Statement by Ms. Eriko Yajima

First Secretary, Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations

 

Agenda item 139: Human resources management

 

Fifth Committee

Sixty-eighth Session of the United Nations General Assembly

21 October 2013

 

 

 

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

         

At the outset, my delegation would like to express its gratitude to the Assistant Secretary-General for Human Resources Management, Ms. Catherine Pollard, The Director of the Ethics Office, Ms. Joan Dubinsky, the Chair of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions, Mr. Carlos Ruiz Massieu, and Inspector Cihan Terzi and Inspector Papa Louis Fall of the Joint Inspection Unit, and the Senior Adviser on Information Management Policy Coordination, Secretariat of the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination, Mr. Kenneth Herman, for introducing their respective reports and comments.

 

Mr. Chairman,

 

Human resource management is a core element of the effective and efficient operation of this organization. If it does not function properly, the organization suffers. Good human resource management can be characterized as a system that ensures that the right people are in the right positions at the right time, based on a fair and merit-based recruitment system which provides a diverse, multi-skilled and versatile staff, who work together toward the efficient and effective delivery of the organization’s mandates.

 

Mr. Chairman,

 

Resolving the issue of the non-representation and under-representation of Member States in the Secretariat has been a long-standing challenge for the Secretariat. As one of the main under-represented countries, my delegation also requests the Secretary-General to

 

continue his effort to ensure the attainment of equitable geographical distribution within the Secretariat, as recommended by the ACABQ.

 

We would also like to stress the important role of YPP in improving the geographical representation of under-represented and non-represented Member States. We look forward to receiving details and the progress of the comprehensive review which will be submitted in the 69th session.

 

Finally, Mr. Chairman, my delegation would like to reiterate once again that good human resource management is of fundamental importance to this organization. Policy in this area has significant implications for staff composition and affects how they work and how they intend to work. My delegation is willing to contribute constructively to the discussion on this very important item on our agenda.

 

I thank you, Mr. Chairman.