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64th SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
REPORTS & ANALYSES
DPI report on Fifth Committee's plenary session on 24 December 2009
- Fifth Committee approved $5.16 billion for 2010-2011 programme/regular budget
- Scale of assessments for regular budget will remain the same for now but should be urgently reviewed. The next decision on the scale should be agreed to before the end of the 66th session.
- Many other agenda items deferred
Finding agreement on Member States’ assessments complicates budget approval
Before the end of the year, the Fifth Committee is faced with making some major decisions. Approval of the 2010-2011 programme budget is expected to be an especially arduous task, unlikely to be resolved until the very end of the deliberations. Potentially complicating the budget negotiations further is the apparent difficulty in reaching agreement on the methodologies to be used to determine Member States' assessments - both for the regular budget and peacekeeping.
63rd SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
REPORTS & ANALYSES
Report from the Department of Public Information on closing plenary of the Fifth Committee
The Fifth Committee agreed to resolutions on Human Resources Management and Administration of Justice among other issues, relaying concerns that too many issues would have to be deferred.
Report of the Fifth Committee – October & November 2008
by Emanuel Evans and Lydia Swart, 1 December 2008
The Fifth Committee is scheduled to meet from 3 October to 12 December 2008. Considering its heavy workload, the late issuance of certain documents, and the regretfully all too predictable disagreements among Member States, it is likely that the session will take longer than anticipated – an increasingly common occurrence in the Fifth Committee. The following provides an overview of a number of issues on the agenda and also attempts to summarize some of the proceedings so far, highlighting the dynamics among Member States as well as between Member States and the Secretariat.
Scale of Assessments – An Overview of Methodology Proposals by Member States
by Emanuel Evans, 18 November 2008
In the Fifth Committee, delegates are considering a draft resolution on the scale of assessments which contains a variety of proposals and models from Member States in regard to the methodology used to determine Member States’ dues for the period 2010-2012. The following provides an analysis as well as a chart comparing the various proposals as per draft resolution dated 10 November 2008, Rev. 3. A decision on which model to use would be made during the main session of the 64th General Assembly.
62nd SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
REPORTS & ANALYSES
Update on the Second Resumed Session
Every May, the Fifth Committee approves the annual budgets of peacekeeping missions. This time, it took two weeks longer than anticipated, but the Fifth Committee finally approved a package of 7.08 billion USD for 15 peacekeeping missions as well as the UN’s Logistics Base and the Support Account. Following is a description of some of the key issues discussed and decisions made.
Analysis: The Governance Crisis in the Fifth Committee
by Lydia Swart, 7 May 2008
This analysis explores the premise that there is a governance crisis in the Fifth Committee (Budgetary and Administrative) and is based on conversations with a number of key delegates from the EU, Group of 77, and the US as well as other insiders.
Fifth Committee Update - 28 March 2008
The Fifth Committee's first resumed session in March did not result in many substantive decisions, suggesting a serious governance crisis in this committee.
Fifth Committee Report: 10-14 March 2008
The Fifth Committee continued to discuss reform proposals on Human Resources Management and Procurement as well as efforts to strengthen investigations, development related activities, and the Department of Political Affairs’ capacity in regard to conflict prevention.
Fifth Committee Report: 3-7 March 2008
On 4 March 2008, Member States received briefings by UN officials in two separate sessions. Alicia Barcena, Under-Secretary-General for Management, and Jane Holl Lute, Officer-in-Charge of the Department of Field Support, gave briefings on Human Resources Management during the morning session. In the afternoon, USG Barcena briefed the membership on the Comprehensive Accountability Architecture.
Fifth Committee Analysis: Why was the UN Budget Approved by Vote and not by Consensus?
by Lydia Swart, 29 January 2008
A look at the current dynamics in the General Assembly’s Fifth Committee which deals with budget and administrative matters, based on conversations with key players from the EU, Group of 77, and the US. In particular, the following focuses on the powerful Group of 77 and the US. The latter insisted on the vote to approve the budget.
Fifth Committee Report: 5-9 November 2007
After delays caused by the fact that the report of the ACABQ on Administration of Justice took longer than expected, the Fifth Committee this week finally started its work to consider the proposed new internal system of justice. Member States agreed last spring that the new system should be implemented by January 2009.
Fifth Committee Report: 22-26 October 2007
This week, no specific reform proposals were discussed in the Fifth Committee. However, at the introduction of the proposed programme budget for 2008-2009 by the Secretary General on 25 and 26 October, the Secretary-General did stress the ongoing reform process. The between 15-25% expected final increase in the proposed budget, which will include add-ons still to be submitted, raised considerable concern among those Member States who pay most of the dues.
Fifth Committee Report: 15-19 October 2007
From 15-19 October 2007, the Fifth Committee mostly considered budget matters and the reports of the OIOS and Board of Auditors. Discussions on Administration of Justice which had originally been scheduled for this week were delayed as the ACABQ report on this subject is not yet available.
Fifth Committee Report: 5-11 October 2007
From 5 to 9 October 2007, the Fifth Committee considered the organization of its work and received briefings on reform issues from the Deputy Secretary-General, the Under-Secretary-General for Management and Assistant Secretaries-General on management reform, human resources, administration of justice and IT.
61nd SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
REPORTS & ANALYSES
UN Management Reform - the Role and Perspective of the Group of 77
by Irene Martinetti, 10 September 2007
Management Reform - the Role and Perspective of the United States
by Julia Hurley, 21 june 2007
Fifth Committee Report: 1-8 June 2007
On 8 June 2007, the Fifth Committee concluded discussions on all issues except DPKO reform. Amid the issues taken up by the Committee during the session, the Center for UN Reform tracked the negotiations on the strengthening of the oversight mechanisms of the United Nations, and on the budgetary requirements for the restructuring of DPKO.
Fifth Committee Report: 14-29 May 2007
During the past two weeks, Fifth Committee delegates reportedly continued discussions on the Reform of the Oversight and Governance systems of the UN. A draft resolution establishing the Indepedent Audit Advisory Committee (IAAC) and deciding the modalities for the strengthening of the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) is currently under negotiation.
Fifth Committee Report: 7-11 May 2007
During the first meeting of its second resumed session, the Fifth Committee addressed, inter alia, the reform of Governance and Oversight. The Committee is expected to finalize the Terms of Reference (TOR) of the Independent Audit Advisory Committee (IAAC) and establish the nomination and selection procedures for its members. The strengthening the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) is also a key agenda item.
Pushing Decisions through a Clogged Bottleneck
by Irene Martinetti and Lydia Swart, 25 April 2007
Should there be a review of the Fifth Committee's Working Methods?
Fifth Committee Report: 19-30 March 2007
Over the past two weeks the Fifth Committee, in conjunction with the Sixth Committee, has been engaged in discussions on the subject of the reform of the Internal Justice system at the UN. A draft resolution was approved by the Committee on 29 March 2007
Fifth Committee Report: 5-9 March 2007
From 5-9 March 2007, Member States discussed, inter alia, the reform of the United Nations administration of justice system, an audit report of the tsunami relief operations, and a report on progress implementing strengthened, unified United Nations security system.
Much Needed Change in UN Human Resources Policies Gets a Timid Start
by Irene Martinetti, 21 December 2006
Fifth Committee Report: 18-22 December 2006
From December 16 to 22, the Fifth Committee concluded negotiations on several resolutions. This report provides an updated analysis of the resolutions on Procurement Reform, Human Resources Reform, and Scale of Assessments.
Fifth Committee Report: 11-15 December 2006
From 9-15 December, the Fifth Committee discussed, inter alia, a series of reports on the reform of the oversight and governance system of the UN. Informal consultations continued on procurement and human resources management reform among others.
Fifth Committee Report: 4-8 December 2006
From 4 to 8 December Informal consultations continued at the Fifth Committee concerning the draft resolution on human resources management reform. The following is a summary of issues raised with respect to mobility and career development and support.
Reforming Oversight and Governance of the UN Encounters Hurdles
by Irene Martinetti, 1 December 2006
Fifth Committee Report: 21 November - 1 December 2006
Informal consultations continued in the Fifth Committee on scale of assessments, programme budget, United Nations pension system, procurement reform and human resources reform among others.
5th Committe Considers Progress on Procurement Reform
by Lydia Swart, 15 November 2006
Fifth Committee Report: 13-17 November 2006
Informal Consultations were held on oversight and governance and procurement reform. Furthermore, Informal Consultations on Human Resources Management Reform continued and discussions on the Secretary General Reports were concluded.
Fifth Committee Report: 6-10 November 2006
This report is based on Fifth Committee meetings held from 6-10 November on Human Resources Management, UN Pension Fund, UN Financial Situation and the Economic Commission for Africa.
Fifth Committee Report: 30 October - 3 November 2006
This report is based on Fifth Committee meetings held from 30 October - 3 November on Human Resources Management, Procurement Reform, and the Joint Inspection Unit.
Fifth Committee Report: 23-27 October 2006
This report is based on Fifth Committee meetings held from 23-27 October on procurement reform, the report of the International Civil Service Commission and the Joint Inspection Unit.
Fifth Committee Report: 16-20 October 2006
The following report is based on Fifth Committee meetings held in the week of 16-20 October, 2006 regarding Governance and Oversight and the Program Budget for 2006-2007.