UNESCO. General Conference; 30th; Records ... - unesdoc - Unesco

the Organization and staff members, the employer’s share being 15.8% and the staff member’s share 7.9%. The
percentages are the same throughout the United Nations system. At the end of the debate, the Commission
recommended that the General Conference adopt the draft resolution contained in paragraph 20 of document
30 C/66.
8.23 In regard to item 9.12, Report by the Director-General on the state of the Medical Benefits Fund and
appointment of Member States’ representatives to the Board of Management for 2000-2001, the representative of
the Director-General informed the Commission of a study, initiated by the Board of Management, on the option
of outsourcing the medical insurance. This study is expected to be completed in Spring 2000. The debate focused
on the medium- to long-term perspective of the Medical Benefits Fund and on the possible advantages of an
outsourcing arrangement. In replying to questions on this subject, the representative of the Director-General
stated that when making a final choice, it would be important to realize that a contract with a private insurance
company would not improve on the spread of risks, given the large number of participating members, which is
currently 8,000. In addition, if UNESCO wants to maintain its current coverage level or improve on it, increases
in cost could not be avoided. Gains could probably be achieved by improving efficiency in the administration of
the Medical Benefits Fund. At the end of the debate, the Commission recommended that the General Conference
adopt the draft resolution contained in paragraph 21 of document 30 C/66.
8.24 I now move to item 9.13, Consequences of the switch to the euro. Document 30 C/55, treated as an
explanatory note and introduced by the representative of Finland, in its capacity as President of the European
Union, was centred on consequences of the switch to the euro. The representative of the Director-General
informed the Commission that the euro is already used in the Organization for the collection of contributions,
payments, investments and contracting. The representative of the European Union raised a point concerning a
study on the possible fundamental change to the euro as the single currency for budgeting, accounting and
contributions to replace the dollar and the split-level assessment system. Some Member States emphasized the
need to maintain the split-level assessment system for contributions, while others suggested that this matter
needed to be studied further. At the end of the debate, the Commission recommended that the General
Conference adopt the draft resolution contained in paragraph 22 of document 30 C/66.
8.25 I now turn to item 9.14, New management and monitoring instruments. All the members of the
Commission who took the floor during the debate expressed their agreement to modernize UNESCO’s computer
system of management. As the budget foreseen in the Programme and Budget (30 C/5) is insufficient to fund the
estimated cost of $10.7 million for this modernization, voluntary contributions and/or extrabudgetary funds
would be required. At the end of the debate, the Commission recommended that the General Conference adopt
the draft resolution contained in paragraph 23 of document 30 C/66.
8.26 Madam President, please permit me to conclude my presentation with a few words of grateful thanks to
all those who contributed to the fruitful conclusion of the deliberations of the Administrative Commission. First
on my list are the delegates of Member States, who gave the Commission the benefit of their technical expertise
and their professional competence. I would also like to pay tribute to the Bureau of the Administrative
Commission for the work that they did under difficult conditions. Madam President, the Administrative
Commission would never have progressed as it did if not for the indispensable assistance the Commission
received from the representatives of the Director-General, namely, Mr Matsui, Assistant Director-General for
Management, Mr Goodwin-Diaz, Director of the Bureau of the Budget, Mr Warren, Comptroller, Ms Hirose,
Director of Personnel and Mr Camez, Head of the Participation Programme, and all other colleagues to whom I
am very grateful.
8.27 Now Madam President, I should like to say a few words on those who made the work of the
Administrative Commission so easy and enjoyable. Foremost among them is the indefatigable Secretary,
Mr Mohammed Bachiri. I had along with him the willing services of a band of devoted colleagues whom I shall
name: Ms Lise Latreille, Mr Silvo Dragan, Mr Mauro Rosi, Mr Shanta Retnasingam, Ms Terry McGinnis,
Ms Mary-Ann Bernard, Ms Marie-Noelle Branet and Mr Poun Ong. Without their efficient help we could not
have successfully concluded our work. May I also express my sincere thanks to all those who served us from
behind the scenes, the room clerks without whose help we could not have successfully functioned and the
interpreters whose tasks were in no way simple at this session. I am personally grateful to the Chief of the
Interpretation Services, Mr Boulares, who was readily available to meet all the special demands of our
Commission. Thank you Madam President.
(M. Nachabé, Liban, prend la présidence)
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