Special Subjects Relating to the Proposed Programme Budget for the Biennium 2008-2009

A/RES/62/238No PDF available

Who created this mandate?

A Resolution of the General Assembly, under agenda item 128Proposed programme budget for the biennium 2008-2009, published in 2008.

What other versions does this mandate have?

12 versions · 1994–2018

This is an older version — the most recent is A/RES/72/262 A

2018A/RES/72/262 ASpecial subjects relating to the proposed programme budget for the biennium 2018-2019LatestCompare with previous version
2016A/RES/70/248 ASpecial subjects relating to the proposed programme budget for the biennium 2016-2017Compare with previous version
2014A/RES/68/247 ASpecial subjects relating to the proposed programme budget for the biennium 2014-2015Compare with previous version
2012A/RES/66/247Special subjects relating to the proposed programme budget for the biennium 2012-2013Compare with previous version
2010A/RES/64/245Special subjects relating to the proposed programme budget for the biennium 2010-2011Compare with previous version

Versions are identified automatically by matching titles within the same organ (~97% accuracy on a manual audit).

Which reports were submitted under this mandate?

4 reports of the Secretary-General submitted under this mandate, 2008–2010.

2010A/65/386Report of the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination on the feasibility of harmonizing standards of air travel report of the Secretary-General
2008A/63/359Revised estimates relating to the programme budget for the biennium 2008-2009 under sections 3, 17, 18, 20, 21, 27, 28C, 28D, 28E, 28F, 28G, 33 and 35 related to business continuity management report of the Secretary-General
2008A/63/335Development Account report of the Secretary-General
2008A/63/320Contingent liability reserve for the United Nations Postal Administration report of the Secretary-General

Identified automatically from the metadata in each report’s UN Digital Library catalogue record.

What does this mandate say?

84 operative paragraphs

I.International Trade Centre UNCTAD/WTO

Endorses the conclusions and recommendations contained in the report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions;Error: Reference source not found

Decides to approve resources in the amount of 28,099,800 United States dollars (at the exchange rate of 1.2 Swiss francs to 1 dollar) proposed for the biennium 2008–2009 under section 13, International Trade Centre UNCTAD/WTO, of the proposed programme budget for the biennium 2008–2009;

II.Administrative expenses of the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund

Having considered the report of the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Board on the administrative expenses of the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund, the report of the Secretary-General on the administrative and financial implications arising from the report of the Board and the related reports of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions,

Approves expenses, chargeable directly to the Fund, totalling 131,996,500 dollars net for the biennium 2008–2009 and a revised estimate of 104,461,100 dollars net for the biennium 2006–2007 for the administration of the Fund;

Also approves an additional amount of 748,200 dollars above the level of resources set out in section 1, Overall policymaking, direction and coordination, of the proposed programme budget for the biennium 2008–2009 as the United Nations share of the cost of the administrative expenses of the central secretariat of the Fund;

III.Request for a subvention to the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research

Recalling section IV of its resolution 60/248 of 23 December 2005,

Having considered the note by the Secretary-General on the request for a subvention to the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research resulting from the recommendations of the Board of Trustees of the Institute on the work programme of the Institute for 2008–2009 and the related report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions,

Takes note of the note by the Secretary-General;6

Endorses the conclusions and recommendations contained in the report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions;7

Approves the request for a subvention to the Institute of 485,500 dollars for the biennium 2008–2009 from the regular budget of the United Nations, on the understanding that no additional provision would be required under section 4, Disarmament, of the proposed programme budget for the biennium 2008–2009;

IV.Revised estimates resulting from resolutions and decisions adopted by the Economic and Social Council at its substantive and resumed substantive sessions of 2007

Having considered the report of the Secretary-General on revised estimates resulting from resolutions and decisions adopted by the Economic and Social Council at its substantive and resumed substantive sessions of 2007 and the related report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions,

Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General;8

Endorses the conclusions and recommendations contained in the report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions;9

Notes that provision for resource requirements for the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women is considered in the report of the Fifth Committee to the General Assembly on the programme budget implications of draft resolution on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women;

V.Estimates in respect of special political missions, good offices and other political initiatives authorized by the General Assembly and/or the Security Council

Having considered the report of the Secretary-General on the estimates in respect of special political missions, good offices and other political initiatives authorized by the General Assembly and/or the Security Council and the related report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions,

Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General;11

Regrets the recurrent late submission of the reports on the matter under consideration, which hinders their proper examination by the General Assembly, and requests the Secretary-General to present future budget proposals for the special political missions no later than the first week of November;

Endorses the conclusions and recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions,12 subject to the provisions of the present resolution;

Notes the insufficient level of collaboration between the Department of Political Affairs, the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the Department of Field Support, of the Secretariat, with respect to special political missions, and requests the Secretary-General to ensure systemic cooperation so as to prevent duplication among the three departments;

Stresses the importance of clear reporting lines and accountability between special political missions and Headquarters;

Recalls its resolution 48/259 of 14 July 1994, and requests the Secretary-General to ensure that functions and responsibilities of special envoys, special representatives and other special high-level positions are more clearly defined and streamlined, avoiding any possible duplication, and that the current financial regulations and budgetary procedures are fully complied with;

Requests the Secretary-General to ensure that all special political missions are properly managed and all related post and non-post resources are fully and thoroughly justified;

Decides to revert to consideration of the report of the Office of Internal Oversight Services on the audit of the management of special political missions by the Department of Political Affairs during its consideration of the report of the Secretary-General on revised estimates related to the strengthening of the Department of Political Affairs;

Recalls, section I, paragraph 8, of its resolution 61/276 of 29 June 2007, and requests the Secretary-General to continue to implement relevant provisions of that resolution for special political missions, where applicable;

Decides to upgrade the position of the Special Adviser of the Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide to the Under-Secretary-General level, and to establish an additional P-3 and an additional General Service (Other level) position in his office;

Takes note of paragraph 25 of the report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions,12 and approves the establishment of one new P-3 position for a Political Affairs Officer in the Office of the United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon;

Also takes note of the recommendation of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions contained in paragraph 16 of its report,12 and approves the proposal of the Secretary-General to finance the United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia as from 1 January 2008, without prejudice to the consideration of the report of the Secretary-General on revised estimates related to the strengthening of the Department of Political Affairs;14

Stresses the importance of the work of the United Nations related to special political missions;

Reaffirms the need to ensure adequate levels of safety and security for United Nations personnel and associated humanitarian personnel;

Requests the Secretary-General to submit a new, complete and detailed proposal for the construction of the United Nations integrated compound in Baghdad, under section 32, Construction, alteration, improvement and major maintenance, of the programme budget, for its consideration at the first part of its resumed sixty-second session;

Decides to reduce the overall provision for special political missions for the biennium 2008–2009 by 200,150,000 dollars;

Approves the budgets totalling 386,587,300 dollars for the 26 special political missions authorized by the General Assembly and/or the Security Council, which are presented in table 1 of the report of the Secretary-General;

Also approves a charge totalling 386,587,300 dollars net against the provision for special political missions requested in section 3, Political affairs, of the proposed programme budget for the biennium 2008–2009;

VI.Revised estimates resulting from resolutions and decisions adopted by the Human Rights Council

Having considered the report of the Secretary-General on revised estimates under sections 2, 23, 27, 28E and 35 and income section 1 of the programme budget for the biennium 2006–2007 and the proposed programme budget for the biennium 2008–2009 and a proposal related to unforeseen and extraordinary expenses arising from the implementation of decisions of the Human Rights Council and the report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions,

Endorses the conclusions and recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions,17 subject to the provisions of the present resolution;

Decides to establish five P-5 posts for Senior Revisers for conference management, Geneva;

Approves net additional resource requirements for the biennium 2008–2009 amounting to 765,100 dollars, representing:

A reduction of 307,400 dollars under section 2, General Assembly and Economic and Social Council affairs and conference management;

An increase of 1,072,500 dollars under section 23, Human rights;

Additional resource requirements of 324,700 dollars under section 35, Staff assessment, to be offset by an equivalent amount under income section 1, Income from staff assessment;

VII.Revised estimates under sections 17, 20, 21, 27, 28C, 28D, 28E, 28F and 28G of the proposed programme budget for the biennium 2008–2009 to ensure operational preparedness and business continuity in a protracted human influenza pandemic crisis

Having considered the report of the Secretary-General on revised estimates under sections 17, 20, 21, 27, 28C, 28D, 28E, 28F and 28G of the proposed programme budget for the biennium 2008–2009 to ensure operational preparedness and business continuity in a protracted human influenza pandemic crisis and the related report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions,

Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General;18

Stresses the need for a comprehensive review of all business continuity measures, including human influenza pandemic and other kinds of emergency planning, and requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its sixty-third session a comprehensive report on business continuity, including in the event of a pandemic, that is complementary to and compatible with the wider enterprise resource planning and information and communications technology reform, and to include information on the status of implementation of measures taken in that regard;

VIII.Development Account

Recalling its resolutions 52/12 B of 19 December 1997, 52/220 and 52/221 A of 22 December 1997, 52/235 of 26 June 1998, 53/220 A of 7 April 1999, 53/220 B of 8 June 1999, 54/15 of 29 October 1999, 56/237 of 24 December 2001 and 60/246 of 23 December 2005 and section IV of its resolution 61/252 of 22 December 2006,

Regretting the lack of allocation of sufficient resources for developing countries in order to enable them to better cope with developmental priorities, in particular the Millennium Development Goals and internationally agreed development goals,

Recognizing the importance of building appropriate intellectual capacities in the developing countries to help them achieve the Millennium Development Goals and more broadly the internationally agreed development goals, which constitute additional financial and technical obligations,

Stressing the failure of the prescribed modalities for identification of resources to finance the Development Account,

Having considered the report of the Secretary-General on the Development Account, his fifth annual progress report on the implementation of projects financed from the Development Account and the related report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions,

Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General on the Development AccountError: Reference source not found and his fifth annual progress report on the implementation of projects financed from the Development Account,Error: Reference source not found and encourages him to work further towards identifying resources from possible reductions in administration and other overhead costs for transfer to the Development Account;

Endorses the conclusions and recommendations contained in the report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions,Error: Reference source not found subject to the provisions of the present resolution;

Reaffirms the role and prerogative of Member States in setting the priorities of the Organization, as reflected in legislative decisions;

Stresses that the Development Account is one of the appropriate tools to cope with the evolving needs of the global development agenda;

Notes with concern that the Secretary-General has not fulfilled the mandates contained in resolution 52/12 B and subsequent resolutions on the Development Account;

Recognizes that the current modalities for financing the Development Account, which is to be funded from savings achieved as a result of the efficiency measures that can be identified in the context of budget performance reports, have not proved successful;

Recalls paragraph 4 of section IV of its resolution 61/252;

Also recalls that the amount of 2.5 million dollars was appropriated under section 34, Development Account, of the programme budget for the biennium 2006–2007 as an immediate exceptional measure towards addressing the lack of transfer of resources to the Account since its inception;

Notes with deep concern that the Secretary-General has not been able to define a procedure to track and identify efficiency gains in the context of budget performance reports and that he has not been able to provide recommendations to the General Assembly on how additional resources in the region of 2.5 million dollars could be added to the Development Account;

Notes with concern the lack of options in the report of the Secretary-General20 for tangible, predictable and sustainable funding for the Development Account;

Decides to appropriate an additional 2.5 million dollars for the Development Account;

Stresses that the appropriation referred to in paragraph 11 above is an exceptional measure towards addressing the lack of transfer of resources to the Account since its inception;

Recalls paragraph 5 of its resolution 52/235;

Requests the Secretary-General to fully comply with its resolution 52/12 B and subsequent resolutions on the Development Account;

Also requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its sixty-third session a report on the implementation of the present section;

IX.Construction of additional office facilities at the Economic Commission for Africa in Addis Ababa

Recalling section II of its resolution 61/252,

Having considered the report of the Secretary-General and the related report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions,

Takes note with appreciation of the efforts of the Government of Ethiopia, as host country, in facilitating the construction of additional office facilities at the Economic Commission for Africa in Addis Ababa;

Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General,23 and endorses the related observations and recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions contained in its report;24

X.Construction of additional conference facilities at the Vienna International Centre

Recalling section I of its resolution 61/252,

Having considered the report of the Secretary-General and the related report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions,

Takes note with appreciation of the efforts of the Government of Austria, as host country, to construct conference facilities at the Vienna International Centre;

Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General,25 and endorses the related observations and recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions contained in its report;26

XI.Supplementary agreement between the United Nations and the Carnegie Foundation concerning the use of the Peace Palace at The Hague

Recalling section VII of its resolution 52/222 of 22 December 1997,

Having considered the report of the Secretary-General on the supplementary agreement between the United Nations and the Carnegie Foundation concerning the use of the Peace Palace at The Hague and the related report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions,

Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General;27

Endorses the conclusions and recommendations contained in the report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions;28

Approves the amendments to the supplementary agreement contained in the annex to the report of the Secretary-General;

XII.Financial situation of the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women

Recalling section II of its resolution 61/273 of 29 June 2007,

Having considered the report of the Secretary-General on the financial situation of the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women and the related report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions,

Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General;29

Endorses the conclusions and recommendations contained in the report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions;30

Reiterates its appeal to Member States, as a matter of urgency, to contribute voluntary funds in support of the Institute and to honour existing pledges in a timely manner;

Expresses its appreciation to those Member States and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations that continue to contribute to and support the activities of the Institute;

Expresses its deep appreciation to the management and the Executive Board of the Institute for their efforts that have helped the Institute to secure sustainable financing;

XIII.Administrative and financial implications of the decisions and recommendations contained in the report of the International Civil Service Commission for 2007

Having considered the report of the Secretary-General on administrative and financial implications of the decisions and recommendations contained in the report of the International Civil Service Commission for 2007, and the related reports of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions,

Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General;31

Endorses the conclusions and recommendations contained in the report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions;32

XIV.United Nations Postal Administration

Recalling its resolutions 57/292 of 20 December 2002 and 61/233 A of 22 December 2006 and section III of its resolution 61/252 of 22 December 2006,

Having considered the report of the Secretary-General on the contingent liability reserve for the United Nations Postal Administration and the related report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions,

Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General;33

Notes the conclusions and recommendations contained in the report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions;34

Takes note of paragraphs 9 to 11 of the report of the Secretary-General, and requests the Secretary-General to continue taking measures, alternative to the establishment of a contingent liability reserve, to eliminate risks posed to the United Nations Postal Administration by mass mailing and to report to the General Assembly at its sixty-third session on the progress achieved;

Decides to consider at its sixty-third session the establishment of a contingent liability reserve for the United Nations Postal Administration as a solution to the issue of reducing the risk posed to the Postal Administration by the use of its services for commercial and bulk mail, on the basis of any future recommendations of the Board of Auditors and updated information provided by the Secretary-General on this issue;

XV.Standards of accommodation for air travel

Recalling its resolution 42/214 of 21 December 1987, section IV, paragraph 14, of its resolution 53/214 of 18 December 1998 and section IV of its resolution 60/255 of 8 May 2006,

Having considered the reports of the Secretary-General on standards of accommodation for air travel and on the review of the standards of travel and entitlements for staff members, members of organs and subsidiary organs of the United Nations and entities of the United Nations system, the report of the Joint Inspection Unit on the harmonization of the conditions of travel throughout the United Nations system, the note by the Secretary-General transmitting his comments and those of the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination thereon and the related report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions,

Takes note of the reports of the Secretary-General;35

Also takes note of the the report of the Joint Inspection Unit on the harmonization of the conditions of travel throughout the United Nations systemError: Reference source not found and the note by the Secretary-General transmitting his comments and those of the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination thereon;37

Endorses the conclusions and recommendations contained in the reports of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions, , subject to the provisions of the present resolution;

Takes note of the recommendation in paragraph 7 of the report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions;Error: Reference source not found

Requests the Secretary-General, in his capacity as Chairman of the Chief Executives Board, to report on the feasibility of harmonizing standards of travel for staff members, members of organs and subsidiary organs of the United Nations and organizations of the United Nations system, on the basis of a review and proposals by the Chief Executives Board, taking due consideration of the specificity of the work and mandates of the different entities of the system;

XVI.Contingency fund

Notes that a balance of 12,191,000 dollars remains in the contingency fund;

XVII.Effects of changes in rates of exchange and inflation

Having considered the report of the Secretary-General on the revised estimates resulting from the effects of changes in rates of exchange and inflation and the related report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions,

Takes note of the revised estimates arising from recosting due to the effects of changes in the rates of exchange and inflation;

XVIII.Joint Inspection Unit

Approves the gross budget for the Joint Inspection Unit for the biennium 2008–2009 in the amount of 11,633,000 dollars;

XIX.International Civil Service Commission

Approves the gross budget for the International Civil Service Commission for the biennium 2008–2009 in the amount of 17,777,000 dollars;

XX.Administration of justice

Recalling its resolution 62/228 of 22 December 2007 on the administration of justice at the United Nations,

Decides to approve a total amount of 17,010,200 dollars under the programme budget for the biennium 2008–2009, reflecting an increase comprised of 11,860,400 dollars under section 1, Overall policymaking, direction and coordination, 1,737,300 dollars under section 2, General Assembly and Economic and Social Council affairs and conference management, 41,300 dollars under section 17, Economic and social development in Africa, 92,700 dollars under section 18, Economic and social development in Asia and the Pacific, 98,100 dollars under section 20, Economic and social development in Latin America and the Caribbean, 37,500 dollars under section 21, Economic and social development in Western Asia, 326,700 dollars under section 28A, Office of the Under-Secretary-General for Management, 269,500 dollars under section 28C, Office of Human Resources Management, 1,297,600 dollars under section 28D, Office of Central Support Services, 167,800 dollars under section 28E, Administration, Geneva, 1,119,200 dollars under section 35, Staff assessment, to be offset by an equivalent amount under Income section 1, Income from staff assessment, partially offset by reductions of 23,800 dollars under section 28F, Administration, Vienna, and 14,100 dollars under section 28G, Administration, Nairobi, of the programme budget for the biennium 2008–2009;

Also decides that the amount of 305,300 dollars shall be financed from the resources approved for the support account for peacekeeping operations for the period from 1 July 2007 to 30 June 2008, to be reported to the General Assembly in the context of the performance report on the support account for the period;

XXI.Use of 300-series and 100-series appointments

Recalls section XIV of its resolution 60/266 of 30 June 2006 and section VIII of its resolution 61/276 of 29 June 2007;

Decides to continue to suspend the application of the four-year maximum limit for appointments of limited duration until 30 June 2008;

Authorizes the Secretary-General, bearing in mind paragraph 2 above, to reappoint, under the 100 series of the Staff Rules, those mission staff whose service under 300-series contracts has reached the four-year limit by 30 June 2008, provided that their functions have been reviewed and found necessary and their performance has been confirmed as fully satisfactory, and requests the Secretary-General to report thereon to the General Assembly at its sixty-third session;

Requests the Secretary-General to continue the practice of using 300-series contracts as the primary instrument for the appointment of new staff;

XXII.United Nations Office for Partnerships

Having considered the report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Office for Partnerships and the related report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions,

Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General;Error: Reference source not found