BRIEFING OF GENEVA GROUP ON UNITED NATIONS

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000204 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AORC AFIN ABUD UNGA SUBJECT: BRIEFING OF GENEVA GROUP ON UNITED NATIONS FINANCIAL MATTERS ¶1. UN Controller Warren Sach provided members of the Geneva Group on March 3, 2008, a paper identifying $1,062,772.9 billion dollars in potential "add ons" to the current biennium budget of $4.17 billion. See para. 2. On March 5, 2008, Ambassador Wallace hosted a meeting of the JUSCANZ which discussed the potential "add ons", which threatened to raise the budget more than 25 percent above the 2006/2007 biennium. There was widespread agreement with the concern that USUN expressed about the size of the potential unprecendented budget increase. The participants agreed that there was a need to consider how to address this concern and to reconvene in the next week or so. ¶2. Paper provided by Sach: "Briefing of Geneva Group on United Nations Financial Matters (4 March 2008)." As per summary note on the outcome of the GA 62nd session: -------------- -------------- $Million -------------- Proposed programme budget 4,441.1 ACABQ Recommendations on the proposed programme budget (12.3) Fifth Committee (295.0) Revised estimates and PBIs 37.6 Initial appropriation 4,171.4 Fifth Committee changes $Million -------------- (i) Adjustment of vacancy rates applied (48.1) to professional and general services posts (ii) Adjustment of vacancy rates applied (7.5) to field security staff (iii) Maintenance of travel, contractual (13.6) services, and general operating expenses at the 2006-2007 level after recosting (iv) Reduction of non-post resources by (11.2) 2 percent, other than travel of staff, contractual services and general operating expenses (excepted DGACM) (v) Office of Central Support Services (18) (vi) Reduction of the overall provision (200.1) for special political missions (vii) Development Account 2.5 (viii) Other changes 1 Total (295) million Potential add-ons to the programme budget for the biennium 2008-2009 -------------- Thousands of U.S. Dollars -------------- $amount Special political missions additional 39,329.2 (a) requirements in 2008 (A/62/512/Add.6) Special political missions 2009 500,000.0 (b) Construction Baghdad 100,000.0 Information and communications technology Enterprise systems for the United 50,000.0 (c) Nations Secretariat worldwide Revised estimates: Disaster recovery 50,359.9 (d) and business continuity for the United Nations (A/62/477) Strategy and governance CITO tbd Human rights (Durban) 6,794.7 Strengthening of the Department Political Affairs (A/62/521) 22,206.4 ACABQ on Strengthening of the Department of Political Affairs (A/62/521) (8,596.9) 13,609.5 Improving the effective and efficient delivery of the mandates of the development related activities and the revised estimates relating to the programme budget for the biennium 2008-2009 25,571.0 Accountability framework, Enterprise Risk Management and internal control framework, and Results-Based Management framework (A/62/701 & Add.1) 3,008.6 Security panel tbd (e) Unforeseen expenses 7,900.0 (f) Detailed proposals for streamlining United Nations contractual arrangements (A/62/274) 7,600.0 Harmonization of conditions of service 45,200.0 (g) Common services cuts non-absorption tbd Associated costs to Capital Master Plan 62,400.0 (h) Revised estimates for currency and inflation 151,000.0 (i) Total 1,062,772.9 Notes: (a) Reflects proposed requirements for five spms (LRA Affected Areas, IAMB, UNOSEK, UNMIN and UNPOS). The estimated total additional requirements for 2008 amount to $56.6 million. Given the balance in the provision for spms of $17.3 million following decisions of the General Assembly in resolution 62/238, additional appropriations of $39.3 would be required for 2008. (b) Reflects the approved budgets totalling $386 million of the 26 special political missions authorized by the General Assembly in its resolution 62/238, plus the proposed requirements of $39.3 million detailed in A/62/512/Add.6, rounded up to $500 million in anticipation of any new mandates in the latter part of 2008. (c) Based on the regular budget share (20%) of the preliminary indicative figure of $250 million estimated for the total cost of the ERP project (as provided in para. 48 of A/62/510). (d) This report was considered by the ACABQ in December 2007 in its report A/62/7/Add.31. The Committee approved an amount of $6.8 million under the regular budget for the North Lawn equipment and indicated that it will revert to the DRBC proposals in the context of its consideration of the detailed report on the implementation of the ERP. (e) To be absorbed (f) Based on actual experience in 2006-2007. (g) Indicative estimates (h) This figure is based on the old "Strategy IV" assumption for the biennium 2008-2009. Total costs which were based on the previously approved strategy, were estimated at $184 million over the total period of renovation (2008-2013). The requirements relating to accelerated "Strategy IV" as approved by the General Assembly in its resolution 62/87 and related associated costs are currently under preparation. The amount of $62.4 million would be revised in due course. Whilst this amount is shown as a possible addition to the programme budget, other financing arrangements such as incorporation in the CMP budget are being explored. (i) Based on available information as of 1 March 2008. Includes conditions of service and compensation for officials other than Secretariat officials: members of the International Court of Justice (A/62/538) Balance in the contingency fund: $12,191,000 Preliminary estimate of requirements for the period 2008/09 (Thousands of United States dollars. Budget is from 1 July to 30 June) -------------- -------------- Proposed Expenditure Apportionment Budget Variance (2006/07) (2007/08) (2008/09) Amount Percentage MINURSO 41,702.6 44,321.6 45,728.4 1,406.8 3.2 MINUSTAH 484,020.1 535,372.8 575,103.2 39,730.4 7.4 MINURCAT (c) 1,114.1 182,444.0 420,646.7 238,202.7 130.6 MONUC 1,085,127.9 1,112,739.5 1,193,572.2 80,832.7 7.3 ONUB (a) 118,534.1 -- -- -- -- UNAMID (c) 1,275,653.7 1,730,454.9 454,801.2 35.7 UNDOF 39,549.0 39,662.5 45,726.0 6,063.5 15.3 UNFICYP 47,347.9 46,587.4 54,943.0 8,355.6 17.9 UNIFIL 495,735.7 713.586.8 698,456.1 (15,130.7) (2.1) UNMEE (b) 126,618.4 113,483.4 113,483.4 -- -- UNMIK (b) 210,191.8 210,676.8 210,676.8 -- -- UNMIL 676,202.0 688,330.6 614,982.8 (73,347.8) (10.7) UNMIS (c) 990,276.2 846,277.2 821,727.4 (24,549.8) (2.9) UNMIT 146,848.8 153,159.8 169,625.4 16,465.6 10.8 UNOCI 450.769.6 470.856.1 477,154.9 6,298.8 1.3 UNOMIG 32,297.9 35,009.8 34,740.7 ( 269.1) ( 0.8) UNLB (c) 32,929.2 40,379.6 56,454.2 16,074.6 39.8 Support Account (c) 177,696.9 230,509.9 292,151.6 61,641.7 26.7 Total 5,156,962.2 6,739,051.5 7,555,627.7 816,576.2 12.1 Notes: (a) ONUB mandate expired on 31 December 2006, with administrative liquidation completed on 30 June 2007. (b) Estimate for 2008/09 is based on approved levels for 2007/08 but subject to revision in light of Security Council discussions. (c) Budget proposals under review. KHALILZAD