VZCZCXYZ0016
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHGV #0366/01 1321132
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 121132Z MAY 09
FM USMISSION GENEVA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8412

UNCLAS GENEVA 000366 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR IO/T, IO/MPR and EBB/CIP/MA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECPS EINT ITU
SUBJECT: ITU GOING FOR BUDGET TRANSPARENCY 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY:  The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) 
convened an informal meeting to review plans and parameters for the 
2010-2011 biennial budget that will be on the agenda for the October 
ITU Council meeting.  ITU plans to 'balance' the budget by drawing 
no more from reserves than the previous biennium.  ITU is committed 
to zero nominal growth with salary and other costs absorbed by 
prioritizing, reducing activities and reducing costs.  One 
potentially contentious issue may be the proposal to move the World 
Radio Conference from the fourth quarter of 2011 to the first 
quarter of 2012. The ITU is on schedule for the new budget to be 
IPSAS compliant.  However, that raises issues on how to value the 
buildings and what to do about after service health insurance (ASHI) 
liabilities.  The issues will be discussed in detail June 8 - 12 at 
the meeting of Council Working Groups on Financial Regulations and 
the Tripartite Group on Human Resources as well as the Management 
and Budget Group.  At those meeting U.S. proposals for whistle 
blower protection, an ethics function, financial disclosure and an 
audit committee also will be discussed.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  Richard Barr, ITU Chief of Finance and Administration, invited 
representatives of ITU member states to a briefing on the plans for 
the ITU 2010-2011 biennial budget, the first such meeting ever held 
by the ITU.  Barr had several motivations:  first, to be as 
transparent as possible; to learn of members' concerns early; to 
preview issues for the meetings in June; and, to attempt to avoid 
contentious and hasty budget debate at the ITU Council meeting in 
October.  Operating within the limitation of zero nominal growth 
(ZNG), ITU will absorb increased salary costs and 
membership-directed new expenditures such as publishing the ITU News 
in six languages and new mandates from the World Telecom Standards 
Assembly (WTSA).  As a result, the current draft budget sees small 
decreases in the budgets of the General Secretariat and the Radio 
bureau with small increases in the Standards and Development 
bureaus. 
 
¶3.  The next World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC) is scheduled 
for the fourth quarter of 2011 and lasts about one month or more. 
The 2010-2011 draft budget moves it to the first quarter of 2012 
that would postpone 4 million Swiss francs (just under 4 million 
USD) in expenditures to the next biennial budget.  Barr explained 
that sufficient Geneva conference space is unavailable during the 
proposed fourth quarter of 2010.  One member state offered to host 
the WRC, but the current schedule puts the WRC during Ramadan.  A 
first quarter 2012 WRC could be held in Geneva.  Several delegations 
voiced concerns that the postponement would create too large of an 
agenda, delay decisions needed to keep up with technology and also 
disrupt the current plans for the WRC preparatory conference.  Barr 
took note of the concerns and suggested he might be required to 
re-draft the budget during the Council meeting if the Council 
decides not to postpone the WRC. 
 
¶4. The draft budget includes additional staff development funds; 
Barr sees great need for management training.  The budget assumes an 
average 4 percent of staff post vacant during recruitment and 
envisions the opening of an ITU New York office.  Barr hopes that 
with efficiencies, e.g., becoming more paperless, there could be an 
opportunity to create an expenditure 'wish list' that could include 
an additional staff person in the internal auditor's office. 
 
¶5.  On the revenue side, the ITU hopes to be able to fix the 
contributory unit (c.u.) at 318,000 Swiss francs (USD 290,000), 
since the number of c.u.s made by each member state is voluntary, if 
members believe that the ITU is useful, they could increase their 
number of c.u.s.  At present, some members are reluctant to increase 
their c.u.s for fear that the amount of the c.u. would increase, 
creating an unbudgeted increase.  The ITU also hopes that more 
professional marketing will result in increased revenue for document 
sales. 
 
¶6.  Barr explained a 'balanced budget' by drawing on reserves was 
'standard practice' for the ITU.  An expected reserve draw down of 
10.108 million Swiss francs (9 million USD) could be offset by an 
expected 8.397 million Swiss franc surplus (7.6 million USD) from 
the 2008-2009 budget.  Barr would like to maintain at least the 
required minimum reserve, but would like drawdown 'excess' reserves 
to consider one-off investments such as an increase in staff 
training and incentives for early retirement.  The ITU is expecting 
(or hoping) that Telecom World (to be held in Geneva in October) 
will break even, even though exhibit space has been reduced by 
one-third.  Past Telecom World events were major money makers for 
the ITU. 
 
¶7.  The full impact of IPSAS accounting standards will not really be 
known until the release of audited financial statement for 2010 (the 
ITU will continue to budget biennially, but IPSAS will require 
annual budget statements).  However, IPSAS requirement that the ASHI 
liability be recognized could be counterbalanced by carrying the ITU 
building as an asset. 
 
¶8. COMMENT:  It was a useful meeting attended by perhaps 
representatives of a dozen member states.  Mr. Barr has been on the 
job for about one year and has brought professional and modern 
management to the ITU.  While Barr understands that IPSAS does not 
require funding ASHI (but does require recognizing the potential 
liability), he does mention the WHO practice of setting aside funds 
for the eventual obligation.  The U.S. Delegation should be ready to 
discuss the issue at the June Council Working Groups meetings, as 
well as other budget issues and all remaining US-initiated 
transparency and accountability issues. 
 
STORELLA #