§ 48. Mr. Biggs-Davisonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what United Nations personnel are now concerned with South-West Africa; what are their stated functions and emoluments; what visits they have made to the territory, for what purpose, and with what result; what is the total expenditure to date in connection with South-West Africa; and what retrenchment is contemplated as part of the United Nations economy campaign.
§ Mr. KershawIn New York there is an Acting Commissioner for Namibia with a staff of 10 who carries out such tasks as the Council for Namibia give him; the cost since 1967 to the end of this year is estimated at $1.325 million; the new Secretary-General visited the 5W territory 7th to 9th March. Following are the details:
Under the terms of General Assembly Resolution No. 2248 of 19th May, 1967, an Acting Commissioner for Namibia, with a staff of 10, maintains an office in New York. The stated functions of the Acting Commissioner are responsibility for such executive and administrative tasks as the Council for Namibia may entrust to him, which have included: participation in the negotiations and the conclusion of agreements with Governments regarding travel and identity documents issued to Namibians; arrangements for the issuence of these documents; contacts and consultations with the specialised agencies in connexion with technical and financial assistance to Namibians; and the preparation of special studies and reports. Salaries and wages of the Acting Commissioner and his staff for 1972 are given in U.N. estimates as $230,000. The Council for Namibia has so far been unable to visit the territory. As required by Security Council Resolution 309, however, the U.N. Secretary General visited South-West Africa from 7th–9th March, accompanied by three members of the U.N. Secretariat, for talks with the parties concerned. Total provision of expenditure on South-West Africa since 1967 to 31st December, 1972, as reflected in the U.N. budget estimates, amounts to $1,325,000. The estimate for 1972 shows a saving of $13,700 over the comparable figure for 1971.