Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim, has taken charge of the first plenary meeting of the Fifth Committee of the 81st UN General Assembly in New York.
Ibrahim, who was elected chairman of the committee on June 2, said Nigeria would work with other member states to promote transparency, accountability and effective oversight in the United Nations’ administrative and budgetary affairs.
The Fifth Committee is responsible for the UN’s budget and administrative matters, making its deliberations critical to the financing and implementation of the organisation’s programmes.
Declaring the meeting open, Ibrahim thanked member states for entrusting Nigeria with the chairmanship and pledged collective efforts by the committee’s bureau to deliver on its responsibilities.
He also drew attention to the Secretariat’s note on the organisation of the committee’s work, including the dates of the session and procedures for submitting membership lists.
Member states used the meeting to call for closer scrutiny of UN budget proposals and their implications for programme delivery, while seeking greater efficiency without weakening the organisation’s ability to fulfil its mandates.
The delegates also stressed the need to ensure adequate funding for the UN’s development pillar and priorities of developing countries.
Another issue raised was equitable geographical representation in UN staffing, with member states stressing the need for a balanced and representative Secretariat in line with the UN Charter.
Ibrahim said the bureau would work collectively to ensure that the committee’s responsibilities were discharged effectively and on schedule.
His leadership of the committee places Nigeria at the centre of negotiations on the UN’s administrative operations, funding priorities and resource allocation during the 81st General Assembly session.
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