UNTAET: UNTAET Basic Facts (Fact Sheet 2)
All of the fact sheets can be downloaded
in PDF format at
http://www.un.org/peace/etimor/fact/FS.htm
UNITED NATIONS TRANSITIONAL
ADMINISTRATION IN EAST TIMOR (UNTAET)
OFFICE OF COMMUNICATION
AND PUBLIC INFORMATION (OCPI)
Not an official document. For information purposes only.
FACT SHEET 2
December 2001
By UNTAET Press Office
UNTAET BASIC FACTS
Mandate
By its resolution 1338 of 31 January 2001, the United Nations Security Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) until 31 January 2002, bearing in mind the possible need for adjustments related to the independence timetable. UNTAET was first established by the Security Council on 25 October 1999.
Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Transitional Administrator Sergio Vieira de Mello (Brazil)
Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General Dennis McNamara (New Zealand)
Force Commander
Lieutenant General Winai Phattiyakul (Thailand)
Chief Military Observer
Major General Sergio Rosario (Brazil)
Police Commissioner
Peter Miller (Canada)
Council of Ministers
of Second Transitional Government
24 East Timorese members headed by Chief
Minister Marí Alkatiri
UNTAET strength
The current authorized deployment of nearly
8,900 Peacekeeping troops will be reduced to 5,000 troops and military
observers by independence. Reductions will include cuts in military engineering,
medical, aviation and support units. This will be achieved through
scheduled troop rotations. The Civilian Police, which has a current authorized
strength of 1,640, will likely be reduced to 1,250 by independence. In
practical terms, however, CivPol’s downsizing will not be significantly
felt as the current force of 1,133 officers is less than the authorized
strength envisioned for the post independence period. By late September,
UNTAET had already achieved its target of reducing international staff
supporting the East Timor Public Administration by 35 per cent. Plans for
a total reduction of 75 per cent are expected to be achieved by early May
2002.
Planning for UNTAET Successor Mission
Under the coordination of the Office of
the SRSG, planning teams on police, military and civilian components have
been established. These include relevant UNTAET and Second Transitional
Government offices, in order to ensure full consultation with the East
Timorese. The purpose of the planning teams is to outline objectives, targets
and timelines for the UN successor mission,
which would come into effect upon independence.
The successor mission is expected to provide security, maintain law and
order, develop the East Timor Police Service, foster the respect for human
rights, continue investigations and prosecutions of serious
crimes, and provide expert support in
areas vital to the security and viability of the Government of East Timor.
Budget
• The Donors have provided a total of approximately US$ 60 million since October 1999 to support the national budget through the Consolidated Fund for East Timor (CFET). The CFET covers the recurrent costs of core functions of the government – ie wages and salaries for civil servants, goods and services and capital investment such as renovation of key government facilities.
• The Trust Fund for East Timor (TFET),
administered by the World Bank, has also disbursed
roughly US$ 67 million by the end of November 2001. Spending has
been in key reconstruction and development
activities in the areas of health, education, agriculture, infrastructure
and water and sanitation.
Funds have also been allocated at a grassroots
level through the Community Empowerment Programme, while the Small Enterprise
and Microfinance Programmes are designed to kick-start the private sector.
• Since 1999, the donors have contributed over US$ 600 million to East Timor for development assistance (including CFET, TFET and Bilateral assistance).
• The donors also contributed with US$ 600 million to the United Nations Assessed Budget that supports the operation of UNTAET. This fund supports the operation of 21 helicopters, four fixed-wing aircraft, three vessels and 1,400 vehicles, considerable renovation of buildings, upgrading of roads, ports, airports and communications. USD15 million has been spent in engineering over the past 20 months. UNTAET air operations have been able to assist the East Timorese population with assistance for medical emergencies and travel support for diplomats. UNTAET’s Air Medical Evacuation aircraft have carried out 640 missions in East Timor over the last 20 months of which 70% have been in support of East Timorese.
• Looking ahead, in fiscal year 2001-02 all categories of spending are expected to be higher. The CFET is scheduled to spend US$ 65 million, with increases in key areas such as education, defence and health. TFET spending is estimated to amount to approximately US$ 71 million, with spending across all TFET categories pending actualization of some donor pledges.
• The sectoral breakdown of current and proposed spending is strongly supportive of sustained longer-term development. Around 40% of TFET spending is directed towards health and education: this compares favorably with other countries at similar income levels. Over 40% of total spending is in the economic sectors of agriculture, infrastructure and support for small enterprises. Effective services in these sectors are critical to support private sector recovery and growth.
See also:
Sep
20 A Popular Challenge to UNTAET’s Achievements Statement
added Sep 20
"UNTAET has recently published in the
September issue of its broadsheet Timor Tais 20 of the UN’s major achievements
in East Timor. Many of these achievements are either misleading or things
that UNTAET has been forced to do under pressure from Timorese people,
civil society and leaders and international critics. It is time for UNTAET
to be held accountable, once and for all, for not fully achieving its mandate,
and for now preparing to withdraw and redefining its mandate according
to the few things it has done rather than what it was supposed to do."