WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION FIFTY-FIFTH WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY A55/45 17 May 2002
Second report of Committee B Committee B held its second and third meetings on 16 May under the chairmanship of Professor A.M. Coll Seck (Senegal). It was decided to recommend to the Fifty-fifth World Health Assembly the adoption of the attached decision and seven resolutions relating to the following agenda items: 15. Financial matters
15.1 Financial report on the accounts of WHO for 2000-2001, report of the External Auditor, and comments thereon made on behalf of the Executive Board; report of the Internal Auditor One resolution 15.2 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 Three resolutions entitled: – Members in arrears to an extent which would justify invoking Article 7 of the Constitution – Arrears in payment of contributions: Azerbaijan – Arrears in payment of contributions: the Dominican Republic 15.3 Miscellaneous income One resolution 15.4 Revolving and other long-term funds Two resolutions entitled: – Real Estate Fund – Revolving Sales Fund
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15.6 Assessments for 2003 One decision entitled – Scale of assessments for 2004-2005
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Agenda item 15.1 Financial report on the accounts of WHO for 2000-2001; report of the External Auditor, and comments thereon made on behalf of the Executive Board; report of the Internal Auditor The Fifty-fifth World Health Assembly, Having examined the Financial report and audited financial statements for the period 1 January 2000 – 31 December 2001 and the Report of the External Auditor to the Health Assembly;1 Having noted the first report of the Administration, Budget and Finance Committee of the Executive Board to the Fifty-fifth World Health Assembly,2 ACCEPTS the Director-General’s Financial report and audited financial statements for the financial period 1 January 2000 – 31 December 2001 and the Report of the External Auditor to the Health Assembly.
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Documents A55/25, A55/25 Add.1 and A55/25 Corr.1. Document A55/38.
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Agenda item 15.2 Members in arrears to an extent which would justify invoking Article 7 of the Constitution The Fifty-fifth World Health Assembly, Having considered the second report of the Administration, Budget and Finance Committee of the Executive Board to the Fifty-fifth World Health Assembly on Members in arrears in the payment of their contributions to an extent which would justify invoking Article 7 of the Constitution;1 Noting that, at the time of opening of the Fifty-fifth World Health Assembly, the voting rights of Afghanistan, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Dominican Republic, Georgia, Guinea-Bissau, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Nauru, Niger, Nigeria, Republic of Moldova, Somalia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Ukraine remained 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 which would justify invoking Article 7 of the Constitution; Noting that, in accordance with resolution WHA54.5, the voting privileges of Belarus, Djibouti, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, Suriname and Togo have been suspended as from 13 May 2002 at the opening of the Health Assembly, such suspension to continue until the arrears have been reduced to a level below the amount which would justify invoking Article 7 of the Constitution; Noting that Argentina, Gabon, Paraguay and Solomon Islands were in arrears at the time of the opening of the Fifty-fifth 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 these countries should be suspended at the opening of the Fifty-sixth World Health Assembly; Having been informed that as Gabon and Solomon Islands had subsequently paid their arrears in full they would no longer be included on the list of Members in arrears in the payment of their contributions to an extent which would justify invoking Article 7 of the Constitution, DECIDES: (1) that in accordance with the statement of principles in resolution WHA41.7 if, by the time of the opening of the Fifty-sixth World Health Assembly, Argentina and Paraguay are still in arrears in the payment of their contributions to an extent which would justify invoking Article 7 of the Constitution, their voting privileges shall be suspended as from the said opening; (2) that any suspension which takes effect as aforesaid shall continue at the Fifty-sixth and subsequent Health Assemblies, until the arrears of Argentina and Paraguay have been reduced to a level below the amount which 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. 1
Document A55/26.
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Agenda item 15.2 Arrears in payment of contributions: Azerbaijan The Fifty-fifth World Health Assembly, Having considered the second report of the Administration, Budget and Finance Committee of the Executive Board on Members in arrears in the payment of their contributions to an extent which would justify invoking Article 7 of the Constitution, with respect to the request of Azerbaijan for the settlement of its outstanding contributions, and the terms of that proposal as set forth in the report of the Director-General to the Administration, Budget and Finance Committee.1 1. DECIDES to restore the voting privileges of Azerbaijan at the Fifty-fifth World Health Assembly; 2. ACCEPTS that Azerbaijan will pay its outstanding contributions, totalling US$ 4 194 273, in 10 annual instalments (with a minimum payment of US$ 100 000 per year) payable in each of the years 2002 to 2011, subject to the provisions of Financial Regulation 6.4, in addition to the annual contributions due during the period; 3. DECIDES that, in accordance with Article 7 of the Constitution, voting privileges will be automatically suspended again if Azerbaijan does not meet the requirements laid down in paragraph 2 above; 4. REQUESTS the Director-General to report to the Fifty-sixth World Health Assembly on the prevailing situation; 5. REQUESTS the Director-General to communicate this resolution to the Government of Azerbaijan.
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Annex 3 of document EBABFC17/2, contained in document A55/26, Annex 1.
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Agenda item 15.2 Arrears in payment of contributions: The Dominican Republic The Fifty-fifth World Health Assembly, Having considered the second report of the Administration, Budget and Finance Committee of the Executive Board on Members in arrears in the payment of their contributions to an extent which would justify invoking Article 7 of the Constitution, with respect to the request of the Dominican Republic for the settlement of its outstanding contributions, and the terms of that proposal as set forth in the report of the Director-General to the Administration, Budget and Finance Committee,1 1. DECIDES to restore the voting privileges of the Dominican Republic at the Fifty-fifth World Health Assembly; 2. ACCEPTS that the Dominican Republic should settle its outstanding contributions for the period 1993-2001, totalling US$ 957 988, in 10 annual instalments as follows: 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Total US$ 95 788 95 800 95 800 95 800 95 800 95 800 95 800 95 800 95 800 95 800 957 988
payable in each of the years 2002 to 2011, subject to the provisions of Financial Regulation 6.4, in addition to the annual contributions due during the period; 3. DECIDES that, in accordance with Article 7 of the Constitution, voting privileges will automatically remain suspended if the Dominican Republic does not meet the requirements laid down in paragraph 2 above; 4. REQUESTS the Director-General to report to the Fifty-sixth World Health Assembly on the prevailing situation; 5. REQUESTS the Director-General to communicate this resolution to the Government of the Dominican Republic.
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Annex 4 of document EBABFC17/2, contained in document A55/26, Annex 1.
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Agenda item 15.3 Miscellaneous Income The Fifty-fifth World Health Assembly, DECIDES that the interest earned in respect of regular budget funds for the year ending 31 December 2001 shall be apportioned among Member States in accordance with the provisions of resolution WHA41.12; however, in lieu of being credited to Member States in the financial period 2004-2005, it shall be applied in like manner in the financial period 2002-2003, DECIDES that the total amount to be apportioned among Member States in 2002-2003 should be US$ 21 976 333.
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Agenda item 15.4 Real Estate Fund The Fifty-fifth World Health Assembly, Having considered the report of the Director-General on revolving and other long-term funds, 1. EXPRESSES appreciation to the Swiss Confederation and to the Republic and Canton of Geneva for the continued expression of their hospitality; 2. AUTHORIZES the Director-General to proceed with the construction of a new building at headquarters at a cost currently estimated at CHF 55 000 000, of which WHO’s share is estimated at CHF 27 500 000, on the understanding that if WHO’s share were likely to exceed by more than 10% the aforementioned amount, further authority would be sought from the Health Assembly; 3. APPROVES the use of the Real Estate Fund for the repayment over a 50-year period of the WHO share of the interest-free loan to be provided by the Swiss authorities with effect from the first year of the completion of the building; 4. NOTES that negotiations are under way with the Swiss authorities with a view to reducing WHO’s share of the loan to be provided by the Swiss authorities by the value of compensation for the demolition of the V building; 5. REQUESTS the Director-General to report at appropriate intervals to the Executive Board and the Health Assembly on progress in the construction of the new accommodation at headquarters and on related costs; 6. AUTHORIZES the construction of an extension to Building 2 and the construction of a new four-storey building to provide additional office accommodation and car parking in the Regional Office for the Western Pacific, to be financed from the Real Estate Fund.
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Agenda item 15.4 Revolving Sales Fund The Fifty-fifth World Health Assembly, Noting the proposals on the Revolving Sales Fund contained in the report of the DirectorGeneral on revolving and other long-term funds, 1. DECIDES that paragraphs 4 and 5 of resolution WHA22.8 shall be superseded by the paragraphs below so that the following conditions shall govern the operations of the Revolving Sales Fund: 4. … (i) the Fund shall be used for the purpose of financing the cost of printing and reprinting additional copies of WHO publications for sale, of producing additional copies of WHO films, filmstrips, other visual media, of the production of any other item which the Organization may produce for sale, of sales promotion, of staff exclusively engaged in such sales, and the distribution and mailing costs; (ii) proceeds of all such sales shall be credited to the Fund;
(iii) expenditure incurred in accordance with paragraph 4(i) shall be debited to the Fund; (iv) the transactions during the year and the status of the Fund shall be included in each financial report of the Director-General; 5. AUTHORIZES the Director-General, at the end of each financial period, to transfer to Miscellaneous Income any surplus standing to the credit of the Revolving Sales Fund; 2. DECIDES further that the provisions of this resolution shall become effective as from the financial period 2002-2003.
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Agenda item 15.6 Scale of assessments 2004-2005 The Fifty-fifth World Health Assembly decided to request the Executive Board at its 111th session to review the scale of assessments for 2004-2005 and to report to the Fifty-sixth World Health Assembly with its recommendations.
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