STATEMENT BY MR. MOHD SUHAIMI AHMAD TAJUDDIN
MINISTER
PERMANENT MISSION OF MALAYSIA
TO THE UNITED NATIONS
ON AGENDA ITEM 137: IMPROVING THE FINANCIAL SITUATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
THE FIFTH COMMITTEE AT THE MAIN PART OF THE
74TH SESSION OF THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
CONFERENCE ROOM 3 (CR3)
NEW YORK, 18 OCTOBER 2019
Thank you, Mr. Chairman,
1. We are delighted to have HE Mr. Tijjani Muhammad Bande, the President of the 74th Session of the UN General Assembly with us at today’s session.
Mr. Chairman,
2. Malaysia aligns itself with the statements delivered by the State of Palestine and Singapore on behalf of the Group of 77 and China and ASEAN respectively.
3. Since this is the first time I take the floor in the meetings under the Fifth Committee, allow me to wish you Mr. Chairman and members of the Bureau on your election. We trust that your team will continue the hard work in steering the work of the Fifth Committee in this 74th Session of the General Assembly. We also recognize the invaluable contribution and support of the Secretariat in our work.
4. My delegation would also like to join others in thanking Ms. Catherine Pollard, Under-Secretary-General for Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance of the United Nations for her presentation last Friday, 11 October 2019 on the financial situation of the United Nations.
5. It is indeed regrettable that the UN is experiencing its worst liquidity crisis over the past few years. The ongoing financial uncertainty has forced the UN to manage expenditures based on liquidity rather than programme delivery, thus affecting the Secretariat’s efforts to focus less on inputs and more on results.
Mr. Chairman,
6. Malaysia is disappointed that this year less Member States are paying their assessments as compare to 2018. Once again, the Secretariat was forced to cover the shortfall by borrowing from closed peacekeeping operations. It is unacceptable that the UN funds itself in this precarious financial situation due to non-payments of assessed contribution by major contributors.
7. Malaysia calls on those Member States to honour their financial commitments and pay their assessments, in full, on time and without conditions.
8. At the same time, Malaysia would like to reiterate the vital importance that the budget is utilized in the most efficient, effective and accountable manner. Stricter adherence to budgetary discipline is greatly required during this time of dire financial situation of the Organisation.
Thank you.
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