Resolution 50/89
(June 7, 1996)
B*
The General Assembly,
Having considered the report of the Secretary-General on the
financing of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon 1/ and the
related report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary
Questions, 2/
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 resolution 1039 (1996) of 29
January 1996,
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 was resolution 50/89 A of 19 December 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 also its previous decisions regarding the fact that, in
order to meet the expenditures caused by the Force, a different procedure
is required from that 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 1874 (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 fulfil its
responsibilities under the relevant resolutions of the Security Council,
Recalling further 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 21 May 1996, including the contributions
unpaid in the amount of 204.4 million United States dollars, representing 8
per cent of the total assessed contributions from the inception of the
Force to the period ending 30 April 1996, notes that some 17.2 per cent of
the Member States have paid their assessed contributions in full, and urges
all other Member States concerned, in particular those in arrears, to
ensure the payment of their outstanding assessed contributions;
2. Expresses concern about the financial situation with regard to
peace-keeping activities, in particular as regards the reimbursement of
troop contributors, which bear burdens owing to overdue payments by Member
States of their assessments;
3. Expresses its appreciation to those Member States which have paid
their assessed contributions in full;
4. Urges all other Member States to make every possible effort to
ensure payment of their assessed contributions to the Force in full and on
time;
5. Endorses the observations and recommendations contained in the
report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions; 2/
6. Requests the Secretary-General to take all necessary action to
ensure that the Force is administered with a maximum of efficiency and
economy;
7. Also requests the Secretary-General to include in his next report
on the financing of the Force a full evaluation of damages resulting from
the incident that occurred at the headquarters of the Force at Qana on 18
April 1996 and the costs thereof;
8. Decides to appropriate to the Special Account for the United
Nations Interim Force in Lebanon the amount of 53,874,000 dollars gross
(52,448,000 dollars net) authorized by the General Assembly in paragraph 7
of its resolution 50/89 A for the period from 1 February to 30 June 1996;
9. Decides also, as an ad hoc arrangement, taking into account the
amount of 32,324,400 dollars gross (31,468,800 dollars net) already
apportioned in accordance with General Assembly resolution 50/89 A, to
apportion an additional amount of 21,549,600 dollars gross (20,979,200
dollars net) for the period from 1 May to 30 June 1996 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
Assembly resolutions 44/192 B of 21 December 1989, 45/269 of 27 August
1991, 46/198 A of 20 December 1991, 47/218 A of 23 December 1992, 49/249 A
of 20 July 1995, 49/249 B of 14 September 1995 and 50/224 of 11 April 1996
and its decisions 48/472 A of 23 December 1993 and 50/451 B of 23 December
1995, and taking into account the scale of assessments for the years 1996
and 1997, as set out in its resolution 49/19 B of 23 December 1994 and
decision 50/471 A of 23 December 1995;
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 9 above,
their respective share in the Tax Equalization Fund of the estimated staff
assessment income of 567,200 dollars approved for the period from 1 May to
30 June 1996;
11. Decides that there shall be set off against the apportionment
among Member States, as provided for in paragraph 9 above, their respective
share in the estimated income of 3,200 dollars, other than staff assessment
income, for the period from 1 May to 30 June 1996;
12. Decides also to appropriate to the Special Account for the
United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon an amount of 125,722,800 dollars
gross (122,665,800 dollars net) for the maintenance of the Force for the
period from 1 July 1996 to 30 June 1997, inclusive of the amount of
2,965,800 dollars for the support account for peace-keeping operations, to
be assessed on Member States at a monthly rate of 10,476,900 dollars gross
(10,222,150 dollars net) in accordance with the scheme set out in the
present resolution, subject to the decision of the Security Council to
extend the mandate of the Force beyond 31 July 1996;
13. Decides further that, in accordance with the provisions of its
resolution 973 (X), there shall be set off against the apportionment among
Member States, as provided for in paragraph 12 above, their respective
share in the Tax Equalization Fund of the estimated staff assessment income
of 3,037,000 dollars approved for the period from 1 July 1996 to 30 June
1997;
14. Decides that there shall be set off against the apportionment
among Member States, as provided for in paragraph 12 above, their
respective share in the estimated income of 20,000 dollars, other than
staff assessment income, for the period from 1 July 1996 to 30 June 1997;
15. Invites voluntary contributions to the United Nations Interim
Force in Lebanon 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;
16. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-first
session, under the item entitled "Financing of the United Nations
peace-keeping forces in the Middle East", the sub-item entitled
"United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon".
120th plenary meeting
7 June 1996
* Consequently, resolution 50/89 of 19 December 1995 becomes resolution
50/89 A.
Notes
1/ A/50/543/Add.1.
2/ A/50/694/Add.1.
Sources: The United Nations |