(Check against delivery)

 

 

Statement by Ms. Eriko Yajima

First Secretary, Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations

 

Agenda item 139: United Nations Common System

 

Sixty-ninth Session of the Fifth Committee

Of the United Nations General Assembly

27 October 2014

 

 

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

 

            At the outset, my delegation would like to express its gratitude to Mr. Kingston Papie Rhodes, Chair of the International Civil Service Commission; Mr. Johannes Huisman, Director of the Programme Planning and Budget Division; and Mr. Carlos Ruiz Massieu, Chair of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), for introducing their respective reports.

 

            Our appreciation also extends to Mr. Diab El-Tabari, President of the Federation of International Civil Servants’ Associations and Mr. Ian Richards, President of the Coordinating Committee for International Staff Unions and Associations of the United Nations System, for sharing their respective views on the issues.

 

Mr. Chairman,

 

           My delegation has expressed support for the goal of the Common System, namely: ensuring the efficiency and effectiveness of the conditions of service for the staff of all participating organizations. 

 

           My delegation continues to believe that the United Nations’ greatest asset is its staff. The Common System of compensation should be transparent, fair, simple, and sustainable in order to meet the high motivation and confidence of staff. In this regard, my delegation would like to express our appreciation for the progress report for the comprehensive review of the Common System compensation package. We believe that the results of the comprehensive review can bring about an effective, efficient, flexible and performance-oriented workforce at the UN, and we look forward to receiving the details leading up to the final conclusions and recommendations of the ICSC next year.

 

Mr. Chairman,

 

           My delegation studied the report of the ICSC with great interest, and we acknowledge with appreciation the initiative by the ICSC to bring the remuneration margin back to its desirable midpoint. We also would like to give our particular attention to the analysis undertaken by the ICSC on the impact of the adoption of the recommendation for a mandatory age of separation on the workforce, the succession planning frameworks and all the relevant human resources management policies. Furthermore, we also would like to express our interest in the study on recruitment policies in the context of diversity within the UN organizations, including such issues as geographical distribution and gender balance.

 

Mr. Chairman,

 

           Finally, my delegation would like to express again its support for the ICSC, as well as our sincere hope that it will continue to play a key role in guiding all entities under the Common System towards more coherent and effective management. We would like to be kept informed of any significant challenges it faces, and we intend to participate actively in all constructive discussions on how to surmount them.

 

I thank you, Mr. Chairman.