VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUCNDT #1098/01 3341930
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 301930Z NOV 07
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 3228

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 001098 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AORC PREL SU UNGA
SUBJECT: UN - GA BEGINS CONSIDERATION OF BUDGET FOR 
PEACEKEEPING OPERATION IN DARFUR - DIFFICULT NEGOTIATIONS 
EXPECTED 
 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PLEASE HANDLE ACCORDINGLY 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  Summary.  The Fifth Committee, in formal sessions 
on November 19 and 20, began its consideration of the 
proposed budget of $1.478 billion for the AU-UN Hybrid 
Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) for the period July 07/June 08. 
The Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary 
Questions (ACABQ) asserted that the proposal may be 
over-budgeted and recommended a reduction of $150 million. 
The agenda item garnered unusually high Member State 
interest, with a total of 21 delegations delivering formal 
statements over two days of general debate.  In a preview of 
what is expected to be difficult and time-consuming 
deliberations, many delegations criticized the SYG,s use of 
"extraordinary measures" including in awarding a $250 million 
single-source, non-competitive, procurement contract to 
PAE/Lockheed and signaled their intention to ask detailed 
questions on this and other aspects of the proposed budget. 
The Japanese delegation submitted 10 pages of questions on 
almost all components of the proposed budget.  Mission will 
continue to work with the Secretariat and delegations in an 
effort to expedite an early agreement on the budget.  End 
Summary. 
 
¶2.  (U)  The Fifth Committee met in formal session on 
November 19 and 20 to begin its consideration of the 
financing of the AU-UN Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID). 
The Committee had before it a proposed budget of $1.48 
billion for the period from July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2008 
(A/62/380), as presented by Bock Yeo, Officer-in-Charge of 
the Peacekeeping Financing Division, on behalf of the UN 
Controller.  The budget would provide for the deployment of 
240 military observers, a 19,315 military contingent, 3,772 
UN police, 2,660 personnel serving in formed police units, 
1,542 international staff, 3,452 national staff, 548 UN 
volunteers, and 6 government-provided personnel.  In 
addition, the proposed budget includes 55 international and 
30 national staff under general temporary assistance.  In 
paragraph 23 of the proposed budget, the SYG indicated that 
in order to ensure full compliance with the timeline mandated 
by the Security Council for the deployment of military 
contingents to Darfur, the immediate engagement of a 
contractor capable of providing the logistical support 
services required would be necessary, as an extraordinary and 
exceptional measure, through issuance of a 6 month short-term 
sole-source contract.  The SYG stressed that the 
international competitive procurement process for the 
selection of providers of such services on a long-term basis 
following the expiration of the short term contract has 
already been initiated. 
 
¶3.  (U)  ACABQ Chairman Rajat Saha, in presenting the 
Advisory Committee's report (A/62/540), said the Advisory 
Committee believed that the level of the proposed budget 
exceeded requirements and recommended that the budget should 
be reduced to $1.33 billion - a reduction of $150 million. 
Saha expressed doubts about the proposed budgeted pace of 
deployment of military and police personnel and the proposed 
operational costs of the mission and emphasized the 
importance of maximizing synergies between UNAMID and the UN 
Mission in the Sudan (UNMIS).  With regard to proposed 
civilian posts, the ACABQ recommended that deployment of 
staff be phased, in order to conform to the operational needs 
of the mission as it evolves.  Commenting on the SYG,s 
authorization of a number of extraordinary measures to 
expedite the construction of camps and other procurement 
needs (A/62/379), which included entering into a 
non-competitive, single-source contract with PAE/Lockheed at 
$250 million for a six-month period, the ACABQ recommended 
that immediate action be taken to supply goods and services 
using the appropriate methods.  The ACABQ, without 
specifically criticizing the 6 month PAE contract, stressed 
the importance of ensuring effective international 
competition from all qualified vendors on a wide geographical 
basis. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  21 delegations intervened.  (Full texts of 
statements, where available, sent to IO/PSC via email.  See 
also UN press releases 
www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2007/gaab3828.doc. htm and 
www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2007/gaab3829.doc. htm.)  While 
Member States acknowledged the important work to be 
undertaken by UNAMID and affirmed their commitment to 
providing the Operation with the necessary resources to 
fulfill its mandate, several delegations indicated they 
wanted more detailed information from the Secretariat and 
further examination of the proposed budget.  Japan and 
Canada, also on behalf of Australia and New Zealand, 
expressed support for the ACABQ,s recommendations on the 
UNAMID budget.  Japan submitted 10 pages of questions on 
almost all components of the proposed budget.  USDel 
supported deployment of a fully operational, robust 
 
 
 
peacekeeping force in Darfur as soon as possible, while 
advocating for effectiveness, efficiency, and accountability 
in the management of UNAMID (see paragraph 8 below). 
 
¶5.  (U)  The majority of Member States intervening expressed 
concern regarding the SYG,s awarding of a $250 million 
single-source, non-competitive procurement contract to 
PAE/Lockheed.  Angola (speaking on behalf of the African 
Group), Bangladesh, and Brazil said the contract award 
process should have been open to competitive bidding on a 
wide geographical basis.  Canada, Egypt, India, Nicaragua, 
and China expressed dismay that the Secretariat deemed such 
measures necessary, and chided the Secretariat on the 
importance of advance planning in order to avoid recourse to 
those exceptional measures.  Singapore devoted the bulk of 
its intervention to the issue of the PAE/Lockheed contract, 
stating the Secretariat did not follow proper procurement 
procedures and calling into question the Secretariat,s 
accountability in preparing for UNAMID's deployment.  Russia 
doubted the validity of the extraordinary measures and stated 
that urgent deployment of UNAMID should not serve as a 
pretext for violation of resolutions, calling the 
PAE/Lockheed contract "an extreme case requiring serious 
investigation." 
 
¶6.  (U)  Sudan expressed the greatest opposition to the 
PAE/Lockheed contract, calling upon the SYG to distribute 
information to all Member States pertaining to the 
negotiations for the contract.  The Sudanese delegation asked 
why the Secretariat went forward in completing the contract 
with PAE/Lockheed even though the company did not own the 
relevant equipment, stating that the equipment was owned by 
the U.S. government and that it was not clear the equipment 
would be available to the UN.  Sudan charged the SYG with 
selective treatment of GA resolutions.  As several other 
African delegations did, Sudan also called for the "African 
character" of UNAMID to be sufficiently represented, and 
asked for a list of proposed leadership posts, showing those 
provided by the AU and the UN, respectively.  Sudan also 
alluded to the "ethical breaches of UNMIS" in Juba, hoping 
they "will not be repeated" by UNAMID. 
 
¶7.  (U)  Pakistan, on behalf of the G-77 and China, Portugal, 
on behalf of the EU, South Africa, Zambia, Nigeria, Ethiopia, 
the Philippines, and Kenya also spoke. 
 
¶8.  (U)  U.S. Statement - 
 
I would like to begin by thanking Mr. Bock Yeo, the 
Officer-in-Charge of the Peacekeeping Financing Division, for 
his introduction of the report of the Secretary-General on 
Financing of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid 
Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) for the period from 1 July 2007 
to 30 June 2008 (A/62/380), as well as the Chairman of the 
Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions, 
Mr. Rajat Saha, for his introduction of the related report of 
the ACABQ (A/62/540). 
 
The situation in Sudan has been and will continue to be a top 
priority for the United States.  The large, robust 
peacekeeping force for Darfur that we have worked on over the 
last few years to protect civilians and humanitarian workers 
and ensure peace and security in Sudan is finally on the 
verge of deployment.  The transition to this essential 
operation is due to take place by December 31st.  All actors 
must take all possible measures to ensure that UNAMID will 
become fully operational as soon as possible so that the 
Operation can carry out its vital mandate. 
 
My delegation commends those in the Secretariat involved in 
the preparation of the proposed budget and in the measures 
they are taking to ensure an orderly and timely transition 
from AMIS (the African Union Mission in the Sudan) to UNAMID. 
 We also welcome the analysis and recommendations provided by 
the ACABQ to facilitate our consideration of this matter.  As 
my delegation has stated in this committee on other 
occasions, at a time of rapidly escalating expenses 
associated with the multiple and varied activities of this 
Organization, it is imperative that we make every effort to 
maximize the effective use of available resources through 
strong leadership and management, more efficient 
implementation of mandates and greater accountability for 
action. 
 
My delegation hopes that we will proceed without delay to 
complete our examination of the proposed budget and adopt the 
budget to ensure that UNAMID will have the funds it needs to 
implement its vital mandate. 
 
Khalilzad