Madam Chair,

I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and China on the Agenda item 140: Joint Inspection Unit.

Allow me first to thank Mr. Jeremiah Kramer, Chair and Inspector of Joint Inspection Unit for introducing the Unit`s Annual Report for 2016 and programme of work for 2017 as contained in document A/71/34, Correc.1. We also thank the Senior Adviser on Information Management and Policy Coordination of the Secretariat of the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB), Mr. Kenneth Hermnan, for introducing the relevant note of the Secretary-General.

We would like also to underline the important role of the JIU and its contribution to our endeavors for an efficient, well-functioning United Nations and international organizations, capable of discharging their mandates and serve humanity.

The Group has thoroughly examined the report submitted by the JIU and would like to highlight the following points in this regard

1. The Group pays special attention to the need to maximize benefits and efficiencies of the auditing and review activities carried out by the three oversight bodies of the system namely the JIU, OIOS and BoA. It reiterates in this regard the importance of enhancing coordination, especially with regard to theirwork-programmesso as to avoid overlap among these bodies. It would be interested to seek more clarifications regarding efforts exerted to achieve these objectives.

2. The Group wishes to praise the Unit for concluding 10 reports in 2016 that addressed various areas of the work of the wide array of organizations with specific actionable recommendations that would help enhancing the effectiveness of the entities being appraised in discharging their respective mandates.

3. In particular, the Group takes note of the review of the acceptance and implementation of JIU's recommendations by organizations, which it believes is quite pertinent. Furthermore, the Group looks forward to examining various issues contained therein in order to explore ways and means to improve the efficiency of the work of the unit and its impact on the overall UN wide system.

4. The Group looks forward, after the appointment of the executive secretary later this year, to examine how the resources available to the Unit are being deployed as well as whether there is a need to enhance the current expertise available at the Secretariat to enable the Unit to carry out better its mandate.

5. We especially recognize the best practices of some of the entities being reviewed, such as the ITU, in terms of conducting follow up to the implementation of the Unit's recommendations and preparing a progress report in this regard. We firmly believe this practice should be emulated and shared with other relevant entities, as it enhances the result-oriented work of the Unit and ensures it yields specific deliverables that improve the performance of various entities under review.

6. The Group also takes note of the very low rate of implementation of recommendations in some single organizations reports that were reviewed and will be interested to examine the background thereof as well the precipitating factors that led to that outcome and how to reverse that trend.

7. In terms of the 2017 programme of work of the Unit, the group welcomes the diversity of the projects that will be undertaken by the Unit as well as the focus on issues of special importance to the whole membership and especially to the Group, such as the implementation of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. The Group looks forward to receiving the unit's recommendations in this regard and is confident that these recommendations will contribute to the implementation of the agenda more efficiently and successfully.

Madame Chair,

The Group reiterates the importance of maintaining a well-functioning web-based system for tracking recommendations on which the majority of participating organizations rely for accurate, up-to-date information on the status of the implementation of recommendations. The Group regrets the little progress achieved in this regard. Furthermore, the Group would be interested to examine, during informal consultations, possible options to provide sustainable and predictable funding for the operation and maintenance of this system through in-house expertise, according to the General Assembly resolutions 70/247 and 70/257 .

Furthermore, the Group takes note of the reported gap in the consideration of reports of the Unit by the General Assembly due to the current approach followed by the Assembly. It intends to thoroughly examine during informal consultations and Q&A sessions possible ways and means to improve this process so that better utilization of the high quality work of the Unit can be realized.

In conclusion, the Group of G77 and China would like to assure you of its readiness to engage constructively in the upcoming discussions with the aim of concluding this important agenda item in a timely fashion.

I thank you, Madam Chair