Page 56 - Bulletin, Vol.83 No.2, September 2024

President, Anatoli Kondrachov, Treasurer, and Pierre Sayour, Vice-President of
FAFICS.

The two main topics discussed by the Council were pensions and health protection.

United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF)

Our Fund registered a record assets in excess of USD 90 billion, and pensioners are
satisfied with the way benefits are administered.

The latest actuarial study remains positive, but does not allow us to request the removal
of the 0.5% reduction factor from the first cost-of-living adjustment due after retirement.
Nevertheless, as in the past, our representatives will maintain this request.

The question of the double track was debated, given that currently a large number of
1
countries no longer have access to this option . AAFI/Geneva presented a resolution
aimed at guaranteeing the maintenance of the two-track system, and making it possible
to return to the two-track system after suspension when conditions permit. In addition, at
the Pension Board meeting, FAFICS representatives called for greater transparency in
the methodology used by the Secretariat to suspend a country, and for the
establishment of a procedure for lifting the suspension.

Joint Inspection Unit reports

2
A 2023 Joint Inspection Unit report on the well-being and mental health of staff in the
United Nations system shows a high incidence of mental illness. The Geneva
delegation presented a Note to Council drawing the attention of our representatives on
the Board to the impact of this issue on our Health Protection Fund and Pension Fund.

Another Joint Inspection Unit Report raised the issue of Pensioner Representation on
the Management Committees of the UN System Health Funds. The Geneva delegation
presented a Resolution on this subject requesting that Pensioners be duly represented
as full Members of the Management Committees and not as mere observers, this lack
of representation being noted within the insurance systems of the United Nations
Secretariat.

Health Protection

FAFICS conducted a survey on health protection and found wide disparities between
agencies. The aim is to improve the situation of local staff in several UN agencies,
drawing on best practice. The Committee will make every effort to improve the situation
of local staff in many UN agencies. These colleagues do not have access to the same
protection as ‘international’ retirees. The aim is not to standardize schemes, but rather
to follow good practice in certain agencies.

1 For more information on this subject, see the article published on the Section's website in May 2024
https://anciens-bit-ilo.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/TwoTrack-articleMay2024.final_.pdf
2 https://www.unjiu.org/sites/www.unjiu.org/files/jiu_rep_2023_4_french.pdf

54 AAFI-AFICS BULLETIN, Vol. 83 No. 2, 2024-09

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