EU Presidency Statement - United Nations 5th Committee: Pattern of Conferences

Mr. Chairman,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union.

The Candidate Countries Croatia*, Turkey and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia*, the Countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidates Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, as well as Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Armenia and Georgia align themselves with this declaration.

At the outset, let me thank Mr. Shaaban Muhammad Shaaban, the Under-Secretary General for General Assembly and Conference Management for his presentation of the report on the Pattern of Conferences and Mr. Rajat Saha for the presentation of the report of the ACABQ. We also welcome the Assistant-Secretary General and other representatives of the Secretariat.

Mr. Chairman,

The provision of effective conference services, through timely issuance of documentation, high standards of language services and adequate meeting facilities is essential to the success of the work of inter-governmental organs and expert bodies of the United Nations. At the same time, we are aware of the share of the regular budget represented by conference management. It is for all these reasons that the European Union places great value on effectiveness, efficiency, accuracy and quality of conference services with consistency in all official languages.

The European Union welcomes the progress achieved across all duty stations in many areas of reform in the Department for General Assembly and Conference Management. The EU particularly welcomes progresses in the context of Integrated Global Management with a view to streamlining procedures, achieving economies of scale and improving the quality of conference services and encourages the DGACM to actively take forward all these and other reform initiatives.

Mr. Chairman,

Allow me to thank the Chairman of the Committee on Conferences, Mr. Yuri Yaroshevich, for introducing the report of the Committee. The European Union warmly welcomes the report and is encouraged to note that the Committee on Conferences has been able to agree on the annexed draft resolution. The European Union welcomes the draft resolution proposed by the Committee on Conferences and is willing to endorse it as a package.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.


* Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.

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• Déclaration de la Présidence de l'UE - Nations unies 5ème Commission: Planification des Programmes (29/10/2007)
• EU Presidency Statement - United Nations 5th Committee: Organization of Work (5/10/2007)