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40
NGOS URGE U.S. CONGRESS TO FULLY
FUND UNITED NATIONS (MaximsNews.com, U.N.)
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“The U.S.
is increasingly reliant on international partnerships and allies to help
us fight terrorism, prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass
destruction, stabilize war-torn societies, and promote democracy around
the world,” the NGOs wrote in a letter to members of the U.S.
Congress.
“U.S.
leadership in these partnerships requires meeting our international
obligations and providing sufficient resources to meet these
challenges.”
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“Not
only are we are endangering our reputation, we are compromising the hard work of
the tens of thousands of individuals involved in humanitarian and peacekeeping
missions worldwide,” said Deborah Derrick, executive director of the Better
World Campaign.
“It
is imperative that we fulfill our commitments to the United Nations and the
broader international community – simply put, we can’t afford not to pay our
bills,” she stated.
The
letter highlighted the current budget shortfalls for UN peacekeeping
operations.
Although
the United States has pressed for an increase in these missions – using its
vote on the UN Security Council to send peacekeepers to conflict zones like
Lebanon, Haiti and Sudan – the Bush Administration’s budget request for FY08
insufficiently funds the Contributions to International Peacekeeping Activities
(CIPA) account by $500 million.
Unless
Congress takes action, past arrears and current shortfalls could leave the
United States close to $1.3 billion short of meeting its obligations to UN
peacekeeping.
The
letter also called attention to funding problems in U.S. appropriations to the
Contributions to International Organizations (CIO) account, which provides
financial support to 44 treaty-based organizations including the UN, NATO, and
the IAEA, among others.
Most
of these agencies are already paid a year late by the United States. Unless the
Fiscal Year 2007 shortfall of $130 million is corrected, the U.S. is in danger
of falling into arrears with one or more of these organizations.
Among
the organizations that have signed the letter are: Americans for Democratic
Action (ADA); Americans for Informed Democracy; Americans for UNFPA; Arms
Control Associates; Better World Campaign; CARE–USA; Center for American
Progress; Church Women United; Church World Service; Citizens for Global
Solutions; Coalition for American Leadership Abroad (COLEAD); Council for a
Livable World; EarthAction; ENOUGH! The Project to Abolish Genocide + Mass
Atrocities; Friends Committee on National Legislation (Quakers); Genocide
Intervention Network; Global Action to Prevent War; Global Associates for Health
Development, Inc.; International Crisis Group; International Rescue Committee;
MercyCorps; National Association of Social Workers; National Council of Churches
USA; Nuclear Age Peace Foundation; Open Society Policy Center; Oxfam America;
Peace Action and Peace Action Education Fund; Physicians for Human Rights;
Population Action International; Presbyterian Church (USA), Washington Office;
Refugees International; Save Darfur Coalition; The Fund for Peace; U.S.
Committee for UNIFEM (UNIFEM/USA); United Methodist Church, General Board of
Church and Society; United Nations Association of the National Capital Area
(UNA-NCA); United Nations Associations of the United States of America;
Universal Human Rights Network; and Women of Reform Judaism.
~~~~~
MaximsNews.com, An Independent Voice from the
U.N., provides commentary and analysis from
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(Jordan), HRH Prince Zeid Ra'ad Zeid Al-Hussein
(Jordan), Sir Brian Urquhart, Hans Blix, Amb.
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Dr. Nafis Sadik, Shashi Tharoor, Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, Noeleen Heyzer, Kerry
Kennedy, Ian Williams, Stephen Schlesinger, Sen.
Timothy E. Wirth, Marc Morial, Amb. Jayantha
Dhanapala (Sri Lanka), Amb. Pierre Schori
(Sweden), Amb. William H. Luers, Susan Roosevelt
Weld, Rory Kennedy, Mehri
Madarshahi, J. Michael Adams, Gloria Feldt,
Jeffrey Laurenti, Rodney D. Smith, Rory
O'Connor, Genevieve Stamper, Max Stamper and
others.
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