CL 124/2-Rev.1

Council

1. Article 4(a) of the regulations of the United Nations Joint Staff Pension fund provides that "the Fund shall be administered by the United Nations joint Staff Pension Board, a staff pension committee for each member organisation, and a secretariat to the Board and to each such committee". Under Article 6(c) the staff pension committee of each member organisation "shall consist of members and alternate members chosen by the body of the organisation corresponding to the General Assembly, its chief administrative officer, and its participants in service..."

2. The FAO Staff Pension Committee plays an important role in the general effort to harmonise UN pensions and their administration with the requirements of Organisations of the UN common system and of their staff, who may serve and retire in all countries of the world. The characteristics of the International civil Service of the UN system require particular care as well as in-depth treatment of the issues that are brought to the attention of the UN General Assembly. Its responsibilities are:

1. to review the pension Fund regulations and Administrative rules with respect to possible amendments thereto in order to formulate the position of the Committee's delegation to the United Nations joint Staff Pension Board, which in turn makes recommendations as appropriate, to the United Nations general Assembly;
    

2. to interpret and apply the Regulations and Administrative rules of the Pension Fund in cases of contestation by FAO participants of a decision by the Secretary for the FAO Staff Pension Committee concerning participants' entitlements and/or status;
    

3. to grant disability benefits in payment (approximately 25-30 cases per year), in accordance with the Regulations and rules of the UN Joint Staff Pension Fund.

3. The Committee meets in Rome as the need arises (normally six to eight times a year for meetings lasting half a day). The Committee appoints three members and three alternates (one member and one alternate from among the members designated by the FAO Conference, the Director-General and FAO Participants respectively) to represent the Organisation in the UN Joint Staff Pension Board, the higher administrative body of the Fund, reporting directly to the UN General Assembly. Regular sessions of the Board are held not less frequently than once every two years.

4. The FAO Staff Pension Committee consists of:

• three members (with three alternates) appointed by the Conference of FAO;
• three members (with three alternates) appointed by the Director-General; and
• three members (with three alternates) elected by the FAO Participants.

5. The Conference-appointed members and alternates at present are:

6. In view of the time factor and to avoid undue travel costs in connection with attendance at Staff Pension Committee meetings which are held in Rome, the Conference has usually appointed representatives who are resident in Rome.

7. The Eighth Session of the Conference, in November 1955, delegated to the Council authority to appoint replacements of the Conference-appointed members should any of them resign or be transferred (Paragraph 439 of its Report refers).

8. Since Mr. Chris Richard, Alternate Permanent Representative of the United States of America departed from Rome on reassignment, it is necessary for the Council to appoint a replacement for his unexpired term.

9. The Council is therefore invited to confirm the appointment of Mr Bruce Berton, Alternate Permanent Representative of the United States of America to FAO, as member of the Staff Pension Committee to replace and complete the term of office of Mr Chris Richard, Alternate Permanent Representative of the United States of America to FAO, which is due to expire on 31 December 2004.