STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS BY HE AMBASSADOR BURHAN GAFOOR, PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE TO THE UNITED NATIONS, ON AGENDA ITEM 140: SCALE OF ASSESSMENTS FOR THE APPORTIONMENT OF THE EXPENSES OF THE UNITED NATIONS AND AGENDA ITEM 149: SCALE OF ASSESSMENTS FOR THE APPORTIONMENT OF THE EXPENSES OF UNITED NATIONS PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS, AT THE MAIN PART OF THE SEVENTY-THIRD SESSION OF THE FIFTH COMMITTEE OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY, NEW YORK, 10 OCTOBER 2018
10 October 2018
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Thank you, Madam Chair.
1 I have the honour to speak once again on behalf of the 10 Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on agenda item 140: Scale of assessments for the apportionment of the expenses of the United Nations; and agenda item 149: Scale of assessments for the apportionment of the expenses of United Nations peacekeeping operations. ASEAN aligns ourselves with the statement made by Egypt on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.
2 ASEAN thanks Ambassador Bernardo Griever, Chair of the Committee on Contributions, and Mr Chandru Ramanathan, Acting Controller of the Office of Programme Planning, Budget, and Accounts for presenting their respective reports.
Madam Chair,
3 ASEAN reiterates that all Member States must fulfil their obligations to bear the expenses of the Organisation, in full, on time, and without conditions. However, we recognise that some countries face genuine difficulties in meeting their financial obligations. ASEAN therefore supports the Committee on Contributions' recommendation to allow these countries to vote until the end of the 73rd session of the General Assembly.
Madam Chair,
4 The current methodology governing both scales of assessments have been adopted by consensus for 18 years. This longstanding consensus reflects our common agreement on the principles underpinning the scales. These principles were reached after extremely difficult negotiations in 2000. This agreement, solemnly entered into by sovereign states, is not to be taken lightly.
5 The first and main principle governing the scale is capacity to pay, and ASEAN reaffirms that capacity to pay must remain the main criterion in the apportionment of the expenses of the United Nations. Under the current methodology, economies that have grown faster, like many ASEAN Member States, will see increases in their share of assessments. Economies that have grown more slowly have seen decreases in their scales. According to the latest report of the Committee on Contributions, about 60 developing countries will see a rise in their contributions to the Regular Budget. On the other hand, nearly 30 European and OECD countries will see a decline in their share of assessments.
6 Despite the growth in our share of assessments under the current methodology, ASEAN Member States remain committed to fulfilling our financial responsibilities to the United Nations. We call on other Member States to do likewise, and provide the Organisation with the resources it needs to fully implement its mandates. ASEAN will not support proposals aimed at distorting the principle of capacity to pay, or increasing the contributions of developing countries. We reaffirm the position expressed by Egypt on behalf of the G77 and China that the 22% maximum ceiling is the only element of the methodology which contradicts the principle of capacity to pay. The ceiling is a fundamental source of distortion in the scale, benefits only one Member State, and must be addressed.
7 ASEAN also supports the G77 and China position that observer intergovernmental organisations which have the rights and privileges usually only applied to observer states, such as the right to speak in the General Debate, should also have the same financial obligations to the United Nations as observer states. This is a question of equity and equality. Observer intergovernmental organisations that enjoy the rights and privileges of observer states must assume greater financial responsibility. They cannot seek to maintain their privileges while avoiding any financial obligations. ASEAN looks forward to a thorough consideration of how to harmonise the treatment of observers with enhanced status during informal consultations.
Madam Chair,
8 On the scale of assessments for the apportionment of the expenses of United Nations peacekeeping operations, ASEAN reiterates once again that all Member States must fulfil their Charter obligations to bear the expenses of the Organisation, in full, on time, and without conditions.
9 The principles which underpin the financing of peacekeeping operations have been enshrined by this Assembly and by consensus since resolution 1874 (S-IV) of 27 June 1963, resolution 3101 (XXVII) of 11 December 1973, and resolution 55/235 of 23 December 2000. Chief among these is that the permanent members of the Security Council have special responsibilities in the maintenance of peace and security. This principle must be considered in connection with their contributions to peacekeeping financing. ASEAN reaffirms that the permanent members of the Security Council should continue to absorb the discounts applied to other Member States in the peacekeeping scale, in recognition of their special decision-making prerogatives on peacekeeping operations in the Security Council. Special privileges cannot be divorced from special financial responsibilities. In other words, special privileges must be paid for by every permanent member of the Security Council. We cannot have a situation where the political dominance of permanent members continues to increase while their financial contributions are allowed to decrease.
10 ASEAN also maintains that peacekeeping financing must continue to recognise the circumstances of developing countries, particularly small developing economies that may have misleadingly high per capita income because of small populations. Developing countries should not shoulder the same financial responsibilities as developed countries. We therefore reaffirm the established G77 and China position that no developing country that is not a permanent member of the Security Council should be categorised above Level C in the scale of assessments for peacekeeping operations.
Madam Chair,
11 ASEAN looks forward to engaging in a full deliberation on the scales in the coming weeks. We are committed to doing so in an open, inclusive, and transparent manner, fully respecting the prerogatives of Member States.
I thank you, Madam Chair.
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