Statement by H.E. Mr. Tsutomu OSAWA, Deputy Permanent Representative of Japan, on Agenda item 3 at the 56th Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs
2013/3/13
Madam Chair,
Japan highly commends the UNODC’s role and has actively supported the activities of the UNODC primarily in Afghanistan and in its neighboring countries and also in some South-East Asian countries, through regional and thematic programmes. Japan continues to give high priority to international cooperation on world drug problem and hopes to continue working with the UNODC and Members States in tackling these issues.
Madam Chair,
To facilitate the vital role of the UNODC in the fight against drugs, we believe it should continue to be supported on the basis of sound funding. In this regard, Japan shares the concerns expressed by the Secretariat at the 55th Reconvened Session of the Commission last December over the fact that voluntary contributions of Member States for management and programme support remains stagnant, while their extra budgetary contributions have been dramatically increasing over the past ten years.
In this regard, we wish to point out that, Japan has continuously contributed to both the UNODC’s management and Programme Support Costs (PSC) as well as to its budget for regional or thematic programmes. In 2012, Japan contributed a total of 23 million dollars to the UNODC, of which 1.82 million dollars were allocated to the General Purpose Fund (GPF) to assure that the UNODC office is managed in an efficient and sustainable way. We sincerely hope that other donors will also follow suit by allocating a fair portion of their extra budgetary contribution to the GPF.
Madam Chair,
Japan has been actively participating in discussions regarding the new “Fundraising Strategy 2012-2015 ” proposed by the Secretariat at the FinGov Meeting last September.
We appreciate the efforts of the Secretariat aimed at introducing a new funding model in UNODC to ensure smooth delivery of technical assistance programmes. We also take note of the Secretariat’s intention to gradually introduce some new measures such as full direct cost recovery contained in the “Fundraising Strategy” for 2013.
However, in order to further deepen our consideration of this important topics; Japan considers it necessary that Member States be provided with more information concerning the current funding model.
Japan is particularly interested in obtaining a clear explanation from the Secretariat on the usage of the GPF and the PSC under the current model. We would like to request the Secretariat once again to explain in the most detailed way possible how financial resources mobilized through the GPF and the PSC are allocated within the Secretariat to support the management of the office and the implementation of programmes. We would also like the Secretariat to clarify how this funding structure would be changed once the new funding model is introduced.
Without the substantive inputs from the Secretariat on the points mentioned above, it would become difficult for Japan to continue to engage in FinGov discussions in a constructive way.
Madam Chair,
It is our view that FinGov has made considerable achievements in a number of ways. For example, it has served as a useful forum to exchange views between Member States and the Secretariat, as well as a platform to provide Member States with relevant information on the UNODC’s regional and thematic programmes. Member States have also found it genuinely useful in following up the implementation of resolutions originating from the CND.
Lastly, on February 1, after intensive consultations, Member States adopted recommendations on the renewal of the mandate of FinGov for further consideration at the CND. Japan believes continuous dialogue between individual Member States and the Secretariat and among Member States is needed to further improve the finance and governance of the UNODC. We appreciate FinGov for providing us with a forum to facilitate such a dialogue and we support the renewal of its mandate. At the same time, Japan thinks the mandate of FinGov should be reviewed periodically bearing in mind its past achievements. Thus we stress that the period of the new mandate should remain as it had been originally established, that is for a period of two years with an opportunity for-re-evaluation on a biennial basis.
Thank you.
Japan highly commends the UNODC’s role and has actively supported the activities of the UNODC primarily in Afghanistan and in its neighboring countries and also in some South-East Asian countries, through regional and thematic programmes. Japan continues to give high priority to international cooperation on world drug problem and hopes to continue working with the UNODC and Members States in tackling these issues.
Madam Chair,
To facilitate the vital role of the UNODC in the fight against drugs, we believe it should continue to be supported on the basis of sound funding. In this regard, Japan shares the concerns expressed by the Secretariat at the 55th Reconvened Session of the Commission last December over the fact that voluntary contributions of Member States for management and programme support remains stagnant, while their extra budgetary contributions have been dramatically increasing over the past ten years.
In this regard, we wish to point out that, Japan has continuously contributed to both the UNODC’s management and Programme Support Costs (PSC) as well as to its budget for regional or thematic programmes. In 2012, Japan contributed a total of 23 million dollars to the UNODC, of which 1.82 million dollars were allocated to the General Purpose Fund (GPF) to assure that the UNODC office is managed in an efficient and sustainable way. We sincerely hope that other donors will also follow suit by allocating a fair portion of their extra budgetary contribution to the GPF.
Madam Chair,
Japan has been actively participating in discussions regarding the new “Fundraising Strategy 2012-2015 ” proposed by the Secretariat at the FinGov Meeting last September.
We appreciate the efforts of the Secretariat aimed at introducing a new funding model in UNODC to ensure smooth delivery of technical assistance programmes. We also take note of the Secretariat’s intention to gradually introduce some new measures such as full direct cost recovery contained in the “Fundraising Strategy” for 2013.
However, in order to further deepen our consideration of this important topics; Japan considers it necessary that Member States be provided with more information concerning the current funding model.
Japan is particularly interested in obtaining a clear explanation from the Secretariat on the usage of the GPF and the PSC under the current model. We would like to request the Secretariat once again to explain in the most detailed way possible how financial resources mobilized through the GPF and the PSC are allocated within the Secretariat to support the management of the office and the implementation of programmes. We would also like the Secretariat to clarify how this funding structure would be changed once the new funding model is introduced.
Without the substantive inputs from the Secretariat on the points mentioned above, it would become difficult for Japan to continue to engage in FinGov discussions in a constructive way.
Madam Chair,
It is our view that FinGov has made considerable achievements in a number of ways. For example, it has served as a useful forum to exchange views between Member States and the Secretariat, as well as a platform to provide Member States with relevant information on the UNODC’s regional and thematic programmes. Member States have also found it genuinely useful in following up the implementation of resolutions originating from the CND.
Lastly, on February 1, after intensive consultations, Member States adopted recommendations on the renewal of the mandate of FinGov for further consideration at the CND. Japan believes continuous dialogue between individual Member States and the Secretariat and among Member States is needed to further improve the finance and governance of the UNODC. We appreciate FinGov for providing us with a forum to facilitate such a dialogue and we support the renewal of its mandate. At the same time, Japan thinks the mandate of FinGov should be reviewed periodically bearing in mind its past achievements. Thus we stress that the period of the new mandate should remain as it had been originally established, that is for a period of two years with an opportunity for-re-evaluation on a biennial basis.
Thank you.
The Practical Export Control Workshop was hosted by the Wassenaar Arrangement as part of its 20th Anniversary programs and held at the Permanent Mission of Japan to the International Organizations in Vienna on 27 and 28 June 2016. More than 100 government representatives from 46 countries participated in the technically focused Practical Workshop.
Workshop speakers included the 2016 WA Plenary Chair Ambassador Anu Laamanen (Finland), 2016 WA General Working Group Chair Ambassador Paul Beijer (Sweden), 2015-2016 WA Experts Group Chair Robertas Rosinas (Lithuania), 2016 WA Licensing and Enforcement Officers Meeting Chair Jon Erik Strömö (Norway), as well as the Head of the WA Secretariat, Ambassador Philip Griffiths. The WA control lists as well as export licensing and enforcement topics were covered during the two days.
The following link from WA’s webpage contains more details:
http://www.wassenaar.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/June-2016-Workshop-media-release.pdf
Workshop speakers included the 2016 WA Plenary Chair Ambassador Anu Laamanen (Finland), 2016 WA General Working Group Chair Ambassador Paul Beijer (Sweden), 2015-2016 WA Experts Group Chair Robertas Rosinas (Lithuania), 2016 WA Licensing and Enforcement Officers Meeting Chair Jon Erik Strömö (Norway), as well as the Head of the WA Secretariat, Ambassador Philip Griffiths. The WA control lists as well as export licensing and enforcement topics were covered during the two days.
The following link from WA’s webpage contains more details:
http://www.wassenaar.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/June-2016-Workshop-media-release.pdf