Statement by Ms. Eriko Yajima

First Secretary, Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations

 

Agenda item 137: Human Resources Management

 

Fifth Committee

Sixty-Ninth Session of the United Nations General Assembly

18 November 2014

 

 

 

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

         

         At the outset, my delegation would like to express its gratitude for the reports and comments from the Assistant Secretary-General for Human Resources Management, Ms. Carole Wamuyu Wainaina, the Director of the Ethics Office, Ms. Joan Dubinsky, and the Chair of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions, Mr. Carlos Ruiz Massieu.

 

Mr. Chairman,

 

         Our delegation believes that 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 towards the efficient and effective delivery of the organization’s mandates.

 

Mr. Chairman,

 

         Last year we made an important decision to establish the new mobility framework. In this regard, my delegation welcomes the first annual report of the Secretary-General and additional information and updates. We agree with the view of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), that significant preparatory work is needed, such as to determine the function and composition of the staffing bodies. The provisional list of non-rotational posts should also be elaborated, as the increase in the non-rotational posts can limit career opportunities for staff members and as a result, the goal of the mobility policy cannot be fully achieved. Though we concur with the ACABQ that it is difficult to forecast additional costs, we continue to expect that more accurate data will be provided with the understanding that the future implementation of Umoja will generate the correct tracking of expenditures. 

 

Mr. Chairman,

 

         The new mobility framework would be more effective when it is considered in conjunction with performance management. We commend the Secretary-General for responding to our request for performance management and look forward to carefully considering his proposal. Our delegation fully believes that the effective delivery of mandates can be achieved by rewarding high performance and addressing underperformance. 

 

Mr. Chairman,

 

         We would like to stress the important role of the Young Professionals Programme (YPP) in improving the geographical representation of underrepresented and unrepresented Member States. In this regard, we welcome the comprehensive review of YPP; in particular, the changes to mitigate challenges to conduct exams simultaneously in multiple time zones and reduce costs associated with processing and marking these exams. Continuous outreach efforts should also be encouraged, as improvement in the imbalance within the Secretariat cannot be achieved overnight.

 

Mr. Chairman,

 

         Finally, my delegation would like to reiterate once again that effective human resources management enables staff to contribute efficiently and productively to the delivery of this Organization's mandates. A fair and merit-based recruitment system provides a diverse, multi-skilled and versatile staff; the most valuable asset in the United Nations. My delegation is willing to contribute constructively to the discussion on this very important item on our agenda.

 

I thank you, Mr. Chairman.