NEW YORK, 25 October: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Thursday proposed a 4,2 billion US dollar (ca. 22 milliarder DKR) budget for the United Nations for the next two years, telling a General Assembly committee that the half percentage point growth in some areas is balanced by reallocations in others and urging Member States to support a stronger world body.
– Never has the world so needed a strong United Nations, Mr. Ban told delegates in the Assemblys Fifth Committee, which tackles administrative and budgetary matters. – Yet never have our resources been stretched so thin, added he.
The Committee is currently examining the proposed programme budget of 4,2 billion dollar for 2008-2009, which represents a real growth of 23 million over the previous biennium, or half a percentage point. Mr. Ban said the proposals reflect strict budgetary discipline, balancing growth in some areas with reallocations in others.
Noting that the year ahead will be “among the most challenging in our history” – with, among initiatives, the deployment of a major peacekeeping operation in the Darfur region of Sudan and diplomatic challenges in a number of countries – the Secretary-General pledged to strengthen the Organization so it can do the job that is expected of it.
Mr. Ban noted that, last year, the Department of Peacekeeping Operations was reorganized in order to better execute the UNs many peacekeeping mandates. Now, the focus is on the Department of Political Affairs (DPA), with a new emphasis on anticipating crises and proactive preventive diplomacy.
To that end, he asked the Committee to authorize 18 million dollar to support the strengthening of DPA, arguing that boosting the UNs capacity to prevent and resolve conflicts is “among the smartest investments we can make”. The proposed funds also include stable financing for the newly created Peacebuilding Support Office, which is separate from the political affairs department.
In addition, he proposed re-organizing the Secretariat to better serve the interests and needs of the least developed, landlocked and small island nations.
Mr. Ban noted that the proposed budget also reflects the decision by Member States to double the resources earmarked for human rights, a key component of the UNs work.
Mr. Ban has set up a new change-management task force, which will focus on human resources, budget and finance, and procurement. He noted that the proposed budget also provides for “stiffer” internal oversight, and the Committee is examining proposals for a comprehensive revision of the UN system of administrative justice.
He called for extending the work of the Procurement Task Force – the body which was set up following revelations about widespread corruption in the UN procurement system and is credited with promoting accountability – for another year, as the Organization works toward more permanent independent auditing and investigative capabilities.
Clarifying aspects of the proposed budget, the Under-Secretary-General for Management said that after taking account of inflation and exchange rates (re-costing) and possible budgetary “add-ons” resulting from legislative mandates or resolutions of the General Assembly, the budget will increase.
– We are presenting the Member States a set of revised estimates that belong to legislative mandates and another set of add-ons that we are presenting, to eventually bring the budget up to 4,6 billion, Alicia Bárcena said.
Elaborating on the 18 million dollar requested to strengthen the political affairs department, Ms. Bárcena said it would go towards building more regional capacities, including in Central Asia and in Africa, and to better equipping the Department to work on mediation, conflict prevention and conflict resolution.
The funds would also contribute to enhancing support to the UNs special political missions, creating a number of new posts within the Department, and strengthening and restructuring the six existing regional divisions.
Kilde: FNs nyhestjeneste
