SIXTY-FIRST WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY Provisional agenda item 14.3
A61/35 16 May 2008
Status of collection of assessed contributions, including Members in arrears in the payment of their contributions to an extent which would justify invoking Article 7 of the Constitution Third report of the Programme, Budget and Administration Committee of the Executive Board to the Sixty-first World Health Assembly
STATUS OF COLLECTION 1. The Programme, Budget and Administration Committee met in Geneva on 15 and 16 May 2008 under the chairmanship of Professor J. Pereira Miguel (Portugal).1 2. The Committee noted that the rate of collection of assessed contributions for 2007 was 90% at 31 December 2007, marginally higher than the rate for 2006 as at 31 December 2006. The Committee also noted that the amounts unpaid relating to prior years was US$ 83 million, with a further US$ 52 million due under special arrangements for the settlement of arrears authorized by the Health Assembly. The Committee noted that US$ 4 million had been collected during 2007 from Member States under such special arrangements. 3. The Committee noted that, as a result of payments received from Afghanistan, Belarus, Iraq, Marshall Islands, Sudan and Turkmenistan, these Member States were no longer concerned by Article 7 of the Constitution. Any further Member States in arrears in the payment of their contributions to an extent that had justified invoking Article 7 of the Constitution that made sufficient payments before the opening of the Health Assembly would have voting privileges automatically reinstated, and a further update would be provided during the Health Assembly. 4. The Committee noted that the voting privileges of nine Members (Argentina, Azerbaijan, Central African Republic, Cape Verde, Comoros, Dominica, Guinea-Bissau, Kyrgyzstan and Somalia) remained suspended, and that suspension would continue at the Sixty-first and subsequent World Health Assemblies until the arrears had been reduced to a level below the amount that would justify invoking Article 7 of the Constitution.
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For list of participants, see document A61/21, Annex.
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5. The Committee considered the situation of the four Member States (Democratic Republic of Congo, Gambia, Solomon Islands and Togo) with arrears in payment of contributions as at 31 March 2008 that would justify the adoption of a resolution under which their voting rights would be suspended from the opening of the Sixty-second World Health Assembly. The Committee decided that a resolution be drafted authorizing suspension of their voting rights from the opening of the Sixtysecond World Health Assembly unless sufficient payment had been received by the aforesaid opening.
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR SETTLEMENT OF ARREARS 6. The Committee noted that a proposal had been received from Kyrgyzstan requesting the rescheduling of its arrears over a 20-year period. The Committee decided that a resolution be drafted with respect to that request, by which the voting privileges of Kyrgyzstan would be restored at the Sixty-first World Health Assembly on condition that Kyrgyzstan shall pay its outstanding contributions, totalling US$ 1 213 895, in 20 annual instalments payable in each of the years 2008 to 2027, in addition to its assessment due in the current year.
RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY 7. The Committee, on behalf of the Executive Board, recommended the following draft resolutions for consideration by the Sixty-first Health Assembly: I. The Sixty-first World Health Assembly, Having considered the third report of the Programme, Budget and Administration Committee of the Executive Board to the Sixty-first World Health Assembly on Status of collection of assessed contributions, including Members in arrears in the payment of their contributions to an extent that would justify invoking Article 7 of the Constitution;1 Noting that, at the time of opening of the Sixty-first World Health Assembly, the voting rights of Argentina, Azerbaijan, Central African Republic, Cape Verde, Comoros, Dominica, Guinea-Bissau, Kyrgyzstan and Somalia were suspended, such suspension to continue until the arrears of the Member State concerned have been reduced, at the present or future Health Assemblies, to a level below the amount that would justify invoking Article 7 of the Constitution; Noting that Democratic Republic of Congo, Gambia, Solomon Islands and Togo were in arrears at the time of the opening of the Sixty-first World Health Assembly to such an extent that it was necessary for the Health Assembly to consider, in accordance with Article 7 of the Constitution, whether or not the voting privileges of those countries should be suspended at the opening of the Sixty-second World Health Assembly;
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Document A61/35.
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DECIDES: (1) that in accordance with the statement of principles set out in resolution WHA41.7 if, by the time of the opening of the Sixty-second World Health Assembly, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gambia, Solomon Islands and Togo are still in arrears in the payment of their contributions to an extent that would justify invoking Article 7 of the Constitution, their voting privileges shall be suspended as from the said opening; (2) that any suspension that takes effect as aforesaid shall continue at the Sixty-second and subsequent World Health Assemblies, until the arrears of Democratic Republic of Congo, Gambia, Solomon Islands and Togo have been reduced to a level below the amount that would justify invoking Article 7 of the Constitution; (3) that this decision shall be without prejudice to the right of any Member to request restoration of its voting privileges in accordance with Article 7 of the Constitution. II. The Sixty-first World Health Assembly, Having considered the third report of the Programme, Budget and Administration Committee of the Executive Board on the Status of collection of assessed contributions, including Member States in arrears in the payment of their contributions to an extent that would justify invoking Article 7 of the Constitution, with respect to the request of Kyrgyzstan for the settlement of its outstanding contributions;1 1. DECIDES to restore the voting privileges of Kyrgyzstan at the Sixty-first World Health Assembly on condition that Kyrgyzstan shall pay its outstanding contributions, totalling US$ 1 213 895, in 20 annual instalments payable in each of the years 2008 to 2027 as set out below, in addition to its current-year assessment due in the current year: US $ 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 1
7 350 10 000 15 000 20 000 30 000 30 000 30 000 30 000 30 000 30 000 100 000 100 000 100 000
Document A61/35.
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2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027
US $ 100 000 100 000 100 000 100 000 100 000 100 000 81 545
2. DECIDES that, in accordance with Article 7 of the Constitution, voting privileges shall be automatically suspended again if Kyrgyzstan does not meet the conditions stipulated at 1 above; 3. REQUESTS the Director-General to communicate this resolution to the Government of Kyrgyzstan.
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