GA/10344
2 May 2005

General Assembly Appoints Juan Luis Larrabure of Peru to Joint Inspection Unit

NEW YORK, 28 April (UN Headquarters) -- The General Assembly this morning appointed Juan Luis Larrabure of Peru to the Joint Inspection Unit for a period to begin immediately and expire on 31 December 2008.

Mr. Larrabure, nominated by the Government of Peru, will replace Christopher Thomas of Trinidad and Tobago, who began his term on 1 January 2004 and resigned on 25 June 2004 (for further details of the appointment, see documents A/59/788 and A/59/108/Add.1).

The Joint Inspection Unit, the only system-wide external oversight body of the United Nations, consists of 11 inspectors serving in their personal capacity for a term of five years.  Inspectors are chosen for their special experience in national or international administrative and financial matters.

At the outset of the meeting, General Assembly President Jean Ping (Gabon) informed delegates that, since documents A/59/668 and Add.11 (on the scale of assessments for apportioning United Nations expenses) had been issued, Dominica had reduced its arrears below the amount specified in Article 19 of the United Nations Charter.

Article 19 of the United Nations Charter states that a Member State in arrears in its contributions to the Organization shall have no vote in the General Assembly if the amount of the arrears equals or exceeds the amount of the contribution due from it for the preceding two years.

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