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Mr Chairman,
I have the honour today to speak on behalf of Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
We are very pleased to have before us the Report of the Redesign Panel on the United Nations system of administrative justice. Establishment of the Panel was a priority for CANZ. We thank the Panel for completing its work quickly and effectively.
The Report offers a number of recommendations, and speaks for itself in highlighting the significance of the issues and the need for action. It begins by noting that:
“...the administration of justice in the United Nations is neither professional nor independent. The system of administration of justice as it currently stands is extremely slow, under resourced, inefficient and, thus, ultimately ineffective. It fails to meet many basic standards of due process established in international human rights instruments. For all these reasons, staff of the Organisation have little or no confidence in the system as it currently exists.”
As CANZ said in the Fifth Committee last year, an internal justice system that lacks the confidence of both staff and management has little to commend it.
It is in all States’ interests to ensure that the UN’s internal justice system enhances accountability, is based on transparent processes that are fair and timely, and commands the respect of the many dedicated individuals, with and without management responsibilities, who work for the United Nations.
Once the Secretary-General has responded to the Panel’s report, the General Assembly should consider the detail of the Panel’s recommendations expeditiously, both in the Fifth and Sixth Committees. CANZ looks forward to receiving the Secretary-General’s views, and to participating actively in those discussions.
