necessity forbothposts. However, inviewofthescopeandnatureofthe1992 Conference ascompared totheUnitedNations Conference ontheHumanEnvironment, whichwasheldin1972,theAdvisory Committee didnotrecommend the~eletion of oneofthetwoposts. Nevertheless, theCommittee wasoftheviewthatthis provision shouldnotberegarded asaprecedent forfutureconferences. 80.TheAdvisory Committee didnotrecommend anyreductions withregardtothe Professional staff,especially sincerequirement8 fortheservices ofconsultants hadbeenkepttoaminimum bytheSecretary-General. However, theAdvisory Committee pointed outthattherewereaconsiderable numberofstaffattheUnited Nations Environment Programme andtheUnitedNations CentreforHumanSettlements (Habitat) aswellaswithinvarious unitsoftheSecretariat whodealtwith environmental anddevelopment issues. TheAdvisory Committee recommended that ~he services oftheseofflcials shouldbesoughtwherever andwhenever possible, especially sincetheywerethepeoplewhowouldbecharged withcarrying outthe decisions oftheConference. Shouldadditional requirements ariseforNewYork, forexample, whereasmallnumberofstaffwastohandle aconsiderable numberof assignments, theAdvisory Committee trusted thatthesewouldbemetthrough redeployment rather th~nthrough additional recruitment ofthetravelofstafffrom GenevatoNewYor~withtheattendant travel andperdiemexpenses. 81.WithregardtotheGen8r~1 Service staff,theAdvisory Committee pointed out thatthenumberbeingproposed exceeded thenumberofProfessional staff. The Advisory Committee didnotbelieve thatthenumberproposed wasjustified and accordingly recommended aL'eduction ofeightGeneral ServicestaffatGeneva, .resulting insavings of$1,074,800 ofwhich$733,800 wouldapplytothebiennium 1990-1991 and$341,000 to1992. Asaresultofthisreduction thetotalnumberof stafffortheConference wouldbe36. -55-82.TheAdvisory Committee hadbeeninformed thattheestimate fortemporary posts in1992hadbeenprepared ontheassumption thatstaffwouldbeonboardforan average ofninemonths. However, theuseofthisaverage hadnotbeenfully justified, andtheAdvisory Committee wasoftheviewthatthenumberofpeople neededfortheentireperiodwouldbelessthanwhatwasimplied bythe calculation. TheAdvisory Committee therefore recommended thatamor9realistic average ofsevenmonthsshouldbeapplied tothe36staff,resulting insavings of $509,600 for1992. 83.Withregardtotravel, theAdvisory Committee notedthatthiswasshownas threeseparate items-official travslofstaff,travelofteChnical staffand traveltotheConference -totalling $40J,600. InresponBe toaquery,the Advisory Committee hadbeeninformed thatthestimate forofficial travelofstaff wasbasedonmultiple tripsto74countries. rheAdvisory Committee questioned the practicality ofthisassumption andbelieved thatmanyoftheobjectives ofsucha programme oftravelcouldbemetmoreefficiently through effective liaison at Geneva, NewYorkandNairobi, aswellasattheregional meetings. TheAdvisory Committee alsobelieved thateconomies couldbeeffected intraveloftechnical staffandintraveltotheConference. Consequently, theAdvisory Committee recommended areduction of$50,000 fromtheSecretary-Generalis estimate fortravel ofwhich$35,000 wouldapplytothebiennium 1990-1991 and$15,000 wouldapplyto 1992. 84.TheSecretary-General hadestimated anamountof$396,100 forsupport services, lncluding theacquisition andmaintenance ofcomputer andoffice equipment, andcommunications. TheAdvisory Committee believed thateconomies couldbeachleved inthisareaandre~~mmended areduction of$20,000 inthe Secretary-General's estimate -$15,000 forthebiennium 1990-1991 and$5,000for 1992. 85.Inthisconnection, theAdvisory Committee hadinquired regarding office accomodation, whichwasnotdiscussed intheSecretary-Generalis statement. The Advisory Committee hadbeeninformed thattheGovernment ofSwitzerland hadoffered toprovide office accommodations forthesecretariat oftheConference atGeneva. TheAdvisory Committee trusted thatdetails ofthisoffer,including anyconditions attached, wouldbemadeknowntotheAdvisory Committee foritsconcurrence before anyagreement wasreached withtheGovernment ofSwitzerland. 86.Inparagraph 18ofhisstatement, theSecretary-General outlined thepublic information activities proposed fortheConference, thecostofwhichwasestimated at$750,000. TheAdvisory Committee requested thattheinformation programme for
**Analysis**
The text appears to be discussing the logistics and budgeting of an international conference, specifically the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, held in 1992. The text mentions various staff and services, including professional staff, general service staff, and travel, as well as estimates and recommendations for costs. The conference's focus on environmental and development issues suggests that the text may relate to natural resources and environment.

**Category**
Natural resources and environment, Economic development