Strengthening the Capacity of the United Nations to Manage and Sustain Peacekeeping Operations

A/RES/61/279View PDF

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

A Resolution of the General Assembly, under agenda item 132 Administrative and budgetary aspects of the financing of the United Nations peacekeeping operations, published in 2006.

What other versions does this mandate have?

2 versions · 2007–2011

This is an older version — the most recent is A/RES/65/290

Year	Symbol	Title	Word length	Text similarity
2011	A/RES/65/290	Strengthening the capacity of the United Nations to manage and sustain peacekeeping operations	4,303	14%Compare
2007	A/RES/61/279	Strengthening the capacity of the United Nations to manage and sustain peacekeeping operations	3,775	–

Who cites this mandate in the budget?

1 entity

Entity	(Sub-)Programme	Title	Total mandates cited	Expenditure
	Programme 4	Peacekeeping operations	31

Historical expenditure covers the complete programme or subprogramme, not this mandate. For an overview of all UN entities and programmes, see UN entities and programmes.

Who cites this mandate in the budget?

1 entity

Entity	(Sub-)Programme	Title	Total mandates cited	Expenditure
	Programme 4	Peacekeeping operations	31	—

Historical expenditure covers the complete programme or subprogramme, not this mandate. For an overview of all UN entities and programmes, see UN entities and programmes.

Which reports were submitted under this mandate?

3 reports · 2008–2009

Year	Symbol	Title	Mandate resolution
2009	A/63/702	Strengthening the capacity of the United Nations to manage and sustain peacekeeping operations report of the Secretary-General	A/RES/61/279
2008	A/62/752	Report on the comprehensive analysis of the Office of Military Affairs in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations report of the Secretary-General	A/RES/61/279
2008	A/62/741	Preliminary report on the status of implementation of General Assembly resolution 61/279 on strengthening the capacity of the United Nations to manage and sustain peacekeeping operations report of the Secretary-General	A/RES/61/279

What’s in this document?

76 operative paragraphs

Reaffirms that the Fifth Committee is the appropriate Main Committee of the General Assembly entrusted with responsibilities for administrative and budgetary matters;

Also reaffirms rule 153 of its rules of procedure;

Further reaffirms its role in carrying out a thorough analysis and approval of human and financial resources and policies with a view to ensuring the full, effective and efficient implementation of all mandated programmes and activities and the implementation of policies in this regard;

Reaffirms its role with regard to the structure of the Secretariat, and stresses that proposals that amend the overall departmental structure, as well as the format of the budgets of the Organization and the biennial programme plan, are subject to review and approval by the General Assembly;

Emphasizes that ongoing management reforms must be fully taken into account when presenting additional proposals for reform;

Reaffirms that support account funds shall be used for the sole purpose of financing human resources and non-human resources requirements for backstopping and supporting peacekeeping operations at Headquarters, and that any changes in this limitation require the prior approval of the General Assembly;

Also reaffirms the need for adequate funding for the backstopping of peacekeeping operations, as well as the need for justification for that funding in support account budget submissions;

Recalls the role of the Secretary-General as the Chief Administrative Officer of the Organization, in accordance with the provisions of Article 97 of the Charter of the United Nations;

Reiterates that the delegation of authority on the part of the Secretary-General should be in order to facilitate the better management of the Organization, but stresses that the overall responsibility for management of the Organization rests with the Secretary-General as the Chief Administrative Officer;

Decides to establish the Department of Field Support;

Affirms the need for the Secretary-General to ensure that the delegation of authority to the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, the Department of Field Support and field missions is in strict compliance with relevant resolutions and decisions, as well as relevant rules and procedures of the General Assembly on this matter;

Reiterates the importance of strengthened accountability in the Organization and of ensuring greater accountability of the Secretary-General to Member States, inter alia, for the effective and efficient implementation of legislative mandates and the use of human and financial resources;

Recalls its request to the Secretary-General to specifically define accountability as well as clear accountability mechanisms, including to the General Assembly, and to propose clear parameters for its application and the instruments for its rigorous enforcement, without exception, at all levels, to ensure effective and efficient operations and management of resources in the Organization;

Emphasizes the importance of preserving unity of command in missions at all levels as well as coherence in policy and strategy and clear command structures in the field and up to and including at Headquarters;

Also emphasizes the importance of interaction and coordination with troop-contributing countries;

Further emphasizes the need to ensure the safety and security of United Nations personnel;

Requests the Secretary-General to ensure a clear chain of command, accountability, coordination and maintenance of an adequate system of checks and balances;

Urges the Secretary-General, within the framework established in its resolutions 52/12 B of 19 December 1997 and 52/220 of 22 December 1997, to define explicitly the role and duties of the Deputy Secretary-General in the reform set out in the present resolution, including in relation to the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, the Department of Field Support, the Department of Political Affairs and the Department of Management;

Recalls section I, paragraph 6, of its resolution 55/238 and paragraph 11 of its resolution 56/241, and requests the Secretary-General to ensure the proper representation of troop-contributing countries in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the Department of Field Support, taking into account their contribution to United Nations peacekeeping;

Reiterates that the Secretary-General, in employing staff, shall ensure the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity as the paramount consideration, with due regard for the principle of equitable geographical distribution, in accordance with Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter and relevant General Assembly resolutions;

Takes note of the report of the Office of Internal Oversight Services;3

Recalls paragraph 9 of the report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions,4 and notes that the organizational structure of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the Department of Field Support may present some major management challenges;

Reaffirms paragraph 6 of its resolution 56/241;

Recalls paragraph 9 of the report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions,4 and requests the Secretary-General to clarify the responsibilities and financial authority of all heads of mission;

Stresses that heads of departments report to and are accountable to the Secretary-General;

Notes the unique nature of the reporting line from the head of the Department of Field Support to the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, and decides that having one head of department (Department of Field Support) report to and take direction from another head of department (Department of Peacekeeping Operations) shall not set a precedent in the Secretariat;

Requests the Secretary-General to address systemic issues that hamper good management of the Organization, including improvement of work processes and procedures, and in that context stresses that structural change is no substitute for managerial improvement;

Endorses the conclusions and recommendations contained in the report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions,4 subject to the provisions of the present resolution;

Takes note of paragraph 63 of the report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions;4

Support account for peacekeeping operations

Also takes note of the reports of the Secretary-General on the financing of the support account for peacekeeping operations;2

Reaffirms the need for effective and efficient administration and financial management of peacekeeping operations, and urges the Secretary-General to continue to identify measures to increase the productivity and efficiency of the support account;

Recalls paragraph 13 of its resolution 60/268, and reiterates its request to the Secretary-General to submit the findings of a comprehensive analysis of the evolution of the support account;

Requests the Secretary-General to ensure the full implementation of the relevant provisions of its resolutions 59/296 of 22 June 2005, 60/266 and 61/276 of 29 June 2007, as well as other relevant resolutions;

Decides to maintain, for the period from 1 July 2007 to 30 June 2008, the funding mechanism for the support account used in the current period, from 1 July 2006 to 30 June 2007, as approved in paragraph 3 of its resolution 50/221 B of 7 June 1996;

Decides also to approve one D-1, thirteen P-5 and twelve P-4 posts for the integrated operational teams, to be located in their functional areas;

Decides further to locate the Partnerships Section in the Office of the Director for Policy, Evaluation and Training in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations;

Decides to approve two Evaluation Officer posts (one P-5 and one P-4) and one Administrative Assistant post (General Service (Other level)) in the Peacekeeping Best Practices Section of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations;

Decides also not to establish one P-4 post or a Legal Service in the Office of the Under-Secretary-General for Field Support;

Decides further not to establish a P-5 post for a Senior Legal Officer in the Office of the Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs;

Decides to establish one P-4 post in the Europe and Latin America Division of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations;

Decides also to establish one P-4 post in lieu of using general temporary assistance in the Field Budget and Finance Division of the Department of Field Support;

Decides further to establish one P-5, two P-4, one P-3 and one General Service post in the Office of the Assistant Secretary-General for Rule of Law and Security Institutions of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, referred to in paragraphs 205 to 211, of the report of the Secretary-General;⁸

⁸A/61/858/Add.1 and Add.1/Corr.1.

Decides to retain the sixty-three posts referred to in paragraphs 158 (a) and (b) of the report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions,4 under general temporary assistance, and requests the Secretary-General to review the level of resources of the Office of Internal Oversight Services for providing backstopping to peacekeeping operations, as well as its functions and interaction with peacekeeping operations and troop-contributing countries, and to report thereon in the context of the budget for the support account at its sixty-second session;

Requests the Secretary-General to provide a comprehensive report to the General Assembly at its sixty-second session on the results of the ongoing examination and rationalization of the investigation caseload and the overall review of the capacity of the Investigations Division of the Office of Internal Oversight Services;

Also requests the Secretary-General to ensure effective monitoring, within the Office of the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, of the work of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, as well as the Department of Field Support, with respect to: (a) the results-based budgeting framework and performance evaluation of subprogrammes; (b) enterprise risk management; (c) the information management strategy; (d) the reform initiatives and implementation of the related processes; (e) policy dissemination and communication with partners in peace operations; and (f) the implementation of the recommendations of oversight bodies;

Recalls paragraph 16 of the report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions,4 and requests the Secretary-General to further explore possible synergies between the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the Department of Field Support on the one hand and other departments of the Secretariat, specialized agencies and funds and programmes on the other;

Emphasizes the need for effective coordination between the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the Department of Field Support and the importance of the post of Chief of Staff in this respect, taking fully into consideration paragraph 23 of the report of the Secretary-General;⁹

⁹A/61/858 and Corr.1.

Acknowledges the concept of integrated operational teams as a means of ensuring horizontal coordination and integration of processes throughout the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the Department of Field Support, and requests the Secretary-General, in this regard, to ensure effective coordination with the Office of Military Affairs of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, taking into account the recommendations of the relevant intergovernmental bodies with respect to the assessment of the functions of the ad hoc organ identified in the report of the Secretary-General on the comprehensive review of the Strategic Military Cell;¹⁰

¹⁰A/61/883.

Emphasizes that disarmament, demobilization (including reinsertion) and reintegration programmes are a critical part of peace processes and integrated peacekeeping operations, as mandated by the Security Council, and supports strengthening the coordination of those programmes using an integrated approach;

Stresses that the Police Adviser should form part of the senior management team;

Also stresses the need for strengthening gender awareness in all training programmes;

Reiterates its support for the development and implementation of a ten-year plan for capacity-building with the African Union, looks forward to considering at its sixty-second session the report requested in its resolution 60/268 on the efforts made in support of African Union capacity-building, and stresses the need for an adequately resourced African Union peace support team;

Financial performance report for the period from 1 July 2005 to 30 June 2006

Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General on the financial performance of the support account for peacekeeping operations for the period from 1 July 2005 to 30 June 2006;¹¹

¹¹A/61/733 and Add.1.

Decides not to transfer the amount of 13,790,000 United States dollars included in the amount of 15,804,000 dollars previously authorized in its resolution 60/268, representing the excess of the authorized level of the Peacekeeping Reserve Fund utilized to finance the requirements of the support account for peacekeeping operations in respect of the financial period from 1 July 2006 to 30 June 2007, and to revert to this issue in the context of its consideration of the financial performance report for the financial period ended 30 June 2007;

Budget estimates for the period from 1 July 2007 to 30 June 2008

Approves the support account requirements in the amount of 230,509,900 dollars for the period from 1 July 2007 to 30 June 2008, including 819 continuing and 284 new temporary posts and their related post and non-post requirements;

Financing of the budget estimates

Decides that the requirements for the support account for peacekeeping operations for the period from 1 July 2007 to 30 June 2008 shall be financed as follows:

The unencumbered balance of 10,947,000 dollars and other income of 3,430,300 dollars in respect of the financial period ended 30 June 2006, to be applied to the resources required for the period from 1 July 2007 to 30 June 2008;

The amount of 7,097,000 dollars in excess of the authorized level of the Peacekeeping Reserve Fund in respect of the financial period ended 30 June 2006, to be applied to the resources required for the financial period from 1 July 2007 to 30 June 2008;

The balance of 209,035,600 dollars, to be prorated among the budgets of the active peacekeeping operations for the period from 1 July 2007 to 30 June 2008;

The net estimated staff assessment income of 21,277,600 dollars, comprising the amount of 23,430,900 dollars for the period from 1 July 2007 to 30 June 2008 and the decrease of 2,153,300 dollars in respect of the financial period ended 30 June 2006, to be set off against the balance referred to in subparagraph (c) above, to be prorated among the budgets of the individual active peacekeeping operations;

Programme budget for the biennium 2006–2007

Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General on the revised estimates relating to the programme budget for the biennium 2006–2007 and the proposed programme budget for the biennium 2008–2009 under sections 5, Peacekeeping operations, 28D, Office of Central Support Services, and 35, Staff assessment;¹²

¹²A/61/858/Add.2.

Decides to establish the post of Under-Secretary-General for Field Support until 30 June 2008, under the assumption of its continuation, subject to a preliminary review at the second part of its resumed sixty-second session and a comprehensive review at the second part of its resumed sixty-third session, and the reviews will address, inter alia, the continuation of the post and its level, functions, interaction with other heads of department, relevance, operational efficiency and effectiveness and, taking into account the functions of the Department of Field Support, the necessity to ensure the unity of command, integration of efforts and strengthening of operational capacity at Headquarters and in the field;

Decides also to establish the following posts:

Section 5, Peacekeeping operations

Assistant Secretary-General to head the newly established Office of Military Affairs of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations;

Assistant Secretary-General to head the newly established Office of Rule of Law and Security Institutions of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations;

Section 28D, Office of Central Support Services

Chief of the Procurement Service (D-1) in the Procurement Division of the Office of Central Support Services;

Decides further to approve the redeployment of the following posts:

A post at the P-5 level from the Military Division to the Office of Rule of Law and Security Institutions to perform the functions of Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary-General;

An existing Military Adviser post at the D-2 level from the Military Division to the Office of Rule of Law and Security Institutions to head the Police Division;

Decides to approve the abolition, effective 1 July 2007, of seven posts (four P-4, two P-3 and one General Service (Other level)) under section 5, Peacekeeping operations, of the programme budget for the biennium 2006–2007;

Requests the Secretary-General to report on the actual expenditures incurred in connection with the abolition and establishment of the posts referred to in paragraphs 58 to 61 above in the context of the second performance report on the programme budget for the biennium 2006–2007, and takes note that the continuing requirements would be incorporated in the initial appropriation at the time of the adoption of the programme budget for the biennium 2008–2009, in December 2007;

Reporting

Recalls paragraphs 3, 12, 17 and 43 of its resolution 61/246, and decides to revert to the proposals regarding procurement following the submission of the report of the Secretary-General requested in that resolution, taking into account the recommendations of the Office of Internal Oversight Services as contained in its report;3

Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly a comprehensive analysis of the Office of Military Affairs, taking into account the results of the upcoming report on the Strategic Military Cell and the lessons learned from the first period of the expansion of the Office of Military Affairs, including its interactions with the integrated operational teams and other offices of the Secretariat, so that it may review and further strengthen the functions of the Office, and to submit the results of that analysis to the Assembly at the second part of its resumed sixty-second session;

Also requests the Secretary-General to entrust the Office of Internal Oversight Services with reviewing and analysing the structure of the Secretariat for managing and sustaining peacekeeping operations, as established in the present resolution, and to report thereon to the General Assembly at the second part of its resumed sixty-third session;

Further requests the Secretary-General to submit a preliminary report on the status of the implementation of the present resolution, bearing in mind the recommendations of the Office of Internal Oversight Services as contained in its report,3 at the second part of its resumed sixty-second session;

Recalls paragraph 6 of its resolution 61/256, and requests the Secretary-General to submit a comprehensive report, inter alia, on the efficiency and effectiveness of the new structure in the implementation of mission mandates, as well as on programme delivery, improvements in the administrative and management processes, the functions of the integrated operational teams, measures to ensure coordination and integration between the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the Department of Field Support and the efficiencies and improvements resulting from past reforms of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, at the second part of its resumed sixty-third session, bearing in mind the recommendations of the Office of Internal Oversight Services as contained in its report,3 in particular recommendations 2, 7 and 13.

Strengthening the Capacity of the United Nations to Manage and Sustain Peacekeeping Operations

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

What other versions does this mandate have?

Who cites this mandate in the budget?

Who cites this mandate in the budget?

Which reports were submitted under this mandate?

What subjects does this mandate have?

What’s in this document?

Support account for peacekeeping operations

Financial performance report for the period from 1 July 2005 to 30 June 2006

Budget estimates for the period from 1 July 2007 to 30 June 2008

Financing of the budget estimates

Programme budget for the biennium 2006–2007

Reporting

Table of contents

Who cites this mandate in the budget?