Fifth Committee Delegates Support Proposed Funding to Implement Pact for Future, Human Rights Council Resolutions in 2025, Opposing Any Cuts to Outlays

Fifth Committee Delegates Support Proposed Funding to Implement Pact for Future, Human Rights Council Resolutions in 2025, Opposing Any Cuts to Outlays

The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today considered the Secretariat's request to lay out $8.5 million in 2025 to take tangible steps to carry out the Pact for the Future, a landmark declaration approved by Member States during a high-level session in September.

Voicing adamant support for the Pact, the representative of the United Kingdom expressed disappointment with the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) recommendation for significant reductions in the Secretariat's proposal. "Nevertheless, we will work to maintain the momentum behind the ambitious initiative to ensure international governance meets the needs of the future," he said, noting that additional work is needed from the Secretariat and Member States on a landmark agreement achieved after a year-long process. "Adopting the Pact was simply step one; now we must all rise to the challenge of ensuring implementation, both within this Organization as well as at home." His delegation looked forward to the timely conclusion of this issue to ensure the Pact's full implementation.

Echoing these sentiments, the United States' delegate also voiced support for the Pact and its annexes, which include the Global Digital Compact and the Declaration on Future Generations. "These are very significant agreements reached during high-level week to ensure the Organization can meet the challenges of today and in the future," he said, adding that he deeply regretted that the report was being introduced so late in the Committee's session. This will significantly affect the Committee's ability to give the report the needed attention, but he stressed the issue should not be deferred.

Chandramouli Ramanathan, UN Controller and Assistant Secretary-General for Programme Planning, Finance and Budget in the Department of Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance, presented the Secretary-General's report on the matter, titled "Revised estimates resulting from General Assembly resolution 79/1, entitled 'The Pact for the Future'" (document A/79/583). On 22 September 2024, world leaders adopted the Pact, a landmark declaration pledging concrete actions toward a safer, more peaceful, sustainable and inclusive world for tomorrow's generations, he said. The resolution's 2025 budgetary impact totals $8.5 million, net of staff assessment, comprising $5.2 million to support the mandates contained in the Pact, and $3.3 million relating to Annex I, the Global Digital Compact.

The $8.5 million would be a potential charge against the contingency fund and comprise: $2.7 million under section 1, Overall policymaking, direction and coordination; $0.1 million under section 2, General Assembly and Economic and Social Council affairs and conference management; $3.4 million under section 3, Political affairs; $0.1 million under section 4, Disarmament; $0.9 million under section 9, Economic and social affairs; $0.8 million under section 12, Trade and development; $0.5 million under section 29B, Department of Operational Support; and $7,600 under Section 29E, Administration, Geneva.

The resolution would also ask the Assembly to approve the establishment of the Office of Digital and Emerging Technologies under Section 1, Overall policymaking, direction and coordination, and approve the establishment, effective 1 January 2025, of 33 new posts. Twenty-two new posts would be under the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, 10 new posts under the Office of Digital and Emerging Technologies, and one new post under the Department of Operational Support, as well as the conversion of six posts from the existing Office of the Secretary-General's Envoy on Technology that are funded from extrabudgetary resources.

Committee Chair Egriselda Aracely González López (El Salvador) drew delegates' attention to the related report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) (document A/79/7/Add.43). In a statement available on the Fifth Committee website, Advisory Committee Chairman Abdallah Bachar Bong stated the body recommended a phased approach to the Pact's resource increase for conflict prevention. The most urgent needs would be covered through revised estimates for 2025, with additional requirements considered in the 2026 proposed programme budget. Of the 23 proposed new posts, the Advisory Committee recommended the establishment of seven posts for 2025 while related non-post resources and requirements could be absorbed within existing resources.

On the Global Digital Compact, the Advisory Committee recommended a phased approach to further clarify some functions of the new Office for Digital and Emerging Technologies. While the ACABQ supported the proposed conversion of six extrabudgetary positions into posts in order to set up the Office's initial operation, it recommended against the establishment of 10 new posts at this stage.

Revised Estimates for Human Rights Council in Geneva

Mr. Ramananthan also presented the Secretary-General's report "revised estimates resulting from resolutions and decisions adopted by the Human Rights Council at its fifty-fifth, fifty-sixth and fifty-seventh regular sessions" (document A/79/575). The report lays out the details of the Secretariat's request for a 2025 appropriation of nearly $19.2 million, net of staff assessment, which includes 25 new posts.

The additional requirements comprise $1.88 million under section 2, General Assembly and Economic and Social Council affairs and conference management; $140,400 under section 16, International drug control, crime and terrorism prevention and criminal justice; $16.42 million under section 24, Human rights; $648,800 under section 28, Global communications; and $108,100 under section 29E, Administration, Geneva.

The representative of Uruguay, speaking also for Chile, Costa Rica, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay and the Dominican Republic, said adequate and predictable financing for the mandates emanating from the Human Rights Council's resolutions and decisions is a "cardinal priority" for the Group. He noted that $63.75 million was already included in the proposed 2025 budget while the $19.2 million reflects additional needs. "Our countries reaffirm that the pillars of the Organization deserve equal treatment and the proper financing of all pillars is the responsibility of all States," he said, adding that the interrelationship between the development agenda and the human rights agenda are especially entwined. Noting that the portion of the UN regular budget allocated for the protection human rights remains limited, the Group supports the approval of the additional resources.

The Russian Federation's representative rejected the idea of funding Council resolutions 55/23 and 57/20 from the regular budget, stressing that his delegation has repeatedly explained why it categorically does not accept, agree with or recognize the Council's anti-Russian resolutions. "It is unacceptable that the collective West weaponizes the human rights topic, including at the Human Rights Council, to impinge on States' sovereignty," he said, adding "these abuses must be stopped."

Ms. González López drew delegates' attention to the ACABQ's related report (document A/79/7/Add.42) and noted that the Committee had agreed, on an exceptional basis, that this document and ACABQ's report concerning the Pact for the Future (document A/79/7/Add.43), would be available in English only. The reports will be issued, no later than 22 December and 19 December respectively, in all official languages. She thanked delegates for their flexibility to use these documents to ease their work in the session's final days. "I would like to emphasize that this is on an exceptional basis and in no way sets a precedent," she said. "There should continue to be full respect for the existing resolutions of the General Assembly on multilingualism."

The representative of the European Union, in its capacity as observer, said her delegation was disappointed by the introduction of agenda items without the full translation of all documents, especially Advisory Committee reports, into all official languages. "This represents an unfortunate deviation that affects multilingualism, which is essential to guarantee inclusivity and transparency in our deliberations," she said. "Multilingualism is once again collateral damage of delays incurred by the Secretariat." She hoped the delay would not occur again.

2025 Programme Budget Implications

Mr. Ramanathan also presented the Secretary-General's statements regarding the 2025 programme budget implications emanating from three draft resolutions of the Second Committee (Economic and Financial). In one statement (document A/C.5/79/23), the Assembly is asked to provide $507,000 in 2025 to carry out terms included in the draft resolution "South-South cooperation" (document A/C.2/79/L.15/Rev.1).

The second statement (document A/C.5/79/24) asks the Assembly to appropriate $1.27 million next year to implement the draft resolution "Promotion of international cooperation to combat illicit financial flows and strengthen good practices on assets return to foster sustainable development" (document A/C.2/79/L.6/Rev.1).

In the third programme budget statement (document A/C.5/79/25), the Assembly is asked to appropriate nearly $5.96 million in 2025 for draft resolution "Promotion of inclusive and effective international tax cooperation at the United Nations" (document A/C.2/79/L.8/Rev.1).

The Committee Chair drew delegates' attention to the Advisory Committee's related reports (documents A/79/7/Add.39, A/79/7/Add.40 and A/79/7/Add.41).

Contingency Fund

Also today, Mr. Ramanathan introduced the Secretary-General's report "Contingency fund: consolidated statement of programme budget implications and revised estimates" (documents A/C.5/79/28, Add.1), and the Committee Chair drew delegates' attention to the Advisory Committee's eponymous report (document A/79/7/Add.38).

Committee Chair Urges Delegates to Conclude Session on Time

With the end of the Committee's main session scheduled for Friday afternoon, Ms. González López urged delegates to "work swiftly and with energy and constructively" to conclude the meeting on time. "This is the beginning of the end of the session," she said, urging delegates to meet again on Friday in Conference Room 3 to "happily conclude the session."

The Committee's effective functioning in the year ahead depends on delegates' work this week and she urged them to remember the expectations of people outside this building and help the United Nations meet the objectives for which it was established.

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