In what is seen as a significant achievement, Indian diplomat Vidisha Maitra has been elected to a key United Nations committee that controls the financial and budgetary purse of the world body.
Official sources said the government sees the development as important as it comes just when India is preparing to take over as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the next two years.
Maitra was India’s candidate for the only post in the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) from the Asia Pacific Group. The other candidate was from Iraq.
India has been a member of the committee since its inception in 1946. The committee is one of the most coveted in the UN system as it controls its financial and budgetary purse.
“ACABQ performs several functions including the examination of the budget submitted by the UN secretary-general to the General Assembly and advising the Assembly on administrative and budgetary matters referred to it. ACABQ is a crucial component in ensuring that resources of the member-states are used to good effect and that mandates are properly funded,” said a source.
Members are elected by the General Assembly, consisting of 193 member-states, on the basis of broad geographical representation, personal qualifications and experience and serve for a period of three calendar years. Members serve in a personal capacity and not as representatives of member-states, added the source.
Maitra is a career diplomat with the Indian Foreign Service and currently posted as first secretary in permanent mission of India to UN in New York. She has served in various capacities in New Delhi, Paris, Port Louis and New York over the last 11 years. “She has extensive work experience in strategic policy planning and research, formulation and implementation of development assistance and infrastructure projects, defence acquisition matters, international taxation issues, investment and trade promotion,” said a source.
Vidisha Maitra’s selection in this committee is seen as crucial as the country will also be in the UNSC as non-permanent member for the next two years.
