Michele DeKonty
Minister-Counselor for UN Management and Reform
U.S. Mission to the United Nations
New York, New York
March 1, 2020
AS DELIVERED
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
This first resumed session, Member States have the opportunity to consider and act on several important agenda items, and foremost is human resources management. In December 2017, the General Assembly passed Resolution 72/266, which set in motion the Secretary-General’s comprehensive management reform. Under the authorities bestowed upon the Secretary-General under Article 97 of the Charter of the United Nations and the provisions of this resolution, the Secretariat was charged with the responsibility to improve mandate delivery, increase transparency, and empower managers and staff. We welcome and support these critical efforts. But we, as Member States, also must not abdicate our responsibility to take action on decisions that have been pending for several years, and strengthen – when appropriate – policies that underpin our joint reform efforts. While my delegation will address these issues in more detail throughout the next few weeks, we emphasize now our willingness to focus and engage constructively on these long-overdue challenges.
Additionally, my delegation looks forward to considering the Secretary-General’s tenth report on accountability, and the opportunity to assess the Organization’s accountability framework , as well as results-based management and the important work of the Business Transformation and Accountability Division. Umoja plays a key role in providing greater transparency and accountability and we encourage the Secretariat to continue to fully leverage the efficiencies Umoja can bring.
We will also work to resolve other important items, including air travel, conditions of service for judges, construction at the United Nation Office in Nairobi, and the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. The United States looks forward to working energetically and collaboratively with all delegations.
Thank you very much.
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