SECRETARY-GENERAL'S REPORT, STANDARDS OF

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 001887

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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