General Assembly General Assembly

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Mr. Chair,
 
Thank you for giving me the floor. My delegation aligns itself with the statement made by the representative of Ecuador on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. In addition, I would like to make following remarks in my national capacity.
 
2. My delegation felicitates Ambassador Tommo Monthe, the Permanent Representative of Cameroon for his election as the Chair of the Fifth Committee and other members of the Bureau on their appointment. Excellency, we look forward to work under your leadership to ensure successful completion of the challenging task that awaits us during this session.
 
3. My delegation also takes the opportunity to convey our deep appreciation for Ambassador Inga Rhonda King, the Permanent Representative of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, for guiding the work of this Committee during the last session in a skillful, transparent and inclusive manner.
 
4. We also convey deep appreciation for the arduous work done by the members of ACABQ and the Secretariat in supporting the work of the Fifth Committee.
  
Mr. Chair, 
 
5. My delegation thanks the Bureau and the Secretariat for sharing the programme of work and status of preparation of documents contained in A/C.5/72/L.1, in advance. We are happy to note that many of the documents have already been issued. We hope that sufficient time would be allocated for thorough evaluation of the important agenda items before us. 
 
6. The delay in distribution of documents to the Fifth Committee is a systemic issue that has been impeding the work of the Committee for a long time. My delegation would support all endeavors to remedy this situation. 
  
Mr. Chair, 
 
7. We have conveyed our support for the overall efforts by the Secretary General to work for reform of the organization. 
 
9. We appreciate the Secretary General's initiative to establish an Office of Counter Terrorism to consolidate the UN's efforts in this important aspect. We look forward to adequate allocation of resources for this office from programme budget of 2018-19 to realize its mandate. 
 
10. We believe that the organization must be more nimble-footed to respond to dynamic and evolving situations in the fields. Delegation of authority to managers at the field level, aligning authority with responsibility and changing organizational designs to strengthen accountability are, therefore, overdue. While we await specifics in this regard, my delegation would look forward to contribute constructively in the consultation process within this Committee.  
 
Mr. Chair, 
 
11. While we understand the imperative of 'doing more with less', rationalization of resources should not undermine the ability of the UN system to deliver its mandate.
 
12. Deliberation on the programme budget for the biennium 2018-2019 is priority for my delegation. It is necessary to ensure that all the priorities decided by Member States are adequately reflected in the regular budget of the organization. It is essential to strike a balance between the three main pillars of development, human rights, and peace and security in allocation of resources from the regular budget. 
 
13. Resource allocation should be commensurate with our collective commitment towards realization of the Agenda 2030. Importance of an adequately resourced UN system to service the Member States in achieving this goal is well established. We hope that all delegations will engage constructively in a spirit of partnership that is essential in achieving the 2030 Agenda and other global challenges. The Secretariat must also have adequate financial and human resources to fulfill its mandate.
 
14. My delegation would like to assure you of our support towards timely conclusion of deliberations of this Committee. 
 
I thank you  Mr. Chair.