UN General Assembly Resolutions: Resolution 50/89

Having considered the report of the Secretary-General on the financing of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, and the related report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions,

Bearing in mind Security Council resolution 425 (1978) of 19 March 1978, by which the Council established the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, and the subsequent resolutions by which the Council extended the mandate of the Force, the latest of which was Council resolution 1006 (199S) of 28 July 1995,

Recalling its resolution S-8/2 of 21 April 1978 on the financing of the Force and its subsequent resolutions and decisions thereon, the latest of which were resolution 49/226 of 23 December 1994 and decision 49/483 of 12 July 1995,

Reaffirming that the costs of the Force are expenses of the Organization to be borne by Member States in accordance with Article 17, paragraph 2, of the Charter of the United Nations,

Recalling in previous decisions regarding the fact that, in order to meet the expenditures caused by the Force, a different procedure is required from the one applied to meet expenditures of the regular budget of the United Nations,

Taking into account the fact that the economically more developed countries are in a position to make relatively larger contributions and that the economically less developed countries have a relatively limited capacity to contribute towards such an operation,

Bearing in mind the special responsibilities of the States permanent members of the Security Council, as indicated in General Assembly resolution 18/74 (S-IV) of 27 June 1963, in the financing of such operations,

Mindful of the fact that it is essential to provide the Force with the necessary financial resources to enable it to fulfill its responsibilities under the relevant resolutions of the Security Council,

Recalling its resolution 34/9 E of 17 December 1979 and the subsequent resolutions in which it decided that the provisions of regulations 5.2

(b), 5.2 (d), 4.3 and 4.4 of the Financial Regulations of the United Nations should be suspended, the latest of which was resolution 49/226, Concerned that the Secretary-General continues to face difficulties in meeting the obligations of the Force on a current basis, including reimbursement to current and former troop-contributing States,

Concerned also that the surplus balances in the Special Account for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon have been used up for meeting expenses of the Force in order to compensate for the lack of income resulting from non-payment and late payment by Member States of their contributions and have consequently been exhausted,

1. Takes note of the status of contributions to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon as at 13 December 1995, including the contributions unpaid in the amount of 216,216,752 United States dollars, representing 9 per cent of the total assessed contributions from the inception of the Force to the period ending 31 January 1996, notes that some 22 per cent of the membership has paid its assessed contributions in full and urges all other Member States concerned, particularly those in arrears, to ensure the payment of their outstanding assessed contributions;

2. Expresses concern about the financial situation with regard to peacekeeping activities, particularly as regards the reimbursement of troop contributors, notably those troop- contributing Member States that have paid their assessed contributions in full, which bear an additional burden, owing to overdue payments by Member States of their assessments;

3. Urges all Member States to make every possible effort to ensure the payment of their assessed contributions to the Force promptly and in full;

4. Endorses the observations and recommendations contained in the report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions;

5. Requests the Secretary-General to take all necessary action to ensure that the Force is administered with a maximum of efficiency and economy;

6. Decides to appropriate to the Special Account for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon the amount of 67,407,000 United States dollars gross (65,224,980 dollars net) authorized and apportioned by the General Assembly in paragraph 10 of its resolution 49/226 for the operation of the Force from 1 August 1995 to 31 January 1996, inclusive;

7. Authorizes the Secretary-General to enter into commitments for the operation of the Force at a rate not to exceed 10,774,800 dollars gross (10,489,600 dollars net) per month for a period of up to five months beginning 1 February 1996, and to assess the amount of 32,324,400 dollars gross (31,468,800 dollars net) on Member States in accordance with the scheme set out in the present resolution, should the Security Council decide to continue the Force beyond the period of six months authorized under its resolution 1006 (1995);

8. Decides, as an ad hoc arrangement, to apportion the amount referred to in paragraph 7 above among Member States in accordance with the composition of groups set out in paragraphs 3 and 4 of General Assembly resolution 43/232 of 1 March 1989, as adjusted by the Assembly in its resolutions 44/192 B of 21 December 1989, 45/269 of 27 August 1991, 46/198 A of 20 December 1991 and 47/218 A of 23 December 1992 and its decision 48/472 A of 23 December 1993, and taking into account the scale of assessments for the year 1996, subject to the decision of the Security Council to extend the mandate of the Force beyond 31 January 1996 and the mandate periods to be decided upon by the Council;

9. Decides also that there shall be set off against the apportionment among Member States, as provided for in paragraph 8 above, their respective share in the estimated income of 4,800 dollars other than staff assessment income for the period from 1 February to 30 April 1996, inclusive;

10. Decides further that, in accordance with the provisions of its resolution 973 (X) of 15 December 1955, there shall be set off against the apportionment among Member States, as provided for in paragraph 8 above, their respective share in the Tax Equalization Fund of the estimated staff assessment income of 850,800 dollars for the period from 1 February to 30 April 1996, inclusive;

11. Invites voluntary contributions to the Force in cash and in the form of services and supplies acceptable to the Secretary-General, to be administered, as appropriate, in accordance with the procedure established by the General Assembly in its resolutions 43/230 of 21 December 1988, 44/192 A of 21 December 1989 and 45/ 258 of 3 May 1991;

12. Decides to keep the sub-item entitled "United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon" under the item entitled "Financing of the United Nations peace-keeping forces in the Middle East" under review during its fiftieth session.

Sources: The United Nations