World
US conditions for paying UN dues include China curbs, report says
The United States has placed specific conditions on releasing billions of dollars it owes to the United Nations, including further cost-cutting, and moves to counter China’s influence at the world body, a development news wire reported on April 28.
The report by Devex, an independent news organisation covering global development, said two diplomatic notes circulated by the US called for nine “quick-hit” reforms as a condition for releasing more funds.
It said these included:
Overhauling the UN pension system
Ending long-distance business-class travel for some senior and all mid-level professionals
Imposing additional cuts to the UN’s senior ranks
A “10 per cent reduction in long-standing, ineffective peacekeeping missions.”
Blocking China from channeling tens of millions of dollars each year to a discretionary fund housed in the office of the UN secretary-general, a move aimed countering Chinese influence at the UN.
“These reforms will be an indication that the UN is serious about reform,” Devex quoted one of the documents saying.
The US mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The US has said repeatedly that it will keep pressuring the United Nations to reform after announcing its withdrawals from dozens of UN bodies this year and cutting millions of dollars in funding in 2025.
China’s UN mission did not immediately respond when asked to comment.
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said assessed contributions by the United States and every other UN member state were “a treaty obligation” and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was already “leading a pretty heavy reform” of the organisation.
“It involves decisions that member states must take if we want to have a UN that is more effective, that uses its resources in the best way possible,” Mr Dujarric told a news briefing. “The secretary-general is doing everything he can in that direction.”
Mr Guterres warned in January that the UN faced “imminent financial collapse” due to unpaid fees, most of which are owed by the United States. The UN said in February the United States had paid about US$160 million (S$204 million) of the more than US$4 billion it owes.
The US owed US$2.19 billion to the regular UN budget as of the start of February, more than 95 per cent of the total then owed by countries globally. The US owed another US$2.4 billion for current and past peacekeeping missions and US$43.6 million for UN tribunals. REUTERS
