UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Statement by the Hon Mr Warren Snowdon MP, Parliamentary Adviser to the Australian Delegation to the United Nations, on behalf of Canada, Australia and New Zealand
Fifth Committee Statement
Item 138: Financing of MONUC
Item 140: Financing of UNMISET
Item 134: Report on the investigation of the sexual exploitation of refugees
New York 17 November 2003
Mr Chairman,
It is an honour to speak on behalf of Canada, New Zealand and Australia with respect to three of the four items before the Committee this morning.
Our thanks go to the representatives of the Secretariat and the ACABQ for introducing their reports.
Peacekeeping is among the most vital functions of the United Nations.
The Fifth Committee has an important role in the financing and administration of peacekeeping missions which it should discharge carefully and thoughtfully.
Mr Chairman,
The UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo continues to face a tremendous set of challenges in fulfilling the mandates given to it by the Security Council.
Significant progress has been made in pacifying much of the country.
However, this year has seen terrible violence and atrocities in Ituri district.
As the Committee knows, this led to the deployment of a French-led force, and then an expansion of MONUC, which has improved the situation.
Nonetheless, MONUC has much to do in the DRC.
The political elements necessary for a durable solution to the problems that afflict the DRC and its neighbours are not yet in place.
In this regard, I would note the importance of the proposed International Conference on the African Great Lakes Region which Canada, among others, is doing much to advance.
The results framework contained in the budget for MONUC translates the Security Council’s resolutions into a very clear set of expected accomplishments and indicators of achievement that can guide the mission’s work.
Component 1 includes measures to create a stable security environment, while components 2, 3 and 4 set out how the mission can contribute towards a sustainable peace in the DRC.
We are pleased to see such a clear orientation for the mission’s work.
We welcome the inclusion of substantial components for building the structures and capacities that are essential for creating a sustainable peace.
As the security situation improves, we would hope to see greater progress towards the relevant expected accomplishments.
Overall, the budget appears to us to be well-justified.
Of course, we expect MONUC to continue to adapt its activities and resources to the situation on the ground and in the light of experience.
The ACABQ has offered some useful comments on specific points, with which we agree.
In addition, we trust that MONUC will move personnel and resources to the east as the tempo of its operations increases in that part of the country.
Mr Chairman,
The UN has achieved a great deal in Timor-Leste over the past few years.
Its work stands as a benchmark and as an example of the crucial work the organisation can do in conflict and post-conflict situations.
Nonetheless, the situation remains fragile and the delay in downsizing the mission was an appropriate response to the security situation.
We believe that the UN should continue to contribute towards building Timor-Leste’s political and security institutions to preserve the progress made so far and to lay the foundations for future stability and prosperity.
The financial implications of delaying the drawdown are straight-forward.
So too is the proposed donation of assets to the Government of Timor-Leste at the end of UNMISET’s mandate.
We welcome and support the recommendations of the ACABQ in this regard.
Mr Chairman,
We appreciate the report of the Secretary-General (A/58/559) in response to General Assembly resolution 57/306 on the sexual exploitation of refugees.
That resolution constituted a landmark statement from the Assembly on the need for the United Nations to protect vulnerable people within its care from sexual abuse.
It requested the Secretary-General to put in place preventive measures, to ensure that there are procedures for reporting and investigating allegations, and to maintain data on investigations and the outcomes.
The recent publication of Secretary-General’s Bulletin 2003/13 was an essential step forward.
It appropriately reinforces accountability and a zero-tolerance approach.
We also welcome the steps taken over the last year by UN agencies and bodies, including the development of mechanisms, policies and procedures aimed at preventing incidents and responding to them effectively when they do occur.
The new guidelines on prevention and response by UNHCR are illustrative of these efforts. This essential work must continue.
The current report has been introduced under item 134, a peacekeeping item.
This should not mean that the issues relate to peacekeeping alone or that the next report should be narrowly focused.
We continue to believe that this issue requires co-ordination among the many UN agencies with a presence in a field, and full co-operation between agencies, local authorities and troop contributors.
In short, we expect an organisation-wide approach to this matter.
We look forward to a full report on the implementation of 57/306 at the resumed session.
The report should include details of the implementation of paragraphs 6, 7, 8 and 10 of that resolution across the UN system.
We hope that it will also include information on the model complaint mechanisms and investigative protocols that are being drawn up by the Inter-Agency Standing Committee Task Force on Protection from Sexual Exploitation.
Thankyou.