Issue

Update

 Analysis

The General Assembly's Fifth Committee will meet until May 31 ahead of the end of the 61st session of the General Assembly. The major part of the talks will deal with issues relating to the financing of UN peacekeeping operations, including overall fiscal requirements for the UN's peacekeeping budget for 2007-2009. For the period July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2008, the Committee will decide on allocating approximately $5.4 billion to cover financial requirements for thirteen active peacekeeping missions, including funds for the peacekeeping support account. This marks a substantial increase over the $5 billion earmarked for peace operations over the previous year. UN officials expect larger financial commitments for additional mission support in the Sudan, Somalia, Timor-Leste and Lebanon.

The Fifth Committee also will finalize the terms of reference for the Independent Audit Advisory Committee, as well as discuss ways to strengthen the Office of Internal Oversight Services.

On May 17 the General Assembly will hold elections for fourteen new members of the Human Rights Council. Thus far, fifteen countries have announced their candidacies.

The council will hold its fifth regular session in Geneva from June 11-18. Member states are expected to adopt resolutions finalizing the details of the Council's institution-building phases, including the process of review of Council mandates, the selection procedure for mandate-holders, and expert advice procedures.

On May 3 the open-ended working group on Security Council reform held its eighth meeting, bringing together countries at the UN to discuss and assess the February 2007 report compiled by the five facilitators appointed by General Assembly President Sheikha Haya Rashed Al Khalifa to consult with UN member states on Security Council reform. While all 60 member states present at the talks expressed their will to reform the Security Council, significant divisions were observable.

The "Group of 4" (Germany, India, Brazil and Japan) voiced discontent that the Facilitator's report failed to mention the high degree of support within the General Assembly concerning enlargement in both permanent and non-permanent membership. The group of countries known as "Uniting for Consensus" (Argentina, Canada, Colombia, Italy and Pakistan), on the other hand, denied the existence of such a consensus and stressed the importance of alternative categories of membership such as permanent without veto and semi-permanent. The African Group restated their position in favor of two veto-wielding permanent seats as well as five non-permanent seats.

Nothing to report at this time.