Regrets that the quality of the report of the Secretary-General on the reduction and refocusing of non-programme costs1 and the note by the Secretary-General on the utilization of the Development Account2 did not fully meet the requirements of resolution 52/12 B and did not provide substantive information or a clear direction to enable it to take a final decision at this time, and also regrets the failure to issue the document on the exact use of the 13 million United States dollars already allocated to the Development Account;
2
Emphasizes that the efficiency measures should not adversely affect the full implementation of all mandated programmes and activities;
3
Also emphasizes that the efficiency measures should not lead to a process of budgetary reduction and should not result in the involuntary separation of staff;
4
Requeststhe Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly no later than 31 July 1998, at the third part of its resumed fifty-second session, through the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions, the detailed report on the sustainability of the Development Account, the modalities of its implementation, the specific purposes and the associated performance criteria for the use of resources, requested in its resolution 52/12 B and decision 52/477, and to include in the report the following elements:
a
Identification of the types and areas of efficiency measures to be implemented throughout the Secretariat and estimates of the amounts and percentages of the possible savings to be achieved;
b
An analysis of the impact of such efficiency measures on the staffing levels of the Organization and on the delivery of mandated programmes and activities;
c
The sustainability of the Development Account and its activities beyond the year 2003;
d
Specific proposals on the programmatic objectives and direction of the Development Account in accordance with the priorities set out in the medium-term plan for the period 1998-2001, taking into consideration the complementarity of the activities of the Development Account with other relevant sections of the programme budget;
5
Notes that the amount of 200 million dollars suggested by the Secretary-General is an indicative target to fund the Development Account and that no time-frame should be specified for reaching that target;
6
Requeststhe Secretary-General to submit proposals on the use of the funds available in section 34, Development Account, of the programme budget for the biennium 1998-1999 to the relevant intergovernmental bodies, as soon as possible and not later than 31 July 1998;
7
Decides to return to the issues related to the Development Account for further consideration and appropriate action, based on the detailed report referred to in paragraph 4 above, at the third part of its resumed fifty-second session.
iParagraph content is machine-extracted from UN documents. For authoritative content, please refer to the official UN document.
