By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, November 19 -- When four Asian countries faced off for three seats on the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions on November 5 in the UN's Fifth Committee, some called the conclusion foregone on political and not budgetary or technical questions. Among China, India, Japan and Pakistan, the fourth one seemed preordained to lose.
China's power speaks for itself -- at the UN it sometimes doesn't even need to speak. Japan is the second largest contributor, and India a rising power as annointed by no less than Barack Obama.
Pakistan has drone strikes in its tribal areas, a former strongman beating the drum against its current leadership, the International Monetary Fund beating at the door.
Still, Pakistan's representative on ACABQ Imtiaz Hussain had long served in the Fifth (Budget) Committee, and done his homework during his time on ACABQ. By contrast, some of the other three individuals standing for the post had only recently joined the budget committee.
On the day of the Fifth Committee vote, sources say that the absence of Pakistan's highest ranked diplomats sealed the deal, at least making it easy for even some of Pakistan's allies to vote the other way.
The final result was closer than might have been expected. Namgya C. Khampa of India received 164 votes; Akira Sugiyama of Japan received 147 votes and Zhang Wanhai of China received 130 votes, edging out Pakistan's Hussain who got 114 votes. The result is set to be rubber stamped in the full General Assembly on November 19.
Some bemoan that elections for the UN's technical posts are politicized. Some note that ACABQ has, as simply one example, not taken action on evidence that one of the Special Political Missions it reviews, the Good Offices on Myanmar which was approved and funded by the General Assembly, has had its staff time shifted to other uses within the Department of Political Affairs' Asia division under Tamrat Samuel.
On an administrative and budgetary question such as this, which of the three elected Asian country representatives has an interest in acting? Watch this site.
Footnote: Japan's former Permanent Representative and UN budget expert Yukio Takasu, whom Inner City Press recently exclusively reported in English is in line for a UN job, is the subject of some commentary. The job would be Special Advisor on Human Security, a concept pushed by Japan but not fully vetted or approved by the General Assembly. Watch this site.
