UN urges member states to pay up
By John Stephen Katende
18th Oct 2010
The United Nations has urged all member states including Uganda to pay up their financial contribution.
While noting that it has been a difficult year for many countries due to the global recession, a top United Nations official on 14th Oct urged all Member States that have not paid up to meet their financial obligations to the world body so that it can continue carrying out its important work.
Under-Secretary-General for Management Angela Kane told a news conference at UN Headquarters that so far only 13 of the 192 Member States have paid in full all of the assessments that were due and payable.
These include assessments for the UN’s regular budget, for its peacekeeping operations, for the International Criminal Tribunals for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia, and for the Headquarters renovation project known as the ‘Capital Master Plan’.
The countries that have paid up in full are Australia, Azerbaijan, Canada, Democratic Republic of Congo, Denmark, Germany, Liechtenstein, Monaco, the Netherlands, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland and Tanzania.
The unpaid assessed contributions to the regular budget amount to $787 million of which 88% or $691 million is owed by the United States. Meanwhile, 9% of the $787 million amount is owed by four countries – Mexico ($50 million), Chile ($9 million), Venezuela ($7 million) and Iran ($5 million). The remaining 3% is owed the remaining 68 Member States.
“There is a concentration among some Member States who have not paid their assessments but, on the other hand, we also are recognizing the current global economic and financial crisis that has made it difficult for some Member States to contribute on time and in full”, said the UN’s management chief.
She said the UN’s work depends on the Member States supporting the UN financially. It is therefore critical, she said, that Member States and particularly major contributors meet their financial obligations.
The UN’s regular budget is approved by the General Assembly for a two-year period. Last December it approved a budget of $5.16 billion for 2010-2011. Contributions are assessed on a scale based primarily on countries’ ability to pay.
As for the outstanding amount for peacekeeping operations, Ms. Kane said that it stood at $3.2 billion as of 5th October, about $1.3 billion more than at year’s end in 2009. In addition, the Organization’s debt to Member States that contributed troops and equipment to peacekeeping operations would be about $430 million at the end of 2010.
This is less than the projection made in May and less than the $775 million outstanding at the end of 2009. END. If it’s Monday, it’s Uganda Correspondent. Never miss out again!
