UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- The UN General Assembly on Tuesday adopted a resolution to enlarge an advisory body of its Administrative and Budgetary Committee (Fifth Committee).
The resolution decides to increase the membership of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) from 16 to 21, beginning from Jan. 1, 2021.
The resolution assigns five seats each to the regional groups of Africa and the Asia-Pacific; four each to Latin America and the Caribbean, and Western European and other states; three to Eastern Europe.
The contentious draft resolution was adopted 120-48 with four abstentions, as orally amended.
The Russian oral amendment to the draft increases the number of seats for Eastern Europe from two to three.
The ACABQ is responsible for expert examination of the program budget of the United Nations. Its members, including at least three financial experts of recognized standing, are elected by the General Assembly for a period of three years, on the basis of broad geographical representation.
Members serve in a personal capacity and not as representatives of member states. The ACABQ holds three sessions a year with total meeting time between nine and 10 months per year.
Japan asked for the postponement of the vote, citing the Rules of Procedure of the General Assembly. Japan's motion was rejected in a recorded vote by the assembly.
Croatia, on behalf of the European Union, then put forward an oral amendment to the draft resolution, referring the enlargement of the ACABQ to the Fifth Committee.
The United States and some other Western countries voiced support for the EU amendment, which was rejected in a recorded vote by the assembly.
