VZCZCXYZ0092
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUCNDT #0204/01 0652133
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 052133Z MAR 08
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3850

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000204 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AORC AFIN ABUD UNGA
SUBJECT: BRIEFING OF GENEVA GROUP ON UNITED NATIONS 
FINANCIAL MATTERS 
 
 
¶1.  UN Controller Warren Sach provided members of the Geneva 
Group on March 3, 2008, a paper identifying $1,062,772.9 
billion dollars in potential "add ons" to the current 
biennium budget of $4.17 billion.  See para. 2.  On March 5, 
2008, Ambassador Wallace hosted a meeting of the JUSCANZ 
which discussed the potential "add ons", which threatened to 
raise the budget more than 25 percent above the 2006/2007 
biennium.  There was widespread agreement with the concern 
that USUN expressed about the size of the potential 
unprecendented budget increase.  The participants agreed that 
there was a need to consider how to address this concern and 
to reconvene in the next week or so. 
 
¶2.  Paper provided by Sach: "Briefing of Geneva Group on 
United Nations Financial Matters (4 March 2008)." 
 
As per summary note on the outcome of the GA 62nd session: 
--------------------------------------------- ------------- 
 
                                             $Million 
                                             -------- 
Proposed programme budget                     4,441.1 
ACABQ Recommendations on the proposed 
 programme budget                              (12.3) 
Fifth Committee                                (295.0) 
Revised estimates and PBIs                       37.6 
 
Initial appropriation                         4,171.4 
 
 
Fifth Committee changes 
                                             $Million 
                                             -------- 
(i)    Adjustment of vacancy rates applied    (48.1) 
       to professional and general services 
       posts 
 
(ii)   Adjustment of vacancy rates applied     (7.5) 
       to field security staff 
 
(iii)  Maintenance of travel, contractual     (13.6) 
       services, and general operating 
       expenses at the 2006-2007 level after 
       recosting 
 
(iv)   Reduction of non-post resources by     (11.2) 
       2 percent, other than travel of staff, 
       contractual services and general 
       operating expenses (excepted DGACM) 
 
(v)    Office of Central Support Services     (18) 
 
(vi)   Reduction of the overall provision     (200.1) 
       for special political missions 
 
(vii)  Development Account                    2.5 
 
(viii)  Other changes                         1 
 
                                  Total      (295) million 
 
 
Potential add-ons to the programme budget 
for the biennium 2008-2009 
----------------------------------------- 
 
                                          Thousands of 
                                          U.S. Dollars 
                                          ------------ 
                                            $amount 
 
Special political missions additional       39,329.2 (a) 
requirements in 2008 (A/62/512/Add.6) 
 
Special political missions 2009            500,000.0 (b) 
 
Construction Baghdad                       100,000.0 
 
Information and communications technology 
  Enterprise systems for the United         50,000.0 (c) 
    Nations Secretariat worldwide 
  Revised estimates: Disaster recovery      50,359.9 (d) 
    and business continuity for the 
    United Nations (A/62/477) 
  Strategy and governance CITO                 tbd 
 
Human rights (Durban)                        6,794.7 
 
Strengthening of the Department 
Political Affairs (A/62/521)      22,206.4 
  ACABQ on Strengthening of 
    the Department of Political 
    Affairs (A/62/521)            (8,596.9) 13,609.5 
 
 
 
Improving the effective and 
efficient delivery of the mandates 
of the development related activities 
and the revised estimates relating to 
the programme budget for the biennium 
2008-2009                                   25,571.0 
 
Accountability framework, Enterprise 
Risk Management and internal control 
framework, and Results-Based Management 
framework (A/62/701 & Add.1)                 3,008.6 
 
Security panel                                  tbd  (e) 
 
Unforeseen expenses                          7,900.0 (f) 
 
Detailed proposals for streamlining 
United Nations contractual arrangements 
(A/62/274)                                   7,600.0 
 
Harmonization of conditions of service      45,200.0 (g) 
 
Common services cuts non-absorption             tbd 
 
Associated costs to Capital Master Plan     62,400.0 (h) 
 
Revised estimates for currency and 
inflation                                  151,000.0 (i) 
 
                             Total       1,062,772.9 
 
Notes: 
 
(a) Reflects proposed requirements for five spms (LRA 
Affected Areas, IAMB, UNOSEK, UNMIN and UNPOS).  The 
estimated total additional requirements for 2008 amount to 
$56.6 million.  Given the balance in the provision for spms 
of $17.3 million following decisions of the General Assembly 
in resolution 62/238, additional appropriations of $39.3 
would be required for 2008. 
 
(b) Reflects the approved budgets totalling $386 million of 
the 26 special political missions authorized by the General 
Assembly in its resolution 62/238, plus the proposed 
requirements of $39.3 million detailed in A/62/512/Add.6, 
rounded up to $500 million in anticipation of any new 
mandates in the latter part of 2008. 
 
(c) Based on the regular budget share (20%) of the 
preliminary indicative figure of $250 million estimated for 
the total cost of the ERP project (as provided in para. 48 of 
A/62/510). 
 
(d) This report was considered by the ACABQ in December 2007 
in its report A/62/7/Add.31.  The Committee approved an 
amount of $6.8 million under the regular budget for the North 
Lawn equipment and indicated that it will revert to the DRBC 
proposals in the context of its consideration of the detailed 
report on the implementation of the ERP. 
 
(e) To be absorbed 
 
(f) Based on actual experience in 2006-2007. 
 
(g) Indicative estimates 
 
(h) This figure is based on the old "Strategy IV" assumption 
for the biennium 2008-2009.  Total costs which were based on 
the previously approved strategy, were estimated at $184 
million over the total period of renovation (2008-2013).  The 
requirements relating to accelerated "Strategy IV" as 
approved by the General Assembly in its resolution 62/87 and 
related associated costs are currently under preparation. 
The amount of $62.4 million would be revised in due course. 
Whilst this amount is shown as a possible addition to the 
programme budget, other financing arrangements such as 
incorporation in the CMP budget are being explored. 
 
(i) Based on available information as of 1 March 2008. 
Includes conditions of service and compensation for officials 
other than Secretariat officials: members of the 
International Court of Justice (A/62/538) 
 
Balance in the contingency fund:  $12,191,000 
 
Preliminary estimate of requirements for the period 2008/09 
(Thousands of United States dollars.  Budget is from 1 July 
to 30 June) 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
 
                             Proposed 
Expenditure  Apportionment   Budget            Variance 
 
 
 (2006/07)      (2007/08)    (2008/09)    Amount  Percentage 
 
MINURSO 
 
   41,702.6      44,321.6     45,728.4     1,406.8     3.2 
 
MINUSTAH 
 
  484,020.1     535,372.8    575,103.2    39,730.4     7.4 
 
MINURCAT (c) 
 
    1,114.1     182,444.0    420,646.7   238,202.7    130.6 
 
MONUC 
 
1,085,127.9   1,112,739.5  1,193,572.2     80,832.7     7.3 
 
ONUB (a) 
 
  118,534.1          --          --          --         -- 
 
UNAMID (c) 
 
              1,275,653.7   1,730,454.9   454,801.2    35.7 
 
UNDOF 
 
   39,549.0      39,662.5      45,726.0     6,063.5    15.3 
 
UNFICYP 
 
   47,347.9      46,587.4      54,943.0     8,355.6    17.9 
 
UNIFIL 
 
  495,735.7     713.586.8     698,456.1   (15,130.7)  (2.1) 
 
UNMEE (b) 
 
  126,618.4     113,483.4    113,483.4        --       -- 
 
UNMIK (b) 
 
  210,191.8     210,676.8     210,676.8       --       -- 
 
UNMIL 
 
  676,202.0     688,330.6     614,982.8    (73,347.8) (10.7) 
 
UNMIS (c) 
 
  990,276.2     846,277.2     821,727.4    (24,549.8)  (2.9) 
 
UNMIT 
 
  146,848.8     153,159.8     169,625.4     16,465.6   10.8 
 
UNOCI 
 
  450.769.6     470.856.1     477,154.9      6,298.8    1.3 
 
UNOMIG 
 
   32,297.9      35,009.8      34,740.7      ( 269.1) ( 0.8) 
 
UNLB (c) 
 
   32,929.2      40,379.6      56,454.2     16,074.6   39.8 
 
Support Account (c) 
 
  177,696.9     230,509.9     292,151.6     61,641.7   26.7 
 
Total 
 
5,156,962.2   6,739,051.5   7,555,627.7    816,576.2   12.1 
 
Notes: 
 
(a) ONUB mandate expired on 31 December 2006, with 
administrative liquidation completed on 30 June 2007. 
 
(b) Estimate for 2008/09 is based on approved levels for 
2007/08 but subject to revision in light of Security Council 
discussions. 
 
(c) Budget proposals under review. 
 
KHALILZAD