OPAS/OPEX arrangements

Introductory note. In the early years of the Expanded Programme of Technical Assistance (EPTA), administrative questions relating to technical assistance programmes or staff were dealt with by the Technical Assistance Board (TAB). Since these questions were often identical with or similar to questions affecting the regular staff and regular programmes, CCAQ at its 11th session (1951: CO-ORDINATION/R.93) decided to review annually the main administrative decisions of TAB. Nevertheless, there developed before long substantial differences between the administrative conditions effective in the technical assistance and other programmes. By 1956, all organizations were convinced of the need to reconcile the various sets of conditions, and made proposals to achieve this to the Salary Review Committee, chapter XIII of whose report (UN document A/3209) discussed the whole question. Following the reconciliation of conditions, which was effected in 1957/58, it was eventually decided that TAB would use CCAQ as the appropriate body for discussing administrative questions affecting technical assistance programmes. Moreover, while in some organizations there was always integrated management of both regular budget and technical assistance programmes, in others the management was separate. The creation of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) did not greatly affect matters until 1970, when the Capacity Study made far-reaching proposals for change. As in previous editions of the Handbook, most items relating to development programmes have been included in the section dealing with the subject matter concerned (travel, allowances, etc.). There are still, however, a few items which can be regarded as so specifically relating to development that their inclusion in a separate chapter is warranted, and these are dealt with below.

(1) As a result of a discussion requested by FAO, CCAQ, at its 28th session (March 1964: CO-ORDINATION/R.604, paras. 64 and 65) agreed that the arrangements for the engagement of Operational and Executive Assistance (OPEX) personnel were too complex and required review. UNDP and UN were to provide a report for examination at a later session.

(2) The subject was to have been considered again at the 31st session in 1970 but the UNDP-UN study was not available. At the request of the Secretary of the UNJSPB, CCAQ did examine one aspect of the matter affecting the UNJSPF status of a few OPEX personnel (see section 6.3, para. (2)).

(3) Again at the request of FAO, the conditions of service of OPEX/OPAS personnel were discussed briefly at the 39th session of CCAQ in 1974 but it was agreed that the matter of conditions of service could not be properly considered until there had been an overall review of the Operational Assistance (OPAS) programme (CO-ORDINATION/R.1031, para. 67).