EU Statement -- Closing Statement, 5th Committee, First Resumed Session

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EU Statement -- Closing Statement, 5th Committee, First Resumed Session

28.03.2024 Press and information team of the Delegation to the UN in New York

28 March 2024, New York -- Statement on behalf of the Member States of the European Union, Closing Statement in the First Resumed Session of the Fifth Committee, delivered by Mr. Thibault CAMELLI, Counsellor,Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations

Mr. Chair,

I have the honor to speak on behalf of the Member States of the European Union.

Our first resumed session concludes today with the adoption by consensus of a few resolutions. Even though Human Resources Management reverted to its biennial nature with the adoption of resolution 77/278 last year, we were still able to make progress on several important provisions, and adopt a resolution on Staff Regulations and Rules. Our Committee also fulfilled its responsibility by adopting a resolution for the programme of work of the Joint Inspection Unit, by approving resources to ensure a safe and orderly liquidation for UNITAMS, and by endorsing the programme budget implications stemming from General Assembly decisions on cybercrime and the United Nations Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction Treaty.By contrast, we regret that some delegations refused to uphold our collective responsibility to fund all madates, without discrimination, and by consensus. This happened notably for the Independent Institution on Missing Persons in the Syrian Arab Republic. We regret that despite all our efforts to seek a consensual outcome, some delegations still introduced a draft resolution proposing to defund the Institution, bringing its viability and proper functioning to a vote. It is a paramount responsibility of our Committee to ensure that mandates approved by intergovernmental bodies of the United Nations are given adequate resources to allow their successful implementation.Overall, the vast majority of the agenda items brought for our consideration this session ended up, again and disappointingly, with no action or deferral. It is particularly regrettable that none of the resolutions under the agenda item for the review of efficiency of the Organization - Accountability and Supply chain management - was adopted. We also regret the very late introduction of the Secretary-General's proposals to ensure the proper functioning of the reinvigorated resident coordinator system through adequate, predictable and sustainable funding, and look forward to resuming our discussions on this important agenda item in a few weeks. The European Union would like to reiterate our strong commitment to supporting the Secretary-General in his ongoing efforts to modernize and reform the UN. We also reiterate that our committee's responsibility is not restricted to budgetary and financial matters but also encompasses the administrative functioning of this Organization, to enable the delivery of the mandates we set out.

Mr Chair,

The stark outcome of our session raises serious questions about the organization of our work. It appears clearly that extending this session to 5 weeks, at considerable cost for the Organization and for ourselves, was wasteful. No less than 18 half-day slots, almost 2 full weeks, of our program of work went by empty, while most agenda items only made significant progress towards the very last days - if not hours - of our session. Our committee does not need more time, but rather more early, active, and constructive engagement. Among other elements, reports for the Committee's consideration should be made available at the start, or at least within the first half, of our session, not in its final week. In many cases, reports could be significantly shortened given the up-to-date data available to delegates through the various UN online tools. Indeed, we do not need to extend our proceedings but be more meaningful, efficient, and effective in the use of the time that we are allocated, uphold timelines and deadlines, in order to conclude our programme of work in a timely fashion, and allow the Secretariat to implement our resolutions.In this regard, Mr. Chair, we would like to commend your continued commitment to improving our working methods. There is a striking paradox: our Committee is notorious for our poor time management, and late night negotiations. Yet, at the same time, we are exemplary as being one of the last main bodies of the General Assembly that still decide by consensus, a fundamental value, and a requirement for transparent and inclusive decision making process. Collectively, we need to address one while protecting the other.

To conclude, Mr. Chair,

Allow me to express our gratitude to all colleagues for our open discussion on the liquidity challenges that our Organization is currently facing.We reiterate our commitment to the United Nations and to multilateralism, and invite all our partners to pay their contributions in full and on time. Let us also continue to consider collectively further measures to give this Organization the necessary instruments and tools it needs to address its liquidity constraints and to bridge gaps when they are inevitable.In a few weeks, we will resume our session again with a heavy programme of work addressing, among other topics, the financing and policy guidance for peacekeeping operations. In a world beset with unprecedented level of conflicts and violence since the Second World War, let the missed opportunity of this session be our wake up call, to rise up to this challenge, and guarantee that our Committee meets its mandate and performs its function: ensure the proper delivery of UN mandates. You can count on the full support and dedication of the European Union and its Member States.

I thank you, Mr. Chair.