CM/Res.1479 (LIX)
RESOLUTION ON PROGRAMME BUDGET FOR THE BIENNIUM 1994 – 1996
The Council of Ministers of the Organization of African Unity, meeting in its Fifty-ninth Ordinary Session, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 31 January to 4 February, 1994,
Having considered the Report of the Board of External Auditors on the Accounts of the General Secretariat for the 1991/1993 Financial Year and comments and observations thereon by the General Secretariat, on the one hand, and by the Advisory Committee in its Fifty-ninth Session, on the other (Doc. CM/1792 (LIX) Add.1 – 12),
Having considered the report of the Fifty-ninth Ordinary Session of the Advisory Committee on Administrative, Budgetary and Financial Matters relating to the Proposed Programme Budget for the Biennium 1994 – 1996 (Doc. CM/1800 (LIX),
Having further considered the Draft Programme Budget recommended by the Fifty-ninth Ordinary Session of the Advisory Committee for the Biennium 1994 – 1996 (Doc. CM/1793 (LIX) Rev.2),
Bearing in mind the overall objectives and priorities of the Organization in political and socio-economic areas, with particular focus on peaceful management of political change on the continent, conflict prevention, management and resolution, socio-economic integration through the gradual implementation of the Abuja Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community,
Recalling operative paragraph 6 Resolution CM/Res.1363 (LV) adopted by the Fifty-fifth Ordinary Session of Council requesting the Secretary-General to conduct a comparative study into the advantage of introducing bi-annual programme budgeting within the framework of the mid-term planning of the activities of the Organization:
APPROVES the Programme-Budget for the Biennium 1994/1996 and adopts the budgets of US$ 29,500,000.00 and US$ 30,160,000.00 for the programmes of the Organization for the fiscal years 1994/1995 and 1995/1996 respectively and DIRECTS that these budgets be revised in mid- term review sessions of the Advisory Committee and Council in order to respond to new developments and emerging priorities during the biennium within the approved appropriations;
COMMENDS the Secretary-General and the Advisory Committee for the arrangements made for the early introduction of the biennial programming in the OAU budgeting system in the process of preparing the present Draft Programme-Budget in compliance with Res.1363 (LV);
ENDORSES the recommendations contained in the report of the Board of External Auditors as approved by the Fifty-ninth Ordinary Session of the
Advisory Committee and FURTHER ENDORSES the recommendations of the latter as contained in its report submitted to Council under Doc. CM/1800 (LIX);
DECIDES to appoint in future, as recommended by the Advisory Committee, seven regular members on the Board of External Auditors as well as three additional members for the eventual replacement of those regular Member States unable to take up their assignment on time;
APPROVES the revised Financial Rules and Regulations as recommended by the Fifty-ninth Session of the Advisory Committee, Doc. CM/1795 (LIX) and AUTHORIZES their implementation with effect from 1 June 1994;
APPROVES the recommendation of the First Ministerial Session of the OAU Central Organ to appropriate for each fiscal year 5% of the Regular Budget of the Organization for the OAU Peace Fund;
FURTHER APPROVES the recommendation of the Committee authorizing the Secretary-General to incur expenses of the Peace Fund to the tune of US$1,000,000.00 during 1993/94 Financial Year and REQUESTS the Advisory Committee to regularize the situation during the virement session by transferring, on exceptional basis, funds appropriated for personnel emoluments in the 1993/94 budget;
ENDORSES the recommendation of the Advisory Committee regarding budget financing from the arrears, for a further period of 2 years, starting from June 1994, and to that end, DECIDES to devote for each year of the biennial, 15% of the amount of arrears collected during the last financial year taken as reference;
REQUESTS the Secretary-General to submit to the sessions of the Advisory Committee a detailed report on the utilization of the extra- budgetary resources placed at the disposal of the OAU;
STRONGLY URGES Member States to promptly honour their financial obligations in order to provide the Organization with the resources necessary for its smooth-running and the implementation of the approved programmes.