Statement by Ms. Misako Kaji, Minister
Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations
Agenda item 117: Programme budget for the biennium 2006-2007
Estimates in respect of special political missions, good offices and other political initiatives, authorized by the General Assembly and/or the Security Council

Fifth Committee
Sixty-first Session of the United Nations General Assembly
13 March 2007

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

My delegation would like to thank the representatives of the Secretariat and the Chairman of the ACABQ for introducing their respective reports.

Mr. Chairman,

As much as the surge of Peacekeeping Operations is talked about these days, it is fair to say that Special Political Missions have also seen a surge in recent years. Special Political Missions and Peacekeeping Operations can prove effective in attaining our goals in the fields through complementing each other. But as we are still at an exploratory stage, we need careful examination, particularly focusing on the linkage between the RBB logical framework and the resource requirement.

The United Nations Integrated Office in Burundi, as has just been introduced, takes the form of an integrated mission where effective peace building process is expected to develop in a smooth transition from ceasefire to stability, and to prosperity, in close collaboration with all UN entities in the field. My delegation supports the views of the Advisory Committee on staffing that take into account the gap between budgetary assumptions and actual deployment for the ONUB, the United Nations Operation in Burundi, and supports the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on the amount of approval of the budget for the Integrated Office in Burundi.

Mr. Chairman,

As for the United Nations Political Mission in Nepal, it is a 12 month mission whose mandate is monitoring the management of arms and supporting the planning of the election. My delegation shares the observations of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions whereby it is "cautious against the application of one-size-fits-all models to different field missions" and would also support its recommendations on the amount of approval of the budget. Clear recognition of the mandate of the Mission and its careful implementation, while avoiding duplication and overlaps through thoughtful planning, is all the more in need.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

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