General Assembly General Assembly
 Remarks by Ambassador Asoke Kumar Mukerji, Permanent Representative at the 82nd plenary meeting of UNGA after the adoption of Fifth Committee Reports/UN Budget for the biennium 2016-17 on  December 23, 2015
 
 
 

Thank you for giving me the floor Mr. President.

 

My delegation is happy that the Budget for the biennium 2016-17 has been passed. I would like to reiterate the principle which we have always advocated, namely,that adequate resources should be allocated for fulfilling the mandate generated by the collective membership, and that resources for programmatic and substantial components should overweigh resources allocated for posts. We are also of the view that UN should allocate and respond to emergencies like Ebola, like we had done last year, as also for humanitarian and natural disasters.

 

We are particularly happy that the methodology of Scale of Assessments both in the regular budget and the peacekeeping budget was preserved, notwithstanding the intense negotiations which went on until the last minute.

 

This outcome has been made possible by the constructive engagement of all member states, and the leadership shown by my distinguished colleagues, Ambassador Durga Prasad Bhattarai of Nepal who is the Chair of the 5th Committee, and Ambassador Kingsley Mamabolo of South Africa who is the Chair of the G77 & China this year. This outcome could not be a more befitting tribute to Ambassador Mamabolo's chairmanship of the G77 & China during this year.

 

Mr. President,

 

This will be my last speech at the United Nations General Assembly in my capacity as Permanent Representative of India. As I take leave from New York I wish to bid the United Nations good luck. I hope that the organization will keep up with the times and always be fit for the purpose, in implementing not only all the negotiated outcomes which were  concluded this year, but also the outcome of the World Summit of 2005 mandating the early reform of the  United Nations Security Council.

 

Thank you.