Madam Chair,

1. I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and China on the organization of work of the Fifth Committee for the main part of the 79th Session of the General Assembly.

2. At the onset, the Group wishes to congratulate you Amb. Egriselda Aracely González López, and the members of your Bureau on your election. The Group is particularly delighted that for two successive sessions, a member of our Group is chairing the Fifth Committee. We are glad that the Mission of El Salvador is assuming the Chairmanship of this Committee and are confident that with your extensive experience, skills and able leadership, you will steer us to a successful conclusion of the session and on time.

3. In the same vein, we would like to extend our sincere appreciation to Ambassador Osama Abdelkhalek, his team at the Egyptian Mission and the outgoing bureau that steered this Committee during the 78th session. We are grateful for the commitment they showed during their chairmanship. We also extend our deepest gratitude to the Secretariat of the Fifth Committee led by Mr. Lionel Berridge, for their great work in facilitating the work of this Committee.

4. The Group also wishes to thank the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) for its invaluable support and assistance to our work.

Madam Chair,

5. The Group is committed to a careful consideration of the agenda items allocated to the Committee in this session. We note however that several interlinked reports are pending issuance to Committee. We urge the Secretariat to take practical steps to ensure that reports from the Secretariat and the ACABQ are issued in all official languages in a timely manner in line with the Rules of Procedure of the General Assembly and relevant resolutions to this effect. The delay in timely provision of reports significantly impacts the work of the Committee and the conclusion of the session on time.

6. On the specific issue of allocation of time for the workload of the Committee at this session, the Group emphasizes that realistic and proportional time must be allocated for the consideration of agenda items. We need to set realistic timelines.

Madam Chair,

7. As we start this session, the Group wishes to highlight some of the core principles the G77 and China will pay keen attention to throughout this main session.

8. First, we reaffirm the role of the Fifth Committee as the sole Main Committee of the Organization entrusted with responsibilities for administrative, financial and budgetary matters. This means that it is our responsibility to hold accountable the Secretariat for the management of the Organization's resources; that it is our duty to scrutinize every report, proposal and initiative that is presented to the General Assembly and to ensure that the Secretariat continues to comply with the mandates entrusted to it by the legislative bodies of the Organization.

9. Second, the United Nations remains an intergovernmental Organization, and it is our responsibility in this Committee to ensure that the management of this institution abides to this important aspect. The Secretariat is not an independent entity. This is why it is central for the G77 and China in the Fifth Committee to demand transparency, accountability and fairness in the administrative and budgetary matters of the United Nations. To this end, it is of utmost importance for the Group to achieve equitable geographical representation in the composition of the UN staff which is not only in line with the UN Charter but also indispensable for the UN to have a truly global Secretariat adequately representing the diversity of its membership, a condition necessary for the UN to succeed in implementing its global mandates.

10. Third, the Group reaffirms the critical role of the Committee for Programme and Coordination (CPC) which should only be strengthened, rather than weakened. We would like to call your attention to the mandates enshrined in resolution 78/244, on agenda item Programme Planning. This resolution, in its paragraph 8, decided that the incoming Presidents of the General Assembly and the Chairs of the Fifth Committee shall reach out to and support the Chairs of the Main Committees to ensure these bodies consider the programmes that are without recommendations from the CPC, as appropriate, and that conclusions and recommendations on these programmes are issued on time.

11. The Group would also like to recall its longstanding position that the consideration of the legislative basis of the programmes comes first, and then the review on the allocation of resources for the implementation of these programmes otherwise known as "the sequential nature" of the budget process must be adhered to.

12. In conclusion, madam chair, as always, the Group of 77 and China stands ready to work with you, your Bureau and all colleagues to reach a successful and timely conclusion of this session.

I thank you.