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Statement by H.E. Hiroshi Minami
Ambassador, Deputy Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations
Fifth Committee
Main Part of the Sixty-Ninth Session
of the United Nations General Assembly
3 October 2014
Mr. Chairman,
At the outset, my delegation would like to congratulate you and other members of the Bureau on your election. I would like to especially commend the Chair for assuming his very important and responsible 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 other Bureau members.
My delegation would also like to express our deepest gratitude to your predecessor, Ambassador Taalas, and our deep appreciation to the Bureau of the Committee of the 68th session for the strenuous efforts they took to move the work of the committee forward.
My delegation also looks forward to working with the experienced team of the Fifth Committee Secretariat and the ACABQ, whose contribution is critical for the work of this committee.
We would also like to express our appreciation to the Secretariat for organizing briefings in the early days of this session. These briefings will help provide Committee members with useful information regarding the various issues before us. In this regard, I would like to thank in advance Mr. Yukio Takasu, Under-Secretary-General for Management, for his planned presentation to be given later this morning.
Mr. Chairman,
First and foremost, I would like to draw the members' attention to the working methods of this committee. Although according to official UN documents, including resolutions and summary records, the previous session of this committee was concluded on 30 June, the historical fact that for the first time in the UN history the PKO budget was not actually adopted until 3 July, superseding the deadline by three days, should not fall into oblivion.
I believe that the delegates to the Fifth Committee are all full of knowledge and expertise. We can and must utilize these advantages in cooperation in order to tackle the difficult tasks before us and work together flexibly and constructively. We also rely upon the cooperation of the Secretariat and the ACABQ in ensuring the timely submission of all required documentation, in particular for some important issues such as the SPM budget. Under the wise guidance of the chairman, we should be united under the common goal of strictly observing the scheduled end date of this session.
Mr. Chairman,
As we begin the work of the Fifth Committee of the 69th session of the General Assembly, I would like to touch upon several points.
First, this main session is scheduled to consider both the First Performance Report of the 2014-2015 budget and the 2016-2017 budget outline. From the perspective of applying budgetary discipline, my delegation will carefully scrutinize all potential additional requirements for the current budget.
In this connection, I would particularly like to recall that in the last biennium budget the envelope of the contingency fund was not observed. Since the total amount of the contingency fund was agreed upon by the General Assembly, we should strive to strictly observe the ceiling of this fund through the prioritization of activities as called for by General Assembly resolutions 41/213 and 42/211.
On the budget outline resolution, the BOA report (A/69/5 (vol. I)) observes that "the United Nations has a budget that reinforces existing structures and systems, making it difficult to respond to changing needs without requesting more resources." My delegation concurs with this assessment and would like to request the Secretariat to consider the next proposed biennium budget, not on the basis of just extending the 2014-2015 budget, but on the basis of a true fresh look at needs.
My delegation also looks forward to receiving the forthcoming report of the independent study on recosting including recommendations to help the Organization deal with fluctuations in exchange rates and inflation. My delegation will continue to be fully engaged in the budget reform discussion, including the issue of recosting, and believes that this committee should agree on those recommendations which are feasible expeditiously, since, as the BOA rightly points out, "becoming more efficient and cost-effective is no longer optional."
Second, human resources management issues, including the mobility framework, the performance management framework and common system issues are also to be discussed during this session. As these items have a great impact on the future of this Organization, my delegation will actively and positively participate in the negotiations on these items.
Third, it is understood that at this main session we will be required to make some important decisions regarding the future of the facilities and buildings of this Organization. In this connection, my delegation welcomes the successful completion of the renovation of the General Assembly Hall and commends the tremendous efforts put in by the Capital Master Plan (CMP) team led by Mr. Adlerstein, ASG for the CMP. My delegation will be actively engaged in the discussion on how to deal with the shortfall of the CMP amounting to around $155 million.
With regard to the UN Headquarters long-term accommodation needs for 2014-2034, my delegation would like to express our appreciation to USG Takasu for conducting his briefing on this agenda item in May in response to my delegation's request. As my delegation confirmed in the previous first resumed session, my delegation will be fully engaged in the discussions on this item in order to thoroughly consider all options presented by the Secretariat. As my delegation has repeatedly requested, given the critical importance of this issue to the Organization, sufficient and timely information must be provided by the Secretariat so that we will be able to make a decision in a fully informed manner.
On the Strategic Heritage Plan, while we may consider an additional request for resources for the project team for 2015, my delegation would like to reiterate its request that the Secretariat explore the use of alternative funding mechanisms, including a PPP scheme, with a view to reducing the recently increased overall costs of the project.
Fourth, at this session we will discuss the Special Political Missions budgets and also five Peacekeeping Operations budgets. My delegation anticipates that the overall Peacekeeping budget for 2014/15 will greatly exceed its historical high of $8 billion. My delegation looks forward to working together with other delegations to ensure the effective and efficient running of each mission, so that the UN Peacekeeping Operations can be conducted in a sustainable manner.
Lastly, my delegation would like to express its appreciation for the Secretary-General's continued and strong commitment to better manage the Secretariat and the UN facilities. My delegation attaches great importance to the steady implementation of the UMOJA and IPSAS projects.
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. As my delegation underlined at formal closing meeting of this committee on 3 July this year, maintaining this committee's practice of adopting resolutions by consensus is no less important today than it has ever been. My delegation looks forward to working together with the other delegations with a view to achieving consensus on all items based on General Assembly Resolution 41/213 by 12 December, the scheduled end of this session.
I thank you, Mr. Chairman.
