolution 55/231.

Mr Chairman

In relation to the evaluations considered by the CPC during this session, the Group appreciates the conclusions of the CPC and is ready to adopt them. Nonetheless, the Group wishes to underline some of the general conclusions and recommendations related to the strengthening of the role of evaluation and the application of evaluation findings on programme design, delivery and policy directives. The Group agrees that a strong evaluation function continues to be a critical tool for assessing the Organization's performance, through which accountability could be enhanced and lessons learned. At the same time, it allows Member States to follow up on programme outcomes in a systematic way. Thus, the Group shares the concern of the CPC that there continues to be major obstacles to strengthening evaluation functions. The G77 emphasizes the need for Secretariat entities to allocate appropriate resources to evaluation activities and to develop a more robust culture for evaluation throughout the Organization by strengthening senior management support and staff buy-in. The Group supports ensuring that senior managers' compacts present adequate programme objectives and performance measures in order to fulfil given mandates in accordance with relevant rules and regulations and that the evaluation function receive due consideration in the performance appraisal of senior managers.

The Group takes note of the forthcoming evaluations to be considered by the CPC at its fifty-seventh session and regrets that no agreement was reached to present to this Committee the OIOS-planned evaluations in the peacekeeping field during 2015 - 2016 which would include : Force generation; Robust peacekeeping and "Re-hatting" in peacekeeping missions.

Mr Chairman

As to the annual overview report of the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination the G77 and China welcomes the Board's efforts to promote policy coordination and coherence, including in areas of economic and social development, South-South and triangular cooperation and climate change. The Group also values the efforts to improve the effectiveness and impact of the operational activities of the United Nations system and to support United Nations country teams. The G77 and China encourages the CEB to continue to enhance collaboration on procurement activities, including increasing the opportunities for vendors from developing countries. In this context, attention should also be paid to the promotion of the strategic use of long-term agreements with regard to procurement activities in the United Nations system.

The G77 and China welcomes the CPC´s recognition of the intrinsic inter-linkage between poverty eradication and the promotion of sustainable development and the importance of mobilizing capacity and resources for supporting the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Group stresses the CEB's key role in ensuring coordinated United Nations system-wide support and follow-up to the 2030 Agenda. The Group would welcome, in the next report by the CEB to the fifty-sixth session of the CPC, information on ways and means of strengthening that role to foster policy coherence in the United Nations system in order to ensure coordinated and effective action on the wide range of programmatic, management and operational issues linked to the global development agenda.

As in previous sessions, the CPC pronounced itself on the United Nations system support for the New Partnership for Africa's Development - the G77 and China joins the Committee in commending the Office of the Special Adviser on Africa. The Group agrees with the recommendation that the General Assembly should request the organizations of the United Nations system to continue to coordinate closely with the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency, as the technical body of the African Union, and other structures of the African Union Commission and the Partnership in order to support the Strategic Plan 2014 - 2017 of the African Union Commission and the 10-year implementation plan for the African Union Agenda 2063.

Mr Chairman

Finally, the Group of 77 and China reiterates its appreciation for the work done by the Members of the CPC and for the support received from its very efficient Secretariat during the past session. Allow me to assure you of the constructive participation of the Group during the negotiations on this item, which we hope will be concluded promptly.

I thank you Mr Chairman