Mr. Chair,

1. I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Group of 77 and China at this closing session of the second part of resumed seventy-eighth session of the Fifth Committee.

2. Allow me to start by congratulating you and your bureau for the stellar leadership of the Committee during the 78th Session and for successfully concluding your chairmanship.

3. The Group also extends its appreciation to the Secretariat of the Fifth Committee led by Lionel Berridge, all members of the Bureau for their hard work and dedication as well as all facilitators who played important roles in our negotiations and mostly for ensuring we finished on time.

Mr. Chair,

4. As the second resumed session is primarily dedicated to the consideration of the budgets of the peacekeeping operations, the Group would like to reiterate our gratitude for the men and women, both in uniform and not in uniform, who continue to serve in the various peacekeeping missions of the United Nations. We pay special tribute to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice and died in the pursuit of peace on behalf of the United Nations.

5. With respect to the agenda items that were before the Committee this session, the Group notes the increasing number of agenda items that are being concluded at a skeletal resolution.

6. We hope that in future, the Committee will make greater efforts to have negotiated outcomes and give appropriate guidance to the secretariat and on the management of the organization. The Group is, however, pleased that the resolution on the seconded-active-duty military and police personnel was concluded with consensus.

7. The Group also welcomes that the Committee was able to have a Rev.1 on the financing of the resident coordinator system and we look forward to having discussions on this agenda item in the main session of the 79th session.

8. Before concluding, Mr. Chair, allow me to thank all our negotiating partners, the likeminded plus+ and the Russian Federation who showed great flexibility, were constructive and collegial in their engagements with the Group of 77 and China.

Thank you, Mr. Chair