STATEMENT OF THE G-77 AND CHINA AT THE RECONVENED FIFTIETH SESSION OF THE
COMMISSION ON NARCOTIC DRUGS, 29-30 NOVEMBER 2007, DELIVERED BY H. E. AMBASSADOR
SAYED GALAL E. ELAMIN, PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF SUDAN
Mr. Chairman,
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Group of 77 and China
and I am pleased to convey to you our pleasure in seeing you presiding over the
50th reconvened session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND). I also take
this opportunity to thank the Secretariat for the preparation of this resumed
session and particularly for the preparation of the consolidated budget document.
The Group would like to make some preliminary observations on the main item of
the agenda for this session, that is, the consolidated budget of UNODC for the
biennium 2008-2009.
Mr. Chairman,
The Group of 77 and China welcomes the adoption
of result-based budgeting by UNODC in its consolidated budget for the biennium
2008-2009, and the harmonization of the consolidated budget with sections 16 and
28F of the proposed programme of the United Nations budget. The Group also welcomes
the incorporation of the UNODC medium term strategy into the consolidated budget
for the biennium 2008-2009. The Group requests the Executive Director to include
in future budget documents a glossary of budget terminology to make it easier
for delegations to understand the technical terminology used for the budget.
The
Group notes that the regular consolidated budget has increased by about 6% over
the previous biennia. We share the concern about the continuous increase in the
share of earmarked funds and the decrease of the general purpose and programme
support costs funds as indicated in the Consolidated Budget for the biennium 2008-2009.
The over-reliance on extra-budgetary resources and in particular earmarked funding
has led to highly fragmented, unpredictable, constrained funding patterns, and
encouraged duplication and inefficiency. In addition, it limits the UNODC ability
to make strategic decisions and leads to donor priorities rather than multilateral
mandates determining the actions of UNODC, which undermines country ownership.
Therefore, the Group of 77 and China reiterates the importance of providing UNODC
with sufficient and predictable funding and determining technical assistance programs
in accordance with national and regional priorities.
The Group reiterates that
the core activities of UNODC should be funded from the regular budget. While not
discouraging provision of voluntary funding to the UNODC, there should not be
heavy reliance on the extra-budgetary resources to finance the core activities.
Mr. Chairman,
The Group of 77 and China has noted the findings of the Independent
Evaluation Unit, OIOS and the ACBAQ and substantially agree with their findings,
particularly relating to the Field Offices (FO).
The Group of 77 and China agrees
with the Independent Evaluation Unit report that the UNODC does not really accommodate
the evolution, operations and growth of Field offices. They tend to operate as
add-ons to the organization and seem to have evolved much outside the organization
and overall culture of UNODC headquarters.
The Group of 77 agrees with the Independent
Evaluation Unit that the UNODC does not have a coherent strategy for supporting
Field offices to develop projects and raise funds for their implementation. Divisions
and Field offices within the Organization tend to compete for funds from the same
group of donors. There is a lack of synergy between the fund raising efforts of
the Field offices and those of headquarters. The Group of 77 and China notes with
concern the statement of the Independent Evaluation Unit that most of the Field
offices have "survived" because they have been innovative and responsive to some
of the constraints to their operations and that the headquarters bureaucracy has
not always supported their innovations. This is indeed an unfortunate situation
and we urge the headquarters bureaucracy to be far more responsive and pro-active
to the needs of those innovative field offices that are doing commendable jobs,
despite constraints.
The Group of 77 and China also notes with concern that the
UNODC does not have a strategy for building the human resources base of its Field
offices. Field offices and Human Resources Management Section (HRMS) have not
really identified long term staffing needs, nor have they put in place a strategy
for acquiring and retaining the best available expertise. HRMS has not provided
the necessary leadership, guidance and support to field offices to ensure that
their staffing needs are met. Staffing is managed on an ad hoc basis around short
term needs without a long term focus.
In the light of these findings, the Group
of 77 and China agrees with the Independent Evaluation Unit recommendations that
UNODC should: - Review and reform its organizational and communication mechanisms,
- Streamline responsibilities and accountability between Field Offices and Headquarters,
- Urgently take a decision and clarify the roles and responsibilities of Human
Resources Management Section (HRMS) and Field Offices in relation to the implementation
of projects and provision of technical expertise to Member States. - Review Field
offices staffing needs and design a long-term capacity-building strategy, - Design
a comprehensive strategy for fund raising that secures stable and predictable
funding in support of field offices as the major vehicle by which the Organization
delivers technical assistance to Member states. Further, provide training and
seed money to field staff to enable them to raise funds more effectively.
The
G-77 and China expresses its deep concern that UNODC headquarter has not observed
equitable geographical distribution in recruiting its staff, especially for senior
professional and directorate levels. Therefore, the Group requests the Executive
Director to pay due regard to the importance of recruiting staff on as wide a
geographical basis as possible in accordance with the provisions of the UN Charter,
particularly from developing countries.
The Group of 77 and China strongly urges
UNODC to decentralize decision-making authority to Field Offices and to clarify
the roles and responsibilities of the Field offices and headquarters. In this
context, the Group welcomes the decision that for the biennium 2008-2009, 60 percent
of the projected resources will be expended at field offices and 40 percent at
the UNODC headquarters, compared with a distribution of 55 percent and 45 percent
respectively for the biennium 2006-2007.
Mr. Chairman,
The Group of 77 and China
notes the statement of the OIOS that the UNODC does not exercise caution whenever
new mandates are accepted and those projects are accepted without appropriate
analysis of resources implications and it does not have a prioritization scheme
to effectively deliver on the approved programme of work. It is significant to
note that the OIOS attempted to obtain clarity on the amount and complexity of
the new mandates given to UNODC and some resource estimates to cover the needs
for those mandated activities including core functions, which are claimed to be
implemented with extra-Budgetary resources. However, UNODC did not have such information
and analysis available and it was unclear what core functions or additional mandates
did not have enough resources. The Group of 77 and China hopes that now that we
have all agreed on a Medium Term Strategy document for the UNODC, the organization
will be able to clearly focus on its core mandates and set aside adequate budgetary
allocations for the same.
The Group of 77 and China notes the statement of the
OIOS with concern that while the funding situation was precarious prior to 2004,
not enough efforts have been made to redress the situation.
The Group strongly
endorses the OIOIS recommendation that any decision to close down regional offices
should be based on the regional needs, wider consultation and analysis of the
strategic and programmatic variables necessary to achieve UNODC goals in order
to avoid gaps in support to Member States requests.
The Group of 77 and China
urges the UNODC to be realistic about where its work can achieve the greatest
impact. It also urges the UNODC to clarify its internal roles, take stock of its
comparative advantages, strengthen and rationalize the Field Offices network to
deliver the technical assistance programme in order for it to become a centre
of excellence on its fields of mandate.
The Group of 77 and China believes that
the Commission on Narcotic Drugs should refocus its attention to its main role
as the governing body of UNODC in drug related matters and requests the Executive
Director to provide annual periodic reports to the Commission on:
1. Ways and
means to improve the financial situation of UNODC, including the situation of
the field offices.
2. The programs and initiatives that will be implemented by
UNODC for the biennia 2008-2011 and how they conform with the medium term strategy
of UNODC, as reflected in the strategic framework.
The Group of 77 and China stresses
the importance of implementing the Medium Term Strategy of UNODC in a balanced
manner and requests that programs should be formulated to implement the different
aspects of the strategy without concentrating on only one or two aspects of it.
The Group of 77 and China expresses concern on the decrease in the special purpose
funds for the UNDCP fund allocated to Africa and the Middle East by 9%. This undermines
the repeated warnings of UNODC on the emerging and growing threats of trafficking
cocaine to Europe through Africa. The Group requests Member States to increase
financial contribution to fight this growing threat, taking into account the African
plan of action against drugs and crime.
The Group of 77 and China requests the
Executive Director to provide a detailed account of the exemptions and reductions
provided to donors from the 13% programme support cost during the past 3 years,
and the basis for such exemptions and discounts.
The Group of 77 and China encourages
UNODC to finalize the study on trends of drug consumptions in the African continent.
This study will allow an evaluation of the trends and risks of trafficking and
consumption of drugs in Africa, which will assist African countries to better
formulate their preventive actions and counter this plague.
Mr. Chairman,
Despite
the remarkable efforts, which have been made in Afghanistan to curb the cultivation
of opium, the present situation attests to the fact that these efforts have not
been successful so far. Afghanistan is experiencing the biggest opium harvest
in its history (8200 tons in 2007 compared to 4100 tons in 2005), which is equal
to 93 percent of world's opiates production.
The Group of 77 and China is deeply
concerned over the growing threat of the huge increase in opium production in
Afghanistan and the related drug trafficking which adversely affects not only
the country's economic reconstruction but also increases transnational organized
crime which undermines the stability and security of Afghanistan, its neighboring
countries and the Region.
The Group of 77 and China is of the view that combating
this menace requires a long-term, multifaceted strategy and more serious efforts
by Afghanistan and the international community. Therefore, the Group requests
the Executive Director of the UNODC to prepare a report to the 51st CND session
on the reasons for and consequences of the increased production of opium in Afghanistan.
Mr. Chairman,
The Group of 77 and China expresses its concern with regard to the
lack of sufficient resources for the General Purpose Fund and its effects on the
operational aspects of UNODC structure. In this regard, the G-77 and China requests
that any structural reorganization in UNODC and particularly in its operational
sector should be done in consultation with and approval of Member States. The
Group calls upon the Executive Director to ensure that this process takes into
account the needs and priorities of each region.
The G-77 and China takes note
that the increase of the UNDCP fund for Latin America and the Caribbean will be
funded mainly through national donations. The Group recognizes that significant
efforts are made despite economic constraints in the region and requests other
Member States to support these efforts by increasing their financial contributions
accordingly.
Mr. Chairman,
The Group of 77 and China would like to reiterate its
objection to the inclusion of phrases like "subject to extra-budgetary resources"
and "within existing resources'' in resolutions. This practice violates, among
others, General Assembly resolutions 41/213, 42/211 and 45/248 B; for they clearly
state that the "Fifth Committee is the appropriate Main Committee of the General
Assembly entrusted with responsibilities for administrative and budgetary matters".
The CND should refrain from the inclusion of such phrases in its decisions and
resolutions.
The use of these phrases impedes the budget proposals of the Secretary-General
from reflecting the resource levels commensurate with UNODC's mandates and hinders
their full, efficient and effective implementation. Thus, we keep witnessing a
zero growth in the regular budget entitled to UNODC, a tendency that does not
correspond to the fact that drug control, crime prevention and criminal justice
programmes have been growing exponentially and have also been included within
the eight priority areas of the work of the United Nations since 1998.
Mr. Chairman,
The Group of 77 and China calls on Member States to pay due attention to the concerns
expressed by the ACABQ about the use of such phrases in resolutions, especially
because of their negative impact on the implementation of activities and the use
of resources.
The Group of 77 and China requests the Secretariat of UNODC to
present in a report a list of all resolutions adopted during the previous five
years with particular emphasis on resolutions, whose mandates have not been implemented
due to the lack of resources.
The Group of 77 and China, taking into account ECOSOC
resolution 2007/12 and the observations of the Committee for Programme and Coordination
at its Forty-seventh session, stresses the importance of incorporating the UNODC
Medium Term Strategy into the 2010-2011 Strategic Framework. This would enable
UNODC to indicate to Member States the resources needed to design and implement
the corresponding activities and to ensure that these resources are utilized according
to the Strategic Framework.
Mr. Chairman,
These are our preliminary comments,
and we have presented 3 paragraphs to the secretariat to include in the draft
resolution. The Group looks forward to working with you and the Member States
during the reconvened session. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
