第72回国連総会第5委員会主要会期における作業計画に関する星野大使ステートメント(英文)

平成29年10月5日

(As delivered)

Statement by H.E. Ambassador Toshiya Hoshino
Deputy Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations

Main Part of the Seventy-Second Session of the Fifth Committee

Mr. Chairman,

At the outset, my delegation would like to congratulate you and the other Bureau members on your election. I would like to especially commend the Chair for assuming a very important position. I believe that we collectively owe it to you to work together so that we can get the work of this Committee done within the allocated time. My delegation looks forward to working closely with you and the other Bureau members.

  In this main session, we are scheduled to consider the 2016-2017 budget, as well as the 2018-2019 budget proposal. In order to ensure strict budgetary discipline, and stressing that the UN’s assessed budget is borne by the taxpayers of the Member States, my delegation will carefully analyze and judge the appropriateness and affordability of all potential additional requirements, as well as the proposed programme budget.

  Also in this session, we have before us many other complex agenda items, especially those related to UN management reform. Japan attaches great importance to the increased efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the management of the UN Secretariat, and especially to its full transparency and accountability to the Member States, and in this regard supports the initiative taken by the Secretary-General toward UN reform. My delegation is ready to carefully analyze relevant reports once introduced to this Committee. Having said that, at this stage, my delegation would like to draw the attention of my fellow colleagues of this Committee and emphasize that budgetary discipline should also apply to our discussions on the reform initiative. At the same time, my delegation is ready to negotiate the 2018-19 proposed budget based on the provisions of relevant resolutions, as well as all current rules and regulations.

Mr. Chairman,

  Allow me to conclude by saying that my delegation will engage in all the discussions of this session in a positive and constructive manner with a view to achieving consensus on all agenda items by the scheduled deadline.

I thank you, Mr. Chairman.