Director General/Executive Director
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is with great pleasure that I address today the Commission on Narcotic Drugs and the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in the reconvened session.
The CND and CCPCJ have an important responsibility as the governing bodies of UNODC. Our efforts to confront the transnational drugs and crime are guided by the mandates given by you.
I also note that the Secretary-General's Strategic Framework for the period 2012-2013 identified drug control, crime prevention and combating international terrorism as one of the eight priorities of the United Nations.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
These joint meetings arose from the consultations here in Vienna within the context of the open-ended working group on improving the governance and financial situation of the Office ("FinGov").
I would like to commend this working group for bringing about this innovation in the agenda of the Commissions.
FinGov has also been responsible for the development of an updated Strategy for the period 2012-2015 for UNODC. If approved, this new strategy, together with the Strategic Frameworks, will guide our efforts in implementing the mandates Member States have entrusted to UNODC.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Our discussion today is on two central issues:
First, the organisation's finances, and second, how we are streamlining the organisation to ensure we deliver the greatest possible impact.
I wish to stress that in 2011, we continued to enhance transparency and accountability and streamline our overall management process. We will also remain in an open dialogue with Member States on these issues.
I look forward to the outcome of the joint sessions of the Commissions that will consider administrative, budgetary, and strategic management questions, as well as provide welcome policy directives.
Let me provide you with a brief summary of the last few years.
The financial crisis hit UNODC hard in 2009 and we quickly had to develop a sound financial strategy to see us through this crisis.
We froze vacant posts at Headquarters, re-positioned our field office network and reduced positions in the field. In consequence, we managed to control the situation in 2009 and reduce our expenditures in the GP fund to the level of projected income.
This outcome was reflected in our 2012-2013 Consolidated Budget and its Implementation Report.
In 2010, UNODC received a one-time contribution of $7 million to its GP. UNODC then experienced a stabilization of GP income for the biennium 2010-2011.
Today, I am pleased to say that UNODC's financial situation is stable for all funds, and the fund balances of income over expenditure are expected to be positive.
A new funding strategy is also being developed. That should also relieve the strain on our finances.
Today, we present for your approval the UNODC 2012-2013 Consolidated Budget already reviewed by ACABQ.
I appreciate the work done here in Vienna by FinGov, and in New York by ACABQ, to ensure that this budget reflects our strategic priorities, while also providing UNODC the necessary tools to do the job that you ask of us.
As was the case for previous biennia, the key focus of the Consolidated Budget is the general-purpose (un-earmarked) voluntary contributions.
In this respect, total general-purpose expenditures (for the UNDCP and CPCJ Funds) will increase by half a million US$ (2.4 per cent) from $20.6 million in 2010-2011 to $21.1 million in 2012-2013.
The total amount of the consolidated budget for 2012-13 is $561.5 million which represents an increase of 1.9 per cent compared to the consolidated budget of the previous biennium.
Programme support resources are projected to increase by $4.6 million (14.8 per cent) from $31.2 million in 2010-11 to $35.8 million in 2012.
This increase is in line with the expected increase in income and the support required for technical cooperation activities funded by special purpose contributions.
With regard to special purpose funds, expenditure for both the Drugs and Crime Funds is projected to slightly increase by $3.1 million (0.7 per cent) from $415.5 million in 2010-11 to $418.5 million in 2012-13.
The combined expenditures of the Drugs and Crime Funds are projected to reach $475.5 million in 2012-13.
Of this amount, two thirds (67 per cent) will be expended through UNODC field offices and one third (33 per cent) at HQ.
Changes in our resources in the next biennium mainly reflect the strengthening of UNODC's field office network and realignment of resources between general-purpose and programme support cost funds.
The Director of the Division for Management will later provide more details on the consolidated budget.
Regarding the streamlining of our operations, UNODC has taken seriously the need to achieve more with less. In consequence, we are currently working hard to review every aspect of our work, and to ensure that this simple phrase is turned into a reality.
One crucial area is the continued development of a response to drugs and crime that is based on a system-wide approach.
Together with DPA, UNODC co-chairs the Task Force on Transnational organised Crime and Drug trafficking, which has been created to allow us to deliver on our mandate and to better implement the decisions of Member States.
The Task Force is an implicit recognition that drugs and crime are transnational threats that have evolved from social and criminal problems into major challenges for states and regions.
As we go forward with the Task Force, we will create a key set of deliverables in support of the Secretary-General and the UN system in responding to these threats. And, of course, we will continue to inform Member States on the results of this inter-agency coordination.
We are also moving ahead with our full implementation of the recommendations of the JIU.
A dedicated team has also been created in UNOV/UNODC to monitor the implementation of these recommendations.
In this regard, we have instituted a corporate mechanism to oversee the financial situation and to determine resource allocation. A Review Group on the financial monitoring of UNODC has been established following the JIU recommendation.
The Independent Evaluation Unit plays an increasingly important role, and the evaluation is now an integral part of the appraisal process of each programme.
I consider the work of the IEU essential to UNODC, especially as part of the streamlining process. Evaluation will allow us to couple effectiveness, with accountability and transparency.
The various audit reports I have received in this last month pose a strategic question regarding the need to streamline the management process within UNODC.
To address this important challenge, UNODC is establishing a "Change Management Coordination Team" to review UNODC's work and to streamline the organization.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Through our Conventions on drugs and crime and the standards and norms in crime prevention and criminal justice, we are also promoting the rule of law that is the foundation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Using these principles as a solid foundation, we intend to ensure that the provisions of the Conventions and the standards and norms of human rights are fully integrated into all our policies and programme design.
In practical terms I have decided to establish an advisory group comprised of UNODC senior managers to help us uphold the rights of people to dignity, health, justice, security and sound development.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We are committed to continue to develop and strengthen an efficient and cost effective organisation that, through improved performance, delivers practical results to the satisfaction of our stakeholders.
This requires us to ensure sound programme management, effective monitoring and delivery. But, I believe this is already an element of our work.
It may be seen in UNODC's Regional programme for Afghanistan and Neighbouring Countries, our co-managed Global Container Control Programme, our concentration on corruption, money laundering and tracing illicit money flows, and our Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of Trafficking in Persons, to name a few.
We should always bear in mind the causal connections between drugs and crime, and security and development, while crafting an integrated approach, founded on partnership, political will and cooperation.
And, we must never forget the thousands of victims who suffer from the impact of drug trafficking and transnational organized crime.
To succeed, we need your support, so that UNODC can continue to provide increased assistance to the victims of drugs and crime.
Thank you.