Resolution A.844(20)

 WORK PROGRAMME AND BUDGET FOR THE TWENTIETH FINANCIAL  PERIOD 1998-1999

(Adopted on 26 November 1997)

 

 A. WORK PROGRAMME AND BUDGET FOR 1998-1999

 

THE ASSEMBLY,

 

RECALLING Article 15 of the Convention on the International Maritime Organization and in particular in paragraphs (f) and (g) thereof with regard to the functions of the Assembly in relation to the work programme and budget,

 

RECALLING FURTHER resolution A.726(17) by which the revised assessment formula for apportioning the contributions of Member States to the Organization's budget and Amendments to the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly concerning enforcement of the payment of contributions were approved,

 

NOTING the provision of article III of the proposed Financial Regulations with regard to the preparation of the programme budget estimates,

 

1. APPROVES the work programme submitted by the Secretary-General in the new programme budget format, comprising ten major programmes which are divided into programmes and sub-programmes, as recommended by the Council;

 

2. DECIDES that:

 

(a) For the financial period 1998-1999 appropriations are here voted for the following purposes:

 

 

 

(b)The appropriation voted in subparagraph (a) above shall be financed by contributions from Member States after reduction for miscellaneous income (estimated at £280,000 for the biennium) and for a transfer from the surplus in the Printing Fund of £400,000 during the biennium;

 

(c) Transfers of uncommitted balances of appropriations to the same major programme of the budget in the second calendar year other than those authorized by article IV of the Financial Regulations, and transfer of appropriations between major programmes of the budget, shall only be carried out with the prior concurrence of the Council;

 

(d) In respect of each of the calendar years 1998 and 1999 covered by the financial period, the approved meetings shall be as in appendix 1, the approved posts as in appendix 2, and the appropriations and assessments shall be those indicated under the relevant programme headings in appendix 3;

 

NOTING the provision in regulation 5.1 of the Financial Regulations and Rules concerning the use of the Working Capital Fund to finance the approved appropriation pending receipt of contributions,

 

RECOGNIZING ALSO that exceptional and unforeseen circumstances could arise pending receipt of contributions and when the funds in the Working Capital Fund are insufficient to finance the approved appropriations,

 

3. AUTHORIZES the Secretary-General to draw upon the Printing Fund, the Headquarters Capital Fund, the Technical Co-operation Fund and the Termination Benefit Fund, to finance the approved appropriations. Advances made from these Funds to finance budgetary appropriations during a financial period shall be reported to the Council immediately and reimbursed to each respective Fund as soon as and to the extent that income is available for that purpose,

 

RECOGNIZING further the provision in regulation 3.8 of the Organization's Financial Regulations and Rules concerning supplementary estimates and the past practice of the Assembly in authorizing the Council to approve any necessary recalculation of the appropriations for the second year of the biennium,

 

4. AUTHORIZES the Council at its eighty-first session to review the 1999 programme budget provisions and, if it decides it is necessary, to approve any appropriate recalculation of the 1999 appropriations and assessment figures in the light of the budgetary and exchange rate situation at that time;

 

5. INVITES the attention of the Council to the above-mentioned provisions;

 

6. REQUESTS the Secretary-General to ensure their application while endeavouring to effect the maximum economies in the budget;

 

7. REQUESTS the Council to keep under review the Organization's financial framework during the 1998-1999 biennium and to report on the outcome to the twenty-first session of the Assembly.

 

 B. WORKING CAPITAL FUND

 

THE ASSEMBLY,

 

RECALLING resolution A.363(IX) by which the Working Capital Fund was established in the amount of $250,000 as of 1 January 1976 by means of advances assessed on Member States,

 

RECALLING FURTHER resolution A.508(XII) authorizing the transfer to the Working Capital Fund of $400,000 from the Printing Fund surplus, resolution A.552(13) authorizing the transfer to the Working Capital Fund of $350,000 from the General Fund cash surplus, resolution A.633(15)B increasing the level of the Working Capital Fund to £1.25 million by a transfer from the Exchange Reserve Fund, and resolution A.837(19) increasing the level of the Working Capital Fund to £2 million in two stages by the transfer of £375,000 in each year of the 1996-1997 biennium from the surpluses of the Printing Fund which arose at the end of 1995 and 1996,

 

NOTING that, after taking into account payments by new Members, the level of the Working Capital Fund presently stands at £2,004,028,

 

1. decides that new Members shall be assessed for their advances to the Working Capital Fund on the basis only of the part assessed on Members as at 1 January 1976;

 

2. AUTHORIZES the Secretary-General:

 

(a) To advance from the Working Capital Fund such sums as may be necessary to finance the appropriations for the years 1998 and 1999 pending receipt of contributions from Members;

 

such amounts so advanced shall be reimbursed to the Working Capital Fund as soon as contributions are available;

 

(b) To advance from the Working Capital Fund such sums as may be necessary to finance additional expenditure arising from movements in the rate of exchange during 1998-1999 from the rate adopted for calculation of the appropriation; sums so advanced to be returned to the Working Capital Fund as soon as possible and in a manner decided on by the Council;

 

(c) With the prior concurrence of the Council, to advance such sums as may be necessary to meet unforeseen or extraordinary expenses arising during the financial period 1998-1999, provided that such expenses are of a clearly exceptional nature and shall relate specifically to the approved work programme of the Organization and that the Council is assured that the relevant expenditure cannot be met by appropriate transfer action within the total budget approved for a calendar year;

 

3. REQUESTS the Secretary-General to report to the Council and the Assembly all advances made under the present resolution, and the circumstances relating thereto, and to submit supplementary estimates for reimbursement to the Working Capital Fund of advances made therefrom to meet unforeseen or extraordinary expenses.

 

 C. PRINTING FUND

 

THE ASSEMBLY,

 

RECALLING that, in accordance with resolution A. 100(1V), the disposal of any amount standing to the credit of the Printing Fund at the end of the financial period shall be decided by the Assembly,

 

1. APPROVES that the amount standing to the credit of the Printing Fund at the end of the financial period 1996-1997 shall be carried forward to the Printing Fund for the financial period 1998-1999;

 

2. DECIDES that the interest earnings accruing in the Printing Fund shall continue to be credited to the Printing Fund;

 

3. AUTHORIZES the Secretary-General to make the transfer noted in the paragraph 2(b) of part A of this resolution and additionally:

 

(a) To transfer at 1 January 1998 £500,000 from the end of the 1997 Printing Fund surplus to the Headquarters Capital Fund, as noted in paragraph 1 (a) of part D of this resolution;

 

(b) To transfer at 1 January 1999 £500,000 from the end of the 1998 Printing Fund surplus to the Headquarters Capital Fund, as noted in paragraph 1(b) of part D of this resolution;

 

(c) To transfer at 1 January 1998 £500,000 from the end of the 1997 Printing Fund surplus to the Technical Co-operation Fund, as noted in paragraph 1 (a) of part E of this resolution;

 

(d) To transfer £ 500,000 from the end of the 1998 Printing Fund surplus to the Technical Co­operation Fund in 1999, as noted in paragraph 1(b) of part E of this resolution.

 

 D. HEADQUARTERS CAPITAL FUND

 

THE ASSEMBLY,

 

RECALLING that the Assembly decided at its eighteenth regular session, in resolution A.778(18), on the establishment of the Headquarters Capital Fund by transferring the balance held in the Headquarters Installation Fund and by transfers from the Printing Fund of Ј500,000 in 1994 and Ј250,000 in 1995,

 

RECALLING ALSO that the Assembly decided that the Fund shall be replenished from time to time by such transfers from other funds of the Organization as may be approved by the Assembly or by the transfer of funds from the Organization's regular budget as may be approved by the Assembly,

 

NOTING that the Fund has enabled the Secretary-General to plan for and implement major capital programmes over the years 1994 to 1997, notably in the field of office automation and communication which improve the Organization's efficiency and effectiveness,

 

NOTING ALSO that the capital expenditure programme for the next biennium and beyond as presented in annex 1,C/ES.19/17/Add.1 indicates that fresh transfers of funds are required to rebuild the base of the Fund,

 

1. AUTHORIZES the Secretary-General:

 

(a) To transfer £500,000 from the surplus of the Printing Fund at 1 January 1998 to the Headquarters Capital Fund;

 

(b) To transfer £500,000 from the surplus of the Printing Fund at 1 January 1999 to the Headquarters Capital Fund;

 

(c) To transfer £500,000 from the surplus of the General Fund at 1 January 1998 to the Headquarters Capital Fund;

 

2. APPROVES that the income arising from investments of the Headquarters Capital Fund shall continue to be credited to the Headquarters Capital Fund.

 

 E. TECHNICAL CO-OPERATION FUND

 

THE ASSEMBLY,

 

RECALLING resolution A.593(14) of 20 November 1985 by which the Technical Co-operation Fund was established, and which resolved that the interest shall be used to assist the Technical Co-operation Programme of the Organization in accordance with the proposals approved by the Assembly,

 

RECALLING FURTHER resolution A. 837(19) of 23 November 1995 by which the funds from the Technical Co­operation Fund was drawn down and converted into pounds sterling for application of technical co­operation activities, and to enable the level of the funds to be increased by donor contributions and by transfer from other funds of the Organization as may be approved by the Assembly,

 

NOTING that the Assembly decided the transfer from the General Fund of £500,000 in 1996 and from the Printing Fund of £2.3 million in 1996 and £700,000 in 1997 to the Technical Co-operation Fund to carry out its technical co-operation activities,

 

NOTING with concern the continued decline of the extra-budgetary funds donated to the Organization for technical assistance and the very low level of funds available to finance the Integrated Technical Co­operation Programme of the Organization,

 

RECOGNIZING the need to finance a core programme of technical cooperation which will assist developing countries in the implementation of the Organization's conventions and instruments,

 

1. AUTHORIZES the Secretary-General:

 

(a) To transfer £500,000 from the surplus of the Printing Fund at 1 January 1998 to the Technical Co-operation Fund;

 

(b) To transfer £500,000 from the surplus of the Printing Fund at 1 January 1999 to the Technical Co-operation Fund;

 

(c) To transfer £500,000 from the cash surplus of the General Fund at 1 January 1998 to the Technical Co-operation Fund;

 

(d) To transfer f500,000 from the cash surplus of the General Fund at 1 January 1999 to the Technical Co-operation Fund;

 

2. APPROVES that the income arising from investments of the Technical Co-operation Fund shall continue to be credited to the Technical Co-operation Fund;

 

3. REQUESTS the Secretary-General to submit programmes of technical co-operation activities indicating outputs and end results from the use of the Fund's resources during the 1998-1999 biennium.

 

 F. TERMINATION BENEFIT FUND

 

THE ASSEMBLY,

 

NOTING the Organization's liability for termination indemnity and repatriation grants of approximately £5.0 million as at 31 December 1997,

 

RECALLING resolution A.837(19) by which the Termination Benefit Fund was established by an initial transfer of £900,000 from the cash surplus of the General Fund as at 1 January 1996 to meet the costs associated with termination benefits of the staff of the Organization,

 

RECALLING ALSO that the Assembly decided that the Fund shall be replenished from time to time by such transfers from other funds of the Organization as may be approved by the Assembly or by the transfer of funds from the Organization's regular budget as may be approved by the Assembly and that the Fund shall be administered in accordance with the Financial Regulations and Rules of the Organization,

 

1. AUTHORIZES the Secretary-General:

 

(a) To transfer £250,000 from the surplus of the General Fund at 1 January 1998 to the Termination Benefit Fund;

 

(b) To transfer £250,000 from the surplus of the General Fund at 1 January 1999 to the Termination Benefit Fund;

 

2. APPROVES that income arising from investments of the Termination Benefit Fund shall be credited to the Termination Benefit Fund.

 

 Appendix 1.
List of meetings approved for 1998 and 1999

 

 

 

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* Includes 1.5 days for the June session of TCC and one day for the autumn session.

† One week for spring regular session and one day for extraordinary session prior to Assembly.

 

 Appendix 2.
List of posts approved for 1998 and 1999

 

 

 

 

 Appendix 3.
Work programme and programme budgets for the twentieth financial period 1998-1999 biennium