STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS BY H.E. BURHAN GAFOOR, PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE TO THE UNITED NATIONS, ON THE ORGANISATION OF WORK OF THE FIFTH COMMITTEE AT THE MAIN PART OF THE 79th SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, NEW YORK, 7 OCTOBER 2024

Thank you, Mdm Chair.
  
1 I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on the organisation of work of the Fifth Committee at the main part of its 79th session. ASEAN aligns itself with the statement made by Uganda on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.  

2 ASEAN takes this opportunity to congratulate you and the members of your Bureau on your election. We are particularly honoured to have an ASEAN Member State, Thailand, as part of your Bureau. We are confident that under your leadership, the Committee will engage in constructive, transparent, and consultative discussions. ASEAN is committed to supporting your work towards the successful and timely conclusion of this session. ASEAN also thanks Ambassador Osama Abdelkhalek of Egypt and his Bureau members for their hard work and dedication during the 78th session.

Mdm Chair, 

3 The global challenges and geopolitical tensions of today have become more complex and interconnected. A global response is needed to address most of the issues we grapple with today. Just two weeks ago at the Summit of the Future and the General Debate, we were heartened to hear our leaders collectively reaffirm their support for the rules-based multilateral system, with the UN at its core. All that remains is to ensure that we provide the resources to set the UN up for success and implement the ambitions that we have set for ourselves in the Pact for the Future. This includes providing adequate resources for the UN to implement the mandates that we have given it. This goes beyond allocating an adequate budget, to ensuring liquidity for the Organisation. It is therefore imperative that member states that have the capacity to pay their assessed contributions do so in full, on time, and without conditions. 

4 Each year, the Fifth Committee takes on a heavy and complicated agenda. This session’s agenda promises to be even busier. ASEAN will actively engage in discussions on the Scales of Assessment, to ensure that no changes to the methodology are made that are not in line with the position of the Group of 77 and China. ASEAN will also be paying close attention to the deployment of resources for the UN, particularly to the development pillar, which sorely needs funding. 

5 ASEAN will also be closely following upcoming discussions on other agenda items in this Committee. In particular, the proposed programme budget for 2025, construction and property management especially the seismic mitigation retrofit and life-cycle project at UN ESCAP, funding and backstopping of Special Political Missions, subvention to the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, and the slew of statements of programme budget implications and revised estimates, including the Resident Coordinator System. ASEAN’s position and views on these items have not changed, and we look forward to securing good outcomes and ensuring that that the UN has adequate financial resources to fulfil its mandates.  

6 There is much work to be done this session. ASEAN will continue to work constructively with all delegations to ensure the timely conclusion of this session. 

Thank you. 

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