Mr. Chairman,

1. I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Group of 77 and China on the organization of work for the first part of the resumed 70th session of the Fifth Committee.

2. Since my delegation is addressing this Committee as Chair of the Group of 77 and China for the first time, I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate the full support of the Group for you and the other members of the Bureau. I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Bureau on the successful conclusion of its work before the Christmas holiday during the main part of the 70th session, given its heavy agenda. We have full confidence that under your chairmanship, the Committee will reach a successful and timely conclusion of its work in this session.

Mr. Chairman,

3. The Group of 77 and China thanks you and the Bureau for providing the programme of work and the status of preparedness of documentation contained in document A/C.5/70/L.25. The Group notes that this is a provisional programme of work and we trust the Bureau to continue reviewing and updating it during the session should there be developments on the readiness and availability of the pending reports.

4. The Group is committed to a thorough consideration of the agenda items allocated to the Committee, including items deferred from the previous session, such as the operational arrangements and conditions of service of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) and human resources management. In particular, on the issue of operational arrangements of the ACABQ, the Group truly hopes that all delegations can constructively engage on the discussion in this session. Deferring the item one more time should not be an option.

Mr. Chairman,

5. The Group continues to be concerned about the status of documentation for the session. Although improvement has been noticeable, the late issuance of important reports remains a chronic problem affecting the work of the Committee. We reiterate that the need to improve the current working method by timely submission of reports from the Secretariat and the ACABQ in all official languages, according to the Rules of Procedure of the General Assembly, is critical for the Committee's work. We stress that the failure to submit reports in time hinders the ability of the Committee to effectively undertake and complete its work.

6. In this context, the Group of 77 and China is disappointed to learn that, so far, the Secretary-General has yet to provide a comprehensive proposal addressing the effective and efficient delivery of mandates in support of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda by the Secretariat, within the broader United Nations system, including the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the regional commissions and the United Nations Development Account, as requested by the General Assembly in paragraph 14 of its resolution 70/247. This raises the issue of how the Secretariat seriously takes the timelines and faithfully adheres to mandates given to it by the General Assembly.

7. In this regard, the Group looks forward to receiving a formal communication from the Secretary-General to clarify reasons and challenges that hindered the ability to meet the deadline while providing a clear timeline and progress on the report finalization and the date of submission to the ACABQ.

8. We recall regrettably the delay and inadequate information and elaboration of the report provided to Member States during the main session. We, therefore, look forward to receiving the new comprehensive report of the Secretary-General that fully responds to the mandates provided by the General Assembly and addresses the concerns of Member States specifically in providing adequate financing for the United Nations system as stated in paragraph 46 of the 2030 Agenda document and guaranteeing equal attention to both international and regional levels.

Mr. Chairman,

9. In conclusion, the Group of 77 and China reiterates its commitment to consider and conclude the items before us within the timeframe of the programme of work. We also reiterate our full cooperation and constructive engagement with you, the bureau and our partners to arrive at a successful outcome for this session.

I thank you, Mr. Chairman.