Madam Chair,

1. I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Group of 77 and China on agenda item 139: Programme budget for 2025 - Standards of accommodation for air travel.

2. Our Group wishes to thank ASG Martha Helena López, for the introduction of the Secretary General's report on standards of air accommodation for air travel. We also thank Ms. Juliana Ruas, Chair of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions, for introducing its related report.

3. The Group of 77 and China notes that the budget of the Organization has faced significant liquidity constraints over the last years, affecting in particular the implementation of the travel budget. Hence, the Group will examine the Secretary-General's proposals on standards of accommodation for air travel with a view to enable the Secretariat to deliver on all its mandates in a cost-effective manner, that ensures the effective and efficient utilization of resources allocated to air travel.

Madam Chair,

4. The Group has carefully examined the report of the Secretary General as well as the related report of the Advisory Committee, and I would like to highlight few points in this regard:

- Firstly, the Group notes that the number of trips and the total additional cost of the exceptions authorized by the Secretary-General increased during the period from 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2024 owing to the lifting of travel restrictions that had been imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this regard, we encourage the Secretary General to further intensify his efforts to minimize the use of exceptions and to make the administrative process for the official travel of eminent and prominent persons more effective.

- The Group welcomes the inclusion of the provision in Secretariat's official travel policy to encourage voluntary downgrades and notes with appreciation that the estimated total cost savings from the voluntary downgrades for the reporting period amount to 6.81 million dollars, thus wishes to encourage the SG to further incentivize the voluntary downgrading.

- Secondly, with regard to adherence to the Advance Purchase Policy, the Group notes the relative progress made in this area, with an overall performance of 47 per cent, the highest ever reported, representing an increase from the 33 per cent rate from the previous reporting period. The Group encourages the Secretary-General to redouble his efforts to further increase compliance with the policy and we will seek clarification in the ensuing informal consultation regarding the challenges encountered by the Secretariat that have hindered the full implementation of the General Assembly resolutions in this regard.

- Thirdly, the Group underlines the need to hold managers accountable for the judicious use of travel resources. The Secretariat should continuously seek the most cost-effective uses of the allocations for air travel, while also upholding the quality of work and the importance of in-person engagement for certain activities.

- Fourthly, the Group attaches great importance to ensuring that the procurement process for all air travel management services contracts is conducted in full compliance with general procurement principles as set out in financial regulation 5.12. The Group will seek detailed information during the informal consultations regarding the specific measures taken by the Secretariat to realize this objective.

- Fifthly, the Group takes note of the Secretary General's proposal to establish a single threshold for the use of business class by staff below the level of Assistant Secretary-General and eligible family members, to replace the currently used dual threshold. The Group will engage during the discussions of this proposal, looking forward to ensuring the cost-effective utilization of resources allocated to air travel.

- In this regard, the Group sees merit in the proposed simplified methodology which could facilitate the travel approval process and the automation and efficiency achieved through online booking systems. The Group concurs with the ACABQ's recommendation to support the single threshold for the use of business class by staff below the level of Assistant Secretary-General and agrees that the determination of the number of hours of travel time of a single threshold is a policy matter that needs detailed discussion and careful review

Madam Chair,

5. The Group of 77 and China reiterates that any policy changes or new formulations in the area of standards of accommodation for air travel remain the exclusive prerogative of the Fifth Committee and the General Assembly. To this end, we reiterate our readiness to engage constructively in the upcoming discussions, with the aim of concluding this agenda item in a timely fashion.

I thank you.