Expenses to be incurred by the United Nations in respect of individuals or groups of experts appointed by organs or subsidiary organs for the performance of special ad hoc tasks

XXIII. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED ON THE REPORTS OF THE FIFTH COMMITTEE
2489. Expenses to be incurred by the United Nations in respect of individuals or groups of experts appointed by organs or subsidiary organs for the performance of special ad hoc tasks

The General Assembly, Recalling its decision by resolution 1798 (XVII) of 11 December 1962 on the payment by the United Nations of travel and subsistence costs in respect of members of organs and subsidiary organs of the United Nations, as well as its endorsement at the 1082nd plenary meeting, on 18 December 1961,[1] of the recommendation by the Fifth Committee regarding the rules governing the payment of honoraria to such members,[2] Considering that additional rules are called for to govern such payments to individuals appointed by organs or subsidiary organs to undertake in their personal capacity the performance of special studies or other ad hoc tasks on behalf of the bodies involved,

1. Reaffirms the basic principles governing the payment of travel and subsistence costs of members of organs and subsidiary organs as laid down in General Assembly resolution 1798 (XVII);

2. Reaffirms the basic principles adopted at its 1082nd plenary meeting governing the payment of honoraria to such persons, according to which neither a fee nor any other remuneration in addition to subsistence allowances at the standard rate shall normally be paid to members of organs or subsidiary organs;

3. Decides that the following additional rules shall become effective as from 1 January 1969:

(a) A clear distinction shall be drawn between:

(i) Individuals appointed by organs or subsidiary organs to undertake in their personal capacity the performance of special studies or other ad hoc tasks on behalf of the bodies involved,

(ii) Experts or consultants appointed by the Secretary-General to assist him in the performance of special studies or other ad hoc tasks entrusted to the Secretariat;

(b) Cases falling under category (i) above shall be governed by the rules established by the General Assembly in its resolution 1798 (XVII) on the payment of travel and subsistence costs of members of organs and subsidiary organs of the United Nations and the decision taken by the General Assembly at its sixteenth session on the payment of honoraria, namely, that neither a fee nor any other remuneration in addition to travel expenses and a subsistence allowance at the standard rate shall normally be payable;

(c) If a fee or remuneration is proposed by way of exception to the established rules, the decision shall invariably be taken by the General Assembly after prior examination by the Fifth Committee of any special considerations in the particular case; the criterion might be whether the person best qualified for a particular task could be induced to accept the appointment unless some financial provision was made to compensate for the loss of professional earnings; thus a factor in each case would be, whether or not the person concerned would remain in the employ of a Government or other institution without suspension of normal emoluments; in such cases, at least as far as Member States are concerned, it shall be assumed, in any event, that they would normally wish to make available to the Organization without charge the services of persons in their employ;

4. Decides that the decisions in paragraphs 2 and 3 above shall not be deemed to apply to the payment of any honoraria which it has already authorized on an exceptional basis and which are enumerated in the annex to the present resolution.

1752nd plenary meeting,
21 December 1968.

ANNEX Payment of honoraria authorized on an exceptional basis by the General Assembly  

	(US dollars)
Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions	5,000a
Chairman of the International Law Commission	2,500b
Special rapporteurs of the International Law Commission	2,500b
Other members of the International Law Commission	1,000
President of the International Narcotics Control Board	2,500
Vice-Presidents of the International Narcotics Control Board	1,500
Other members of the International Narcotics Control Board	1,000
President of the United Nations Administrative Tribunal	2,500
Other members of the United Nations Administrative Tribunal	1,000c

    a Honorarium to be paid only so long as the Chairman is not in the service of his Government. b Payment of an amount of $2,500, rather than the minimum amount of $1,000 payable to all members, to be conditional upon the preparation of specific reports or studies between sessions of the Commission. c On the basis of $500 for each session in which the members of the Tribunal participate, provided that the maximum amount payable in any one year shall not exceed $1,000 (see resolution 2490 (XXIII)).

---

[1] Ibid., Sixteenth Session, Plenary Meetings, 1082nd meeting, para. 7. [2] Ibid., Sixteenth Session, Annexes, agenda item 54, document A/5005, para. 10.