UN Transcripts — https://transcripts.un.org/en/ga/c5/80/26/2
Fifth Committee, 26th plenary meeting - General Assembly, First part of the resumed 80th session — Fifth Committee — 18 March 2026
Language: en
Automatically generated transcript — may contain errors. Not an official United Nations record.

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5th Committee · Chair [0:00]:

I call to order the 26th meeting of the fifth committee at the first part of our resumed ATS session. I invite the Committee to resume its consideration of agenda item 136 entitled Program Budget for 2026, in particular, the question of revised estimates, Special Political missions. In this connection, I invite the Deputy Controller and Director, Finance Division, Office of Program Planning, Finance and Budget, Ms. Maria Costa, to introduce the report of the Secretary General on revised estimates relating to the program budget for 2026 under section 3, political affairs in section 36, staff assessment special political missions contained in document A86, section 3, addendum 7. Ms. Costa, you have the floor.


UN Secretariat · Deputy Controller; Director, Finance Division, OPPFB · Maria Costa [0:55]:

Thank you. Madam Chair and distinguished Delegates, I have the honour to introduce the report of the Secretary General on the revised estimates relating to the program budget for 2026 for four special political missions. The Security Council, in its resolution 2792 of 2025 requested the Secretary General to appoint a senior representative whose mandate will solely focus on promoting, supporting and facilitating efforts regarding repatriation or return of all Kuwaiti and third country nationals or their remains and the return of Kuwaiti property, including the National Archives. The proposed resource requirements for 2026 for this mission are estimated at 0.5 million net of staff assessment. This amount comprises civilian staff costs related to the proposed establishment of three new posts and operational costs for mandated activities.

The United nations sanction regime on the Islamic Republic of Iran was reinstated on 27th September 2025 pursuant to the process set in paragraphs 11 and 12 of resolution 2231 of 2015 and its panel of experts was extended until 26th of September 2026. The proposed resource requirements for 2026 for eight members of the panel of experts are estimated at 2.5 million net of staff assessment. This amount comprises civilian costs including the establishment of three posts and operational costs. The Security Council in its resolution 2813 of 2026 took note of the letter of the Secretary General being S2025 766 and decided to extend the mandate of the United Nations Mission to support the Hodeidah Agreement for a final two month period until 31 March 2026 and that UNMAR would commence liquidation as of 1 April 2026. The proposed revised resource requirements for 2026 for UNMART reflects a reduction of 11.7 million net of staff assessment compared to the approved 2026 resources for the Mission after factoring in the cost of repatriation of uniformed personnel, separation of staff and operational costs until 30th of June 2026.

Effective 1st April 2026, the Office of the Special Envoy will start implementation of the relevant residual task of the HIDDE agreement that was previously performed by UNMAR. The proposed resource requirements for 2026 for the Office of the Special Envoy for Yemen are estimated at 22 0.0 million net of staff assessment for existing staff complement and establishment of additional 30 post and positions and operational costs. This represents an increase of 8.0 million compared to the original approved 2026 resources. Madam Chair, Distinguished Delegates, the impact of the above revised estimates on the programme budget for 2026 for special political missions as approved by the General assembly In its resolution 80243 would amount to a net decrease of $698,900 under section 3, Political Affairs. The action to be taken by the General assembly is set out in paragraph 115 of the report.

Madam Chair, Distinguished Delegates, I thank you for your kind attention and we look forward to supporting you in your consideration of these four special political missions. Thank you, Madam Chair.


5th Committee · Chair [4:41]:

I thank Ms. Costa for her introduction. I now invite the Chair of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and budgetary questions, Ms. Juliana Gaspar Ruach, to introduce the related report of the Committee contained in document A87, addendum 30. You have the floor.


ACABQ · Chair · Juliana Gaspar Ruach [5:01]:

Madam Chairperson, Distinguished Delegates, I have the honor to introduce the Advisory Committee's report on the revised estimates for the four special political missions with respect to the Senior Representative. For the implementation of security council resolution 2792, the committee recommends approval of resources for the Senior Representative post on a when actually employed basis for initial period of six months. The Committee recommends against an administrative assistance post and recommends a reduction of 10% under official travel. The proposed New York location should be kept under review. Regarding the Panel of Experts on the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Committee recommends the approval of a political affairs office before and a meeting Service Assistant GS in support of the Sanctions Committee reinstated after the triggering of the snapback Mechanism of Resolution 2231.

Taking into account the slow progress in the operationalization of the Panel of Experts and the Security Council's review of the mandate in September 2026, as well as the changed operational environment on the ground, the Committee recommends against the approval of the proposed resources related to experts at this stage. Madam Chair. Turning now to the Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary General for Yemen, the revised budget proposal of 22 million reflects additional requirements of 8 million related to the closure of Anmaha and the transfer of functions pursuant to security council resolution 2813. The committee recommends against the proposed post of Deputy Head of Office, Human Resources Officer and Procurement Assistant, and recommends that the Logistics Assistant in Aden be established as a local post. With respect to anmaha, proposed revised requirements would support the costs associated with the mission's closure.

The committee recommends a 15% reduction in ground transportation and ICT. It further recommends that every effort be made to maximize financial return and operational utility of disposed assets. Thank you, Madam Chair.


5th Committee · Chair [7:04]:

I thank Ms. Gaspard Wash for her introduction. The floor is now open for any delegation who wishes to make a statement.

Statement I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the European Union.


EU · EU [7:19]:

Thank you, Madam Chair, for giving me the floor. Madam Chair, I have the honor to speak on behalf of the Member States of the European Union. The candidate countries, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Bosnia Herzegovina, as well as Andorra, Monaco and the United Kingdom, align themselves with this statement. We thank the Deputy Comptroller for presenting the Secretary General's report and the chair of the ACABQ for presenting their committee's relating reports. We welcome the UN 80 initiative oriented approach reflected in the respective reports.

We also wish to commend DGACM for their dedicated efforts in ensuring the timely preparation and advanced availability of translations. Madam Chair In a world where conflicts are increasingly complex and a space for diplomacy often narrow, special political missions represent one of the United nations most agile and far reaching responses. They provide essential capacity for preventative diplomacy, mediation and political facilitation across peace, security and human rights. Pillar of the Organization the European Union and its member states remain firmly committed to the success and express sincere appreciation to the staff serving in these missions, often in demanding and dangerous conditions. It is all the more encouraging, therefore, that the Committee has for the second consecutive year adopted a resolution in a main session on special political missions by consensus, a meaningful achievement and and one that reflects the firm oriented spirit of the Unity Initiative.

We hope that same spirit will guide our consideration of the four missions under device estimates toward an equally constructive and negotiated outcome. The European Union and its member States will engage with the resource requirements before us carefully and with a technical approach consistent with our strong interest as the largest collective contributor to the United nations system in ensuring that funds are deployed effectively and in full accordance with agreed mandates. Madam Chair, the Fifth Committee deliberations on budgetary implications of revised estimates of the Special Political Mission are anchored in and circumscribed by the relevant resolutions of the Security Council. Our role is to adopt the resources required for implementation. We strongly emphasize that the ACFQ's mandate requirements.

It is to examine the financial and administrative aspects of proposals as presented on the basis of existing mandates without questioning those mandates and that its recommendation should be framed and understood within those terms. We therefore regret that such a technical approach was not followed when it comes to this report and a panel of experts on Islamic Republic of Iran for its resources for its establishment and work were not recommended forcing the use of the unforeseen and extraordinary expenses for the budget that has already been mandated and presented and requested by the sg. We trust that the General assembly will work together in a constructive spirit to continue to adequately fund all mandates, including those for the four species special Political missions. We look forward to a constructive and timely conclusion of this agenda item I thank you, Madam Chair,


5th Committee · Chair [10:53]:

I thank you and I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Bahrain on behalf of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Seder Raisa


Bahrain · GCC [11:04]:

Madam Chair, I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the GCC countries, the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Sultanate of Oman, the State of Kuwait, the State of Qatar and my country, the Kingdom of Bahrain. At the outset, I would like to thank the Deputy Comptroller for presenting the Secretary General Report contained in document A86, section 3 regarding the revised budgetary estimates for 2026 program budget related to Special Political Missions I also thank the Chair of ACABQ for presenting the Committee's report. Madam Chair, Special political missions have always constituted a central pillar of the United nations in achieving international peace and security based on the concept of collective security and advancing preventive diplomacy through efforts

made by these missions to prevent, contain and resolve conflicts and to achieve sustainable peace in accordance with the principles and purposes of the United Nations. Madam Chair, the GCC countries firmly believe in the importance of international efforts that support the work of these missions to carry out their mandate as established by the Security Council. In line with this commitment, the GCC countries stressed the importance of discussing this agenda item during the current resume session and the need to provide sufficient financial and human resources so that the special political missions mentioned in the SG's report can implement their mandates and tasks efficiently and effectively in accordance with Security Council resolutions 2792 of 2025, 1737 of 2006, 2813 of 2026 and other relevant resolutions. In conclusion, the GCC countries underscore the vital importance of the technical role played by the Fifth Committee in supporting the implementation of the mandates of various UN bodies by approving the necessary and sufficient resources.

We also reaffirm our readiness to engage constructively in the discussions and deliberations on this matter. Thank you.


5th Committee · Chair [13:29]:

Thank you. And I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Russian Federation. On behalf of the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China.


Russian Federation · Russian Federation + China [13:42]:

Madam Chair, I have the honor to speak on behalf of the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China. We thank the Secretary General and the ACAB for the reports submitted under this agenda item. We would like to address the issue of the resources requested in connection with the so called re establishment of the 1737 Security Council Committee established in 2006 and its panel of experts. Our position is clear. No snapback took place and security council resolution 2231 expired.

The procedures of the dispute resolution mechanisms set out under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which form an integral part of Resolution 2231, were neither duly invoked nor fully exhausted. In addition, the States concerned have themselves failed to comply with their obligations under the JCPOA and Resolution 2231, including with regard to sanctions lifting commitments under international law. Such conduct precludes them from invoking the provisions of the agreement. As a consequence, the submission of the notification to the security council in August 2025 is legally and procedurally flawed. In accordance with operative paragraph 8 of resolution 2231, all of its provisions have been terminated following 18 October 2025, which also marks the end of the Security Council's consideration of the Iranian nuclear issue.

Madam Chair, against this background and considering that the Council members have not reached consensus on the above mentioned issues, the Council cannot proceed to re establish the 1737 Committee or its panel of experts. Accordingly, there is no basis for the General assembly to approve resources in this regard. The Fifth Committee should not be placed in a position where it is expected to endorse, through budgetary decisions, initiatives that have not been duly authorized by the Security Council.

We therefore consider that the resource requirements related to this matter should be set at zero.

We call upon the Secretariat to act strictly within its mandates. Thank you.


5th Committee · Chair [16:38]:

I thank you. And I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Iraq.


Iraq [16:46]:

Thank you,

Madam Chair. We thank the Deputy Comptroller for presenting the report of the Secretary General. And we thank the chair of the ACABQ, Ms. Ross, for her detailed report and recommendations to the fifth committee under this agenda item. Madam Chair, the delegation of my country is considering this agenda item in the context of the transitional phase of the end of the requisite mandate, the mandate which is an important stage in cooperation between Iraq and the United Nations. Iraq thus reaffirms the importance of providing the necessary support to the team to ensure an organized, effective closure of the mission and by providing the necessary and sufficient financing for the mission to ensure a responsible closure.

To ensure that the closure is carried out in a smooth fashion so as to ensure the departure of the personnel without any problems. One of the priorities of our government is to continue to closely cooperate with the Secretariat through the whole process that includes with regard to operational arrangements.

The adoption of Resolution 2794 fell at a key time following the closure of the mandate for Iraq and this is the closure of our development cooperation with the un. We attach great importance to the humanitarian aspects of the work and to the work on finding missing persons. We will continue to work closely with Kuwait, a kindred country with the relevant bodies to determine the whereabouts of missing persons.

In recent years, we've seen tangible progress on these issues. This is through the cooperation of Iraq with Kuwait. My delegation sees that the ACABQ has provided recommendations seeking to guarantee the mandate is the proposed mandate is carried out in as efficient manner as possible as concerns the financing, the duration of financing, the functions of the High representatives and the streamlining of the administrative structure that have been proposed. In closing, Iraq reaffirms its commitment to continuing the to cooperate positively to ensure additional progress is made on the humanitarian front and we reiterate the fact that we stand fully ready to participate constructively in the negotiations in order to achieve the desired results. Thank you.


5th Committee · Chair [19:37]:

I thank you and I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran.


Iran (Islamic Republic of) [19:46]:

Thank you, Madam Chair. Bismillahirrahmanirrahim. We thank Ms. Maria Kosta, Deputy Comptroller, and Ms. Juliana Ruas, Chair of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions, for introducing their respective reports at the outset. We note with concern that the delays in the issuing the Secretary General's report and consequently the ACABQ's report are affecting working methods, the functioning of the fifth committee and the timely and thoroughly consideration of its work. Security council resolution 2231, 2015 definitely terminated on the 18th of October 2025.

As of that date, it ceased to have any legal effect or operative mandate and all measures and restrictions established under that resolution were permanently terminated. This position has been consistently maintained by the Islamic Republic of Iran and is jointly by China and the Russian Federation placed under record. Moreover, the Security Council failed to reach any conclusion regarding claims concerning the reimposition of sanctions and the alleged snapback against Iran during the relevant meetings held in September 2025. As clear divisions persist among Council members on this matter. Accordingly, the Islamic Republic of Iran will not register, recognize any attempt to revive or reinforce determinated measures or mechanisms in any form whatsoever, including the so called Committee 1737 or its so called Panel of Experts.

We therefore strongly oppose any allocation of resources. To the foregoing, in the absence of a mandate, having settled our principal position, other factors remain that suggest the extent of this setback is ultimately irrelevant. First, using the organization's resources for a panel of experts is unwarranted, especially when it means reviving structures dissolved a decade ago. The so called Panel of Experts imposed a new recurring annual cost on the SPM's budget, which already competes with other parts of the UN regular budget, for limited resources. At a time when the organization is struggling, struggling to fund its most essential peace and development mandates, the recreation of such a body can hardly be considered rational.

Second, reviving an outdated and largely ineffective structure would only increase administrative costs without delivering results. While the UN 80 initiative aims to restrict financing for the sake of papers, at a moment when the organization must focus its limited resources on urgent global priorities, diverting funds to a structure of questionable value is both unjustified and counterproductive. It is even more ironic that as the organization seeks to reduce duplication, we are instead witnessing the creation of new bureaucratic layers that risk further institutional overlap. Thank you.


5th Committee · Chair [22:54]:

I thank you. If there are no further comments, the Committee has thus concluded its general discussions on this question.

I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the United States.


United States of America [23:13]:

Thank you, Chair, for giving me the floor. Just to add a few points as a comment, the United States has clear expectations of the Fifth Committee process as it pertains to this item, which is to ensure the proper funding and resources of the four special political missions presented in this revised estimate. This is a technical committee, and our role here is to enable the Secretary General to carry out the mandated missions. It's unfortunate that some member states are politicizing the work of this Committee and misusing it to obstruct mandates that have been clearly decided by the Security Council. We look forward to engaging in good faith negotiations on this item and to enable the UN to.

To do its important work. And I thank you.


5th Committee · Chair [23:56]:

I thank you.

So if there are no further comments, the Committee has thus concluded its general discussion on this question. Informal consultations on the report just introduced will be coordinated by Mr. Roy Komuza Gisa of Rwanda. The meeting is adjourned. It.