The Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions recently held a one-day exploratory session at the Regional Service Centre Entebbe to get an update on the Centre’s operations. They discussed matters surrounding the RSCE business process improvements, impact of the UN liquidity crisis and the Centres expanded mandate.

To better highlight the operations of the Centre, the Director Mr. Paulin Djomo presented the essential services and highlighted the distinctiveness of the Centre in providing services to their clients.

“The RSCE is the largest Shared Service Centre in the UN Secretariat and we provide efficient, client-focused and innovative administrative services to 69% of UN PKMs and SPMs worldwide. The Centre has since its inception been able to respond to the dynamic nature of UN field missions and become a trusted partner for more than 13,000 staff members.” he said.

In his presentation, Mr. Djomo showcased how the Centre uses data to drive their processes and to improve service delivery. He also pointed out the RSCE flagship initiatives for 2025 which include creating a Centre of Excellence for Data Analytics, enhancing the Flexible Working Arrangements Framework to client missions, finance open-items management with the use of SPARTA and driving operational excellence through implementation of ISO standards.

The ACABQ also discussed the Entebbe operations of the Global Procurement Support Section, the UN Mine Action Service, Office of Internal Oversight Services, Peacekeeping Intelligence Academy and the UN C4ISR Academy for Peace operations (UNCAP).

Highlights of the visit:

• Presentation on the UN Country Team in Uganda by the Resident Coordinator, Mr Leonard Zulu that highlighted the UN operation in the country.
• Visit to the Client Services Section where the committee observed the Client Service Delivery Model in action.
• Tour of the Data Centre and presentation of the UNCAP Micro Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) used in training of troops and police for C4ISR in the field and the use of 3D printing technology.
• Tour of the MONUSCO Entebbe Support Base led by Acting DMS, Nicoleta Verestuic who took the committee to the MONUSCO Transit Camp, the Transport Section, Level 1 Clinic and to the integrated warehouse facility.

The 21-member ACABQ is a subsidiary organ of the General Assembly appointed by the Assembly in their individual capacities. The major functions of the Advisory Committee are to examine and report on the budget submitted by the Secretary-General to the General Assembly, advise the General Assembly concerning any administrative and budgetary matters referred to it, examine on behalf of the General Assembly the administrative budgets of the specialized agencies and proposals for financial arrangements with such agencies and to consider and report to the General Assembly on the auditors’ reports on the accounts of the United Nations and of the specialized agencies.