Cross-Cutting Issues

A/RES/66/264No PDF available

Who created this mandate?

A Resolution of the General Assembly, under agenda item 146Administrative and budgetary aspects of the financing of the United Nations peacekeeping operations, published in 2012.

What other versions does this mandate have?

6 versions · 2010–2022

This is an older version — the most recent is A/RES/76/274

2022A/RES/76/274Cross-cutting issuesLatestCompare with previous version
2016A/RES/70/286Cross-cutting issuesCompare with previous version
2015A/RES/69/307Cross-cutting issuesCompare with previous version
2012A/RES/66/264Cross-cutting issuesCompare with previous version
2011A/RES/65/289Cross-cutting issuesCompare with previous version

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

What subjects does this mandate have?

7 topics

Financial Management Financial Resources Operational Activities Peacekeeping Operations Sex Crimes Support Services Troop-Contributing States

Which reports were submitted under this mandate?

1 report of the Secretary-General submitted under this mandate, 2012.

2012A/67/633Third annual progress report on the implementation of the global field support strategy report of the Secretary-General

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

What does this mandate say?

58 operative paragraphs

Reaffirms resolutions 57/290 B, 59/296, 60/266, 61/276, 64/269 and 65/289, and requests the Secretary-General to ensure the full implementation of their relevant provisions;

Appreciates the efforts of all peacekeeping personnel in the field and at Headquarters;

Takes note of the reports of the Secretary-General on the overview of the financing of the United Nations peacekeeping operations: budget performance for the period from 1 July 2010 to 30 June 2011 and budget for the period from 1 July 2012 to 30 June 2013,1 on progress in the implementation of the global field support strategy2 and on special measures for protection from sexual exploitation and sexual abuse,3 the reports of the Office of Internal Oversight Services on peacekeeping operations4 and on the audit of the implementation of the global field support strategy5 and the letter dated 25 February 2011 from the Chair of the 2011 Working Group on Contingent-owned Equipment to the Chair of the Fifth Committee,6 as well as the related report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions;7

Reaffirms that the Fifth Committee is the appropriate Main Committee of the General Assembly entrusted with responsibilities for administrative and budgetary matters;

Notes with concern the late submission of the budgets of some peacekeeping operations, which places considerable strain on the work of the General Assembly and the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions, and, while recognizing the challenges faced in preparing budget proposals and related reports on peacekeeping and the special factors affecting some missions, requests the Secretary-General to intensify his efforts to improve the quality and timely issuance of peacekeeping documents;

Recalls paragraph 185 of the report of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations on its 2011 substantive session;

Stresses the importance of ensuring timely reimbursement to troop-contributing countries;

Endorses the recommendations contained in the report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions, subject to the provisions of the present resolution, and requests the Secretary-General to ensure their full implementation;

I.Budget presentation and financial management

Reiterates that the delegation of authority on the part of the Secretary-General should be to facilitate the better management of the Organization, but stresses that the overall responsibility for management of the Organization rests with the Secretary-General as its Chief Administrative Officer;

Affirms the need for the Secretary-General to ensure that the delegation of authority to the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the Department of Field Support of the Secretariat and to field missions is in strict compliance with relevant resolutions and decisions, as well as with relevant rules and procedures of the General Assembly on this matter;

Stresses that heads of departments report and are accountable to the Secretary-General;

Reiterates the importance of strengthened accountability in the Organization and of ensuring greater accountability of the Secretary-General to Member States, inter alia, for the effective and efficient implementation of legislative mandates and the use of human and financial resources;

Emphasizes that all field missions shall be provided with adequate resources for the effective and efficient discharge of their respective mandates, and stresses that the current level of peacekeeping activity should have scalable implications on resource requirements, taking into consideration the number, size and complexity of peacekeeping operations;

Recalls paragraph 7 of section III of resolution 59/296;

Also recalls paragraph 10 of the report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions;7

Stresses the importance of further steps by the Secretary-General towards improving budget presentation and making more accurate forecasts;

Requests the Secretary-General to intensify his efforts to implement mandates in a more effective and efficient manner;

Stresses that, in formulating budget proposals, the Secretary-General must strictly abide by legislative mandates;

II.Personnel issues

Pays tribute to all United Nations peacekeepers who have been wounded in the line of duty or who have made the ultimate sacrifice while working in the pursuit of peace;

Expresses its appreciation to all United Nations personnel performing functions related to peacekeeping, in particular those serving in hardship duty stations under some of the most difficult conditions;

Notes some recent improvements in the vacancy and turnover rates for civilian staff, while recognizing scope for improvement, and therefore requests the Secretary-General to ensure that vacant posts are filled expeditiously;

Urges the Secretary-General to make every effort to reduce the recruitment lead time for staff in field missions, taking into account the relevant provisions governing recruitment of United Nations staff, to enhance the transparency of the staffing process at all stages and to report on the steps taken and results achieved in the context of his next overview report on the financing of the United Nations peacekeeping operations;

Underlines the importance of the Secretary-General comprehensively reviewing the civilian staffing requirements for each peacekeeping mission, with particular attention to the feasibility of nationalizing Field Service posts and improving the ratio of substantive to support staff, in particular when there is a significant change in mandate or authorized force levels, to ensure that the civilian staffing structure is appropriate to effectively implement the current mission mandate and that it reflects staffing best practices across missions;

Requests the Secretary-General to develop guidelines for managing staff contracts for missions mandated to close;

Notes with concern the high number of death and disability claims currently pending with the Secretariat, recalls paragraph 34 of resolution 65/289, regrets the persistent existence of a backlog of death and disability claims, and urges the Secretary-General to take all necessary measures to ensure the timely settlement of all such claims within three months from the date of their submission and to present a progress report in this regard to the General Assembly at the second part of its resumed sixty-seventh session;

Recognizes the importance of welfare and recreation for personnel serving in peacekeeping operations, bearing in mind that welfare and recreation also contribute to strengthening morale and discipline;

Underlines the need for contingents to meet their requirements with regard to contingent-owned equipment through consistent adherence to the obligations contained in their memorandums of understanding, in order to deliver their full unit capabilities consisting of personnel and/or equipment;

Notes with appreciation that the majority of troop- and police-contributing countries provide the capabilities expected of them;

III.Operational requirements

Emphasizes the need for improved management and control of expendable property in order to enhance efficiencies in the area of material management;

Welcomes improvements regarding, inter alia, the physical verification of non-expendable property, stresses the importance of strengthening the full cycle of supply chain management within peacekeeping operations, and in this regard reiterates its request to the Secretary-General to strengthen internal controls in the management of such assets to ensure adequate safeguards to prevent waste and financial loss to the Organization;

Notes with concern that some peacekeeping missions do not track the liberty mileage of vehicles, and requests the Secretary-General to ensure the application of liberty usage guidelines for all mission vehicles and to report thereon in his next overview report on the financing of the United Nations peacekeeping operations;

Recalls paragraph 47 of resolution 65/289;

Reiterates its requests contained in paragraph 54 of resolution 65/289 and in this regard recalls paragraphs 117, 123, 124 and 126 of the report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions,7 and notes the upcoming consideration of the issues referenced in those paragraphs and of information pertaining to issues referenced in paragraph 127 of the report;

Recognizes the immediate operational and financial benefits that could potentially accrue from improvements in airfield support infrastructure, and requests the Secretary-General to perform a cost-benefit analysis and to provide information on the results thereof in the context of his next overview report on the financing of the United Nations peacekeeping operations;

Recalls section XVIII of resolution 61/276;

IV.Special measures for protection from sexual exploitation and sexual abuse

Also recalls section IV of resolution 64/269;

Reaffirms the need for full implementation of the United Nations policy of zero tolerance of sexual exploitation and abuse in peacekeeping operations;

Stresses that in the case of any violations of standards, appropriate action within the authority of the Secretary-General will be taken, while criminal and disciplinary responsibility in respect of members of national contingents will depend on the national law of the Member State;

Emphasizes that all acts of sexual exploitation and abuse should be investigated and punished without delay in accordance with due process of law as well as with memorandums of understanding that have been concluded between the United Nations and Member States;

Confirms that no payment, including payment under paragraph 72 of resolution 65/289, will be made in respect of individual peacekeepers who have been repatriated for disciplinary reasons, such as violation of the policy of zero tolerance;

Recalls its resolution 62/214 of 21 December 2007 containing the United Nations Comprehensive Strategy on Assistance and Support to Victims of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse by United Nations Staff and Related Personnel and calls for its continued implementation, and in this regard stresses the importance of addressing, in a comprehensive manner, the needs of all victims of sexual exploitation and abuse;

Expresses concern at the number of investigations that have not been completed, and encourages continued efforts to address the backlog, in accordance with memorandums of understanding, where applicable;

Remains concerned about the new cases of sexual exploitation and abuse reported, and notes the continuing decline in the number of allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse, but regrets that the proportion of allegations of the most egregious forms of sexual exploitation and abuse has not decreased;

Requests the Secretary-General to continue his efforts with regard to standardized training and awareness-raising on sexual exploitation and abuse matters;

Welcomes the efforts of the Conduct and Discipline Unit at Headquarters and of the conduct and discipline teams in the field, and notes with appreciation the regularly updated website dedicated to conduct and discipline, including statistical information, which helps the Department of Field Support to evaluate progress and Member States to gain a better understanding of the policies of the United Nations in dealing with conduct and discipline issues;

Requests an update on progress in implementing the Comprehensive Strategy on Assistance and Support to Victims of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse by United Nations Staff and Related Personnel in the next overview report on the financing of the United Nations peacekeeping operations;

Encourages the Inter-Agency Standing Committee Task Force on Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse to strengthen its leadership role in the implementation of the Comprehensive Strategy on Assistance and Support to Victims of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse by United Nations Staff and Related Personnel;

Notes with appreciation the actions taken to prevent unsubstantiated allegations of misconduct from damaging the credibility of any United Nations peacekeeping mission or troop- or police-contributing country or United Nations peacekeeping personnel, and requests that the Secretary-General take appropriate measures in this regard and that he continue to ensure that prompt actions are taken to restore the image and credibility of any peacekeeping mission, troop- or police-contributing country or peacekeeping personnel when allegations of misconduct are, ultimately, legally unproven;

Notes the development of an integrated conduct and discipline framework, and requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its sixty-seventh session an update on its implementation;

Recalls paragraph 156 of the report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions,7 including the request therein that further information on proposals in this area be reflected in the next report of the Secretary-General to the General Assembly on the subject;

V.Other issues

Also recalls section VI of resolution 65/289;

Decides to approve, on an exceptional basis, a one-time supplemental payment of 59,999,999 United States dollars to troop-contributing countries for the period from 1 July 2012 to 31 March 2013, stresses that this does not set a precedent and that no additional one-time supplemental payments shall be provided, and requests the Secretary-General to facilitate the completion of the work of the senior advisory group in order to allow for the consideration of the outcome of its work at the first part of the resumed sixty-seventh session of the General Assembly;

Welcomes the efforts made to define a coherent environmental policy for United Nations peacekeeping missions, and requests the Secretary-General to provide an update on the implementation of the policy and on the fulfilment of its requirements in the context of his next overview report on the financing of the United Nations peacekeeping operations;

VI.Global field support strategy

Recalls that the global field support strategy was initiated by the General Assembly in resolution 64/269 to improve the quality, timeliness and efficiency of service delivery to field missions; that the strategy includes four integrated pillars, namely an enhanced financial framework, predefined modules and service packages, service centres, both global and regional, and an enhanced human resources management framework; and that the strategy is to be implemented within a time frame of five years;

Also recalls section VII of resolution 65/289 and section VI of resolution 64/269;

Further recalls paragraphs 216 and 218 of the report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions,7 and looks forward to consideration of the results of the assessment by the Secretary-General of the first application of the standardized funding model in the formulation of the initial budget of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan;

Recalls paragraph 194 of the report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions and paragraph 203 of the report of the Board of Auditors on United Nations peacekeeping operations, notes paragraphs 233, 234, 237 and 244 of the report of the Advisory Committee, and requests the Secretary-General in this regard to submit to the General Assembly his all-encompassing end-state vision for the global field support strategy, thereby clearly setting out the role of the whole Global Service Centre in the five-year implementation plan of the strategy;

Notes the intention of the Secretary-General to establish regional service centres in West Africa and in the Middle East, and requests him to submit proposals in this regard to the General Assembly at the second part of its resumed sixty-seventh session.

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