mentation expenses previously authorized with concurrence of the ACABQ under the terms of General Assembly resolution 44/ 203 (1989). The resolution also authorized the Secretary General to enter into commitments at a rate not to exceed $2,070,000 per month for the period beyond April 30, 1992, subject to Security Council renewal of the UNIKOM mandate.

Scale of Assessments

Resolution 46/221 on the scale of assessments for apportioning the expenses of the United Nations was adopted by consensus on December 20. The resolution accepted the scale proposed by the Committee on Contributions for the period 1992 through 1994. It also, however, recognized that changes in the world scene might necessitate a new scale in the coming year and specified that countries could apply to the Committee on Contributions for a new scale.

The resolution also contained the outline of a future scale. A number of compromises had to be made on the part of all member states in order to secure consensus approval of the proposed "model" scale. Developed countries got a debt formula which no longer relied on aggregate debt in its calculation of debt relief, but utilized the extent to which debt was being paid in that calculation. In return, developing countries received an adjustment upward in the low per capita income allowance formula. The upper limit of the allowance (currently $2,600) was also formally tied to average world per capita income.

The most contentious issue concerned the scheme of limits. This mathematical formula was designed to minimize variations in a country's assessment level from scale to scale. Its principal beneficiaries were oil producers and the fast growth Asian Rim countries. Eastern European countries opposed it since it limited the effect on their assessments of the currency devaluations they have experienced in recent years. Most other nations opposed the scheme because it cumulatively distorted the ability of a scale to accurately reflect capacity to pay. Eventually, a phaseout of the scheme over two consecutive 3-year scale periods was agreed to, with the proviso that care be taken to ensure developing countries do not bear the brunt of the elimination of the scheme of limits.

The resolution also authorized the Committee on Contributions to examine new methodologies that look beyond the traditional formula based on "capacity to pay." This was in response

to the statement by the U.S. Representative before the Fifth Committee on November 21, in which he stated:

Unfortunately, the reliance on capacity to pay, and the methodology that has gone into quantifying it, have resulted in distortions in the scale. Some delegations have suggested that this is simply the best formula available on which we can all agree. The simple fact that this committee now faces such a dispute over the application of that methodology demonstrates that there is a basic flaw in the concept.

Accordingly, the U.S. Delegation believes that the time has come
to begin to look beyond the current methodology. We believe that
the Assembly should authorize the Committee on Contributions to
begin to examine methodological constructs which do not rely on
capacity to pay as the sole criterion for determining the scale. Let us
begin to look at new criteria which reflect not only what we have
learned from past experience, but also the new realities which have
come into play in recent years.

Committee for Program and
Coordination

The Committee for Program and Coordination (CPC), composed of 34 member states, is the main subsidiary organ of both ECOSOC and the General Assembly for planning, programming and coordination. One key element in the 1986 package of UN administrative and budgetary reforms gave the CPC a central role in a new, consensus-based decision-making process for approving the UN program budget. CPC now plays a vital role in U.S. efforts to exercise appropriate influence on budget size and priorities.

At its annual session May 13-June 12 the Committee considered the Secretary General's proposed program budget for the 1992-1993 biennium (the major topic on the CPC's agenda), UN reform and program coordination questions. ECOSOC reviewed and endorsed the CPC conclusions and recommendations in resolution 1991/67 in July. The 46th General Assembly considered the CPC report under its agenda item on program planning; CPC recommendations were approved without a vote in December as resolution 46/189.

Proposed Program Budget for 1992-1993. One of the CPC's main responsibilities under reform resolution 41/213 is the review of the biennial program budget. The major objective of the Committee's consideration of the budget is to ensure that it conforms to conditions set forth in the previous year's resolution by the General Assembly on the budget outline. The Secretary General's budget proposals for 1992-1993 did not meet all the requirements of General Assembly resolution 45/255 on the

budget outline. The total request of $2.363 billion was within the overall level established by the outline resolution. However, the budget proposal recommended real growth of 0.9 percent rather than zero real growth as required by resolution 45/255.

Consideration of the overall budgetary requirements and the details of individual budget sections dominated the session. The U.S. Delegation, with support from others, took the lead in ensuring that the CPC recommendations on the budget proposals conformed to the requirements of the outline resolution. After intense negotiations, the Committee agreed to the following recommendation: "The program budget should reflect the premises on which the outline proposed by the Secretary General had been based and adopted, in accordance with relevant resolutions of the General Assembly." The main premise of the outline for the United States was that the budget for 1992–1993 reflect zero real growth.

The Committee also adopted recommendations on the budget intended to increase efficiency and reduce overall costs. It questioned many of the proposals for new staff positions, and upgrading of existing positions, and requested the 46th General Assembly to review these proposals in light of the observations of the Committee and the report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ).

The CPC's recommendations were considered during the Fifth Committee's detailed review of the Secretary General's budget proposals at the 46th session. The budget appropriation approved by the Assembly without a vote eliminated all of the real growth initially proposed by the Secretary General. Thus, the consensus budgetary decision-making process approved in resolution 41/213 was upheld.

UN Reform. The CPC made an important decision to continue the process of administrative and financial reform begun several years ago. Resolution 41/213 established a 3-year timetable for the implementation of all recommendations made by the Intergovernmental Group of Experts. At the CPC session, developing countries argued that the process of reform had been completed in accordance with provisions of resolution 41/213. The United States and other major contributors argued that the reform process was an ongoing one and should be continued.

The CPC, supporting the U.S. position, recommended that the search for a more efficient and effective organization should be intensified in order to enable the United Nations to achieve its objectives and respond to challenges. The Committee reaffirmed its role in the process of reform and requested the Secre

tary General to report on a continuing basis on the implementation of further reforms to the Committee and the General Assembly.

Program Coordination Questions. The CPC considered a number of reports under this agenda item; the most important from the U.S. perspective was the annual overview report of the Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC). The main task of the ACC, coordinating mechanism of the secretariats of UN system agencies and programs, is to ensure resources made available to UN agencies are used with maximum efficiency and economy.

The ACC report considered by the Committee at its 1991 session reflected several innovations and modifications previously recommended by the United States. The Committee considered the new format of the ACC annual overview report to be a definite improvement over previous reports with emphasis given to substantive issues. The new ACC report on programs and resources of the UN system, contained in an addendum to the annual overview report, was welcomed by the Committee. The CPC found that the report constituted a useful reference tool which would enable member states and organizations to avoid overlapping and duplication and to improve coordination in the UN system.

The CPC requested the ACC to continue studying the feasibility of establishing a system-wide database on programs and resources with a greater degree of detail on program activities, including expenditures on administrative and substantive activities of appropriate secretariat structures. The Committee felt that more comprehensive and transparent information on the activities of the system would facilitate the coordination of national governmental policies in various governing bodies as well as in intergovernmental bodies.

The Committee's recommendations on the ACC annual overview report were approved by the General Assembly in resolution 46/189.

Joint Inspection Unit

The Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) consists of 11 inspectors authorized to investigate matters pertaining to efficient and effective operations in the UN system. These inspectors serve in a personal capacity as experts on the UN system, and are appointed by the UN General Assembly for 5-year terms; Richard V. Hennes of the United States was an inspector during 1991. The Unit focuses on improving the management of UN

programs and agencies, and on encouraging greater coordination at all levels.

In 1991 the JIU published seven reports: on technical cooperation and the use of national professional project personnel; an assessment of the environmental focus of projects financed by UNDP and other UN agencies; a report on rotation of staff within the United Nations; a follow-up report on the Management Advisory Service of the United Nations; a report on an overlap in the salaries between senior general service and junior professional staff categories in the United Nations; an assessment of the annual deficits of the ICAO Administrative and Operational Services Cost Fund; and a report on the post classification system. Of particular interest to the United States was the follow-up report on the Management Advisory Service, which recommended this service, heretofore underutilized, should be upgraded in view of the important role it could play as a tool for promoting greater managerial efficiency and effectiveness within the United Nations.

Due to the biennialization of the Fifth Committee's workload, there was no resolution on the JIU at the 46th General Assembly.

However, in decision 46/446, adopted without a vote, the General Assembly requested that the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions study the JIU with a view toward improving its efficiency and effectiveness.

Committee on Conferences

The Fifth Committee resolution under the agenda item "Pattern of conferences" was adopted by consensus by the UN General Assembly as resolution 46/190.

Action on this item was preceded by meetings of the UN's Committee on Conferences, which held its substantive session August 19-21. Among the issues considered were the draft calendar of meetings for the period 1992-1993, intersessional departures from the approved calendar of conferences and meetings, "utilization rates" of conference services by UN bodies, the budget of the Department of Conference Services (DCS) and the application of new technology to conference servicing.

As in previous years, the Committee declined to take a strong stand on the issue of "utilization rates." The U.S. Delegation supported the position that the number of meetings allocated to certain intergovernmental bodies with high rates of meeting cancellations should be reduced. The Committee, however, chose to refer the issue for further monitoring, and decided the