Statement by Mr. Shigetoshi Nagao

Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations

 

Agenda item 134: Proposed Program Budget 2016-2017:

UNHQ Long-term accommodation

 

Main Part of the Seventieth Session,

Fifth Committee of the General Assembly

1 December 2015

 

Mr. Chairman,

 

           At the outset, I would like to thank Mr. Yukio Takasu, Under-Secretary-General for Management and Mr. Carlos Ruiz Massieu, Chair of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), for introducing their respective reports on the Study on the long-term accommodation needs at United Nations Headquarters for the period from 2015 to 2034.

 

           Furthermore, my delegation welcomes the Secretary-General’s comprehensive analysis on the four viable options identified by the General Assembly in December last year. From his report, I felt his strong aspiration to address the issue of office space for his staff members working here in New York. The condition of office space matters greatly to the staff, as they spend such a large portion of their time in their offices; sometimes, unfortunately, even longer than they get to spend at home. This is why, we, the Member States, should collectively and earnestly consider which option will best serve the interests of the United Nations.

 

Mr. Chairman,

 

           My delegation notes that the Secretary-General identified the DC5 option as the most cost-effective. But, at the same time, my delegation notes that the General Assembly is not requested to decide on DC5 or on any other option at this stage. Nobody could make a choice in any way right now. We are simply not in a position to choose one of the four viable options at this moment. We do not want to lose any of the four option, either. Inaction is usually easier than action, but sometimes it brings grave consequences. We do not want to lose any of the valuable options that we have in hand, and we must avoid any unintended consequence resulting from our inaction.

 

           We all know that we are facing the “2023 crisis.” The preferential lease of DC1 and DC2, which currently house more than half of the population outside the UN campus here in New York, will expire in 2023. The year 2023 is not in the far future. One full year has already passed since we discussed and agreed on the resolutions on the UN’s long-term accommodation needs last year. Time really flies. We cannot waste any more time before 2023. Otherwise, we could face an outrageously expensive commercial rent, or even worse, the unavailability of office space. What we need to do this year is to keep all the four options which we ourselves identified as viable alive. I hope that everybody in this room shares this goal.

 

            Finally, Mr. Chairman, my delegation is looking forward to discussing this important agenda item in a constructive manner under your able guidance.

 

I thank you.