UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 29 (UPI) -- U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan has asked the General Assembly to fund a proposed nearly $1.9 billion renovation of U.N. World Headquarters in New York.
His recommendation of the "capital master plan," a massive overhaul of the aging complex aimed at bringing it in line with local health and safety codes while improving security came in a report Tuesday to the 192-member assembly.
The CMP also was endorsed by the assembly's own budgetary watchdog, known as the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions. The powerful ACABQ report was also released Tuesday.
The ACABQ "recommends approval of the revised capital master plan budget of $1.87 million," it said.
Annan said the plan "is important for the safety of all U.N. headquarters occupants," adding that since an agreement on the amount has been reached, "it is now critical for the General Assembly to decide on the funding mechanism for the renovation."
Among other decisions, the assembly will have to determine whether member states will pay for costs of the renovation through a one-time cash assessment, multi-year cash assessments, or some combination of the two.
The main headquarters buildings were constructed in 1949 and 1950 and have not been significantly improved or maintained since then. They are extremely energy inefficient, costing the United Nations more than $30 million a year in energy costs alone.
There are also concerns about asbestos, electrical and communications wiring and the New York Fire Department has long expressed concern the buildings do not meet fire, safety and building code standards.
The capital master plan seeks to redress the shortcomings while tightening security.
