Revised estimates resulting from resolutions and decisions adopted by the ECOSOC at its substantive session of 2012

STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE GROUP OF 77 AND CHINA BY MR. ABDELHAKIM MIHOUBI, COUNSELLOR, PERMANENT MISSION OF ALGERIA TO THE UNITED NATIONS, ON AGENDA ITEM 130: PROGRAMME BUDGET FOR THE BIENNIUM 2012-2013, REVISED ESTIMATES RESULTING FROM RESOLUTIONS AND DECISIONS ADOPTED BY THE ECOSOC AT ITS SUBSTANTIVE SESSION OF 2012, AT THE FIFTH COMMITTEE DURING THE MAIN PART OF SIXTY-SEVENTH SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY (New York, 26 November 2012)

Mr. Chairman,

1. I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Group of 77 and China on agenda item 130: programme budget for the biennium 2012-2013 - Revised estimates resulting from resolutions and decisions adopted by the ECOSOC at its substantive session of 2012.

2. The Group of 77 and China would like to thank Ms. María Eugenia Casar, Assistant Secretary-General, Controller, for the introducing the Secretary-General's report contained in document A/67/503 as well as Mr. Collen Kelapile, the Chairperson of the ACABQ for introducing the related report contained in document A/67/577.

Mr. Chairman,

3. The Group of 77 and China continue to emphasizes that all mandates approved by all intergovernmental bodies of the United Nations, in particular those related to development activities, must receive predictable and adequate funding. The Group continues to stress on the need for ensuring that the Organization has the necessary resources and capacity to deliver on mandates of all three main pillars, namely peace and security, human rights and development.

4. The Group notes that decisions of the ECOSOC at its substantive session of 2012 calls for additional requirement of USD 1,093,800 of which USD 107,500 is expected to be absorbed in the existing allocation and that net amount of USD 986,300 is requested as additional requirement for this biennia to cover activities on Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti, the Committee for Development Policy on its fourteenth session and the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights at its forty-sixth and forty-seventh sessions.

5. In this regard, the Group of 77 and China supports the provision of the necessary resources to finance the resolutions and decisions adopted by the ECOSOC at its substantive session in 2012, in this particular case the additional requirements amounted to USD 986,300 to cover above mentioned activities mandated by ECOSOC. It is our expectation that, the requirements amounted to USD 405,400 will be fully reflected in the context of formulation of programme budget for 2014-2015.

6. The Group will also seek additional information on the issue of the use of the contingency fund as expressed by the ACABQ in its report because this fund has been exhausted before the end of the first year of the biennium 2012-2013.

7. In conclusion, let me assure you our continued readiness to engage constructively on this important agenda item.

I thank you, Mr. Chairman.