UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY: FIFTH COMMITTEE
20 October 2011
Improving the Financial Situation of the United Nations
Statement by Ms Leah Marchuk
Permanent Mission of Canada to the United Nations on behalf of Canada, Australia and New Zealand
Mr. Chairman,
I have the honour to speak today on behalf of Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
As this is the first time that CANZ is formally addressing the committee this session, allow us to offer you and your colleagues our congratulations on your election to the Bureau of the Fifth Committee. We have every confidence that under your leadership, the committee will conclude this session in a timely and effective manner.
We would like to thank Ms. Angela Kane, Under-Secretary-General for Management, for her presentation on October 11th on the financial situation of the United Nations. We would also like to take the opportunity to thank the outgoing Controller, Mr. Jun Yamazaki, for his service to the Committee, and offer our best wishes to Ms. María Eugenia Casar as she assumes this important position.
Mr. Chairman,
CANZ delegations are encouraged to see some positive signs in the UN financial situation, particularly given the global economic pressures currently confronting the Organization and its Member States.
We welcome the continued decline in projected debt owed to Member States providing troops and equipment to peacekeeping operations, despite an increase in new obligations.
We are also pleased to note that the Organization is projected to remain in a positive cash position at the end of 2011. However, we are mindful that reaching this position will depend on Member State contributions in the final quarter of 2011. We will be monitoring the situation closely.
CANZ delegations have also noted that the Organization’s year-end cash position has declined since 2010, suggesting a need for ongoing efforts on the part of all Member States to ensure that the Organization is able to maintain positive cash balances in future.
Mr. Chairman,
CANZ delegations remain concerned about the ongoing impact of Member State arrears on the work of the Organization.
We are concerned that the amount of unpaid assessments has increased across all categories of the UN budget, including both the regular budget and the peacekeeping operations budget. The significant level of outstanding contributions reminds us of the need to take this matter seriously. The level of unpaid peacekeeping assessments is unacceptably high at more than $3 billion. We also note with concern that decreased liquidity in peacekeeping missions has led to an increase in the imprudent practice of cross-borrowing.
Mr. Chairman,
CANZ delegations will continue to demonstrate our commitment to the work of the United Nations by paying our dues in full and on time. We urge all Member States to fulfil their Charter obligations to pay assessed contributions in full, on time and without condition. We would further encourage eligible Member States to consider submitting multi-year payment plans as a possible mechanism for addressing their budget arrears.
Improving the financial situation of the United Nations is not exclusively a matter of providing the Organization with the resources it requires. As Member States, we also have a shared responsibility to ensure that those resources are managed effectively.
In this regard, we once again welcome the efforts of the Secretary-General to increase financial discipline within the Organization and to enhance oversight and accountability. CANZ delegations welcome all such initiatives to increase the efficiency of the Organization and make better use of available resources in the achievement of agreed mandates.
Improving the financial situation of the Organization over the long-term requires a strong partnership between Member States and the UN Secretariat. For the United Nations to respond to the many pressing global challenges to peace, security, and prosperity, all of us must work closely together to ensure that we align our collective aspirations with the resources available.
Thank you.