ECOSOC revised estimates

STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE GROUP OF 77 AND CHINA BY MR. RICHARD TUR, SECOND SECRETARY OF THE PERMANENT MISSION OF CUBA TO THE UNITED NATIONS, ON AGENDA ITEM 134: PROGRAMME BUDGET FOR 2024: REVISED ESTIMATES RESULTING FROM RESOLUTIONS AND DECISIONS ADOPTED BY THE ECOSOC AT ITS 2023 SESSION, AT THE MAIN PART OF THE SEVENTY-EIGHTH SESSION OF THE FIFTH COMMITTEE OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY (New York, 6 November 2023)

Mr. Chair,

1. I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.

2. Our Group wishes to thank Mr. Chandru Ramanathan, Assistant Secretary-General, Controller, Office of Programme Planning, Budget and Accounts, and Mr. Abdallah Bachar Bong, Chair of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions, for introducing their respective reports.

3. It is a paramount position of the Group to ensure that mandates approved by intergovernmental bodies of the United Nations are given adequate resources to ensure their successful implementation. It is the responsibility of the Fifth Committee to fulfill this mandate.

Mr. Chair,

4. The Group welcomes the ECOSOC resolution 2023/17 on "Reinforcing the role of the African Institute for Economic Development and Planning in assisting members of the Economic Commission for Africa in strengthening development planning and improving their capacity to formulate and manage effective public sector policies for structural transformation and sustainable development".

5. In this regard, we note that the report of the Secretary-General provides a breakdown of the additional resources required for the implementation of the resolution, for which no provisions have been made in the proposed programme budget for 2024. We will follow the discussions on this matter and evaluate the recommendations of the Advisory Committee in order to ensure that the African Institute for Economic Development and Planning will be provided with adequate resources in line with resolution 2023/17 of the ECOSOC.

Mr. Chair,

6. In conclusion, the Group of 77 and China assures you that we will constructively and actively engage in the consultations on this important agenda item.

I thank you.