16 November 1982

Financial emergency of the United Nations

The General Assembly,

Having considered the report of the Secretary-General on the analysis of the financial situation of the United Nations, and the statement adopted by the Administrative Committee on Co-ordination on 3 November 1982,

Recalling its resolutions 3049 A (XXVII) of 19 December 1972, 3538 (XXX) of 17 December 1975, 32/104 of 14 December 1977, 35/113 of 10 December 1980 and 36/116 B of 10 December 1981,

Noting with concern that the short-term deficit of the Organization is expected to exceed $300 million as at 31 December 1982,

Noting with deep regret that, in spite of repeated appeals to Member States, delays and partial payment of assessed contributions have aggravated the already serious cash-flow problems of the Organization,

Considering the possibility that for many Member States administrative considerations, including a lack of synchronization of the national fiscal year with that of the Organization, may be responsible for the delay in the payment of assessed contributions,

1. Reaffirms its commitment to seek a comprehensive and lasting solution to the financial problems of the United Nations, based on the principle of collective financial responsibility of Member States;

2. Renews its appeal to all Member States to make their best efforts to overcome constraints to the prompt payment early each year of full assessed ncontributions and of advances to the Working Capital Fund;

3. Expresses its appreciation to all Member States which pay their assessed contributions in full within thirty days of the receipt of the Secretary-General's request, in accordance with regulation 5.4 of the Financial Regulations of the United Nations;

4. Requests the Secretary-General, in addition to his official communications to the permanent representatives of Member States, to approach, as and when appropriate, the Governments of Member States for the purpose of encouraging expeditious payment in full of assessed contributions, in compliance with regulation 5.4 of the Financial Regulations of the United Nations;

5. Invites Member States also to provide, in response to the Secretary-General's official communication and consistent with regulation 5.4 of the Financial Regulations of the United Nations, information regarding their expected pattern of payments, in order to facilitate the financial planning by the Secretary-General;

6. Requests the Negotiating Committee on the Financial Emergency of the United Nations to keep the financial situation of the Organization under review and to report, as appropriate, to the General Assembly;

7. Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its thirty-eighth session:

(a) Detailed information relating to the extent, rate of increase and composition of the deficit of the Organization, the pattern of payments of Member States, the reasons for delays in such payments as known to the Secretary-General, the cash-flow situation and voluntary contributions received from Member States and other sources pursuant to General Assembly resolutions 2053 A (XX) of 15 December 1965 and 3049 A (XXVII) of 19 December 1972;

(b) A progress report on the status of the project on the issue of special postage stamps, including proposals to use a portion of the revenues to further the cause of the protection of nature;

8. Further requests the Secretary-General to include in his report a study of suggestions and proposals put forward by Member States during the discussions of this item at the thirty-seventh session of the General Assembly;

9. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its thirty-eighth session the item entitled "Financial emergency of the United Nations: report of the Negotiating Committee on the Financial Emergency of the United Nations".