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Mr Chairman
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the delegations of Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. I thank the Under Secretary-General for the Department of Management, Ms Alicia Barcena, and the Acting Head of the Department of Field Support, Ms Jane Holl Lute, for introducing the reports of the Secretary-General. I also thank the Chair of the ACABQ, Ms Susan McLurg, and the Chair of the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), Mr Kingston Papie Rhodes, for introducing the reports of the ACABQ and the ICSC respectively.
CANZ delegations are longstanding supporters of Human Resource Management (HRM) reform. We view HRM reform as practical and meaningful, and aimed at benefiting the organisation overall as well as individual staff whom we value highly. This reform is also a long-term and ongoing process, reflecting the changing nature of the United Nations. Member States requested the Secretary-General at the World Summit to make proposals on measures necessary for him to carry out his managerial responsibilities effectively, including in the area of human resources. In response, the Secretary-General brought forward a wide-ranging set of proposals in 2006. Some HRM reforms were agreed later that year and additional information was requested in other areas. We now have detailed proposals before us, and the ACABQ report provides a good basis for starting our discussions.
CANZ supports the concept of a streamlined contracts regime, with one set of staff rules. We believe this proposal is ripe for action, pending the receipt of some more precise details including on the budgetary implications. CANZ considers it could bring significant benefits to the organisation by establishing a simplified and more transparent and effective contractual system, which requires less administration. This would strengthen the UN’s ability to recruit and retain personnel. The General Assembly’s recent agreement on a new system of internal justice, which improves staff members’ opportunities for redress, was an important prerequisite for this reform.
The ICSC and the ACABQ have provided valuable guidance on contracts. Progress on the temporary and fixed term appointments would be a worthwhile and important step forward. Some aspects of continuing appointments need to be clarified further, such as the conversion process of a staff member to a continuing appointment, the question of applying a ceiling on the number of continuing appointments, and the ongoing review of functions and termination process. We want to be assured that the plans are workable, effective and fair. We believe these issues can be resolved during this resumed session with concerted effort.
CANZ is also supportive of improving the conditions of service in the field in order to meet the needs of an increasingly field-based organisation. While this is a complex issue, with significant cost implications on which we will need to further clarify, we feel the ACABQ provides a good starting point for our discussion of this important issue.
CANZ supports in principle a core, ongoing capacity of staff to meet the needs of UN peace operations. We believe the streamlining of contracts will address this need to a large extent and will be interested in the views of the Secretariat on this point.
There will be limitations on the time available in this session. We will support a focused and practical approach to HRM, while attempting to set a clear direction for our future efforts.
Mr Chairman
We appreciate the strong and ongoing commitment of the Secretary-General to HRM reform, and we encourage him to continue his efforts to improve the organisation’s management of its human resources.
Thank you Mr Chairman
