AG/RES. 1381 (XXVI-O/96)

PROGRAM-BUDGET OF THE ORGANIZATION FOR THE SECOND YEAR OF THE 1996-97 BIENNIUM, 1997 QUOTAS AND PLEDGES TO THE VOLUNTARY FUND

(Resolution adopted at the eighth plenary session, held on June 7, 1996)

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

HAVING SEEN:

The proposed program-budget of the Organization for the second year of the 1996-97 biennium, submitted by the Secretary General (AG/CP/doc.584/96); and

The Report of the Preparatory Committee on the Proposed Program-Budget of the Organization for 1997 (AG/doc.3351/96); and

CONSIDERING:

That, thus far, no pledges to the voluntary fund have been received to finance 1997 appropriations for the Inter-American Council for Integral Development; and

That, pursuant to Article 59.b of the Charter, the Preparatory Committee transmitted to the General Assembly a working document relating to the proposed program-budget of the Organization for 1997 (AG/doc.3351/96),

RESOLVES:

I. BUDGET APPROPRIATIONS

1. To approve and authorize—with the changes and observations made by the Third Committee, the Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Matters—the program-budget of the Organization for the fiscal period starting January 1 through December 31, 1997, financed by the following funds at the corresponding levels:

	(US$1,000)
a. Regular Fund	84,333.5
b. Voluntary Fund	16,231.0

for a total appropriation of US$100,564.5, except with respect to programs relating to personnel and other contractual obligations to which reference is made in the General Provisions of this resolution.

2. To approve the specific levels of appropriation by chapter, program, and subprogram, with the recommendations, instructions, or mandates detailed below in each case:

		1997 (US$ 1,000)
CHAPTER 1 - GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND OTHER ORGANS		13,695.9
10A General Assembly (twenty-seventh regular session)		332.1
10B Administrative Tribunal		290.1
10C Inter-American prizes		100.0
10D Board of External Auditors		166.1
10E Permanent Council		699.9
10F Office of Protocol		425.7
10G Secretariat to the General Assembly, the Meeting of Consultation, the Permanent Council, and Conferences		4,452.8
10H Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD)		1,707.1
10I Special Committee on Trade (CEC)		75.0
10K Meetings of the Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CIDI)		373.7
10L Regional and subregional programming meetings		129.9
10M Permanent Executive Committee of CIDI (CEPCIDI)		167.6
10N Non-specialized permanent committees		79.4
10O Inter-American Commission on Human Rights		2,854.6
10P Inter-American Juridical Committee		756.2
10Q Inter-American Court of Human Rights		1,035.7
10R Cost-of-living allowance for pensioners		0.0
10T Meeting of Experts on Terrorism		50.0
CHAPTER 2 - SPECIALIZED ORGANIZATIONS AND OTHER ENTITIES		6,349.1
20A Inter-American Defense Board In addition to this appropriation, the Inter-American Defense Board receives rent-free office accommodations.		2,400.0
21A Seed Fund - Inter-American Defense Board		100.0
20B Inter-American Children's Institute		1,723.4
20C Inter-American Commission of Women		1,160.3
20D Pan American Development Foundation		202.9
20J Inter-American Telecommunication Commission (CITEL)		762.5
CHAPTER 3 - EXECUTIVE OFFICES OF THE GENERAL SECRETARIAT		9,248.3
30A Office of the Secretary General		2,318.8
30B Office of the Assistant Secretary General		1,304.5
30C Public Information		1,960.5
30D Department of Legal Services		857.1
30E Office of the Inspector General		532.4
30F Museum of Art of the Americas		480.7
31F Seed Fund - Museum of Art of the Americas		100.0
30G Columbus Memorial Library		1,043.2
30H Américas Magazine		651.1
30L Support for special activities of the Organization arising from application of AG/RES. 1080 (XXI-O/91) The sum of up to US$1,000,000 for the balance of the 1996-97 biennium remains available from unused appropriations of the Regular Fund from previous biennia		0.0
30T Inter-American Emergency Aid Fund (FONDEM) The sum of up to US $25,000 for any one instance of natural disaster in a member state will be available from unused appropriations of the Regular Fund from previous biennia		0.0
CHAPTER 4 - UNITS AND SPECIALIZED OFFICES		20,642.6
Regular Fund	19,438.3
Voluntary Fund	1,204.3
40A Trade Unit		1,511.9
40B Foreign Trade Information System (SICE)		656.3
41C Unit for the Promotion of Democracy		3,464.3
42D Unit of Tourism and Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO)		688.9
44E Unit of Sustainable Development and Environment	170.0	1,246.9
45A Inter-American centers	1,034.3	325.0
46F Unit of Social Development and Education		888.2
47G Office of Culture		652.4
48H Office of Science and Technology		756.0
49M Department of Fellowships		9,248.4

CHAPTER 5 - INTER-AMERICAN COUNCIL FOR INTEGRAL DEVELOPMENT (CIDI)		17,906.4
Regular Fund	2,879.7
Voluntary fund	15,026.7
Programming	12,910.2
15% contribution for technical supervision and administrative support	2,116.5
55A Executive Secretariat		1,235.9
56A Division of Management Control		522.0
57A Division of Planning and Evaluation		462.8
58A Division of Program and Project Coordination		659.0
59X Unprogrammed CIDI cooperation activities	12,910.2
CHAPTER 6 - OFFICES OF THE GENERAL SECRETARIAT IN THE MEMBER STATES		6,783.6
60G Offices of the General Secretariat in the Member States		6,783.6
CHAPTER 7 - SECRETARIAT FOR LEGAL AFFAIRS		1,013.4
70A Office of the Assistant Secretary		265.4
70B Development and Codification of International Law		748.0

CHAPTER 8 - SECRETARIAT FOR MANAGEMENT		9,185.0
80M Office of the Assistant Secretary		291.3
80N Department of Financial Services		1,958.8
80P Department of Program-Budget		1,124.0
80Q Department of Material Resources		2,581.3
80R Department of Human Resources		1,517.7
80S Department of Management Systems and Information		1,711.9
CHAPTER 9 - COMMON SERVICES		15,740.2
90A Official functions (SG-ASG-PC) During the budget execution process, this subprogram shall not receive additional funding.		70.0
90B Equipment and supplies - information systems		777.3
90C Equipment and supplies		336.8
90D Building management and maintenance		5,335.6
90E Insurance		251.0
90G Recruitment and transfers		300.0
90H Terminations and repatriations		1,141.4
90I Home leave		299.2
90J Education and language allowance, medical examinations		458.5
90K Pension for retired executives and health and life insurance for retired employees		1,510.5
90L Human resources development		163.4
90M Contribution to the Staff Association		16.3
90P Early separation plan CP/RES. 666 (1059/96)		4,500.0
90Q Implementation of management information systems and interpretation and translation services studies (50% for each)		580.2

II. FINANCING OF THE BUDGET APPROPRIATIONS

1. To set the quotas with which the governments of the member states will finance the second year, 1997, of the 1996-97 program-budget of the Organization corresponding to the Regular Fund, in accordance with resolution AG/RES. 1073 (XX-O/90) and the decision of January 19, 1955, (doc. C-i-269) on income tax reimbursements, using the scale and amounts shown in Table B.

2. To finance the 1997 budget of the Regular Fund with the quotas of the member states, estimated interest income, rental income from space in the General Secretariat Building, and administrative and technical support contributions from the voluntary and specific funds, and all other miscellaneous income.

3. To authorize funding for the voluntary fund portion of the program-budget of the Organization for 1997 as follows:

C I D I

(US$1,000)

Pledges received	0.0
Pledges pending	16,231.0
Total	16,231.0

4. CIDI appropriations for 1997

To instruct CEPCIDI to maintain appropriations at a level that does not exceed actual 1995 payments, unless higher level pledges are received. If higher or lower level pledges are received, the Permanent Executive Committee of CIDI (CEPCIDI) should adjust appropriations to the level of available financing.

III. GENERAL PROVISIONS

A. BUDGETARY

1. Personnel limits

a. To establish the number of approved posts (object 1) at 470 for the program-budget of the Organization in 1997.

b. To establish a limit of 50% for personnel costs in objects 1 and 2 of the total of the Regular Fund and voluntary fund appropriations.

c. To instruct the Secretary General to ensure that, in executing the budget, early separations, transfers, and reassignment of personnel are carried out in such a manner as not to adversely affect the approved programs.

2. Transfers between chapters, Regular Fund

To authorize the Secretary General to transfer funds between the chapters of the program-budget, up to a maximum of 5 % of the total allocated to the chapter from which the funds are taken or of the chapter that receives them, provided this does not mean elimination or substantial alteration of any approved program. The Secretary General shall present a special report to the Permanent Council within 30 days of making the transfers in accordance with this provision and shall give appropriate justification.

Should the Secretary General decide to transfer to or from any chapter in any year more than 5% of the total allocated to it, he must obtain prior authorization from the Permanent Council.

3. Travel

To reiterate to the General Secretariat that no funds entrusted to the Organization shall be used to pay travel costs other than for travel on behalf of the Organization and in accordance with Article 47 of the General Standards and Staff Rule 104.2 (b). Any exceptions granted by the Secretary General shall be the subject of an annual special report to the Permanent Council.

4. Fellowships

a. To instruct the Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Affairs to transmit to the Permanent Council by November 30, 1996, a report on the Fellowship Program which will recommend mechanisms for improving the financial administration of funds and include possible sources of external funding and other methods of financing.

b. Health and accident insurance: The General Secretariat shall establish a health coverage plan with available funds from the Department of Fellowships for beneficiaries of the Organization's various fellowship programs and determine the level of its liability. That plan should be executed in the most economical manner possible and approved by the Permanent Council.

c. To approve in the light of future automation, reflected in a document subject to the approval by the member states, a staff reduction as suggested in the budget proposal for 1997. However, the Fellowship Program should maintain its 1996 budgetary level for the various programs in object 3. If, by November 30, 1996, the automation has not proven its effectiveness in handling the volume of fellowships, the Secretary General should maintain personnel at the 1996 level the same personnel in order to guarantee effective execution of the Fellowship Program.

5. Support for special activities of the Organization resulting from application of resolution AG/RES. 1080 (XXI-O/91) (30L)

To authorize the General Secretariat to provide financial support to this subprogram of up to US$1,000,000 for the 1996-97 biennium from unused appropriations from previous biennia.

6. Secondment of staff members to other international organizations or government entities

Should the Secretary General decide to allow a staff member to be on secondment at another international organization or government entity, he shall make arrangements previously for such entity to reimburse the full cost of salary and benefits of the staff member as well as any other expenses incurred in relation to such secondment.

7. Use of arrears payments for specific non-recurring costs

a. Management information systems: In view of the urgent need to modernize the systems area of the Organization on the basis of a strategic decision which both defines steps leading to a management and information system that will further the aims of the Organization and places first priority on implementation of the financial and accounting system and automation of the Fellowship Program, the General Secretariat is requested to submit a detailed informatics plan before November 1, 1996.

This plan shall be approved by the Permanent Council and shall be executed with funds available for that purpose and, if possible, supplementary funds from collections of outstanding quotas and contributions that are earmarked for that purpose. These funds shall be available once the plan is approved, provided that the General Secretariat presents execution options for decision to the Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Affairs of the Permanent Council. These options may be joint or partial. Prior to such approval, none of these funds may be used.

b. Building renovation: To authorize the General Secretariat to proceed with the renovation of the Main Building according to an alternative plan that should be approved by the Permanent Council and with funds authorized for that purpose under resolution AG/RES. 1230 (XXIII-O/93). Funds so authorized but not used for the renovation may be used to finance other non-recurring expenses pursuant to CP/RES. 607 (962/93), as approved by the Permanent Council.

8. Conference Language Services

To instruct the General Secretariat to give preference to contracting interpreters and translators locally, insofar as possible, when selecting such personnel for conferences away from headquarters, provided they meet the necessary requirements established by the General Secretariat.

9. Direction and supervision of technical cooperation

To reiterate the guideline established in operative paragraph 7.c of resolution AG/RES. 954 (XVIII-O/88) whereby no more than 25% of the amount for technical cooperation projects executed in the previous biennium shall be allocated for the management, direction, administration, and supervision of projects and programs and to request the Secretary General to review the levels of execution of technical cooperation programs under CIDI to ensure compliance with this guideline.

10. Translation and interpretation services

To instruct the General Secretariat to commission a specialized study of the area in order to organize the OAS translation and interpretation services, taking into account the cyclical needs of the Organization and establishing standardized contract rates, a roster of qualified translators and interpreters, and any other proposal to help reduce costs and improve and computerize the service, including the use of computerized systems for the translation and printing of documents. This study should be completed by October 15, 1996.

In scheduling meetings, the General Secretariat should endeavor to take into account the need to optimize interpretation resources.

11. Special Committee on Trade (CEC)

To reiterate the provision established in AG/RES. 1220 (XXIII-O/93), which states that the General Secretariat will provide its services to CEC and to any subsidiary mechanisms it may establish and that this activity shall be a priority for the Trade Unit and for use of the funds allocated to the Unit. This shall include support for the technical analysis requested by the working groups established by the various trade ministerials in support of establishment of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA).

12. Seed Fund of the Museum of Art of the Americas

To allocate an amount of $100,000 to allow the Museum of Art of the Americas to begin the process of making its activities increasingly self-financing. These funds cannot be used for exhibits or representation. Contributions received as a result of these efforts must be deposited to begin a revolving fund aimed at underwriting a portion of the Museum's operating costs. The General Secretariat is instructed to monitor the use of these funds and report to the Permanent Council every six months on the uses of this allocation and the results of the solicitations.

13. Seed Fund for the Inter-American Defense Board

An allocation of $100,000 is provided for the Inter-American Defense Board. This sum can only be used for the communication and informatics project to be funded by the Department of Defense of the United States and once a formal agreement for such project has been signed.

14. Inter-American centers

Starting January 1, 1998, no nationals serving in the inter-American centers may be paid from the Regular Fund. The General Secretariat should inform the governments of the host countries of these centers of the relevant General Assembly decisions.

The General Secretariat is reminded of the need to ensure full compliance with Article 85 of the General Standards, which states that career staff may be paid only from the Regular Fund.

15. Office of the Inspector General

To instruct the Secretary General to create as a permanent position the post of Deputy Inspector General to further strengthen the Office of the Inspector General.

16. Offices of the General Secretariat in the Member States

To execute the amount of $6,783,600 budgeted in Chapter 6 for the Offices of the General Secretariat in the Member States in accordance with the decision of the Permanent Council as a result of its consideration of the document on this matter presented by the Secretary General and to reiterate the concern of the member states expressed in the report of the General Committee (CP/doc.2770/96) of May 22, 1996, that these offices should be closely linked to technical cooperation activities by the General Secretariat; that staff in these offices should have the appropriate training and qualifications suited to their new functions in technical cooperation; that streamlining these offices is necessary to make them more cost-effective and suitable to their new functions in technical cooperation; that these offices should work closely with the Inter-American Council for Integral Development; and that the diversity of the nature and needs of each member state warrants individual consideration of specific provisions for and restructuring of the respective offices.

17. Early Retirement Program

To authorize the use of up to $4,500,000 for financing the Early Retirement Program approved by the Permanent Council [CP/RES. 666 (1059/96)] to support restructuring efforts of the Secretary General and therefore free funds for strengthening the programs and activities of the Organization in the next biennium. The required report should include information on the use of these funds. Any funds for this purpose remaining at the end of the Early Retirement Program should be placed in the Working Capital Subfund.

To instruct the General Secretariat that no staff member who has opted for the early retirement program may be rehired under any arrangement, for at least 10 years. [CP/RES. 666 (1059/96)].

18. Computer equipment and supplies

All individual requests for computer equipment and informatics programs and applications are deleted from object 6 of the proposed program-budget. The acquisition and distribution of equipment shall be centralized in the Department of Management Systems and Information, which, for this purpose, shall receive requests from the General Secretariat and issue its technical opinion as to the need for and usefulness of what has been requested, on the basis of uniform evaluation criteria regarding the complexity of tasks, data processing needs, availability of applications, etc. All equipment acquisition shall be carried out through competitive bids.

19. Staff policy

On the basis of Article 90.b and e of the OAS Charter and Article 98 of the General Standards to Govern the Operations of the General Secretariat, as well as paragraph 6 of resolution CP/RES. 666 (1059/96), "Early Retirement Program," and given the deficit in the staffing object of expenditure in the proposed program-budget submitted by the General Secretariat, which reflects the need to study the matter systematically, the Permanent Council is requested to establish a working group that shall define, in conjunction with the General Secretariat, a single coherent global personnel policy, in accordance with the actual needs of the Organization.

 

B. FINANCIAL

1. Payment of quotas and contributions

a. In accordance with the provisions of Article 77 of the General Standards to Govern the Operations of the General Secretariat, assessments to the Regular Fund are annual and are due on the first day of the corresponding fiscal year. Voluntary contributions shall be considered as payable according to the terms under which they are pledged.

b. Member states that are not up-to-date in the payment of their assessments to the Regular Fund, as established in the preceding paragraph, must, during the first quarter of the respective fiscal year, work out a payment schedule for their annual assessments with the General Secretariat, in keeping with the financial obligations of the Organization.

c. The Secretary General must, by April 30 each year, report to the Permanent Council on the schedule of payments agreed upon for the corresponding fiscal year.

 

2. Contribution for technical supervision and administrative support from fiduciary and specific funds

To authorize the General Secretariat to obtain, for technical supervision and administrative support, a contribution of 10% of the total of the fiduciary and specific funds which it receives, which contribution is to be used as a source of financing for the Regular Fund budget. The Secretary General shall report on these contributions every six months.

The provisions of the foregoing paragraph shall not apply with respect to funds for humanitarian activities, such as the Inter-American Emergency Aid Fund (FONDEM) and the Special Emergency Fund for Haiti, or for special activities arising from the application of resolution AG/RES. 1080 (XXI-O/91) on representative democracy.

The General Secretariat should ensure that in utilizing the contribution for technical supervision and administrative support from fiduciary and specific funds, attention is given to the requirement of providing timely reports to donors and member states.

3. Financing of Américas Magazine in 1997

a. To provide that, in order to increase financial support for the magazine, the General Secretariat shall seek contributions from private organizations and institutions and acknowledge these contributions in the magazine in a way which is appropriate and consistent with the franking privilege accorded to the magazine.

b. To determine that the editorial policy of the magazine, as an official publication of the OAS, should give particular attention to promoting the activities of the Organization outlined in Article 110 of the Charter.

c. To authorize the use of all revenues generated from the sale of the magazine in 1997 to finance, to the extent possible, its operating expenses.

d. To instruct the General Secretariat to submit an annual report to the Permanent Council on the use of these revenues.

C. OTHERS

1. Honoraria

To maintain the sum of $150 a day for honoraria paid to members of the following bodies entitled to such compensation: Administrative Tribunal, Board of External Auditors, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Inter-American Juridical Committee, and Inter-American Court of Human Rights.

2. Program-budget for 1998-99

To instruct the Secretary General to submit a detailed proposed program-budget for 1998 and a proposed global level for 1999, in accordance with Article 70 of the General Standards. In this regard, the Secretary General is instructed to submit, through the Preparatory Committee, such budget presentation for consideration by the General Assembly at its twenty-seventh regular session.

TABLE A PROGRAM-BUDGET OF THE ORGANIZATION FOR THE SECOND YEAR OF THE 1996-97 BIENNIUM, QUOTAS AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE VOLUNTARY FUND, 1997 (US$ 1,000)
A. BUDGETARY APPROPRIATIONS	TOTAL/	REGULAR FUND	VOLUNTARY FUND
1. General Assembly and Other Organs	13,695.9	13,695.9
2. Specialized Organizations and Other Entities	6,349.1	6,349.1
3. Executive Offices of the General Secretariat	9,248.3	9,248.3
4. Units and Specialized Offices	20,642.6	19,438.3	1,204.3
5. Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CIDI)	15,789.9	2,879.7	12,910.6
6. Offices of the General Secretariat in the Member States	6,783.6	6,783.6
7. Secretariat for Legal Affairs	1,013.4	1,013.4
8. Secretariat for Management	9,185.0	9,185.0
9. Common Services	15,740.2	15,740.2
Total appropriations for programs	98,448.0	84,333.5	14,114.5
15% contribution for technical supervision and administrative support	16.5		2,116.5
TOTAL APPROPRIATIONS	98,464.5	84,333.5	16,231.0

 

(TABLE A - cont.)

PROGRAM-BUDGET OF THE ORGANIZATION FOR THE SECOND YEAR OF THE 1996-97
BIENNIUM, QUOTAS AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE VOLUNTARY FUND, 1997

(US$1,000)

B. FINANCING OF THE APPROPRIATIONS	TOTAL/	REGULAR FUND	VOLUNTARY FUND
1. Regular Fund
a. Quotas	73,727.1	73,727.1
b. 15% contribution for technical supervision and administrative support from the voluntary fund	0.0	2,100.0
c. Interest income and rent income	6,400.0	6,400.0
d. Deobligations	400.0	400.0
e. 10% contribution of the specific funds for technical supervision and administrative support	1000.0	1000.0
f. Estimated unused 1996 appropriations	706.4	706.4
2. Voluntary fund
a. Pledges received
b. Pledges pending	16,231.0		16,231.0
TOTAL	98,464.5	84,333.5	16,231.0

TABLE B
ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES
REGULAR FUND
1997 QUOTA ASSESSMENTS

(US$1,000)

MEMBER STATE	PERCENTAGE	QUOTAS FOR THE YEAR		CREDIT a/	TOTAL
		BUDGET	INCOME TAX REIMBURSEMENTS
Antigua and Barbuda Argentina The Bahamas, Commonwealth of Barbados Belize Bolivia Brazil Canada Chile Colombia Costa Rica Dominica, Commonwealth of Dominican Republic Ecuador El Salvador Grenada Guatemala Guyana Haiti Honduras Jamaica Mexico Nicaragua Panama Paraguay Peru St. Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Suriname Trinidad and Tobago United States Uruguay Venezuela Subtotal Cuba	0.02 % 4.90 0.07 0.08 0.03 0.07 8.55 12.36 0.54 0.94 0.13 0.02 0.18 0.18 0.07 0.03 0.13 0.02 0.07 0.07 0.18 6.08 0.07 0.13 0.18 0.41 0.02 0.03 0.02 0.07 0.18 59.47 0.26 3.20 98.76 1.24 b/	14.9 3,658.0 52.3 59.7 22.4 52.3 6,382.8 9,227.1 403.1 701.7 97.0 14.9 134.4 134.4 52.3 22.4 97.0 14.9 52.3 52.3 134.4 4,538.9 52.3 97.0 134.4 306.1 14.9 22.4 14.9 52.3 134.4 44,395.9 194.1 2,388.9 73,727.1 925.7	5.6 c/                                     16.4 c/                     11,000.0 d/     11,022.0	(184.5) (8.1) (14.0)   (0.3)   (1.0)                 (2.7)   (0.4)   (2.7)       (213.7)	14.9 3,658.0 52.3 65.3 22.4 52.3 6,382.8 9,042.6 395.0 687.7 97.0 14.6 134.4 134.4 51.3 22.4 97.0 14.9 52.3 52.3 134.4 4,555.3 52.3 97.0 131.7 306.1 14.9 22.0 14.9 52.3 131.7 55,395.9 194.1 2,388.9 84,535.4 925.7
TOTAL	100.00	74,652.8	11,022.0	(213.7)	$85,461.1

a/ 2% of 1996 quota for full payment of 1996 quota by April 30, 1996.
b/ Shown only to establish the percentage corresponding to each member state.
c/ Amount paid to the member state by staff members subject to income taxes.
d/ This amount will be reimbursed to the member state via payment of income taxes by the staff members subject to those taxes.