Statement by Senator Kerry O’Brien, Parliamentary Adviser, Permanent Mission of Australia to the United Nations Fifth Committee regarding Improving the Financial Situation of the UN. As delivered on 21 October 2010, on behalf of Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
(as delivered)
Mr Chairman,
I have the honour to speak today on behalf of Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
We thank the Under-Secretary-General for Management, Ms Angela Kane, for her presentation on 12 October on the Financial Situation of the Organisation and the Controller, Mr Jun Yamazaki, for today’s update.
We also take this opportunity to welcome the smooth introduction of the Secretariat’s new status of contributions website. We hope the Secretariat will continue to use it to further streamline contributions information, and that the Secretariat will continue to enhance the functionality of the site in consultation with Member State users.
Mr Chairman,
CANZ delegations take heart at a number of the metrics before us. We are pleased to see a reduction in the amount of outstanding assessments on figures quoted at the same time last year. We are also pleased to see that projected debt to Member States has been revised downwards.
We welcome advice that troop obligations and contingent owned equipment payments are in relatively good shape and that the financial position of the international tribunals has improved.
We also note the Organisation continues to have a relatively solid cash position. That said, we emphasise that liquidity should not be seen as an excuse to relax fiscal discipline or to ignore the need to ensure that available resources are used effectively and efficiently. Nor should it be seen as an excuse for Member State complacency with regard to their Charter obligations to pay their bills on time.
Mr Chairman,
CANZ delegations remain concerned about Member State arrears, especially with regard to peacekeeping.
We understand there are particular circumstances contributing to the increase in unpaid peacekeeping assessments in 2010 that relate to a higher level of assessments for the year.
However, the issue Member State arrears for peacekeeping is perennial, and the small number of Member States able to pay their assessments on time and in full in this important area is of particular concern to us.
Mr Chairman,
CANZ delegations have long been strong supporters of this Organisation and have always made every effort to pay our dues in full and on time.
Once again, we congratulate those other Member States that seek to do so and call on others to do the same.
We also acknowledge that contemporary financial challenges and domestic circumstances prevent some Member States from fulfilling their Charter obligations in a timely and holistic manner.
Nonetheless, the needs of the United Nations remain pressing and our respective obligations under the UN Charter should be a priority.
Global challenges that threaten our peace, security and prosperity require global solutions, and it is through the United Nations that these solutions must be pursued. We cannot do this unless the Organisation is properly funded.
Thank you Mr Chairman.