SECRETARY-GENERAL'S REPORT, STANDARDS OF

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 001887 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AORC KUNR UNGA SUBJECT: SECRETARY-GENERAL'S REPORT, STANDARDS OF ACCOMMODATION FOR AIR TRAVEL REF: A.USUN 00911 B.USUN 01412 ¶1. Summary. On October 16, 2006 the following reports are expected to be introduced in the Fifth Committee under agenda item 117, Programme Budget for 2006-2007, "Standards of Accommodation for Air Travel"; report of the Secretary-General (A/61/188) and the report of the Joint SIPDIS Inspection Unit (JIU) on the conditions of travel (A/60/78). While the Secretary-General's report presents a basic review of exceptions to the standards of travel authorized by the Secretary-General President of the General Assembly (PGA) and SIPDIS other offices for the period of July 1, 2004-June 30, 2006 (see paras 2-4),it neither explains how these exceptions were determined nor presents the information with a view to making changes to current policies. The JIU report addresses certain areas where policy disparities among different UN organizations exist and proposes recommendations for each area. Furthermore, the report addresses the problem of high travel expenditures and suggests ways to reduce expenditures. USDel will work to find ways to address major areas of concern regarding harmonization of air travel and exceptions to the standards of accommodation for air travel by supporting certain recommendations of the JIU that echo the stated position of the U.S. (reftel B) and by proposing specific language that deals with the major areas of concern, specifically the elimination of first class travel with the exception of agency heads and a reduction on the subsistence allowances (DSA rates) to delegates and experts. ¶2. Standards of Accommodation for Air Travel. The UN standards of accommodation for air travel are governed by a series of General Assembly (GA) resolutions. The Secretary-General can however, circumvent these rules by way SIPDIS of his discretionary authority (ST/AI/2000/20 para 4.5) to authorize exceptions to air travel on a case by case basis. The established categories of exceptions to the standards of air travel have included, but are not limited to the following: travel of eminent persons; travel of prominent individuals who are donating their services to the Organization free of charge; travel under circumstances that have been deemed to be arduous or under which, for medical reasons, it has been deemed appropriate to upgrade the accommodation of air travel; travel of the personal aides and security officials traveling with the Secretary-General, his wife or his personal representatives; and travel under circumstances when the normal standard of accommodation is not available and it is considered prudent to authorize an upgrade. Comment: The past stated position of the USG has been that all first class travel for UN travelers, with the noted exception of agency heads, should be eliminated. USUN will continue to support this position. End Comment. ¶3. For the period covered by the Secretary-General's report, (July 1 2004-June 30, 2006),the total number of exceptions authorized by the Secretary-General in respect of the UN was 162 at a total cost of USD 362,283. This is a slight decrease from the previous two year period cited in the report (July 1, 2002-June 30, 2004),in which there were 200 trips at an additional cost to the Organization of USD 373,959. There were 30 exceptions authorized for other UN entities during the period July 1, 2004-June 30, 2006 at an additional cost to the Organization of USD 47,786. This represents a significant increase in exceptions and subsequent resources from the period of July 1, 2002-June 30, 2004, where there were 24 authorized exceptions at an additional cost to the Organization of USD 28,194. USDel will address this increase during the substantive session. ¶4. The President of the General Assembly (PGA) is authorized to use the funds provided for his office to authorize the use of first-class travel. In the period covered by the Secretary-General's report, (July 1, 2004-June 30, 2006),the SIPDIS PGA authorized 15 first-class trips at a total cost of USD 24,378. Of these 15 first-class trips, 12 were designated for the PGA and 3 were designated for the Chef de Cabinet to the PGA. For the period July 1, 2002-June 30, 2004 the PGA authorized 12 travel exceptions at an additional cost to the Organization of USD 40,319. ¶5. Report of the JIU on the Harmonization of the Conditions of Travel Throughout the UN. In its resolution A/RES/60/255, the GA decided to revert to the report of the JIU during the 61st session. While the Committee did not take action on any recommendations contained in the report of the JIU, the resolution adopted by the Committee stated the intent of the GA to use the information presented in the JIU report to adopt a common policy for the UN system. Although the JIU report is inefficient in its scope and recommendation, USDel will restate its support for the adoption of the following JIU recommendations contained in the report during the upcoming session (per reftel B): the elimination of all first class travel with the exception of agency heads, the establishment of clear criteria for exception to the approved class of travel and a reduction in travel allowances (DSA rates) to delegates and experts. ¶6. CEB report-another chance in the future. Per reftel A, the resolution adopted by the Committee last June (A/RES/60/255) requested the Secretary-General to review the travel standards and entitlements for staff members, members of organs and subsidiary organs of the UN and organizations of the UN system through the Chief Executives Board (CEB) and submit a report to the GA at the first part of its resumed sixty-first session. If consensus cannot be reached in the upcoming substantive session, the Committee may decide to defer consideration of both the Secretary-General's report and the report of the JIU until the report of the CEB is introduced. This would present USUN with another opportunity to achieve U.S. objectives regarding standards of accommodation for air travel. BOLTON