23 December 2015: The UN General Assembly (UNGA) has adopted a US$5.4 billion budget for the UN in 2016-2017, as recommended by the Assembly’s Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary). Approving the budget on its final day of work for the main part of the 70th session, the Fifth Committee also agreed to authorize the UN Secretary-General to enter into commitments of up to US$7.55 million in 2016 to implement decisions in the Addis Ababa Action Agenda (AAAA) and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The Fifth Committee meeting took place on 23 December 2015, in New York, US, with the UNGA plenary convening immediately afterwards and lasting into the night.

The UN press release notes that the US$5.4 billion total approved is US$170 million less than the US$5.57 billion proposed by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in October 2015. The difference is due to reduced resources for public information and common support services, among other factors. The approved total is roughly US$400 million lower than the US$5.8 billion final appropriations for 2014-2015. As a result of Ban’s efforts to seek efficiencies and reduce the UN’s regular budget, the UN adds, the proposed 2016-2017 outlay is 3.5% less in real terms from the previous biennium.

Addressing the Fifth Committee, Yukio Takasu, UN Under-Secretary-General for Management, said that despite significant reductions, the Committee had approved support for the follow-up and review process of the 2030 Agenda and AAAA on financing for development. He also looked forward to the “consideration of a comprehensive report” in 2016 on the matter, the UN says. Japan expressed concern with the process of determining the estimated resource requirements for implementing the 2030 Agenda and the AAAA, and stressed the need for a more structured process for those items’ consideration in 2016.

In the UNGA plenary meeting that followed the Committee’s decision, Ban thanked delegates for their work, and said that the UNGA had “wisely” decided to add resources to strengthen the “very important” development pillar, commending its decision to support the follow-up and review of efforts to reach the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and carry out the AAAA. Ban also applauded the consensus decisions taken on the revised scale of assessments for Member States for sharing the costs of the regular budget and peacekeeping operations, which is reviewed every three years. According to the new scales, China, with 7.92% of the total, will become the third-largest contributor to the regular budget after the US (22%) and Japan (9.68%).

Also addressing the plenary, UNGA President Mogens Lykketoft said that the adoption of the UN budget and conclusion of the Fifth Committee’s work mark the end of “a remarkable year for multilateralism.” He said 2016 will be about kick-starting implementation of the agreements reached in 2015, but must also be about: finding lasting peace to ongoing conflicts; reviewing the global humanitarian system; and addressing the current refugee crisis. [UN Press Release] [UNGA President’s Remarks] [UN Secretary-General’s Remarks] [Fifth Committee Meeting Summary] [Plenary Meeting Summary] [Webcast of 82nd plenary session] [Draft Resolution A/C.5/70/L.19]