VZCZCXYZ0008
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUCNDT #0005/01 0022119
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 022119Z JAN 08
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3482
INFO RUEHXX/GENEVA IO MISSIONS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000005 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AORC UUNR UNGA
SUBJECT: 62ND UNGA: GA EXTENDS PTF FUNDING FOR 2008 AND 
REQUESTS SYG REVIEW OF OIOS INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION BY JUNE 
30 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY:  Early on the morning of December 22, 2007, the 
UN General Assembly adopted Resolution A/62/234 to extend 
financing for the Procurement Task Force (PTF) for 2008 in 
order to permit the PTF to continue its investigation of 289 
pending cases.  Member States endorsed the SYG's request for 
$4.9 million to cover the costs of the 27-member task force, 
charges that will be apportioned between the UN peacekeeping 
budget (85 per cent) and the UN regular budget (15 per cent). 
 In addition, the resolution took note of the annual report 
of the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) 
presented during the 61st UNGA (A/61/26), the OIOS Report on 
PTF Activities from January 2006 through June 2007 
(A/62/272), the SYG's related report (A/62/272/Add.1) on the 
PTF, and other more recently completed OIOS reports.  The 
resolution also called upon the Secretary-General to report 
to the GA by June 30, 2008 on the overall capacity of the 
OIOS investigations division, including, "inter alia, the 
activities of the Procurement Task Force."  USUN succeeded in 
securing support from other Member States, in particular 
Singapore and members of the Group of 77 and China (G-77), 
for PTF's full funding for 2008. 
 
¶2.  SUMMARY (continued): USUN, with Department concurrence, 
plans to seek Member State consideration during the March 
2008 resumed Fifth Committee session of a recent OIOS Report 
on the management, organizational structure, operational 
practices and effectiveness of its Investigation Division 
("Actions to Strengthen its Investigation Function") which 
appeared as an annex to a December 12, 2007 SYG report 
(A/62/582) (hereafter "OIOS technical report").  As part of 
these discussions, USUN hopes to address concerns identified 
by Singapore and other Member States in the conduct of 
investigations which prompted the OIOS technical report.   At 
the same time, in conjunction with consideration of this 
report, USUN will press to strengthen the investigation 
function within the Organization and ensure that it remains 
under OIOS authority.  END SUMMARY. 
 
PTF FUNDING EXTENDED 
FOR 2008 
-------------------- 
 
¶3.  As one of the last actions taken by the Fifth Committee 
during the Main Session of the 62nd UNGA, the General 
Assembly adopted Resolution A/62/234 early in the morning of 
December 22 to finance the activities of the Procurement Task 
Force (PTF) for 2008.  The agreement brokered by USUN/MR with 
the G-77 authorized the PTF to continue its investigation of 
289 pending cases, in particular the review of suspected 
fraud, waste and mismanagement involving large and complex 
procurement contracts associated with UN peacekeeping 
missions.  To secure Member States' support for full funding 
for PTF, USUN acquiesced in a provision proposed by Singapore 
and the G-77 requesting the Secretary-General "to conduct an 
overall review of the capacity of the Investigations Division 
of the Office of Internal Oversight Services by 30 June 2008, 
and that the review will include, inter alia, the activities 
of the Procurement Task Force" (para 4 of A/62/234) 
(hereinafter "the investigations capacity review").  In 
addition, the General Assembly requested the Advisory 
Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) 
to request the Board of Auditors to conduct an audit of the 
activities of the Task Force for the period from January 1, 
2006 to June 30, 2007, and to report during the main part of 
the 63rd GA (para 5 of A/62/234). 
 
¶4.  Earlier versions of the draft resolution adopted December 
22 by the GA contained language submitted by Singapore and 
supported by the G-77 would have limited funding for the PTF 
to no more than six months.  Singapore's ongoing opposition 
to the PTF continued to be based on its concerns that the 
Task Force mishandled the investigation of Andrew Toh, former 
A/SYG for Central Support Services, who was suspended in 
January 2006 and subsequently censured by the SYG for 
improperly declaring his financial assets for 2004 and 2005 
and for not cooperating with the PTF. 
 
NEXT STEPS ON 
INVESTIGATIONS 
-------------- 
 
¶5.   In his December 12, 2007 report (A/62/582), the SYG 
indicated his intention to present a comprehensive review of 
the investigations function across the UN during the 63rd GA 
session.  This report, which the SYG indicated will consider 
whether investigations should remain a function within OIOS 
or be shifted elsewhere, will be in addition to the 
investigations capacity review requested by the GA no later 
than June 30, 2008 (Resolution A/62/234).  The third report 
-- OIOS' technical report (annex to December 12, 2007 SYG 
Report) -- already has been distributed to Member States. 
 
 
 
USUN will press Fifth Committee members to discuss this 
report during the Committee's March resumed session in order 
to immediately address the concern that Member States have 
identified with the manner in which OIOS, and PTF in 
particular, conduct their investigations.  However, certain 
Member States may, for their own purposes, seek to delay 
consideration of the OIOS technical report until all three 
above described reports have been circulated -- possibly not 
until the beginning of the 63rd GA.  Member States also may 
argue that measures to strengthen investigations cannot be 
considered without taking into account previously requested 
reports on the accountability framework, results-based 
management, enterprise risk-management, and an internal 
control framework for the UN, all of which are still to be 
issued in the coming months.  USUN will keep the Department 
apprised of ongoing developments. 
 
Wolcott