UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY 54th SESSION

Fifth Committee - Second Resumed Session

Item 173: Financing of the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor

CANZ Statement delivered by Australia 

30 May 2000

Madam Chairman

I am speaking on behalf of the delegations of Canada, New Zealand and Australia on Item 173, Financing of the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor.

We wish to thank the Controller, Mr Jean-Pierre Halbwachs, for introducing the report of the Secretary-General on the budget for UNTAET for the next twelve months (A/54/769/Add. l), and Ambassador Mselle for introducing the related report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (A/54/875).

CANZ delegations understand and can support the approach adopted by the Advisory Committee on the funding of UNTAET for the six months to 31 December 2000 as proposed in paragraph 8 of the Advisory Committee's report, in view of the performance information provided. We understand that the Secretariat will bring forward a revised budget in the fall, following the comprehensive review of UNTAET's requirements requested by the Security Council and which is currently underway. That revised budget will also take into account the concerns expressed by the Advisory Committee in its report of March 2000 (A/54/804).

Madam Chairman, CANZ delegations continue to be concerned about progress in recruiting staff for UNTAET, in particular local staff and, in view of continuing law and order concerns, the high vacancy rate for civilian police. We would encourage UNTAET to continue its efforts to employ are many local staff as possible. In relation to the recruitment of civilian police, this is an issue of concern across a number of missions and we note the observations of the Advisory Committee in its general report of 7 April on this issue (A/54/841). We also note the observation of the Special Committee in its 2000 report (A/54/839) regarding the disparity between the requirements for UN civilian police and the ability of the international community to meet these requirements. That Committee requested that the Secretariat explore the feasibility in consultations with all current and prospective contributions of alternatives for meeting the increasing demand for civilian police personnel. We note the efforts of the Secretariat, in particular those of the Civpol Unit, to improve the selection and availability of civpol personnel, particularly through the selection assistance team mechanism. In this context we support the recommendation of the Advisory Committee for an examination of the organisational arrangements, role and capacity of the Civilian Police Unit within the Department of Peacekeeping Operations.

Madam Chairman our delegations are concerned that, at 30 April 2000, only 37% of the previous assessments for UNTAET have been paid. We wish to assure colleagues that Australia, New Zealand and Canada have paid all outstanding assessments including the most recent assessment of 14 April for UNTAET. We urge other delegations to do likewise.