AG/RES. 1697 (XXIX-O/99)

THE PROGRAM-BUDGET OF THE ORGANIZATION FOR 2000, QUOTAS AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE VOLUNTARY FUND FOR 2000

(Resolution adopted at the fourth plenary session, held on June 8, 1999)

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

HAVING SEEN:

The proposed program-budget of the Organization for fiscal year 2000, submitted by the Secretary General (AG/CP/doc.606/99);

The report of the Preparatory Committee on the proposed program-budget of the Organization for 2000 (AG/doc.3828/99);

The April 29, 1999 note of the Secretary General (CP/doc.3196/99) regarding fulfillment of the mandates contained in AG/RES. 3 (XXV-E/98), "Quota Payments"; and

The April 29, 1999 note of the Secretary General commenting on some issues dealt with by the Board of External Auditors in their report "Audit of Accounts and Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 1998." (CP/doc. 3197/99);

CONSIDERING:

That, in accordance with Articles 54 and 55 of the Charter, the General Assembly approves the pogram-bdget of the Organization and establishes the bases for fixing the quota that each Government is to contribute to the maintenance of the Organization, taking into account the ability to pay of the respective countries and their determination to contribute in an equitable manner;

That the Organization has defined its political priorities, which must be addressed, within the limits of its available resources;

That it is necessary to establish a maximum number of posts and positions in the Organization for a period of two years;

That the need to modify the distribution of posts is urgent so that the General Secretariat will have a pyramid of posts that enables it to carry out the mandates entrusted to it under Articles 107 and 111 of the Charter by the General Assembly, the Meeting of Consultation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, and the Councils, for the purpose of promoting economic, social, legal, educational, and cultural relations among all the member states of the Organization, with special emphasis on cooperation for the elimination of extreme poverty;

That significant savings may be realized by reducing the General Secretariat’s travel costs; and

That, pursuant to Article 60.b of the Charter, the Preparatory Committee transmitted to the General Assembly a working document on the proposed program-budget of the Organization for 2000;

CONCERNED:

About the failure of some member states to pay their quotas in full and on a timely basis;

About the significant and continuing real decrease in the expenditure budget, coupled with increases in fixed costs due to inflation, among other factors, which have resulted in a significant decline in available resources for political mandates;

About the significant and continuing decline in the amount of support obtained for OAS technical cooperation and development programs in recent years that threatens to retard progress in achieving the objectives underlying the creation of CIDI; and

About the Organization’s urgent need for greater financial resources to comply with its political mandates,

RESOLVES:

I. BUDGET APPROPRIATIONS

1.  To approve and authorize the program-budget of the Organization for the fiscal period starting January 1 through December 31, 2000, financed by the following funds at the corresponding levels:

	2000
	(US$1,000)
a.  Regular Fund	78,000.0
b.  Voluntary Fund	10,156.1

for a total appropriation of US$88,156,100, 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 as detailed below:

					2000 (US $1,000)
CHAPTER 1 - GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND OTHER ORGANS					11,958.1
10A	General Assembly (thirtieth regular session) Administrative Tribunal sessions				180.6
10B					79.9
10D	Board of External Auditors				164.0
10E	Secretariat of the General Assembly, the Meeting of Consultation and the Permanent Council				1,076.3
10G	Secretariat of Conferences and Meetings				4,879.0
10H	Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission				173.4
10K	Meetings of the Inter-American Council for Integral Development				144.4
10L	Regional and subregional programming meetings				105.0
10N	Non-permanent Specialized Committees				137.9
10O	Inter-American Commission on Human Rights				2,987.5
10P	Inter-American Juridical Committee				446.9
10Q	Inter-American Court of Human Rights				1,114.9
10V	Inter-American Committees				83.0
10W	OAS Conferences (see Table C)				300.1
10X	Unprogrammed (see Table C)					85.2
CHAPTER 2 - SPECIALIZED ORGANIZATIONS AND OTHER ENTITIES					5,471.1
20A	Inter-American Defense Board				2,159.2
20B	Inter-American Children’s Institute				1,528.3
20C	Inter-American Commission of Women				931.4
20D	Pan American Development Foundation				173.5
20J	Inter-American Telecommunication Commission				678.7
CHAPTER 3 - EXECUTIVE OFFICES OF THE GENERAL SECRETARIAT					9,316.0
30A	Office of the Secretary General				2,094.7
30B	Office of the Assistant Secretary General				991.7
30C	Department of Public Information				1,980.1
30D	Department of Legal Services				869.0
30E	Office of the Inspector General				695.1
30F	Museum of Art of the Americas				521.3
30G	Columbus Memorial Library				993.9
30H	Protocol Office				453.8
30I	Official Functions (SG/SGA/PC)				53.3
30J	Office of External Relations				328.8
30K	Office of Summit Follow-up				334.3
CHAPTER 4 – UNITS AND SPECIALIZED OFFICES					21,424.0
40A	Trade Unit				1,730.8
40B	Foreign Trade Information System (SICE)				429.6
41C	Unit for the Promotion of Democracy				3,493.2
42D	Intersectoral Tourism Unit and Caribbean Tourism Organization				729.2
43A	Executive Office of CICAD				1,653.4
44E	Unit for Sustainable Development and Environment				1,430.2
46F	Unit for Social Development and Education				1,381.4
47G	Office of Cultural Affairs				565.9
48H	Office of Science and Technology				961.6
49M	Department of Fellowships				9,048.7
CHAPTER 5 – EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT FOR INTEGRAL DEVELOPMENT					2,779.1
55A	Office of the Executive Secretary for Integral Development				648.9
56A	Division of Operations and Technical Support Services				769.1
57A	Division of Planning and Evaluation				889.1
58A	Division of Program and Project Coordination				472.0
59X	Unprogrammed CIDI Cooperation Activities			0.0
CHAPTER 6 – OFFICES OF THE GENERAL SECRETARIAT IN THE MEMBER STATES					6,298.4
60G	Offices of the General Secretariat in the Member States				6,298.4
CHAPTER 7 – SECRETARIAT FOR LEGAL AFFAIRS					1,984.4
70A	Office of the Assistant Secretary for Legal Affairs				411.9
70B	Department of International Law				970.8
70G	Secretariat of the Administrative Tribunal				192.4
70H	Department of Cooperation and Legal Dissemination				409.3
CHAPTER 8 – SECRETARIAT FOR MANAGEMENT					9,839.3
80M	Office of the Assistant Secretary for Management				315.9
80N	Department of Financial Services				2,053.1
80P	Department of Program-Budget				1,144.9
80Q	Department of Material Resources				2,997.4
80R	Department of Human Resources				1,571.3
80S	Department of Management Systems and Information Technology				1,756.7
CHAPTER 9 – COMMON SERVICES					8,929.6
90B	Computer equipment and supplies				411.5
90C	Equipment and supplies				45.4
90D	Building management and maintenance				4,482.5
90E	General insurance				250.5
90F	Post audits				125.0
90G	Recruitment and transfers				168.8
90H	Terminations and repatriations				976.4
90I	Home leave				192.6
90J	Education and language allowance, medical examinations				127.0
90K	Pension for retired executives and health and life Insurance for retired employees				1,801.6
90L	Human resources development				121.4
90M	Contribution to the Staff Association				10.0
90Q	Management systems				216.9

 

II. FINANCING OF THE BUDGET APPROPRIATIONS

1. To set the quotas with which the governments of the member states will finance the program-budget of the Organization for the year 2000 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 year 2000 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 contributions for the voluntary fund portion of the program-budget of the Organization at the level approved for programming in the year 2000 by CEPCIDI for execution in 2001.

 

III. GENERAL PROVISIONS

A.  BUDGETARY

1. Personnel

a. To continue the ceiling set for 1999-2000 on the number of posts financed by the program-budget of the Organization at 587.

b. To urge the Secretary General to observe the limit of 50% for personnel costs in object 1.a 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. Quota Payments

To urge member states to pay in full their quota arrears, or alternatively they submit to the General Secretariat a payment plan for their arrears before January 1, 2000.

3.  Specific Funds

a. In order to respond to the External Auditor's observation regarding the need to secure contributions from the Specific Funds to support the administrative and technical support incurred by the Regular Fund and FEMCIDI in relation to those Funds, to modify Article 72 of the General Standards as follows:

Article 72. Bank deposits and interest. The Secretary General shall designate the banking institutions in which the funds of the Organization shall be deposited. Interest received on such funds shall be considered as income of the corresponding fund; however, for each specific fund which is not governed by a donor agreement dictating how interest on the fund shall be credited, all such interest shall be credited to the corresponding fund (i.e. Regular Fund or FEMCIDI), for use in the administration of specific funds. The annual Financial Report of the General Secretariat to the Permanent Council shall state how the interest from each Specific Fund has been credited.

This modification shall remain in force indefinitely until otherwise modified or derogated.

b. To instruct the General Secretariat to complete a cost accounting system in order to document the costs of support services to specific funds so that once those costs have been documented and established, the Permanent Council may authorize charges for those services.

4. Financing Meetings Away from Headquarters with the OAS Regular Fund

To reiterate to the Permanent Council and the General Secretariat that, pursuant to AG/RES. 3 (XXV-E/98), the Regular Fund of the Organization will not be used to finance meetings in member states unless the member state is current in its payment of quotas to the Regular Fund or has established a schedule of payments with the General Secretariat and is complying with that schedule.

5. Travel

To instruct the Secretary General to continue with the policy to reduce travel costs and, whenever possible, reserve airline tickets at least 28 days in advance to ensure the lowest possible fares.

6. Conference Services

To instruct the General Secretariat to ensure that the resources assigned to the activities included in subprogram 10G Secretariat of Conferences and Meetings provide equitable services in support of all the bodies of the OAS, in accordance with resolution CP/RES. 718 (1150/98).

7. Contributions to the Regular Fund for Technical Supervision and Administrative Support from FEMCIDI and Other Funds

To request the Permanent Council to present its conclusions to the next regular session of the General Assembly on the study requested by resolution AG/RES. 1531 (XXVII-O/97) on comparing the administrative costs for technical supervision and administrative support to FEMCIDI and other funds of the OAS with those of other organizations and international cooperation agencies since 1990.

8. Studies in International Law

To instruct the General Secretariat to ensure that the resources assigned to the activity "Studies" included in subprogram 70B are utilized for studies by recognized experts on specific issues of juridical interest which will be defined by the Permanent Council in keeping with resolution AG/RES. 1471 (XXVII-O/97).

9. Offices in the Member States

To instruct the Secretary General to redouble his efforts to negotiate with the governments of the member states a 15% reduction in the overall cost of the national offices, where appropriate, taking into account, in particular, the costs of rent and security.

10. Overtime

To instruct the Secretary General to pay overtime in compensatory leave, as much as possible, in accordance with Staff Rule 103.8(e).

11. Unused Appropriations

To instruct the Permanent Council and the Secretary General that beginning January 1, 2000 unused appropriations may only be re-appropriated if they are fully funded with cash at the time they lapse into the Reserve Subfund. Unused appropriations unfunded at the time they lapse may not be used for any purpose. For programs specifically funded with unused appropriations, the Secretariat must show the Permanent Council that at the time the appropriations lapsed they were fully backed with cash. If that cannot be shown, then the Secretary General must ask the Permanent Council for specific authority to disburse from current funds.

12. Tributes to Departing Permanent Representatives

To implement the proposal of the Secretary General contained in CP/doc.3153/99 in order to reduce the cost of tributes to the departing permanent representatives.

13. Use of Conference and Meeting Facilities at Headquarters

a. To instruct the General Secretariat that during April and May priority should be given to meetings at headquarters related to preparation of the General Assembly. Other meetings should be scheduled before April 1 or after the regular session of the General Assembly.

b. To ask the General Secretariat to work closely with the chairs of the councils and their subsidiary bodies in order to implement the necessary measures to maximize the use of resources, both budgetary and time, and report to the councils on these on a quarterly basis.

14. Performance Contracts

To instruct the General Secretariat to submit to the Permanent Council every six months a report on CPR's funded by the Regular Fund. This report should include the source of funds used, the name of the CPR, the time frame of the contract, the amount of the contract, the area of the Secretariat requiring the CPR and a detailed justification for the need as well as a statement why on-board personnel cannot accomplish the task for which the CPR is needed.

The Permanent Council, through its Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Affairs, should examine the report on the CPRs, along with the results of the Working Group on Personnel Policy, in light of what the Organization should be doing and the mandates assigned to it.

15. Renovation Plan for the General Secretariat Building

To authorize the Permanent Council to approve a plan for the renovation of the General Secretariat Building that would permit more effective and efficient use of space by the General Secretariat and improve the value of the space that could be rented to third parties. The cost of the renovations shall be financed by a renewed mortgage on the building and this mortgage shall be amortized with the current level of appropriation for the mortgage on the building together with rental income from the space rented.

16. Américas Magazine

a. To instruct the General Secretariat to report all proceeds from the sale of the magazine during the year 2000 as income of the Organization and to include it in the proposed program-budget.

b. To authorize the General Secretariat to use any contribution it receives for the Magazine to publish it in the four official languages of the Organization, as a matter of priority.

c. To instruct the General Secretariat to give prior approval for all the magazine’s activities that requires use of the franking privilege.

d. To reaffirm 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 111 of the Charter.

17. OAS Conferences (10W)

a. To approve funding for items 2 and 4 of Subprogram 10W for 2000 (see Table C), requesting the Special Joint Working Group of the Permanent Council and the Inter-American Council for Integral Development on the Strengthening and Modernization of the OAS to study the criteria for convoking future meetings referred to in these items.

b. To also instruct the Special Joint Working Group of the Permanent Council and the Inter-American Council for Integral Development on the Strengthening and Modernization of the OAS to establish a policy framework for the frequency, duration, and services offered to ministerial meetings held under the auspices of the OAS.

18. Unprogrammed Funds (10X)

To instruct the Permanent Council to establish criteria for the use of subprogram 10X, Unprogrammed Funds (see Table C).

2. OTHER

1. Honoraria and Per Diem

a. 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

b. The General Secretariat is authorized to pay the Chairman of the Human Rights Commission per diem and honorarium from the approved budget of the Commission in accordance with rates and rules of the General Secretariat when the Chairman is performing work of the Commission. However, a President serving as a "Resident President at Headquarters" will not be paid per diem for days worked in Washington, D.C., if he or she is domiciled within the Greater Washington Metropolitan Area or had established residence there within one year prior to assuming office.

2. Permanent Observer States

To invite the Permanent Observer states to contribute to the financing of the programs and projects of the Organization.

3. Program-Budget for 2001

1. To instruct the Secretary General to submit a draft program-budget for the Regular Fund for the year 2001 at an indicative level no higher than US$80,000,000, 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 this approved level, these funds should go into the Reserve Subfund until it reaches the level prescribed by the General Standards.
2. To instruct the Secretary General and Preparatory Committee of the General Assembly to include in the proposed program-budget an unprogrammed amount for the funding of new mandates arising out of the plenary of the General Assembly.
3. To instruct the Preparatory Committee to require that all resolutions transmitted to the plenary of the General Assembly for approval be accompanied by an opinion on the corresponding budgetary implications so that those implications may be duly considered in the Organization’s year 2001 budget. In this regard, the General Secretariat is requested to instruct the technical secretaries at the committees to complete the required forms, developed by the General Secretariat in consultation with the CAAP, and forward them, along with the proposed resolution, to the Department of Program-Budget for consideration by CAAP, not later than 30 days before the General Assembly or by such earlier date as may be established by the Preparatory Committee. Any resolution not previously reviewed by the Preparatory Committee or by such other committee that may be established for that purpose may not be considered by the plenary unless accompanied by the corresponding opinion on budgetary implications.
4. To instruct the Secretary General, in preparing the program-budget, to consult with the Permanent Council regarding the criteria and basic information to be contained in the draft program-budget in accordance with Article 88 of the General Standards.
5. To urge the member states to make a decision on whether to adopt a new scale of quotas in accordance with resolution AG/RES. 1594 (XXVIII-O/98).
6. To instruct the Secretary General to take immediate action towards the formulation of the program-budget of the Organization, on the basis of the corresponding mandates and programs, and to inform the Permanent Council, through its Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Affairs, on a quarterly basis as to its progress.