Mdm. Chair,

1. I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and China on the Agenda item 146: Report of the Joint Inspection Unit for 2024 and programme of work for 2025, for the first part of the resumed 79th session of the Fifth Committee.

2. Allow me to thank Ms. Carolina Fernández Opazo, Chair of the Joint Inspection Unit, and Ms. Federica Pietracci, Senior Programme Management Officer, Secretariat of the UN System Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB), for introducing their corresponding reports on the Joint Inspection Unit for 2024 and its programme of work for 2025.

3. The Group wishes to reaffirm its longstanding support to the important work of the JIU as the sole independent and external oversight body of the United Nations mandated to conduct inspections, evaluations and investigations system-wide.

Mdm. Chair,

4. The Group would like to recognize the efforts of the JIU in delivering on its programme of work for 2024, by producing six products three reports on system-wide reviews, one report on management and administration reviews of a single organization, and two notes.

5. In this regard, the Group welcomes the completion of the Review of consideration of and action taken on the reports and recommendations of the Joint Inspection Unit by United Nations system organizations (JIU/REP/2024/2) and its result which shows the overall rate of acceptance of JIU recommendations increased from 65 per cent in 2015 to 74 per cent in 2023, which is in line with the group firm position on the necessity of implementation of the JIU recommendation by all its participating organization.

6. The Group also welcome the completion of the report on Budgeting in organizations of the United Nations system (JIU/REP/2024/3) as it encompasses not only the 13 regular budgets of the United Nations and its specialized agencies that were included in the 1989 report, but all 28 stand-alone budgets of organizations currently participating in JIU which make it a useful source to present a wider picture on the budgeting process in the system, which provides a qualitative added value to the knowledge of budgeting in the entire system. On the other hand, we express our concern about the delay of completion of three system-wide reviews included in the program work for 2024 and we expect to be delivered as scheduled in 2025.
 
Mdm. Chair,

7. The Group also notes that six system-wide reviews were included in the Unit's program of work for 2025, we would like to highlight the utmost importance of two of them which is the Review of the policies and practices for determining the rates of programme support costs in organizations of the United Nations system, and Review of the strategic planning function in United Nations system organizations, as we think that both of these reviews address very important topics related to the UN system organizations. We expect that these two reviews could bring increased efficiency to the United Nations system.

8. The Group continues to be concerned at the average rate of acceptance and implementation of recommendations by some organizations and believes that the pertinence of these recommendations requires the improvement of the figures presented in the last reports.

9. On another note, the Group once again stresses the importance of having a well-functioning web-based system for tracking up-to-date information on the status of implementation of recommendations of the Unit.

Mdm. Chair,

10. We underline the Unit's self-assessment exercise, carried out in 2022 to evaluate its overall performance since the previous self-assessment in 2013. We also recognize the Unit`s commitment to continue to formally consider and prioritize in 2025 the recommendations from the self-assessment and develop action plans in this regard. The Group expects that the results of the exercise will be concluded during 2025 and looks forward to the finalization of the mid-review of the Unit's strategic framework.

11. The Group also wishes to reiterate the importance of enhancing coordination in order to align the workplans, avoid overlaps or duplication of work and maximizing the synergy between the Board of Auditors, the Office of Internal Oversight Services and the Joint Inspection Unit.
 
Mdm. Chair,

12. For the 2025 programme of work of the Unit, the Group appreciates the diversity of the projects that will be undertaken as well as the completion of those pending. We further encourage the Unit to consider in the course of the year the possibility of adding more topics to its programme of work.

13. We encourage the Inspectors and their teams to finalize all reviews within the calendar year while upholding the quality of work.
 
14. The Group of 77 and China also calls on Member States to assist the Unit and its inspectors, where necessary, with consular and other travel requirements to enable them to discharge their duties effectively and without hindrance.

15. In conclusion, the Group of G77 and China would like to assure you, Mr. Chair, of its readiness to engage constructively in the upcoming discussions with the aim of concluding this important agenda item in a timely manner.

I thank you.