Statement by H.E. Ambassador UMETSU Shigeru, Deputy Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations, Agenda Item 141: Proposed Programme Budget for 2025 and Agenda Item 140: Proposed Programme Plan for 2025, Main Part of the 79th Session of the Fifth Committee of the United Nations General Assembly
2024/10/16
(Check against delivery)
Madame Chair,
At the outset, I would like to extend my appreciation to His Excellency Secretary-General António Guterres for introducing the Proposed Programme Budget for 2025. I would also like to congratulate you, the new Chair of the Fifth Committee, Your Excellency Ambassador Egriselda Lopez of El Salvador on assuming a challenging yet significant role.
Last year, we the Fifth Committee, were able to conclude the Main Session before Christmas by striking a compromise to ensure the United Nation has sufficient time to prepare for fiscal year 2024.
We also achieved in securing sustainable financial resources to fund the Peacebuilding Fund which is included in the budget proposed by the Secretary-General just now.
Madame Chair,
At this 79th session, we continue to have the responsibility to give guidance and adequate resources for the UN, allowing the Organization to respond at a time of profound global transformation.
We note that the size of the regular budget continues to grow, with a 3.6 billion dollar proposal for next year to strengthen efforts in sustainable development, protecting and promoting human rights, supporting humanitarian assistance and maintaining international peace and security.
We also recognize that the role of the UN has increased and expectations are high. We will carefully assess the overall level of the proposed budget, based on technical evidence and budgetary discipline, in order to ensure accountability and oversight, while giving the UN sufficient resources to implement its mandates.
We must also ensure that the UN remains vibrant and innovative and rationalize any posts and mandates that may be outdated, and to that end, we continue to look forward to the Organization’s reform and rejuvenation strategy.
As always, my delegation is committed to engaging positively and constructively in the negotiations ahead, in order to achieve consensus, something we cherish, yet is hard to find in today’s world.
You can count on my delegation’s full cooperation in this regard.
I thank you, Madame Chair.
At the outset, I would like to extend my appreciation to His Excellency Secretary-General António Guterres for introducing the Proposed Programme Budget for 2025. I would also like to congratulate you, the new Chair of the Fifth Committee, Your Excellency Ambassador Egriselda Lopez of El Salvador on assuming a challenging yet significant role.
Last year, we the Fifth Committee, were able to conclude the Main Session before Christmas by striking a compromise to ensure the United Nation has sufficient time to prepare for fiscal year 2024.
We also achieved in securing sustainable financial resources to fund the Peacebuilding Fund which is included in the budget proposed by the Secretary-General just now.
Madame Chair,
At this 79th session, we continue to have the responsibility to give guidance and adequate resources for the UN, allowing the Organization to respond at a time of profound global transformation.
We note that the size of the regular budget continues to grow, with a 3.6 billion dollar proposal for next year to strengthen efforts in sustainable development, protecting and promoting human rights, supporting humanitarian assistance and maintaining international peace and security.
We also recognize that the role of the UN has increased and expectations are high. We will carefully assess the overall level of the proposed budget, based on technical evidence and budgetary discipline, in order to ensure accountability and oversight, while giving the UN sufficient resources to implement its mandates.
We must also ensure that the UN remains vibrant and innovative and rationalize any posts and mandates that may be outdated, and to that end, we continue to look forward to the Organization’s reform and rejuvenation strategy.
As always, my delegation is committed to engaging positively and constructively in the negotiations ahead, in order to achieve consensus, something we cherish, yet is hard to find in today’s world.
You can count on my delegation’s full cooperation in this regard.
I thank you, Madame Chair.