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New York UN

STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS BY MS JO-PHIE TANG, DEPUTY PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF SINGAPORE TO THE UNITED NATIONS ON AGENDA ITEM 136: PROGRAMME BUDGET FOR THE BIENNIUM 2018-2019: SEISMIC MITIGATION RETROFIT AND LIFE-CYCLE REPLACEMENTS PROJECT AT THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMISSION FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC PREMISES IN BANGKOK AT THE FIFTH COMMITTEE, MAIN PART OF THE 73RD SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON 18 OCTOBER 2018

18 October 2018

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Thank you, Madam Chair.


1                 I have the honour to speak on behalf of the 10 Member States of the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), on agenda item 136: Programme budget for the biennium 2018-2019 in relation to the seismic mitigation retrofit and life-cycle replacements project at the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) premises in Bangkok.


2                 We thank Mr Patrick Carey, Director in the Office of Central Support Services (OCSS), for introducing the report of the Secretary-General on this matter. We also express our appreciation to Mr Carlos Ruiz Massieu, Chair of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) for introducing the Committee’s related report.


3                 ASEAN aligns ourselves with the statement made by Egypt on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.


4                 The need to provide all United Nations Regional Commissions with safe, suitable, and accessible workplaces cannot be understated. Amongst the five, ESCAP is the largest, serving 53 Member States and nine Associate Members. We remain grateful for the continued efforts of the Government of Thailand, as the host country, in facilitating the work of ESCAP. As we strive to implement the ambitious 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, ESCAP has been pivotal in providing technical assistance and capacity-building related to economic and social development. However, there remains much work to be done. To this end, ASEAN reaffirms our support of ESCAP and looks forward to working closely with Executive Secretary Professor Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, who was appointed just last month.


5                 ASEAN stresses the importance of good governance, effective oversight, transparency and accountability in the management of the project to ensure its timely completion within budget. We trust that the appointment of the dedicated Project Coordination Officer will ensure close coordination between the Secretariat in New York, including the OCSS, and ESCAP in Bangkok.


6                 We are happy to note the audit report of the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) of 5 June 2018, which highlighted that ESCAP had made significant progress in the implementation of the project. ESCAP has implemented, or is in the process of implementing, OIOS’ eight recommendations, including finalising plans for the new on-site swing space strategy. We trust this new strategy will include a cost-benefit analysis and operational feasibility study. In addition, ASEAN supports the Secretary-General’s recommendation to hire, on a temporary basis, one Information Technology Assistant (Local level) and one Logistics and Coordination Officer (National Officer) for the on-site swing space. We encourage the project team to continue exploring new and innovative ways to optimise the use of space, conserve energy, derive cost savings, and reduce business disruptions, with due consideration given to the most cost-effective approach.


7                 We also commend the successful efforts of ESCAP and OCSS to attract qualified female candidates to the project team, and note that four out of the five Professional-level project positions are encumbered by women. The UN needs to remain committed to improving gender parity and equitable geographical representation in the Organization’s workforce at all levels.


8                 ASEAN reiterates that, in implementing this project, special attention should be paid to the incorporation and use of local knowledge, material, technology, and in-house capacity. To this end, we welcome the establishment of an advisory committee of local technical experts, supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, to provide technical advice and offer local expertise and best practices during construction. Such partnership underscores the importance of sustained engagement and close collaboration between the UN and the Host Country throughout the planning and implementation of the project.


9                 ASEAN continues to urge the Fifth Committee as well as the General Assembly to support the timely and complete implementation of the project. Notwithstanding the delay in the commencement of construction work, we are encouraged by the assurances of the Secretary-General that (a) the overall construction duration and project completion date remain on schedule, that is by the end of 2023; and (b) that the project budget remains unchanged at $40.019 million, inclusive of contingency funding. That being said, the report on the first Monte Carlo risk analysis, which concluded that the project is at significant risk of going over budget, raises some concerns. It is imperative for the Secretary-General to ensure that the relevant risk mitigating measures are adopted in a timely manner. The project team should also continue to take into account the lessons learned and best practices from other UN capital projects implemented in various parts of the world.


Madam Chair,


10               The implementation of capital projects of the UN Regional Commissions to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the Organization remains an important priority for ASEAN. We therefore also strongly support other projects such as the replacement of office blocks at the UN Office at Nairobi (UNON), construction of new office facilities at the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) in Addis Ababa, and the renovation of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) in Santiago. ASEAN will follow all discussions on these items with close attention.


11               In closing, Madam Chair, allow me to reassure you of ASEAN's readiness to engage in constructive deliberation so that we can reach a positive and timely outcome on this important agenda item.


Thank you.


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