Rules of procedure
XVI. Administrative and Budgetary Questions
General Provisions
Regulations for financial administration: Rule 152 | Financial implications of resolutions: Rule 153 | Financial implications of resolutions: Rule 154
Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions
Appointment: Rule 155 | Composition: Rule 156 | Functions: Rule 157
Committee on Contributions
Appointment: Rule 158 | Composition: Rule 159 | Functions: Rule 160
General Provisions
Regulations for financial administration
The General Assembly shall establish regulations for the financial administration of the United Nations.
Financial implications of resolutions
No resolution involving expenditure shall be recommended by a committee for approval by the General Assembly unless it is accompanied by an estimate of expenditures prepared by the Secretary-General. No resolution in respect of which expenditures are anticipated by the Secretary-General shall be voted by the General Assembly until the Administrative and Budgetary Committee (Fifth Committee) has had an opportunity of stating the effect of the proposal upon the budget estimates of the United Nations.
The Secretary-General shall keep all committees informed of the detailed estimated cost of all resolutions which have been recommended by the committees for approval by the General Assembly.
Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions
Appointment
The General Assembly shall appoint an Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions consisting of twenty-one members, including at least three financial experts of recognized standing. [See introduction paras. 23, 35, 40 and 60 ]
Composition
The members of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions, no two of whom shall be nationals of the same State shall be selected on the basis of broad geographical representation, personal qualifications and experience and shall serve for a period of three years corresponding to three calendar years. Members shall retire by rotation and shall be eligible for reappointment. The three financial experts shall not retire simultaneously. The General Assembly shall appoint the members of the Advisory Committee at the regular session immediately preceding the expiration of the term of office of the members or, in case of vacancies, at the next session. [See introduction paras. 23 and 40 ]
Functions
The Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions shall be responsible for expert examination of the programme budget of the United Nations and shall assist the Administrative and Budgetary Committee (Fifth Committee). At the beginning of each regular session at which the proposed programme budget for the following biennium is to be considered, it shall submit to the General Assembly a detailed report on the proposed programme budget for that biennium. It shall also submit, at such times as may be specified in the applicable provisions of the Financial Regulations and Rules of the United Nations, a report on the accounts of the United Nations and all United Nations entities for which the Secretary-General has administrative responsibility. It shall examine on behalf of the General Assembly the administrative budgets of specialized agencies and proposals for financial and budgetary arrangements with such agencies. It shall perform such other duties as may be assigned to it under the Financial Regulations of the United Nations. [See introduction para. 40 ]
Committee on Contributions
Appointment
The General Assembly shall appoint an expert Committee on Contributions consisting of eighteen members. [See introduction paras. 30, 37 and 39 ]
Composition
The members of the Committee on Contributions, no two of whom shall be nationals of the same State, shall be selected on the basis of broad geographical representation, personal qualifications and experience and shall serve for a period of three years corresponding to three calendar years. Members shall retire by rotation and shall be eligible for reappointment. The General Assembly shall appoint the members of the Committee on Contributions at the regular session immediately preceding the expiration of the term of office of the members or, in case of vacancies, at the next session. [See introduction para. 41 ]
Functions
The Committee on Contributions shall advise the General Assembly concerning the apportionment, under Article 17, paragraph 2, of the Charter, of the expenses of the Organization among Members, broadly according to capacity to pay. The scale of assessments, when once fixed by the General Assembly, shall not be subject to a general revision for at least three years unless it is clear that there have been substantial changes in relative capacity to pay. The Committee shall also advise the General Assembly on the assessments to be fixed for new Members, on appeals by Members for a change of assessments and on the action to be taken with regard to the application of Article 19 of the Charter.
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