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As budget advisory panel turns 70, Ban lauds 'strong collaboration' on reaching UN's goals

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (centre) at the 2013 ribbon cutting ceremony to inaugurate the new Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) conference room, pictured with ACABQ Chair Carlos Ruiz Massieu (left) and Yukio Takasu, U
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (centre) at the 2013 ribbon cutting ceremony to inaugurate the new Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) conference room, pictured with ACABQ Chair Carlos Ruiz Massieu (left) and Yukio Takasu, Under-Secretary-General for Management (right).

As budget advisory panel turns 70, Ban lauds 'strong collaboration' on reaching UN's goals

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today praised the UN's advisory committee on budgetary matters for its help in carrying out the world body's lifesaving work around the world, as the 16-member body marked the 70th anniversary of its establishment.

“I am very proud of all that we have accomplished together,” Mr. Ban told a special event marking the commemoration of the establishment of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) at UN Headquarters in New York this afternoon.

“I thank all the Committee for helping me transform and modernize the United Nations,” he added.

Recounting the ACABQ's accomplishments since it was established in 1946, the UN chief thanked the Committee's 16 members for their service and lauded the body's “effective” and “impressive” use of funds in an Organization with numerous field offices and 16 peacekeeping operations.

“One ACABQ plus one Secretary-General equals stronger collaboration than ever before,” Mr. Ban said. “That is critical in our world because we the Peoples of the United Nations are more than 7 billion – and counting,” he said.

As a comparison, Mr. Ban noted that in 1946, the Committee held 18 meetings and produced seven reports, whereas this year, it held more than 251 meetings and published 116 reports.

ACABQ celebrates 70th Anniversary. Credit: United Nations

The ACABQ is a UN General Assembly subsidiary body that examines budget proposals and serves as the Organization's main external auditing body.