Philippine Mission Deputy Permanent Representative Ariel R. Peñaranda acknowledges positive development in UN’s cash collection this year, and calls for greater efforts to strengthen the organization’s fiscal position.
14 May 2021, New York – The Philippines cited the importance of using available resources in a cost-efficient manner to ensure the continuity and sustainability of the operations of the United Nations. Mr. Ariel Rodelas Peñaranda, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Philippine Mission to the United Nations, emphasized this point at the 13th Formal Meeting of the UN Fifth Committee of the 75th UNGA on the Financial Situation of the United Nations held at the UN Headquarters today.
DPR Peñaranda expressed satisfaction over the positive development in the UN’s cash collection performance amounting to $3.16 billion, which surpassed the Administration’s expectations of $2.98 billion this year. However, he expressed concern over the unpredictable cash flows of the Organization. “The unpredictable cashflows could make it difficult for programme managers to strategically position the Organization’s common goals and ensure mandate delivery for this current financial year and beyond,” DPR Peñaranda said.
At an earlier briefing on 7 May 2021, Ms. Catherine Pollard, Under-Secretary-General for Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance, said, “the liquidity situation has been worsening in recent years with cash deficits occurring earlier in the year, deficits running deeper, liquidity reserves being exhausted and year-end arrears setting new records.” Noting this volatility of the UN’s liquidity situation, DPR Peñaranda enjoined Member States to continue exerting earnest efforts to fulfill their financial obligations to the United Nations in full, on time, and without conditions.
The Philippine representative also said that Member States are responsible for ensuring that the Organization is adequately resourced to fulfill its mandates, especially at this time when it is expected to undertake unforeseen expenditures as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. He said, “the increased financial constraints arising from the impact of the pandemic and the shortfalls brought about by a decline in the payments of assessed dues by some Member States, in addition to arrears by many, have presented a new challenge to the Organization.”
He further noted that despite the challenging fiscal environment and the devastating effects of the pandemic, both at the national and international levels, the Philippines will endeavor to fulfill its obligation to pay its contributions in full and on time, as stipulated in the UN Charter. END