In a tightly contested election at the United Nations(UN) in New York, Indian diplomat Vidisha Maitra was elected to the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) on Friday.
Maitra was India’s candidate for the only post in the committee from the Asia Pacific Group. The other candidate was from Iraq. Maitra clinched victory by a 126-64 vote count.
India has been a member of the committee since its inception in 1946. The committee is one of the most coveted in the United Nations system as it controls the financial and budgetary purse of the UN. India’s win in this prestigious committee is crucial as India will also be in the Security Council as a non-permanent member for the next two years.
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. The ACABQ is a crucial component in ensuring that resources of the Member states are used to good effect and that mandates are properly funded.
Members are elected by the General Assembly, consisting of 193 member states, on the basis of broad geographical representation, personal qualifications, experience, and service for a period of three calendar years. Members serve in a personal capacity and not as representatives of Member States.
Maitra is a career diplomat with the Indian Foreign Service and currently posted as First Secretary in Permanent Mission of India to the 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.
