Mr. Chairman,

1. I have the honor to convey this statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and China at the closing of the Fifth Committee for the first resumed part of the seventy-fifth session of the General Assembly.

2. It has been a year since we first entered into virtual negotiations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We have adapted and managed to accomplish agreements under these virtual methods of conducting the business of this Committee. However, we have witnessed that true successful outcomes on many agenda items that come before this Committee have eluded us, and that in person contact and that vital face to face communication between delegations is necessary when attempting to achieve delicate balances.

3. The Group would like to express its appreciation for you Mr. Chairman, your Bureau members, and all facilitators, for your continued engagement in guiding the work of the Committee.

4. We furthermore wish to recognize the always efficient and non-stop work of Mr. Lionelito Berridge and his team, and to all who assist the intergovernmental process of this Committee.

Mr. Chairman,

5. We are pleased that we have reached consensus on some agenda items. The Group appreciates the efforts made by all negotiators to finalize agreements for the Conditions of Services of Judges, the Jurisdictional set-up of the Common System, the Report on the Programme of work of the Joint Inspection Unit and the Standards of accommodation on air travel.

6. The Group is gravely concerned that the outcomes for the subvention for the Special Tribunal in Lebanon and the UNON conference facilities are subpar and endanger the actual implementation of the activities at these duty stations. We believe that under different circumstances, these could have been better outcomes. For UNON we continue to express our concern that this very important duty station of the UN system is not receiving the full support needed to ensure its conference facilities are in equal conditions to those of other duty stations, including headquarters. For the Special Tribunal in Lebanon, we sincerely hope that this decision today does not result in the Tribunal unnecessarily running out of resources and inevitably having the Committee consider again a further request.

Mr. Chairman,

7. The G77 and China wishes to express its grave disappointment regarding the lack of agreements on the reports under the item Human Resources Management. We have strived for compromise by moving from long standing traditional positions. Despite our efforts at engaging in a constructive spirit, this was not enough and yet again we are left with the deferral of this item.

8. We look forward to the next year to continue to work in an inclusive manner in order to finally achieve a satisfactory conclusion of this agenda item, and in particular to ensure that action-oriented policies towards achieving equitable geographical representation in the UN Secretariat, including by making the outdated and highly distorted framework of the desirable ranges one that is fairer and in line with what it purports to address.

Mr. Chairman,

9. Despite these setbacks, the Group of 77 and China remains committed to the work of this Committee in helping this Organization deliver on its mandates. Rest assured Mr. Chairman of our continued engagement with all delegations in an inclusive, transparent and effective manner.

I thank you.