CHAPTER 5: SUPPORT SERVICES

(All amounts in US$ 000)

MAJOR PROGRAMME 5.1: INFORMATION AND PUBLICATIONS SUPPORT

(All amounts in US$ 000)

430. Following the restructuring of the Publications Programme in the 1996-97 biennium, Major Programme 5.1 consists of Programmes 5.1.1 and 5.1.9, which relate to the work of the Information Division (GII), and its outposted Information Officers in four Regional Offices, and programme management by GII and the  Office of Assistant Director-General,  General Affairs and Information Department (GID).

Programme 5.1.1: Public Information and Publications Support

431. This programme aims to raise and maintain awareness of, and support for the Organization's priority policies and programmes, including promoting the goals of the WFS and highlighting the importance of concerted action to ensure food security. The wide-ranging audiences will include the media, On-governmental Organizations (NGOs), including women and youth organizations, technical and institutional partners as well as governments and the general public. The promotion of World Food Day and TeleFood activities will be strengthened.

432. GII will continue to support the priorities of the Organization through public information and by providing a system of planning through the Organization's Corporate Communication Policy which, with the collaboration of technical departments, will ensure high quality, coherence and cost-effectiveness in total public information outreach. The overarching structure is designed to ensure that external publications, periodicals and other information products not only meet professional and commercial standards but also present an appropriate and coherent corporate image of the Organization. Furthermore, a unified Media Relations Branch has been created to consolidate gains made in this area over the past biennium and build productive new media relations.

433. Emphasis will continue to be placed on close cooperation between Headquarters and the decentralized offices to respond to local needs and demands through the Information Officers in the Regional Office for Africa (RAF), Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (RAP), Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean (RLC), and the Regional Office for the Near East (RNE). An Information Officer has been added to cover the European Region and is assigned to the Regional Office for Europe (REU). There is also an intention to provide concrete public information expertise from Headquarters to the Liaison Office for North America.

Programme 5.1.9: Programme Management

434. This programme covers the applicable portion of the cost of the GID including the Management Support Unit (GIDX) and divisional direction of GII.

MAJOR PROGRAMME 5.2: ADMINISTRATION

(All amounts in US$ 000)

435. Major Programme 5.2 includes the provisions for the financial, computer and personnel services provided by the Administration and Finance Department (AF) and relatively minor provisions for these services in the Regional and Sub-regional Offices. It also includes the Office of the Assistant Director-General, AF (AFD) provisions in the proportion that departmental direction relates to the Finance Division (AFF), Information Systems and Technology Division (AFI), formerly the Computer Division (AFC), and the Personnel Division (AFP).

Programme 5.2.1: Financial Services

436. The primary activities of AFF are to maintain the accounts of the Organization to the highest standards with reference to UN Accounting Standards and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, and to provide accurate financial information to all levels within the Organization and to the Governing Bodies.

437. The main focus of AFF in the 2000-01 biennium will be directed towards the consolidation of the implementation of the FINSYS replacement, Oracle Financials, and its related components. The newly implemented Field Accounting System (FAS) will provide the capacity to efficiently process field transactions of all the decentralized locations other than Regional Offices, which will operate on the Headquarters Oracle Financial Systems. Once the new Oracle systems are implemented, AFF will need to undergo further divisional reorganization to align itself to the new business processes of the Organization, based upon the experience gained during the early stages of implementation of the new systems. The existing programme of local audits in the FAORs will bolster financial control.

438. Of the amount of US$ 4.0 million originally provided for Oracle Financials, US$ 2.2 million has been removed leaving US$ 1.8 million to cover the cost of redeveloping payroll and other related tasks.

439. Effective January 1999, there was a cessation of reimbursements from the World Food Programme (WFP) in respect of treasury services provided to that Organization. This has arisen partly because of the relative size of WFP's investment portfolio, which currently exceeds FAO's portfolio by a factor of three, and in view of the imminent implementation of WFP's own integrated financial systems. This is the other key reason for the reduction in the programme of work for Financial Services.

Programme 5.2.2: Information Systems and Technology Services

440. The provision under this programme covers only the direct managerial costs of Information Systems and Technology Division (AFI) with the exception of the Director and his Secretary who are shown under Programme Management. The remaining costs of information technology (IT) services, amounting to approximately US$ 15.6 million in 2000-01 are distributed to the various programmes making use of the information technology infrastructure, network and telecommunications services and of computerized applications.

441. As information systems and new technologies become increasingly embedded in the processes of the Organization, AFI will continue to assist programme managers and technical staff in the effective use of modern communication tools and techniques. The development and coordination of corporate systems and applications within the framework of corporate and departmental strategies requires that AFI undertake the overall management of shared computer resources, including local and wide-area network management and Internet systems management.

442. Due to the technological convergence of telecommunications systems and information technology, it is proposed to transfer telecommunications services to the IT Pool. Additional provisions in 2000-01 under the pool account mechanism include US$ 3 million in respect of the telecommunications infrastructure transferred from Chapter 6 in 1998-99 to Programme 5.2.2 and nearly US$ 1.9 million from the Chapter 6 budget in 2000-01.

443. AFI through its collaboration in the development and maintenance of key components assists in the delivery of the programmes of the Organization through computer application initiatives such as World Agricultural Information Centre (WAICENT), Food Insecurity and Vulnerability Information and Mapping System (FIVIMS), Fisheries Global Information System (FIGIS), INFOSYLVA and FAOMAP, all of which make heavy use of Internet based technology.

444. AFI will devote much of its time and resources in 2000-01 to the further development and implementation of Oracle applications, as well as providing the computer infrastructure to support them.

Programme 5.2.3: Personnel Services

445. This programme relates to the work of AFP and will continue to cover a broad spectrum of human resource management and administration issues. The AF Management Review completed in the last biennium recognized that the personnel function in the Organization would be evolving over the forthcoming biennia from a traditional rules based prescriptive approach to a more consultative one. The implementation of Phase II of Oracle will also require the division to be involved in the design and implementation of the Human Resources module to replace PERSYS.

446. AFP will structure itself so as to be more responsive to its advisory role and provide more inspection, outreach and support to the decentralized offices. The proposed structure will enable AFP to reduce its establishment by one director-level post and replace with a lower graded personnel officer. The division will also continue to ensure that the Organization's human resource management policies are fully supportive of cross-organizational issues and the strategic direction of the Organization. This will be facilitated by the preparation of the Human Resources Action Plan which will include strategies to ensure excellence, enhance inter-disciplinarity and broaden partnerships and alliances.

447. The principle reason for the increase in resources concerns an amount of US$ 945 000 which has been set aside for implementation of the Oracle-based Human Resources Package including appropriate interfaces to Oracle Financials. The remaining increase reflects a larger share of the cost of computer services and a redistribution of staff time in some Regional Office Management Support Units (MSUs).

448. Within the UN system, AFP will continue to participate in inter-agency consultations, the Consultative Committee on Administrative Questions (CCAQ), the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) and the UN Joint Staff Pension Fund, in order to maintain a common approach on personnel matters.

449. The Medical Unit, now located in AFD, will continue to fulfil its statutory functions and undertake preventive measures to improve the health of the staff, as well as providing both human and economic benefits.

Programme 5.2.9: Programme Management

450. This programme covers AFD, the MSU (AFDX) and the offices of the division directors.

CHAPTER 6: COMMON SERVICES

(All amounts in US$ 000)

451. This chapter covers the cost of the Administrative Services Division (AFS), except for the Office of the Director which is covered under programme management in Chapter 5, and includes the provisions for common services of the Regional and Sub-regional Offices.

452. The overall reduction in resources is largely due to the completion of the transfer of the telecommunications functions from AFS to Information Systems and Technology Systems (AFI). Although work within the chapter has been slightly strengthened where possible, the budgetary provision for major maintenance works continues to remain tight and reliance continues to be placed extensively on the support of the Italian Government in accordance with the Host Country Agreement.

Documents, Central Records and Communications User Services

453. This sub-programme covers mail, diplomatic pouch, document distribution and archives with the activities undertaken by a consolidated mail and distribution unit that will be capable of providing a more integrated service to the Organization. New activities in the 2000-01 biennium will include the development of a Digital Records Management System (DRMS), which is expected to protect institutional memory by integrating electronic mail and other digital correspondence into the Organization's record-keeping infrastructure and enhance user access to records kept in registries.

Buildings Maintenance

454. The first priority of this sub-programme is to cover the cost of utilities and on-going maintenance requirements including cleaning, renovation and refurbishment. It also includes one-off major maintenance for the buildings and for ancillary technical installations. Major maintenance items programmed in 2000-01 include the renewal of interpreters' booths in the Red Room, security systems associated with external fencing of the Headquarters building and some electrical and fire safety works.

Procurement

455. The procurement service uses purchasing or contract instruments for national and international tendering and related procurement activities. During the 2000-01 biennium, operative procedures will be modified in the light of the implementation of Oracle and the Field Accounting System (FAS) and the service will continue to assist in the decentralization of procurement activities. In addition, the service will be strengthened so that it can effectively deal with the substantial rise in emergency procurement operations and undertake related short-term missions. The Service also covers the inventory and the insurance functions.

Security and Transport

456. This sub-programme covers the protection of people, property and premises at Headquarters, and related coordination with government authorities. It also includes fire prevention and local official transport. The introduction of new equipment in 2000-01 for building pass control and fire protection and improved working procedures will further enhance the effectiveness of controlling access to, and security and safety of the premises.

Programme Management

457. Programme management relates to budgetary and administrative servicing, the administrative supervision of Commissary operations, the Registry and the Standing Committee on Field Emergency Claims.

CHAPTER 7: CONTINGENCIES

(All amounts in US$ 000)

458. The provision for contingencies remains unchanged, i.e. at the level last set by the Conference for the 1980-81 biennium (when the approved budget level was US$ 278 million).