A/59/PV.95 General Assembly

The General Assembly will first take up a request submitted by the Secretary-General in document A/59/240 relating to the confirmation of the appointment of the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme. As indicated in the note, the Secretary-General informs the Assembly that he has appointed Mr. Mark Malloch Brown, the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme, as his Chief of Staff effective 18 January 2005. Consequently, it will be necessary, at the current session, to confirm the appointment of a new Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme. In that connection, the Secretary-General has the honour to request, pursuant to rule 15 of the rules of procedure of the General Assembly, the inclusion in the agenda of the current session of an additional sub- item entitled “Confirmation of the appointment of the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme”, under agenda item 17, entitled “Appointments to fill vacancies in subsidiary organs and other appointments”. Owing to the nature of the item, unless there is an objection, may I take it that the General Assembly agrees that the relevant provision of rule 40 of the rules of procedure, which would require a meeting of the General Committee on the question of the inclusion of this additional sub-item on the agenda, could be waived. I see no objection.

May I take it that the General Assembly, on the proposal of the Secretary-General, wishes to include in the agenda of the current session an additional sub-item entitled “Confirmation of the appointment of the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme” as a sub-item of agenda item 17, under heading I, “Organizational, administrative and other matters”?

May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to consider this sub- item directly in plenary meeting?

I should now like to consult members with regard to proceeding immediately to the consideration of sub-item (k) of agenda item 17. In this connection, I should like to draw members’ attention to the relevant provision of rule 15 of the rules of procedure of the General Assembly, which reads as follows: “No additional item may, unless the General Assembly decides otherwise by a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting, be considered until seven days have elapsed since it was placed on the agenda and until a committee has reported upon the question concerned.” In the absence of objection, I shall take it that the Assembly agrees to proceed immediately to the consideration of sub-item (k) of agenda item 17.

As indicated in the note by the Secretary-General, contained in document A/59/240, in paragraph 22, part B, of its resolution 1240 (XIII) of 14 October 1958 on the establishment of the Special Fund, the General Assembly provided that the Secretary-General, after having consulted the Governing council of the Special Fund, would appoint the Managing Director, subject to confirmation by the Assembly. This procedure has been construed as applying also to the appointment of the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme. By its decisions 53/323 of 23 April 1999 and 57/415 of 15 April 2003, the General Assembly confirmed the appointment by the Secretary-General of Mr. Mark Malloch Brown as Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme, first for a four-year term of office beginning on 1 July 1999, then for a further four-year period beginning on 1 July 2003. The Secretary-General’s decision to appoint Mr. Malloch Brown as his Chief of Staff effective 18 January 2005 necessitated the search for a new Administrator. Following consultations with members of the Executive Board of the United Nations Development Programme, the Secretary-General now requests the General Assembly to confirm the appointment of Mr. Kemal Derviş of Turkey as Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme for a four- year term of office commencing on 15 August 2005 and ending on 14 August 2009. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to confirm the appointment by the Secretary-General of Mr. Kemal Derviş of Turkey as Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme for a four- year term of office commencing on 15 August 2005 and ending on 14 August 2009?

The Assembly has thus concluded its consideration of sub-item (k) of agenda item 17. (i) Appointment of the Under-Secretary-General for Internal Oversight Services Note by the Secretary-General (A/59/109)

Members will recall that the Assembly, in its resolution 48/218 B of 29 July 1994, decided to establish an Office of Internal Oversight Services under the authority of the Secretary-General, the head of which would be at the rank of Under-Secretary-General. By that resolution, the Assembly also decided the following. First, the Under-Secretary-General for Internal Oversight Services should be an expert in the fields of accounting, auditing, financial analysis and investigations, management, law or public administration. Secondly, the Under-Secretary-General for Internal Oversight Services should be appointed by the Secretary-General following consultations with Member States and with the approval of the General Assembly. For that purpose, the Secretary-General should appoint the Under-Secretary-General for Internal Oversight Services with due regard for geographic rotation and in so doing should be guided by the provisions of paragraph 3 (e) of General Assembly resolution 46/232 of 2 March 1992, whereby the Assembly decided in particular that, as a general rule, no national of a Member State should succeed a national of that State in a senior post and that there should be no monopoly on senior posts by nationals of any State or group of States. Thirdly, the Under-Secretary-General for Internal Oversight Services should serve for one fixed term of five years without possibility of renewal. Finally, the Under-Secretary-General for Internal Oversight Services might be removed by the Secretary- General only for cause and with the approval of the General Assembly. In the light of the provisions of resolution 48/218 B, the Secretary-General proposes to appoint Ms. Inga-Britt Ahlenius of Sweden as Under-Secretary-General for Internal Oversight Services for one fixed term of five years. I have been informed that her term would commence on 15 July 2005 and would end on 14 July 2010. May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to approve that appointment?

This further information on the effective date of her appointment will be reflected in an addendum to document A/59/109, to be issued. The Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of sub-item (i) of agenda item 17.