United Nations Emergency Force: Third Report of the Secretary-General (A/3899)

I. Effectiveness and Organization
1. This progress report on the United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF) is submitted in pursuance of General Assembly resolution 1125 (XI), paragraph 4. It covers the functioning of the Force in the period since the last report on UNEF was submitted to the General Assembly by the Secretary-General on 9 October 1957 (A/3694). In addition to this report, a summary study of the experience derived from the establishment and operation of the Force is to be circulated as a separate document at a later date.

2. The operation of UNEF throughout this year, in all aspects of its task, has continued to produce the same favorable results described in the previous report. During the period covered in this report, virtually unbroken quiet has prevailed along the entire line between Egypt and Israel.

3. Under the continued Command of Lieutenant-General E.L.M. Burns, the Force is well-organized and functions smoothly. Except for a small reduction in its numerical strength, there have been no major changes in its organization, stationing and function. This report, therefore, need undertake only to bring up to date the information provided in the report of last October.

4. The consolidated strength of the Force throughout the period under review has been maintained at approximately 5,400 officers and other ranks, comprising contingents from eight contributing countries: Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Demnark, India, Norway, Sweden and Yugoslavia. This is below the figure anticipated in the previous report (A/3694, para. 6). The Commander reports that the present strength of the Force makes sixty-eight platoons available for patrolling and guard duties, the strength of each platoon varying from twenty to forty all ranks. Thus, only approximately 2,500 officers and men are actually available for patrolling and guard duties, the rest of the Force consisting of supporting units. The Commander feels that any reduction of the Force below its present numerical strength would result in loss of effectiveness through inability to cover adequately the long lines involved and lack of necessary reserves.

5. The numerical strength of each national contingent on 15 August 1958 was as follows:

6. The rotation of contingents continues, at varying intervals, according to national practices. Contingents from Canada and India rotate on a yearly basis. Others rotate after a period of approximately six months' service in the area. The Brazilian contingent rotates one half of its contingents every six months. To date the various contingents have undertaken replacement as follows:


 * Canada: Once (the next rotation to take place during the period September-November 1958)


 * Colombia: Twice


 * India: Once


 * Brazil, Yugoslavia, Denmark, Norway and Sweden: Three times

7. The position of Deputy Commander was eliminated in April 1958 and the practice was resumed whereby the Chief of Staff assumes the functions of the Commander at such times as the latter may be absent from his post.

8. With the closing of the UNEF Base at Naples, and the transfer of the Base Post Office to Beirut, Lebanon, in January of this year, the RCAF 114 Communication Flight was withdrawn. The strength of the RCAF 115 Communication Flight, based in El Arish, has been supplemented by an additional DC-3 aircraft, and its name has been changed to 115 Air Transport Unit. This Unit provides flights within the area (reconnaissance, supply, medical evacuation) and the shuttle of personnel and cargo (including mail) between Beirut and El Arish. In addition, the Canadian Air Force maintains a regular North Star Flight, on a weekly basis, from Canada to Beirut, via Pisa. Air shipments from the Scandinavian countries are transferred to North Star aircraft at Pisa. A Liaison Officer and a Movement Control Detachment are maintained at Pisa to care for logistics requirements.

II. Well-Being
9. The general state of well-being of the Force continues to be excellent. The health record has been consistently good since the inception of the Force. The Canadian-manned hospital at Rafah and the Norwegian-manned hospital at Gaza town were merged, in November 1957, into a single unit situated at Rafah. From 15 September 1957 to 1 August 1958, fifty-six officers and 727 other ranks have been hospitalized in UNEF hospitals. A flexible policy has been adopted for cases requiring hospitalization longer than a fortnight, there having been ninety-four such cases in all. UNEF differs from a regular military force of the size of a brigade in that the treatment of patients must be completed within UNEF installations to the greatest extent possible, for a lack of chain of evacuation to rear hospitals. A few cases requiring specialized treatment (such as poliomyelitis and eye surgery) have been hospitalized outside the area of operations, but this has been exceptional. Repatriation is only considered when all possibilities for the recovery of the patient in the area have been exhausted. Such a policy has been possible because UNEF has been able to maintain highly qualified medical staff in surgery, internal medicine, radiology and bacteriology. The main causes of hospitalization have been: accidents, respiratory infections (including sinusitis and tonsillitis), gastroenteritis and abdominal diseases requiring surgery (including appendicitis and hernia).

10. Since the beginning of UNEF, there have been twenty-seven fatalities distributed among nine of the ten participating contingents, resulting mainly from accidental shootings, encounters with mines and traffic accidents.

11. The leave policy which was developed during 1957 has been maintained. A "winter" leave center was opened in Cairo on 15 November 1957, following the closing of the Beirut leave center on 31 October, and continued in operation to 15 April of this year. The Beirut leave center re-opened on 21 April but, due to conditions in Lebanon, closed in mid-June. Subsequently, arrangements were made for the establishment, on a temporary basis, of a leave center in Alexandria until such time as the Beirut Center might be re-activated.

12. The high morale of the Force has continued. The welfare programme has reached a reasonable development and continues to be an important factor in the maintenance of morale. During the period under review, an effort has been made to provide at least one live entertainment programme each month.

III. Logistics
13. The supply and provisioning of the Force is now a routine matter and supply reserves in all categories are adequate. Most supplies continue to be shipped in through Port Said and brought by rail to Rafah. Sea cargoes average 2,000 tons per month. Approximately 300 ships have unloaded stores for UNEF at Port Said from 1 August 1957 to 1 August 1958. During the same period, 177 tons of supplies came by air. The earlier problem of spare parts for vehicles is being solves and this difficult situation has substantially improved.

14. With a view to achieving a better balanced ration scale, an on-the-spot survey by outside food specialists was conducted early this year. A revised UNEF ration scale, resulting from the inspection of the nutritionists' team is still on trial. The contingents are being provided, as far as possible, with items that meet their national demands. Certain items of foodstuffs are still being imported by some contingents from their home countries on their own account.

IV. Local Arrangements
15. Readjustment of the boundaries of the battalions deployed along the Armistice Demarcation Line, to conform to the local police district boundaries, has facilitated a closer liaison and cooperation. Joint meetings between UNEF representatives and the Governors from districts of the Gaza Strip have been held for the purpose of discussing and settling problems concerning the reporting of incidents, matters relating to security and minor labor problems.

16. The Commander of the Force reports that, in general, the relations between UNEF and the local population have been satisfactory. Except for occasional minor thefts and pilferage, there have been no difficulties or incidents.

V. Incidents
17. Incidents are investigated by UNMO's (United Nations Military Observers). Following the investigation, reports are sent to the appropriate authorities for action.

18. As reported from all sources, the type and number of incidents which occurred between 15 September 1957 and 31 July 1958 are as shown in the chart below:

Total incidents for the ten and one-half months: 95.

A total of ninety-five incidents have been reported for the ten-and-one-half months period as compared with the 184 incidents which occurred in the six-and-one-half-months period covered by last year's report. All but a very few of these incidents have been of minor nature.

I. Actions by the General Assembly
19. At its twelfth session, subsequent to the submission on 9 October 1957 of the report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Emergency Force (A/3694), the General Assembly took the following actions in connection with the financial arrangements for the Force:


 * (a) In resolution 1151 (XII) of 22 November 1957, it approved the principles and proposals for allocation of costs between the Organization and Members contributing troops as set forth in paragraphs 86, 88, and 91 of the report of the Secretary-General; authorized the expenditure for the Force of an additional amount up to $13.5 million for the period ending 31 December 1957, and, as necessary, an amount up to $25 million for the continuing operation of the Force; and decided that the additional expense authorized, not covered by voluntary contributions and grants of special assistance should be borne by Members in accordance with the scales of assessment for 1957 and 1958 respectively.


 * (b) In resolution 1204 (XII) of 13 December 1957, it noted with approval observations and recommendations concerning cost estimates for UNEF set forth in the twenty-sixth report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions to the twelfth session of the General Assembly. The Advisory Committee in its report recommended, inter alia, that a formal budget for the Force in 1958 should be prepared and published in time for review by the Committee during its first session in 1958.

II. Financial Data for the First Financial Period
20. The Secretary-General's financial report accompanied by the audited accounts for the first financial period 10 November 1957 to 31 December 1957, and the report of the Board of Auditors thereon, has been submitted to the General Assembly in document A/3826.

21. The financial report shows that the appropriations and the obligations incurred during the period each totalled $30 million. The total obligations recorded in the accounts are, in part, estimates, since certain claims for reimbursable costs to Governments relating to pay and allowances, and supplies and services have not yet been received; and the total amount also includes a reserve of $1,224,164 for reimbursement of costs incurred by Governments for replacement of destroyed or worn-out equipment and for abnormal depreciation of such equipment furnished to UNEF.

22. The $30 million appropriated for the first financial period have been, or are to be, derived from the following sources:


 * Contributions assessed . . . . $15,028,988
 * Voluntary contributions . . . $1,841,700
 * Special Assistance . . . . . . $13,129,312

23. As of 31 December 1957, a total of $20,029,200 has been collected of the $30 million which had been assessed or pledged. As at 31 July 1958, collections for the first financial period totalled $24,854,980.

24. As at 31 December 1957, cash resources in the Special Account of UNEF totalled $7,025,963, while, at the same date, the unliquidated obligations pertaining to the first financial period amounted to $12,859,310. The Board of Auditors, in citing these facts in their report to the General Assembly, have stated that "It follows that unless contributions outstanding from the first financial period are paid by Member States, UNEF will not be in a position to meet the obligations it has incurred". During the past year, however, certain Members have reiterated their intention not to participate in the financing of the Force.

25. As of 31 July 1958, thirty-three Member States had made no payment of their assessed contributions to the Special Account for the first financial period.

III. Financial Data for the Second Financial Period (1958)
26. Budget estimates for UNEF for the period 1 January to 31 December 1958 have been prepared pursuant to General Assembly resolution 1204 (XII), and are contained in document A/3823. These estimates have been reviewed by the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions and its report thereon is before the General Assembly in document A/3839.

27. The estimates of the Secretary-General have been presented in two parts to differentiate between the normal expenditures for the operation of the Force and the reimbursements to be made to Governments of the costs they have incurred in providing military contingents to UNEF.

28. It has been possible to estimate the normal running expenditures at $14,200,000 for the year 1958, and to budget $6,000,000 for the reimbursements to be made to Governments for their extra and extraordinary costs during 1958 relating to the pay and allowances of their contingents. It has not been possible at this stage, however, to establish the compensation which will be payable in respect of equipment, material and supplies which Governments had furnished to their contingents in UNEF, since, in accordance with the decision of the General Assembly, such compensation is to be assessed at the conclusion of the total period of service in UNEF of a Government's forces.

29. In view of the possible magnitude of the eventual claims from Governments relating to reimbursement of their costs for replacement and deterioration of equipment made available to UNEF, the Secretary-General has recommended that there be no change in the authorization in resolution 1151 (XII) for expenditures in 1958 up a maximum of $25 million and no change in the level of assessments in connection with the 1958 contributions by Members to the Special Fund. The Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions has concurred in the Secretary-General's proposal that the balance of the authorized expenditure of $25 million, after allowing for operating expenses under Part A of the budget and the expenditures provided for reimbursing Governments for their extra and extraordinary costs relating to pay and allowances, should be kept in reserve for the purpose of meeting the claims of Governments for reimbursement in connection with loss and deterioration of their equipment.

30. The Secretary-General has also suggested that, in view of the somewhat indefinite and special nature of the reimbursable costs which are dealt with in Part B of his estimates, the General Assembly may wish to provide that the amounts in Part B may not be used for purposes other than for reimbursements to Governments without specific advance approval of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions. He recommended, however, that no restriction be placed on his authority to transfer credits between sections of Part A of the budget as circumstances require. The Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions has concurred in these suggestions of the Secretary-General.

31. As at 30 June 1958, estimated obligations incurred for the normal operation of the Force in 1957, exclusive of reimbursements to be made to Governments of the costs they have incurred in providing contingents to UNEF, totalled $7 million. On the basis of this estimate, it is expected that, barring any major unforeseen developments during the remainder of the year, the costs for the operation of the Force during 1958 will not exceed the $14,200,000 which have been budgeted for this purpose.

32. The Secretary-General considers that while the reduced rate of expenditures in 1958 in comparison with 1957 may be a source of satisfaction, the record of collections of the assessments payable by Member States to the Special Account of UNEF, is a matter of increasing concern. As at 31 July 1958, only $10,275,374, or 41.1 per cent of the total amount addressed for 1958, had been received, and sixty-two Members had made no payment of their 1958 UNEF assessment at that date.

33. Unpaid balances of the 1957 and 1958 assessments for the Force totalled $19,854,146 at 31 July 1958. Unless substantial payments are received in the near future, the Organization may not be in a position to honor promptly or in full its obligations relating to the Force.

34. The operation of the Force beyond the end of 1958 would, of course, require General Assembly action to provide the necessary financial support for its continuance and therefore the Secretary-General would propose to submit budget estimates for this purpose to the General Assembly in a separate report of a later date.

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