UN committee nominates Indian chartered accountant-diplomat to budget panel

United Nations: Indian diplomat Shivani Gupta, who is also a chartered accountant, has been nominated to the influential committee that advises the General Assembly on budgetary and administrative issues.

The General Assembly's Fifth Committee on Friday nominated her unopposed for one of the Asia-Pacific slots on the panel formally known as the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ).

The committee, which deals with budgets and administration, held a virtual election, as the General Assembly routinely approves appointments to the panel.

With the rare combination of experience in diplomacy and chartered accountancy, she will serve a three-year term starting next year.

"India's candidate, Ms. Shivani Gupta, has been elected to the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (#ACABQ) for the term 2027–2029," the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations annnounced on X.

"A 21-member @UN entity where members work in their independent capacity, ACABQ provides independent expert review of budgets, administrative matters, and resource proposals to ensure accountability and efficiency in the utilization of Member States’ contributions in support of UN’s global work," it added.

Gupta, who recently joined India's UN mission as a first secretary, was an under secretary for East Asia at the External Affairs Ministry.

She had earlier worked at the Indian embassy in Beijing and at the diplomatic representation in Taiwan.

She had qualified as a chartered accountant before joining the foreign service in 2018.

"Her foundation as a Chartered Accountant has provided her with deep expertise in financial reporting, audit, governance, corporate governance, budgeting, risk management and institutional oversight, complementing her diplomatic work with analytical rigour and sound institutional management", according to her bio circulated to the General Assembly.

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