Update on Programme and Funding Projections for 1997

EC/47/SC/CRP.16

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE HIGH COMMISSIONER'S PROGRAMME
STANDING COMMITTEE
9 April 1997

7th Meeting

UPDATE ON PROGRAMME AND FUNDING PROJECTIONS FOR 1997

I. INTRODUCTION

1. An update of UNHCR programme and funding projections for 1996 and 1997, as at 15 December 1996, was presented to the sixth meeting of the Standing Committee on 30 and 31 January 1997 (EC/47/SC/CRP.5). The present paper provides further updated information on programme expenditure for 1996 (Part II) and a summary of programme and funding projections for 1997 (Part III).

II. 1996 EXPENDITURE

2. As shown in Annex I to document EC/47/SC/CRP.22, funds available in 1996 under all sources of funds, including funds brought forward from 1995, totalled $ 1,363,877,291 (excluding the Working Capital and Guarantee Fund). Obligations entered into during 1996 totalled $ 1,145,038,373 ($ 423,487,036 for General Programmes and $ 721,551,337 for Special Programmes), leaving a total carry-over of $ 218,838,918 at year-end (not including the Working Capital and Guarantee Fund) to meet initial activities in 1997. The carry-over is composed of $ 30.2 million for General Programmes and $ 188.7 million for Special Programmes.

3. In document EC/47/SC/CRP.5, UNHCR anticipated that General Programmes expenditure for 1996 was likely to total some $ 425 million. As noted above, the final obligation level was $ 423.5 million, $ 1.5 million less than anticipated. This reduction was mainly the result of not using the exceptional provision under the 1996 Programme Reserve for exchange rate losses at Headquarters as much as had been expected.

4. With regard to Special Programmes, UNHCR anticipated that expenditure for 1996 was likely to total some $ 769.1 million (EC/47/SC/CRP.5 refers). As noted above, the final obligation level was $ 721.6 million, a difference of $ 47.5 million. The difference was the result of lower than foreseen expenditures for the Rwanda/Burundi Emergency Operation and for the former Yugoslavia.

III. PROGRAMME AND FUNDING PROJECTIONS FOR 1997

5. Annex I to this paper provides an update as of 15 March 1997 of total projected needs for activities programmed in 1997 and a forecast of expected income for the year, taking into account, inter alia, unobligated funds brought forward from 1996. It should be noted that the unobligated funds brought forward from 1996 as shown in Annex I relate only to programmed activities.

6. With regard to General Programmes, it will be recalled that the Executive Committee, at its forty-seventh session in October 1996, approved the 1997 General Programmes target of $ 452.6 million. This target includes:

(a) the Emergency Fund ($ 25 million), against which allocations totalling $ 1.2 million had been made by 15 March 1997, leaving an unallocated balance of $ 23.8 million (Annex II refers);

(b) the Voluntary Repatriation Fund ($ 20 million), against which allocations totalling $ 12 million had been made by 15 March 1997, leaving an unallocated balance of $ 8 million (Annex III refers). Most of these allocations were made to fund new repatriation programmes pending the launching of appeals;

(c) the Programme Reserve ($ 37 million). Of the initial 1997 Programme Reserve of $ 37 million approved by the Executive Committee in October 1996, $ 17.8 million were allocated by 15 March 1997, inter alia, as a result of the comprehensive programme review exercise undertaken in late 1996, leaving a balance of $ 19.2 million for the remainder of 1997 (Annex IV refers).

7. Projections for 1997 in respect to Special Programmes currently amount to $ 741.8 million. These projections take into account updates under programmes for which funding appeals have been issued in coordination with the Department of Humanitarian Affairs (DHA). The only significant change in requirements for Special Programmes, subsequent to their initial submission in Annex V of document EC/47/SC/CRP.5, concerns the Sierra Leone repatriation programme.

8. The above projections include budgetary allocations for the implementation of Project Delphi. Further details are provided in document EC/47/SC/CRP.23.

9. In summary, against projected total (excluding the Regular Budget) needs in 1997 of $ 1,194.4 million (General Programmes $ 452.6 million and Special Programmes $ 741.8 million), on 15 March 1996, $ 549.6 million was available ($ 188.3 million unobligated funds carried over from 1996 and $ 361.3 million in 1997 income). Further 1997 income was projected at $ 461.8 million. Thus, actual and projected availability of funds is currently $ 1,011.4 million, or $ 183 million short of projected total needs. The High Commissioner appeals to donor Governments for an early announcement of contributions so as to permit continuation and timely implementation of the various assistance programmes.

10. A list of 1997 contributions to UNHCR is attached to this paper as Annex V.

(Note: Annexes I to V not included in this online version. See your nearest UN Depository Library.)

Annex VI: Draft Decision: Programme and Funding Projections

The Standing Committee,

Recalling the decision of the forty-seventh session of the Executive Committee on programme, administrative and financial matters,

OP1 Notes that the overall needs for 1997, based on currently known or anticipated requirements, now amount to $ 1,218.4 million, of which projected needs for General Programmes remain at $ 452.6 million, as approved by the Executive Committee at its forty-seventh session, and those for Special Programmes are $ 741.8 million, of which 289.7 million are for voluntary repatriation, while the remaining $ 24 million pertain to the United Nations Regular Budget.

OP2 Notes also the uses made of the Emergency Fund, the Programme Reserve and the Voluntary Repatriation Fund in accordance with the governing criteria.

OP3 Acknowledges the High Commissioner's appeal to donors for an early announcement of contributions to permit timely implementation of programmes.