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GA/AB/3549 |
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FIFTH COMMITTEE CONSIDERS PROGRAMME BUDGET NEW YORK, 12 December (UN Headquarters) -- The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) began its consideration this morning of the programme budget implications of a Second Committee resolution on ensuring effective secretarial support for sustained follow-up to the outcome of the International Conference on Financing for Development. Warren Sach, Director of the Office of Programme Planning and Budget Division, introduced the Secretary-General’s statement on the matter (document A/C.5/57/32). By the terms of the Second Committee draft (A/C.5/57/L.62), the Assembly would request the Secretary-General to follow closely issues and policies related to international economic, financial and development cooperation, and to keep under review actions taken at all levels in follow-up to the Conference, as well as within the framework of international economic, financial and development cooperation in general. The above-mentioned activities will be carried out by a new Financing for Development Office in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA). It is initially estimated that the staff resources of the Office will consist of a total of 14 posts at the Professional level and above and five General Service posts. Of the total number of posts required, 10 Professional and above and three General Service posts will be redeployed from within the DESA, in addition to which six new posts would be required. For the biennium 2002-2003, the Secretary-General is only requesting additional resources related to the new D-2 level post for the head of the new Financing for Development Office Should the draft resolution be adopted, there would be financial implications of up to $203,200 for the regular budget in the biennium 2002-2003. Any decision to be made on additional appropriations for the biennium 2002-2003 would be addressed at a later date by the Fifth Committee in its review of the consolidated statement of all programme budget implications and revised estimates. The Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), Conrad S. M. Mselle, introduced a related report (document A/57/7/Add.24), according to which the ACABQ has no objection to the proposal that the Financing for Development Office be headed by an official at the D-2 level and recommends that the Secretary-General proceed with filling that position. However, in addition to the post under consideration, there are currently 10 posts at the D-2 level, in the DESA, and the Advisory Committee intends to revert to the matter in the context of the proposed programme budget for 2004-2005. The Advisory Committee concludes that the Fifth Committee may wish to inform the Assembly that, should it adopt draft resolution A/C.2/57/L.62, additional expenditures of $203,200 would arise under the current budget. Representing a potential charge against the contingency fund, that provision would be considered in the context of the consolidated statement of programme budget implications and revised estimates, to be presented to the Fifth Committee at the end of the current session. The Committee will meet again this afternoon at 3 p.m. to begin taking action on draft texts. * *** * |
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