AG/RES. 1531 (XXVII-O/97)
PROGRAM-BUDGET OF THE ORGANIZATION FOR 1998,
1998 QUOTAS AND PLEDGES TO THE VOLUNTARY FUND(Resolution adopted at the seventh plenary session, held on June 5, 1997)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN:
The proposed program-budget of the Organization for fiscal year 1998, submitted by the Secretary General (AG/CP/doc.593/97); and
The report of the Preparatory Committee on the proposed program-budget of the Organization for 1998 (AG/doc.3530/97 corr. 1); and
CONSIDERING:
That, thus far, not all pledges have been made to finance 1998 appropriations for the Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CIDI); and
That, pursuant to Article 59.b of the Charter, the Preparatory Committee transmitted to the General Assembly a working document on the proposed program-budget of the Organization for 1998,
RESOLVES:
I. BUDGET APPROPRIATIONS
1. To approve and authorizewith the changes and observations made by the Third Committee, the Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Mattersthe program-budget of the Organization for the fiscal period starting January 1 through December 31, 1998, financed by the following funds at the corresponding levels:
(US$1,000)
a. Regular Fund 79,990.1
b. Voluntary fund 11,215.2
for a total appropriation of US$91,205.3, 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:
1998
(US $1,000)
CHAPTER 1 GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND OTHER ORGANS
14,380.1
10A
General Assembly (twenty-eighth regular session)
327.0
10B
Administrative Tribunal sessions
164.6
10C
Inter-American prizes (education, science, culture, and environment)
0.0
10D
Board of External Auditors
164.0
10E
Permanent Council
1,243.8
10F
Office of Protocol
456.7
10G
Secretariat of Conferences and Meetings
4,306.5
10H
Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission
1,632.4
10I
Special Committee on Trade
25.2
10J
50th Anniversary of the Organization of American States
217.5
10K
Meetings of the Inter-American Council for Integral Development
412.7
10L
Regional and subregional programming meetings
86.5
10M
Permanent Executive Committee of the Inter-American Council for Integral Development
190.8
10N
Nonpermanent Specialized Committees
140.6
10O
Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
2,846.8
10P
Inter-American Juridical Committee
470.4
10Q
Inter-American Court of Human Rights
1,120.0
10V
Committee on Social Development
49.8
10W
Unprogrammed OAS conferences
475.0
10Y
Inter-American Committee on Sustainable Development
49.8
10Z
Center for Studies on Democracy
0.0
CHAPTER 2 SPECIALIZED ORGANIZATIONS AND OTHER ENTITIES
5,924.7
20A
Inter-American Defense Board
2,192.5
20B
Inter-American Children's Institute
1,685.3
20C
Inter-American Commission of Women
1,094.7
20D
Pan American Development Foundation
192.8
20J
Inter-American Telecommunication Commission
759.4
CHAPTER 3 EXECUTIVE OFFICES OF THE GENERAL SECRETARIAT
8,410.4
30A
Office of the Secretary General
2,266.0
30B
Office of the Assistant Secretary General
759.3
30C
Department of Public Information
1,760.1
30D
Department of Legal Services
843.0
30E
Office of the Inspector General
624.2
30F
Museum of Art of the Americas
478.9
30G
Columbus Memorial Library
1,044.7
30H
Américas Magazine
634.2
CHAPTER 4 UNITS AND SPECIALIZED OFFICES
19,261.7
40A
Trade Unit
1,461.1
40B
Foreign Trade Information System (SICE)
597.7
41C
Unit for the Promotion of Democracy
3,382.1
42D
Intersectoral Tourism Unit and Caribbean Tourism Organization
697.2
44E
Unit for Environment and Sustainable Development
1,373.6
46F
Unit for Social Development and Education
1,100.1
47G
Office of Cultural Affairs
646.7
48H
Office of Science and Technology
990.7
49M
Department of Fellowships
9,012.5
CHAPTER 5 EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT FOR INTEGRAL DEVELOPMENT
13,836.6
Regular Fund
2,621.4
Voluntary fund
11,215.2
55A
Office of the Executive Secretary for Integral Development
910.5
56A
Division of Operations and Technical Support Services
633.4
57A
Division of Planning and Evaluation
303.2
58A
Division of Program and Project Coordination
774.3
59X
Unprogrammed CIDI cooperation activities
11,215.2
CHAPTER 6 OFFICES OF THE GENERAL SECRETARIAT IN THE MEMBER STATES
6,658.6
60G
Offices of the General Secretariat in the Member States
6,658.6
CHAPTER 7 SECRETARIAT FOR LEGAL AFFAIRS
1,848.3
70A
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Legal Affairs
325.2
70B
Department of International Law
1,059.5
70G
Secretariat of the Administrative Tribunal
176.9
70H
Department of Legal Cooperation and Information
286.7
CHAPTER 8 SECRETARIAT FOR MANAGEMENT
9,456.6
80M
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Management
327.2
80N
Department of Financial Services
2,196.2
80P
Department of Program-Budget
1,119.4
80Q
Department of Material Resources
2,676.0
80R
Department of Human Resources
1,507.4
80S
Department of Management Systems and Information
1,630.4
CHAPTER 9 COMMON SERVICES
11,428.3
90A
Official functions (SG/ASG/PC)
76.1
90B
Computer equipment and supplies
775.0
90C
Equipment and supplies
300.4
90D
Building management and maintenance
5,621.3
90E
General insurance
248.4
90F
Post audits
50.0
90G
Recruitments and transfers
225.0
90H
Terminations and repatriations
1,531.3
90I
Home leave
211.5
90J
Education and language allowance, medical examinations
283.3
90K
Pension for retired executives and health and life insurance for retired employees
1,377.5
90L
Human resources development
161.8
90M
Contribution to the Staff Association
15.5
90Q
Management systems and studies on documents
551.2
II. FINANCING OF THE BUDGET APPROPRIATIONS
1. To set the quotas with which the governments of the member states will finance the 1998 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 1998 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 1998 at the level of the total collections received by September 30, 1997.
III. GENERAL PROVISIONS
A. BUDGETARY
1. Personnel limits
a. To maintain at 470 the ceiling on the number of approved posts (object 1) financed by the 1998 program-budget of the Organization.
b. To maintain the 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 to not adversely affect the approved programs.
2. 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.
3. Fellowships
To authorize any unused or deobligated funds at the end of the fiscal year from the original appropriation to the Fellowship Program, object 3, to be deposited into the Capital Fund that will be set up pursuant to resolution AG/RES. 1460 (XXVII-O/97), on fellowship and training programs.
4. 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.
5. Seed Fund - Museum
The balance of unobligated and unexpended resources in the Seed Fund on December 31, 1997, shall remain in the Seed Fund for obligations in 1998 in accordance with guidelines in section III.12 of resolution AG/RES. 1381 (XXVI-O/96).
6. Inter-American centers
To instruct the General Secretariat to submit by August 15, 1997, a financial plan for execution of the mandate established in resolution AG/RES. 1381 (XXVI-O/96), section III.14, in accordance with current provisions and rules of the Organization, for the purpose of resolving the situation regarding the staff of the inter-American centers by December 31, 1997.
7. Sustainable development
To instruct the General Secretariat to give priority, within allocated resources approved in the program-budget and other resources, to the activities conducted by the pertinent bodies to ensure the coordination and follow-up of the agreements reached at the Summit of the Americas on Sustainable Development.
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. Real estate
To request the General Secretariat to conduct a study of the real estate owned by the Organization so as to identify options for maximizing the benefits to the Organization from the real estate, and to present this study to the Permanent Council for its consideration by November 30, 1997.
10. Center for Studies on Democracy
To authorize an amount of up to $190,000 from the budget allocated to the Unit for the Promotion of Democracy for possible co-financing with the Inter-American Development Bank of a Center for Studies on Democracy. Should the Center not be established, the Permanent Council shall decide on the use of these funds and should give priority to programs for strengthening democratic institutions in the member states.
11. Américas Magazine
a. To instruct the General Secretariat to use any contribution it receives to produce the magazine in the four official languages of the Organization, as a matter of priority.
b. To instruct the General Secretariat to give prior approval for all the magazine's activities that require use of the franking privilege;
c. To instruct the General Secretariat to report all proceeds from the sale of the magazine during 1998 as income of the Organization and to include it in the proposed program-budget;
d. To determine that the editorial policy of the magazine shall be established by its Editorial Board, which shall ensure that the magazine, as an official publication of the OAS, gives particular attention to promoting the activities of the Organization, as outlined in Article 110 of the Charter.
12. Official functions
To recommend that the entire amount allocated to the Permanent Council under subprogram 90A be distributed in four equal parts for use in each quarter of the year, with necessary flexibility to respond to the requirements of the Permanent Council in order to guarantee that the Chair of the Permanent Council can carry out the representational functions of that office.
13. Report of the Board of External Auditors
To urge the General Secretariat to work closely with the Board of External Auditors to ensure that appropriate documents and records are available early enough to allow the Board to comply with Article 124 of the General Standards to Govern the Operations of the General Secretariat.
14. General Assembly
To instruct the General Secretariat to prepare for review by the Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Affairs an analysis of the costs of the General Assembly over the past five years. This analysis should indicate, by object of expenditure, which costs were paid for by the OAS and which by the host country, including in-kind contributions, as well as the staff employed and the functions performed.
15. Pensions for retired executives and health and life insurance for retired employees
To request the General Secretariat to provide to the Permanent Council by October 15, 1997, a detailed breakdown of all costs under this subprogram.
16. Contribution for technical supervision and administrative support from the voluntary and other funds
To request the General Secretariat to prepare a study comparing the administrative costs for technical supervision and administrative support to the voluntary and other funds of the OAS with those of other organizations and international cooperation agencies since 1990. This analysis should include all direct and indirect costs and should be presented to the Permanent Council by October 31, 1997.
17. Costs of meetings
The General Secretariat shall prepare and present a report, for consideration by the Committee on Meetings and Organizations, that includes:
Information on United Nations practice with respect to the use of languages at meetings and in working groups or subcommittees and an analysis of cost savings which would result from implementing a similar system at the OAS;
Available planning techniques, including the use of scheduling software, to maximize the use of space and interpretation services;
Guidelines for the use of OAS funds for travel and per diem expenses of governmental experts at meetings;
Potential institutional arrangements with airlines and local hotels to provide lower-cost options for the Organization and the member states; and
Draft policies on cost-sharing that will clearly indicate the amount the Organization will finance when a member state or organization offers to host a meeting.
18. Specialized conferences
To instruct the General Secretariat to identify the necessary resources, within allocated resources approved in the program-budget and other resources, for implementing the recommendations arising from the review to be conducted by CEPCIDI of the future structure and functions of the Specialized Conferences.
19. Integral development programs and projects
To request the General Secretariat, in consultation with interested member states, to conduct, by November 15, 1997, an evaluation on the volume of funds in the program-budget of the Regular Fund set aside for multilateral projects over the past five years, with a view to deciding on the amounts that should be allocated to comply with the provisions of the Strategic Plan for Partnership for Development 1997-2001, on the basis of CIDI's proposal in this regard.
20. Model OAS General Assembly
To request the Permanent Council to continue to support the Model OAS General Assembly Program currently being carried out in the context of activities performed by the Office of the Director of Public Information; and within allocated resources approved in the program-budget and other resources, to provide funding that will allow the Program to be expanded, with increasing participation by the relevant agencies and organizations in the member states. To that end, an effort will be made to secure financing and external collaboration. Also to request the General Secretariat to provide all the support needed for this activity in the area of systems and information.
21. Offices of the General Secretariat in the Member States
From the total amount appropriated for subprogram 90H, Terminations and repatriations, $459,900 shall be allocated to the plan to restructure the Offices of the General Secretariat in the Member States, in accordance with resolution AG/RES. 1530 (XXVII-O/97). Should these funds not be used, they shall be earmarked to finance the 1999 budget, as decided by the Permanent Council on the basis of the recommendations of the Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Affairs.
22. MERCOCYT
To request the General Secretariat to continue to support the MERCOCYT program through the competent organs and mechanisms in an effort to assist in the development of its plans and programs.
23. Unprogrammed conferences
To instruct the Permanent Council to consider the resolutions sent to the Third Committee by the other General Assembly committees and to distribute the appropriation under subprogram 10W.
B. OTHER FINANCIAL PROVISIONS
1. Program-Budget for 1999
To instruct the Secretary General to submit a proposed program-budget for the Regular Fund for 1999 at a level no higher than that approved for 1997, US$84,333,500, provided that the General Secretariat can finance it with revenues as defined in section II.2. of this resolution. Should the General Secretariat obtain financing over the level approved for 1997, these funds should go into the Working Capital Subfund until it reaches the level prescribed by the General Standards.
Table A
PROGRAM-BUDGET OF THE ORGANIZATION FOR 1998,
QUOTAS AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE VOLUNTARY FUND
(US$1,000)
A. BUDGETARY APPROPRIATIONS
TOTAL
REGULAR
FUND
VOLUNTARY
FUND
1.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND OTHER ORGANS
14,380.1
14,380.1
2.
SPECIALIZED ORGANIZATIONS AND OTHER ENTITIES
5,924.7
5,924.7
3.
EXECUTIVE OFFICES OF THE GENERAL SECRETARIAT
8,410.4
8,410.4
4.
UNITS AND SPECIALIZED OFFICES
19,261.7
19,261.7
5.
EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT FOR INTEGRAL DEVELOPMENT
13,836.6
2,621.4
11,215.2
6.
OFFICES OF THE GENERAL SECRETARIAT IN THE MEMBER STATES
6,658.6
6,658.6
SECRETARIAT FOR LEGAL AFFAIRS
1,848.3
1,848.3
7. SECRETARIAT FOR MANAGEMENT
9,456.6
9,456.6
8. COMMON SERVICES
11,428.3
11,428.3
TOTAL APPROPRIATIONS
91,205.3
79,990.1
11,215.2
Table A - (cont.)
PROGRAM-BUDGET OF THE ORGANIZATION FOR 1998
QUOTAS AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE VOLUNTARY FUND, 1998
(US$1,000)
1. Regular Fund
Total
Regular Fund
Voluntary Fund
a. Quotas
73,727.1
73,727.1
b. Contribution for technical supervision and administrative support from voluntary and specific funds, interest, and rental income
6,263.0
6,263.0
2. Voluntary Fund
a. Pledges received
11,215.2
b. Pledges pending
11,215.2 TOTAL
91,205.3
79,990.1
11,215.2
TABLE B
ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES
REGULAR FUND
1998 QUOTA ASSESSMENTS
(US$1,000)
QUOTAS FOR THE YEAR
MEMBER STATES
PERCENTAGE
BUDGET
INCOME TAX REIMBURSEMENTS
CREDIT
a/TOTAL
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
7.0 c/
14.9 c/
8,068.0
8,089.9
(184.5)
(8.1)
(1.0)
(2.7)
(196.3)
14.9
3,658.0
52.3
66.7
22.4
52.3
6,382.8
9,042.6
395.0
701.7
97.0
14.9
134.4
134.4
51.3
22.4
97.0
14.9
52.3
52.3
134.4
4,553.8
52.3
97.0
134.4
306.1
14.9
22.4
14.9
52.3
131.7
52,463.9
194.1
2,388.9
81,620.7
925.7
TOTAL
100.00
74,652.8
8,089.9
(196.3)
$82,546.4
a/ 2% of 1997 quota for full payment of 1997 quota by April 30, 1997.
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.