EU Presidency Statement - The OIOS Management Review of the Office of UNHCHR

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. The acceding countries, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, and the countries associated with the EU - Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey - as well as the EFTA countries of Iceland and Liechtenstein align themselves with this statement.

The European Union would like to thank the Office of Internal Oversight Services for its report on the management review of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (document A/57/488).

We have always attached great importance to the smooth functioning of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and to providing it with the sufficient means to carry out its mission, which constitutes a priority activity of the Organization. In this context, we appreciate the fact pointed out by the Office of Internal Overnight Services that "the priority status accorded to the human rights programme was not reflected in the United Nations regular budget resource base". In particular, the European Union is prepared to consider increased regular funding for the Treaty Bodies and the Special Procedures, taking into account the recommendations of the Office of Internal Oversight Services and keeping in mind that some elements are subject to on-going reform efforts by the Secretary-General; we believe that the implementation of many of them will contribute to the improved and more effective operation of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

We have noted that the High Commissioner for Human Rights has agreed with the relevance of these recommendations; we will examine them further in the context of the management review shortly to be presented by the High Commissioner as a part of the follow-up to the Secretary-General's report on strengthening the Organization.

Thank you Mr. Chairman.

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