VZCZCXYZ0001
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUCNDT #1013/01 3181940
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 141940Z NOV 07
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 3082

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 001013 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AORC PREL UNGA
SUBJECT: UN- FOLLOWING DPKO RESTRUCTURING BAN MOVES TO 
STRENGTHEN DPA - DESA NEXT 
 
REF: STATE 146297 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PLEASE HANDLE ACCORDINGLY 
 
¶1.  This is an action request.  Please see paragraph 13. 
 
¶2.  Summary:  Following the restructuring of the Department 
of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) earlier this year, 
Secretary-General Ban has now called for strengthening the 
 
SIPDIS 
Department of Political Affairs (DPA).  Ban,s proposal calls 
for an across-the-board increase in the size of DPA which 
would result in at least a 52 per cent increase in DPA's 
budget and an almost 50 per cent increase in staff.  While we 
see some modest merit in enhancing DPA,s ability to perform 
its vital functions, Mission believes we should carefully 
examine the proposals to avoid unnecessary duplication 
between DPA and other UN entities, including DPKO and the 
Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO).  Set out below are a 
brief review of the proposal (paragraphs 3 - 4), some 
considerations (paragraphs 5 - 10), options (paragraph 11), 
analysis (paragraph 12) and the Mission,s recommended course 
of action (paragraph 13).  End Summary. 
 
BRIEF REVIEW 
 
¶3.  The major components of Ban,s DPA strengthening proposal 
are as follows: 
 
--  Build the capacity of DPA regional divisions; 
--  Strengthen DPA,s policy planning capacity and mediation 
support function through the formation of a Policy and 
Mediation Support Division; 
--  Strengthen its Electoral Assistance Division; 
--  Establish a number of posts to support the increased 
demands placed on the sanctions committees; 
--  Rationalize DPA,s presence in the field through the 
establishment of a network of regional offices; and 
--  Tighten management, executive and oversight functions by 
refocusing the work of the Office of the U-SYG and 
reinforcing the capability of DPA,s Executive Office. 
 
¶4.  Adoption of the proposal and establishment of 70 
additional professional and 28 general service posts would 
require additional funding of 21 million dollars over the 65 
million dollars already included in the regular proposed 
budget for 2008-2009 but reflects a 50 per cent vacancy rate 
during this start up period.  At full incumbency, estimated 
additional requirements in the 2010-2011 and subsequent 
bienniums would be at least 34 million dollars - a 52 per 
cent increase over the current proposed budget of 65 million 
dollars. 
 
SOME CONSIDERATIONS 
 
¶5.  The proposal does not address the question of 
coordination/division of labor between DPA and DPKO/DFS as 
called for by the ACABQ (as recently as in its report under 
the proposed program budget for 2008-2009 (A/62/7)) and as 
recommended by the Office of Internal Oversight Services 
(OIOS).  As OIOS pointed out in its recent audit of the 
management of Special Political Missions (SPMs) by DPA 
(A/61/357), "there is an inherent risk of duplication and 
overlap regarding the functions of the regional divisions of 
DPA and DPKO.  Both Departments can be assigned the lead role 
for directing the substantive political operations in field 
missions.  The final phase of the evaluation being conducted 
on the UN's political affairs program will not be completed 
until June 2008.  In this final audit, OIOS will examine the 
12 field SPMs led by DPA but supported by DPKO. 
 
¶6.  Therefore, there is a risk that resources of both DPA and 
DPKO could be dedicated to performing the same tasks and 
exceed those required for the current levels of performance. 
This is particularly relevant in light of the fact that the 
SYG is calling for establishment of 62 new positions in 
DPA,s regional divisions.  This would increase the number of 
posts in the regional divisions to 145 from 83 - a 75 per 
cent increase.  Following the restructuring of DPKO, at full 
incumbency, DPKO,s regional divisions will consist of over 
110 posts.  Thus, if Ban,s DPA proposal is adopted in full, 
some 250 staff members will be working in DPA and DPKO,s 
similarly structured regional divisions. 
 
¶7.  While requesting authorization to begin a process of 
establishing a number of regional offices, including in 
Singapore and Panama, Ban,s proposal does not contain a 
meaningful analysis of his thinking in this regard other than 
that "the establishment of a small network of regional 
offices...will assist Member States and Regional 
Organizations with their preventive diplomacy efforts."  The 
analysis does not address the financial implications of the 
proposal.  Ban also does not address the role of other UN 
offices in the field and their relationship with DPA. 
 
 
Mission understands that this network of regional offices 
would average 7 million dollars per biennium per office. 
Mission also understands that such considerations would be 
taken up during consideration of the proposed budgets of 
SPMs.  Thus, a system of regional offices would be set up 
under the guise of a new SPM or several new SPMs.  Mission is 
skeptical that junior UN officers stationed regionally around 
the world will have any greater role or capacity to prevent 
conflict than similar UN officers in New York, Geneva or 
elsewhere. 
 
¶8.  SYG Ban, in his statement in the Fifth Committee on 
October 25th, said that following DPA strengthening, he 
intends to "reform" the Department of Economic and Social 
Affairs (DESA). 
 
¶9.  Mission projects that the UN regular biennial budget 
could soon pass the $5 billion mark.  Annual peacekeeping 
costs will soon top $7 billion. 
 
¶10.  US early support for and acquiescence in strengthening 
U-SYG Lynn Pascoe's department without careful and deliberate 
scrutiny will open us up to criticism in this and future 
sessions that we are inclined to automatically support 
proposals when they involve our nationals rather than 
objectively examining all such proposals on the merits.  This 
will undermine our credibility and influence during 
consideration of other aspects of the budget, including other 
"reform" proposals, such as proposals to reform the huge and 
inefficient bureaucracy that is DESA. 
 
¶11.  OPTIONS 
 
(1)  Support Ban,s proposals in full or in part, and call 
for additional resources to be provided in the regular 
budget.  (Pascoe's position). 
 
(2)   Support Ban,s proposals in full or in part, and call 
for the resources involved to be absorbed within the 
resources already requested by the SYG in the proposed 
overall budget for 2008-2009.  (Pascoe opposes) 
 
(3)   Express general support for DPA's important mandate but 
reserve judgment on the SYG's proposal pending consideration 
of further, more detailed and thorough analysis of the 
proposal in the resumed session in March.  (Haven't discussed 
this with Pascoe) 
 
¶12.  ANALYSIS 
 
--  The UN regular biennial budget could soon pass the $5 
billion mark.  Nonetheless, it is highly unlikely that 
delegations would support funding the costs involved "within 
existing resources" since this would likely involve cuts in 
other programs.  There is a risk in calling for funding 
"within existing resources" since it may have the effect of 
generating support for the proposal, in principle,  which 
will provide an opportunity for others to argue that 
increased funding is justified. 
--  The SYG has not addressed a number of recommendations in 
recent ACABQ and OIOS reports, particularly the need to 
examine the division of labor between DPA and DPKO/DFS.  Has 
Ban examined the impact on the functioning of DPA of the 
establishment of the Peacebuilding Commission and 
Peacebuilding Support Office?  These concerns are likely to 
be reiterated by the ACABQ which is expected to issue its 
report within the next week or so.  In addition, the ACABQ is 
likely to raise other issues and request additional 
information before passing on the proposal.  In this respect, 
a number of States from across the geographic spectrum are 
already suggesting that because of the size and complexity of 
the proposal and the questions it raises, the matter 
inevitably will need to be carried over to the March resumed 
session. 
--  This GA, we are faced with a number of costly reforms in 
addition to DPA including, HR, procurement, and ICT.  In 
addition, the G77 has indicated that it proposes to seek 
substantial increases in the area of development.  Ban has 
also publicly committed to strengthen DESA,s huge and 
inefficient bureaucracy following DPA strengthening.  Our 
reaction to the DPA proposal will be followed closely by the 
G77, and our friends, in order to use our position to their 
benefit to adopt and pay for these many initiatives. 
 
¶13.  RECOMMENDATION 
 
Mission recommends the following approach in our upcoming 
Fifth Committee discussions:  Mission should convey the 
message that while we strongly support DPA's important 
mandate and the right of the SYG and U-SYG to manage it as 
they see fit, all organizational and financial resource 
implications of this and any future management proposals must 
be fully examined prior to GA decision-making.  Of particular 
 
 
relevance is the need to ensure that any duplication in the 
activities of Secretariat departments and with other UN 
entities is kept to a minimum.  Mission would work in the 
Fifth Committee to support a full and detailed analysis of 
the division of labor between DPA and DPKO/DFS, of DPA's 
relationship with other field offices, and of the impact of 
the Peacebuilding Commission and Peacebuilding Support Office 
on the functioning of DPA.  Armed with such analysis, the 
Department would determine whether to support additional 
resources for an appropriately revised proposal. 
Khalilzad