By Thalif Deen
UNITED NATIONS, Jul 16 2007 (IPS)

The largest single coalition of developing nations is accusing Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon of “undermining” the General Assembly – the U.N.’s highest policy-making body – by his proposed unilateral action to make structural changes in programmes relating to Asia, Africa and Latin America.

G77 Chair Munir Akram Credit: UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

“It is not a prerogative of the Secretariat to act on matters of such great importance before seeking the approval of the General Assembly.”

“The Group of 77 and China would like to reiterate its opposition to any attempt to undermine the role and authority of the General Assembly in reviewing and approving changes to the structure of the Secretariat,” said the letter, signed by Ambassador Munir Akram of Pakistan, the current G77 chair.

The letter of protest, delivered to Ban Monday, followed a decision by the secretary-general to strengthen the mandate of the High Representative and Under-Secretary-General for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States.

As a result, the new appointee as high representative, Ambassador Cheick Sidi Diarra of Mali, is expected to take over the additional functions of the Office of the Special Adviser for Africa and also serve as a focal point for all economic and social issues dealing with the New Partnership for Africa’s Development.

Additionally, the New York liaison office of the Geneva-based U.N. Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), which deals with trade and other economic issues dealing with all 130 developing nations, will also be brought under the umbrella of the new High Representative.

“The Group of 77 and China considers that these decisions seriously undermine the role and authority of the General Assembly in approving and amending the Programme Budget and the Biennial Programme Plan. We wish to emphasise that only the General Assembly can modify or terminate its legislative mandates,” Akram said.

“The Africans are particularly upset and angry since the secretary-general is effectively consolidating three appointments (and their respective support offices) into one,” a G77 delegate told IPS.

Although the U.N. chief of staff Vijaya Nambiar has written a letter to the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) indicating that the secretary-general will make written proposals to the upcoming 61st session of the General Assembly, the G77 was not formally consulted about the proposed radical changes.

“The intention to merge operations”, Nambiar said, will require the submission of a formal proposal through the ACABQ.

The primary reason for the merger, according to the secretariat, is to maximise the use of limited budgetary resources.

But the G77 is of the view that the proposed consolidation is a subtle attempt to reduce resources allocated to developing country programmes.

The G77 has also challenged the “limited budget” argument by pointing out that the secretary-general had no qualms about freely increasing the budget for U.N. Security Council activities such as peacekeeping operations, prompted mostly by Western nations. “Either the secretary-general is being wrongly advised, or he doesn’t realise he is only the servant of the General Assembly,” an African diplomat told IPS.

Asked about his proposed restructuring plans, Ban told reporters Monday he was planning to strengthen, not weaken, the U.N. focus on African issues.

He said his plans were to “integrate and consolidate” the various programmes relating to Africa.

“The African challenge has the highest priority in my agenda,” Ban said, pointing out that he has number of “special envoys” dealing with African issues.

He also said that one of his first appointments was an African woman as deputy secretary-general: Asha-Rose Migiro of Tanzania.

Less than a month after he took office last January, Ban also came under heavy fire from the 117-member Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) when he decided to make structural changes in the Department of Disarmament Affairs and also create a new Department of Field Support for peacekeeping operations without consultation with member states.

After months of discussions and negotiations, the General Assembly approved a modified version of his proposed plans last month.

Meanwhile, the G77 letter to Ban also stressed that the surge in poverty and development needs throughout the world fully justify increased budgetary resources to address these challenges.

“We therefore do not accept that limited resources imply the need for consolidating programmes in the area of development, bearing in mind the willingness of the Assembly to significantly increase assessed contribution on peace and security activities.”

“We believe that the priorities of the Organisation have to be treated more equitably in future budget submissions.”

In view of these, “it is an overwhelming desire of the Group of 77 & China that the specific functions, responsibilities and objectives assigned by the General Assembly, to the High Representative, the Special Adviser on Africa and the mandate of UNCTAD should maintain their distinct roles.”

The G77 “urges that the administrative and budgetary procedures must be respected and no changes in the programmes and mandates of the Organisation shall be implemented without the review and approval of the General Assembly.”

This will lead to greater accountability by the Secretariat to Member States.

In view of these concerns, the G77 “trusts that you would reconsider your decision to introduce the intended changes in the mandates as established by the General Assembly. I would be grateful for a response to this letter as soon as possible,” Akram said.

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