Mr. Chair,
I thank you for giving me the floor and it is nice to see you in the Chair. I warmly congratulate you and other members of the Bureau on your election. We are confident that under your able leadership, we will have a fruitful session and will be able to reach a consensual outcome way before the Christmas.
I also thank the outgoing Bureau on their outstanding achievements, particularly the consensual adoption of the resolution on cross-cutting issues and for the increase in the rate of reimbursement to countries contributing contingent personnel to United Nations field operations.
Bangladesh aligns itself with the statement delivered by the Group of 77 and China. We reiterate our support for the principled position of G77 on the allocation of time for the agenda items and the timely issuance of the reports by the Secretariat and the ACABQ.
In this connection, I would also like to thank the Secretariat and the ACABQ for the early issuance of the significant percentage of the reports for deliberation during this session.
Mr. Chair,
Although it is the third year of the pandemic, many countries particularly the developing countries are still reeling from its fallouts. Vulnerable people are facing tougher times as the crisis is accompanied by the worsening climatic conditions and the perpetual conflicts. Their cumulative effect has put many countries under unprecedented difficulties with regard to political and economic instability as their food, fuel and financial securities have been severely affected.
The United Nations fought the pandemic and its fallouts from the front despite having limited resources. It was a wake-up call reminding us about the need for keeping up provisions for the emergency responses. We have re-discovered that sound financial health is the key to the smooth functioning of the UN, and for the efficient and timely delivery of its mandated work.
Mr. Chair,
Now more than ever, we must ensure that the UN is fitted with adequate resources. A well-planned budget and its effective implementation are critical in this regard. We must work collaboratively to review and assess the proposed programme budget for 2023 to ensure that it reflects the priorities of the Member States, and conforms to the mandates of the organization. In this connection, we want to reiterate G77’s principled position that mandates must determine budget proposals and not the other way around. And the whole process needs to be driven by the initiatives of the Member States.
We are aware that financing of the proposed programmes of the budget entirely depends on the contribution of the Member States. Accordingly, they should meet their financial obligations to the organization in full and on time in accordance with their Charter obligations. And in this regard, we remain committed to paying our assessed contribution to the organization, regularly and on time.
At the same time, we request the Secretariat to continue to strengthen the comprehensive budgetary performance, improve internal control and rigorously enforce financial discipline. Genuine budgetary discipline is essential for the UN to be efficient and effective. We expect the Secretariat to utilize the resources entrusted to it in a cost-effective, efficient and rational manner, and keep the member States informed on a regular basis, and maintain utmost transparency in its reporting.
Mr. Chair,
We are confident that under your able leadership, the Fifth Committee will be able to maintain its tradition of consensus-based decision-making principle on the allocated agenda items. We expect delegates to demonstrate flexibility and engage constructively during the deliberations of the Committee to ensure the timely conclusion of its work.
You can count on my delegation’s full support to all your efforts for a productive session.
I thank you all.