AS DELIVERED

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I would like to thank Mr. Peter Korn, Director of External Audit and Chair of the Audit Operations Committee, Mr. Pedro Guazo, Director, Finance Division, Office of Programme Planning, Finance and Budget, and Mr. Cihan Terzi, Chair of the ACABQ, for introducing their respective reports. I would also like to thank India, Germany, and Chile for their work on the Board of Auditors.

The United States places great importance on the work of the Board of Auditors. The Board’s reports and their related observations and recommendations provide valuable insight into issues related to the effective and efficient functioning and reform of UN peacekeeping operations. We look forward to discussing the Secretariat’s progress in implementing the Board’s previous recommendations, including those related to inventory and property management, enterprise risk management, and business process improvement. We are pleased to note the Board’s conclusion that all peacekeeping operations remained financially stable within the reporting period, with sufficient cash resources to sustain core operations.

Madam Chair, my delegation strongly supports the Board’s call for a more standardized and transparent approach to evaluating and promoting good performance in peacekeeping operations. We urge the Secretariat to accelerate its efforts in addressing the Board’s concerns, and in particular improving the quality and timeliness of performance-related reporting to the relevant UN bodies.

We recognize the Secretary-General’s continuous efforts in addressing the Board’s recommendations and urge continued improvement in their implementation. Many of the issues identified by the Board, particularly those related to performance, are mutually reinforcing. It is therefore critical that those recommendations be implemented in parallel, in a harmonized manner, with strong coordination among the responsible offices, to ensure maximum impact.

In closing Madam Chair, the Organization’s full and timely implementation of the Board’s recommendations will result in demonstrable improved mandate delivery and enhanced resource utilization effectiveness. We look forward to engaging with all delegations with a view to ensuring progress in those critical areas identified by the Board. Thank you.

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