UN: FIFTH COMMITTEE ADOPTS PEACEKEEPING MISSION

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000651 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AORC IS LE PREL UNGA YI SUBJECT: UN: FIFTH COMMITTEE ADOPTS PEACEKEEPING MISSION BUDGETS AND REACHES AGREEMENT ON OTHER ISSUES REF: USUN 000511 ¶1. Summary: Following weeks of sometimes contentious negotiations, the Fifth Committee, on June 23rd, reached agreement on the 14 peacekeeping operation (PKO) budgets financed under the peacekeeping scale of assessments and on other peacekeeping-related requirements for the UN peacekeeping financial year July 2009/June 2010. The budgets and other drafts were formally adopted in Plenary on June 30th. The Mission was successful in achieving the overall objective of significantly reducing the costs of peacekeeping missions without undermining the ability of those missions to fulfill their mandates. The Mission was successful in large part because for the first time in recent memory it was able to forge a unified western front to deal with the objection of the G-77 to any significant reductions from the funding proposal of the SYG. ¶2. At USDel's initiative, the following group of states, responsible for paying 90.5% of the Organization's peacekeeping requirements, worked as a single like-minded group during the negotiations: the EU; CANZ (Canada, Australia, New Zealand); Japan; the Rep. of Korea; and the US. The total amount requested by the Secretary-General was $8.37 billion. Mission was successful in reducing that amount by $600.54 million (7.2%) to a still record total of $7.77 billion - a 6.2% increase over the previous 12-month budget of $7.31 billion. The reductions are slightly higher than those recommended by the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ). ¶3. As in years past, the majority of reductions were from the proposed budgets of new or expanded missions. The reductions, for the first time, reflect an across-the-board "efficiency" cut of 0.5% on all individual PKO budgets. See paragraphs 6 - 20 below for reporting on the individual PKO budgets including on the costs involved in liquidating the recently-terminated UN Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) and on the recorded votes on the UNIFIL draft concerning the obligation of Israel to make reparations for the damage to UNIFIL facilities at Q'ana in April 1996. ¶4. The committee reached consensus on: financing the logistics support package for the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) (paragraph 21); the budget of the peacekeeping support account (paragraph 22),including the requirements for funding a three-year pilot project for regional hubs of the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) (Septel to follow),the budget of the UN logistics base in Brindisi, Italy (UNLB) (paragraph 23); three recently-closed PKOs - the UN Operation in Burundi (ONUB), the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE),and the UN Mission in Sierra Leone (UNOMSIL) (paragraph 24); on the report of the Board of Auditors on PKOs covering the period July 2007/June 2008: on a revised budget for the UN Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS) (funded under the regular budget) (paragraph 25); on the return of two-thirds of the credits available in the account of the UN Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission (UNIKOM) to the government of Kuwait in the amount of $996,800; and on the issue of timely submission of documents under the item pattern of conferences (paragraph 26) and on rates of reimbursement to troop-contributing countries (TCCs) (paragraph 27). The budget figures below do not include the missions' prorated shares of the support account and UNLB budgets. ¶5. The committee was not able to reach agreement on the issue of returning to Member States the funds available in the accounts of 16 closed PKOs with cash surpluses and decided to again consider the updated financial position of the 21 total closed PKOs including five with cash deficits during its 64th session (paragraph 28). The committee was also not able to agree on a cross-cutting resolution for the second year in a row. Closing statements made at conclusion of the meeting and second resumed session of the Fifth Committee reporting Septel. US statement of May 13th posted as www.usunnewyork.usmission.gov/press_releases/ 20090513_100. End summary. Missions in Africa ¶6. MINURCAT (UN Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad): $690.75 million - amount proposed: $768.19 million - reduction of $77.44 million (10.1%). The committee decided to reclassify the post of the Chief of Staff in the Office of the SRSG from the D-1 to D-2 level; recognized that the improvement of national airport infrastructure is the responsibility of the host country, where possible; welcomed the dispatch of a dedicated recruitment and staffing team from Headquarters; commended the Mission for its initiative to prepare a water production and conservation policy reclassify; and called for enhanced regional and inter-mission cooperation. ¶6. UNAMID (African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur): $1.6 billion - amount proposed: $1.789 billion - reduction of $189 million (10.6%). The committee took note of the OIOS report on the audit of the use of extraordinary measures (including awarding of a sole-source contract to the US firm PAE) for UNAMID and the SYG's comments thereon, stressed the importance of ensuring greater accountability of the SYG to Member States for effective implementation of legislative mandates on procurement and related use of financial and human resources, asked the SYG to ensure that all procurement projects are in full compliance with relevant resolutions and that lessons learned from previous application of flexibility and administrative procedures are fully taken into account, and asked the Independent Audit Advisory Committee (IAAC) to provide advice on measures to ensure compliance of management with the OIOS audit and recommendations. ¶7. UNMIS (UN Mission in the Sudan): $958.35 - amount proposed: $980.56 - reduction of $22.21 million (2.3%). The committee established 187 disarmament, demobilization and reintegration posts (DDR) posts. ¶8. UNOCI (United Nations Operation in Cote d'Ivoire): $491.77 - amount proposed: $505.79 - reduction of $14.02 million (2.8%). The committee asked the SYG to make the fullest possible use of facilities and equipment at UNLB and at the Entebbe Logistics hub in Uganda, where applicable and to continue his efforts to recruit local staff against General Service posts. ¶9. UNMIL (UN Mission in Liberia): $561 million - amount proposed: $593.59 - reduction of $32.59 million (5.5%). ¶10. MONUC (UN Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo): $1.35 billion - amount proposed: $1.428 billion - reduction of $78 million (5.5%). The committee approved funding for 16 general temporary assistance positions for the Special Envoy of the SYG for the Great Lakes region for six months (July - December 2009) with the intention of funding these positions under the regular budget as of 2010. ¶11. MINURSO (UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara): $53.53 million - proposed amount $57.40 million - reduction of $3.87 million (6.7%). Mission in the Americas ¶12. MINUSTAH (UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti): $611.75 million - amount proposed: $618.62 million - reduction of $6.87 million (1.1%). The committee approved up to $3 million for quick-impact projects. Missions in Asia and the Pacific ¶13. UNMIT (UN Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste): $205.94 million - amount proposed: $210.61 - reduction of $4.67 million (2.25%). The committee approved $3.07 million for the upcoming local elections and called on the SYG to address the increased number of allegations of misconduct. ¶14. UNMOGIP (UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan) - funded under the regular budget - budget to be adopted during the main part of the 64th GA. Missions in Europe ¶15. UNFICYP (UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus): $54.41 million - amount proposed: $57.48 million - reduction of $3.07 million (5.3%). ¶16. UNMIK (UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo): $46.81 million - amount proposed $47.08 million - reduction of $270,000 (.06%). Following extensive negotiations, the committee adopted EU compromise language amending a Serbian proposal to establish additional positions, approving only three general temporary assistance positions. Per prior agreement among USDel, Serbia and the EU, the UN Controller, prior to adoption of the budget in the Fifth Committee, said that it was the Secretariat's understanding that the three positions were to be utilized to ensure coordination with EULEX (European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo) and to assist the SRSG in implementing activities within the framework of SCR 1244 and presidential statement S/PRST/2008/44. Following formal adoption of the budget in Plenary, Serbia expressed satisfaction over the creation of the three positions, noting that they were intended to ensure coordination and cooperation between UNMIK and EULEX within the status neutral framework of resolution 1244. He also expressed the expectation that the positions will have clear and well-defined roles, particularly regarding the police, justice and customs, the three core functions of EULEX. ¶17. UNOMIG (UN Observer Mission in Georgia): In anticipation that the mandate would be renewed, the SYG proposed a budget of $38.84 million. Following a Russian veto in the Security Council on June 15, 2009 of a draft extending the mandate of the Mission, the committee appropriated $15 million for the liquidation of the Mission for the period July - December 2009 and asked the SYG to submit a liquidation budget for the Mission during the main part of the 64th GA. Missions in the Middle East ¶18. UNDOF (UN Disengagement Observer Force): $45.03 million - amount proposed $45.40 million - reduction of $370,000 (.08%). The committee also appropriated an additional amount of $2.52 million for the period July 2007/June 2008. ¶19. UNIFIL (UN Interim Force in Lebanon): $589.80 million - amount proposed: $646.58 - reduction of $56.78 million (8.8%). As in previous funding resolutions, the U.S., in both the Fifth Committee and in Plenary, called for a recorded vote and voted against four paragraphs concerning the obligation of Israel to make reparations for the damage to UNIFIL facilities at Q'ana in April 1996. The U.S. also called for a recorded vote and voted against the resolution as a whole in both venues. (Vote totals and selected explanations of vote by the U.S. and others in paragraphs 29 and 30 below.) ¶20. UNTSO (UN Truce Supervision Organization) - funded under the regular budget - budget to be adopted during the main part of the 64th GA. AU Mission in Somalia ¶21. Financing of activities arising from SCR 1863 - Support for the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM): $138.80 million - amount proposed: $185.67 million - reduction of $46.87 million (25.2%). In taking this action, the committee authorized the SYG to enter into commitments to continue the logistics support package for the July - December 2009 period while asking him to ensure effectiveness, efficiency and transparency in the use of the resources. The SYG was also asked to submit a budget for the full July 2009/June 2010 period to enable the GA to take a decision before October 31, ¶2009. Support Account ¶22. In 1991 the GA established the support account as the funding mechanism for backstopping and other peacekeeping-related activities at UN Headquarters. The committee approved support account requirements of $294.03 million - a reduction of $30.44 million from the proposed amount of $324.45 million (9.4%). The funding provides for 1,175 continuing posts, 63 new temporary posts and 83 continuing and 60 new general temporary assistance positions, as well as funding for consultants, official travel, facilities, communications and IT. UN Logistics Base ¶23. The committee approved UNLB requirements of $57.95 million - a reduction of $10.33 million from the proposed amount of $68.28 million (15.1%). The committee welcomed the intention of the SYG to submit proposals on a global support strategy for UN peacekeeping (U-SYG Malcorra's initiative), requested that those proposals include a thorough cost-benefit analysis, and decided to relocate the Standing Police Capacity to UNLB. Recently-closed PKOs ¶24. The committee decided on the disposition of assets of the UN Operation in Burundi (ONUB) and on crediting Member States' shares of the cash available in the accounts of the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) and the UN Mission in Sierra Leone (UNOMSIL). UN Political Office for Somalia ¶25. The committee approved (under the regular budget) a revised 2008-2009 budget for the UN Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS) in the amount of $16.18 million. As mandated in SCR 1863 and decided by the committee, the budget includes funding of a dedicated capacity to support the development of the Somali security sector, including advisers on military and police training, security sector reform, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, mine action, human rights, justice and corrections, in coordination with ongoing work of AMISOM and UNDP in those areas. Pattern of conferences ¶26. In addressing the problem of timely issuance of documents, the committee welcomed the progress achieved by the Secretariat task force concerning documents on peacekeeping financing. The committee also noted the lack of conference services being provided to the Human Rights Council and asked OIOS to review the circumstances that led to insufficient conferences services being provided to the Council. Reimbursement to TCCs ¶27. The committee endorsed the recommendations of the ACABQ which did not object to the new methodology proposed by the SYG, requested a mock-up of the proposed methodology, and noted that the new methodology could lead to a change in the rates of reimbursement. The committee also approved an increase in the payment of the recreational leave allowance from 7 to 15 days for military contingents and formed police units. Closing the accounts of 21 Closed PKOs ¶28. Approving the draft on Closed PKOs, the committee decided to return two-thirds of the credits available in the account of the UN Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission (UNIKOM) to the government of Kuwait in the amount of $996,800 and to continue to consider the updated financial position of closed PKOs during the 64th session. As in recent years, the committee was not able to agree on returning to Member States the funds available in the accounts of 16 closed PKOs with cash surpluses ($186.3 million as at June 30, 2008). The Egyptian delegate again blocked consensus "as a matter of principle" because his government is owed reimbursements from one of the five closed PKOs with cash deficits. The total amount of such deficits was $86.7 million at June 30, 2008 because of outstanding payments of assessed contributions - the majority of which are due to the 25% cap of US peacekeeping contributions). UNIFIL - Voting and Statements ¶29. Recorded votes - Fifth Committee - One vote on preambular paragraph 4 and operative paragraphs 4,5 and 15 concerning the obligation of Israel to make reparations for the damage caused to UNIFIL facilities at Q'ana in April 1996 - 74 yes, 5 no (Australia, Canada, Israel, New Zealand, US),45 abstentions (including the EU, Albania, Bosnia/Herzegovina, Cameroon, Croatia, Georgia, Iceland, Japan, Liechtenstein, Macedonia, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Norway, Panama, ROK, San Marino, Serbia, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine) On the resolution as a whole - 125 yes (including the EU, Albania, Bosnia/Herzegovina, Cameroon, Croatia, Georgia, Iceland, Japan, Liechtenstein, Macedonia, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Norway, Panama, ROK, San Marino, Serbia, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine),2 no (Israel, US),0 abstentions Note: CANZ, contrary to its position in previous years, decided to align its votes on both the separate paragraphs and the resolution as a whole. On the separate paragraphs vote, New Zealand joined Australia and Canada in voting no. On the resolution as a whole, Australia joined Canada and New Zealand in voting yes. Plenary - One vote on preambular paragraph 4 and operative paragraphs 4,5 and 19 concerning the obligation of Israel to make reparations for the damage caused to UNIFIL facilities at Q'ana in April 1996 - 75 yes, 6 no (Australia, Canada, Israel, New Zealand, Trinidad/Tobago, US),46 abstentions (including the EU, Albania, Andorra, Bosnoa/Herzegovina, Cameroon, Croatia, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Georgia, Iceland, Japan, Liechtenstein, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Panama, ROK, San Marino, Serbia, Switzerland, Ukraine) On the resolution as a whole - 134 yes (including the EU, Albania, Bosnia/Herzegovina, Cameroon, Croatia, Georgia, Iceland, Japan, Liechtenstein, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Norway, Panama, ROK, San Marino, Serbia, Switzerland, Ukraine),2 no (Israel, US),0 abstentions Note: see note above. ¶30. Selected Statements - Fifth Committee - US - Said that the US strongly supported UNIFIL, but the use of a General Assembly funding resolution to pursue claims against a Member State was procedurally not correct. His delegation had opposed the resolutions, since they called for Israel to pay the costs for the 1996 incident. The procedure that was normally followed was for the Secretary-General to present and pursue the Organization's claims against a State or States. Using a funding resolution to legislate a settlement was inappropriate. It politicized the issue. Czech Rep., on behalf of the EU and associated States, said the EU was concerned that consensus had not been reached on the draft and that political elements had been introduced in the work of the Fifth Committee. Members of the EU had abstained on preambular paragraph 4 and operative paragraphs 4, 5 and 15, because they considered the text, as drafted, inappropriate in the context of the resolution dealing with UNIFIL financing. The broader political aspects of the events, including the incident at Qana, had been debated in the Assembly in April 1996, resulting in a resolution on the matter. He underlined that, as in the past, the EU would have wished that the Committee's consultations could have been confined only to the budgetary aspects of the financing of UNIFIL. Lebanon - Said his delegation agreed with the principle of collective responsibility for PKOs. That principle, however did not contradict the general principle of international law concerning wrongful acts of a State, including compensation for damages as a consequence of such acts. GA resolution 55/235 stated that the GA should give special consideration to Member States which were victims of events leading to PKOs. He said 16 previous GA resolutions had asked for compensation for damages caused by the Israeli attack on the UN post in Q'ana, which had caused the death of over 100 Lebanese, mostly children and elderly. He requested also that all violations of the Blue Line should also be recorded and that the party responsible for the violations should be clearly indicated. Australia - Said his delegation had voted in favor of the draft just adopted and not abstained, as it had in the past, in order to emphasize its strong support for UNIFIL's work. At the same time, Australia did not support the insertion of political language in a budget resolution and had voted against preambular paragraph 4 and operative paragraphs 4, 5 and 15. New Zealand - Said, that, as a long-standing supporter of UNIFIL, his delegation had voted in favor of the resolution. NZ regretted, however, the inclusion of political paragraphs in a resolution, which should focus on budgetary requirements. His delegation had, thus, voted against the paragraphs in question. Canada - Regretted that consensus had not been possible because of inappropriate language in the paragraphs on which a separate vote had been requested. Those paragraphs undermined the understanding that political considerations did not have a place in technical resolutions. Neutrality was a core aspect of peacekeeping, he said. It was also inappropriate to target one party for non-compliance of UN resolutions. He urged that, in the future, the paragraphs on which a separate vote had been requested would be omitted. Plenary - Israel - Expressed full support for UNIFIL, but said the resolution lacked the necessary impartiality and was a repetition of annual political maneuvering. Diplomatic manipulation had occurred. This past December and January, Israel was attacked by rockets from Lebanon and Israel's safety had been threatened. Member States had hijacked this resolution to promote political purposes. The Fifth Committee and the GA should reject this sort of political maneuvering that undermines budgetary and peacekeeping issues. Lebanon - Said her delegation had explained its position before the Fifth Committee and had not intended to take the floor again, but found itself obliged to do so to clarify some points. She reaffirmed that the Government of Lebanon fully supported the activities of UNIFIL, in cooperation with the Lebanese army in Southern Lebanon, in order to avoid any possibility of renewed Israeli aggression. Concerning the financing of UNIFIL, her delegation's belief in the collective responsibility for carrying the costs of peacekeeping did not contradict the principle of the responsibility of each individual State for its wrongdoing in international affairs. The events in Q'ana in 1996 represented such wrongdoing, carried out by Israel, and the international community must hold it fully responsible for it. UNIFIL was carrying out important tasks, but to date it was still unable to carry them out fully because of Israel's daily violations of Lebanon's air space. Israel also persisted in its occupation of the northern part of al-Ghajar village. Her delegation was not the one that wanted to politicize a resolution of a financial character. Lebanon was dealing with the issues of national reconciliation and dialogue in Lebanon. Israel was the one trying to interfere in her country's The resolution was to provide financial and administrative support for Lebanon. RICE