Madam Chair,

1. I have the honor to speak on behalf of the Group of 77 and China on agenda item 147, entitled "United Nations Common System".

2. The Group wishes to thank Ambassador Larbi Djacta, Chair of the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) and Mr. Abdallah Bachar Bong, Chair of the Advisory Committee for Administrative and Budgetary Questions, for introducing their respective reports. We also thank Mr. Chandru Ramanathan, Assistant Secretary-General for presenting the statement of the Secretary-General on the administrative and financial implications of the decisions and recommendations contained in the report of the ICSC.

3. The Group notes with appreciation the work of the Commission and supports the recommendations contained in its annual report contained in document A/79/30.

4. The Group reaffirms its commitment to a single, unified United Nations common system and to the crucial role of the ICSC as a cornerstone for the regulation and coordination of the conditions of service of the United Nations Common system as stipulated in Article 1 paragraph 1 of its statute.

5. The Group welcomes the fact that although during the previous session the General Assembly took no decision on the work of the Commission, the ICSC proceeded as planned. The Group emphasizes that receiving guidance from the General Assembly remains critical for the work of the Commission.

6. The Group welcomes the significant progress made by the Commission in response to the request of the General Assembly, in its resolutions 76/240 and 77/256-A, in reviewing the compensation system and takes note of the progress reports from the three working groups. The Group looks forward to the outcome and hopes it will provide an optimal and sustainable balance between competing desirable compensation goals, including accuracy, transparency, simplicity, consistency and stability of net remuneration and predictability of its periodic adjustment.

7. The Group also looks forward to a constructive discussion on the recommendation of the Commission on the adjustment of the children' s and secondary dependents' allowances which have been frozen for 12 years and takes note of the ongoing consideration of the working group 2 on family/dependency-related elements of the compensation package.

8. The Group would like to single out the importance of education grant, including detailed review of the sliding reimbursement as well as the boarding lump sum as requested by the General Assembly, and recommended in the report of the ICSC. The Group looks forward to the continuation of the review of the education grant methodology under the current comprehensive review of the compensation package.

9. The Group notes the recommendation of the Commission to continue the pilot programme related to the payment of amount in lieu of settling in grant at category D and E duty stations that are not designated as non-family, until the conclusion of the comprehensive review of the compensation package.
  

10. Finally, the Group is especially pleased with the efforts being made by organizations to introduce policies to enhance diversity in the common system with emphasis on gender and disability. The Group also emphasizes the need for equitable geographical representation system-wide and therefore looks forward to the implementation, by the organizations, of the recommendations contained in the report.

11. In conclusion, Madam Chair, the Group stand ready to engage constructively on this item towards a timely consensual conclusion.

I thank you.