UN General Assembly Resolutions: Resolution 50/20

The General Assembly,

Having considered the report of the Secretary-General on the financing of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force 1/ and the related report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions, 2/

Bearing in mind Security Council resolution 350 (1974) of 31 May 1974, by which the Council established the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, and the subsequent resolutions by which the Council extended the mandate of the Force, the latest of which was resolution 996 (1995) of 30 May 1995,

Recalling its resolution 3211 B (XXIX) of 29 November 1974 on the financing of the United Nations Emergency Force and the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, and its subsequent resolutions thereon, the latest of which was resolution 49/225 of 23 December 1994, and decision 49/413 B of 12 July 1995,

Reaffirming that the costs of the United Nations Disengagement Observer 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 United Nations Disengagement Observer 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 1874 (S-IV) of 27 June 1963, in the financing of such operations,

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

Concerned that the Secretary-General continues to face difficulties in meeting the obligations of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force on a current basis, including reimbursement to current and former troop-contributing States,

Concerned also that the surplus balances in the Suspense Account for the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force have been used to meet 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,

1. Takes note of the status of contributions to the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force as at 20 November 1995, including the contributions unpaid in the amount of 64,565,741 United States dollars, representing 6 per cent of the total assessed contributions from the inception of the Force to the period ending 30 November 1995, notes that some 30 per cent of the Member States have paid their 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 peace-keeping activities, particularly as regards the reimbursement of troop contributors, 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 United Nations Disengagement Observer Force promptly and in full;

4. Endorses the observations and recommendations contained in the report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions; 2/

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

6. Decides to appropriate to the Special Account for the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force the amount of 16,065,498 dollars gross (15,564,000 dollars net), authorized and apportioned by the General Assembly in paragraph 11 of its resolution 49/225 for the operation of the Force for the period from 1 June to 30 November 1995, inclusive;

7. Authorizes the Secretary-General to enter into commitments for the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force at a rate not to exceed 2,679,000 dollars gross (2,603,000 dollars net) per month for a period up to seven months from 1 December 1995, should the Security Council decide to continue the Force beyond the period of six months authorized under its resolution 996 (1995), the said amount to be apportioned among Member States in accordance with the scheme set out in the present resolution;

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 years 1995 and 1996, 3/ subject to the decision of the Security Council to extend the mandate of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force beyond 30 November 1995 and the mandate periods to be decided upon by the Council;

9. Decides also 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 532,000 dollars for the period from 1 December 1995 to 30 June 1996, inclusive;

10. Decides further 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 other income of 9,000 dollars for the period from 1 December 1995 to 30 June 1996, inclusive;

11. Decides that there shall be set off against the apportionment among Member States, as provided for in paragraph 8 above, their respective share in the unencumbered balance of 805,000 dollars gross (891,000 dollars net) for the period from 1 December 1993 to 30 November 1994, inclusive, pursuant to General Assembly decision 49/413 B;

12. Invites voluntary contributions to the United Nations Disengagement Observer 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;

13. Decides also to keep the sub-item entitled "United Nations Disengagement Observer Force", under the agenda item entitled "Financing of the United Nations peace-keeping forces in the Middle East", under review during its fiftieth session.

Notes

1/ A/50/386 and Corr.1.

2/ A/50/694.

3/ See resolution 49/19 B.

Sources: The United Nations