UNITED NATIONS FOUNDATION: DESPITE CONGRESSIONAL EFFORTS, FUNDING BILL SHARPLY INCREASES US DEBT TO THE UN: 06/01/08 (MaximsNews Network)

UNITED NATIONS - / MaximsNews Network / - 06 January 2007 --  Passage by Congress of the fiscal 2008 spending bill has mixed news for the UN, the United Nations Foundation said today. 

While the Congress’ agreed FY’08 appropriations bill includes a number of positive elements, some long-term budget issues continue to threaten the stability of the UN, especially its peacekeeping accounts. 

As a result, the U.S. debt to the UN is now more than $1.5 billion, and could soon approach $2 billion.

The Positive Elements: The Congress appropriated $600 million more than the President requested, much of it targeted for the new and expensive peacekeeping mission in Darfur. 

Congress also lifted the so-called “peacekeeping cap,” authorizing the State Department to pay the full U.S. share of agreed peacekeeping costs if the funds are eventually appropriated. 

It is also positive that the legislation includes full payment of this year’s share of the UN’s regular budget.

The Negative Elements: A careful analysis of the budget reveals that the total United States government arrears to the UN surpass $1.5 billion. 

This year alone the U.S. debt will increase $600 million (Congress approved $1.7 billion for UN peacekeeping, far short of the U.S. assessment of $2.3 billion).

When viewed in the context of the UN’s total regular and peacekeeping budgets (about $10 billion per year), over time these arrears can destabilize the UN’s already overstretched peacekeeping operations, and threaten the only lifeline currently available in some of the most dangerous and unstable regions of the world. 

The Government Accountability Office has repeatedly documented that UN peacekeeping is a bargain compared to the costs of equivalent missions carried out by the U.S. and/or NATO forces; and of course these are missions that only the UN is willing to undertake.

The total of the U.S. debt comes from several accounts. 

The United States has agreed to these funding arrangements and has approved all of the specific peacekeeping missions – and in many cases led the efforts for UN involvement. But the U.S. has not followed through with the funding as agreed:

• Past peacekeeping assessments unpaid by the U.S.: $633 million

• Unappropriated funding for FY 08 peacekeeping assessments: $580 million*

• Unpaid regular budget dues: $291 million**

• Total prospective U.S. shortfall at the UN: $1,504 million**

*includes $338 million shortfall for AU-UN Darfur mission
**does not include additional anticipated shortfalls from exchange rate changes

"We appreciate that Congress faces significant budget constraints,” said Timothy E. Wirth, president of the UN Foundation, “but funding for the UN is not ‘discretionary’ – we have agreed to pay our fair share of the UN operations and we need to honor our commitments. 

Failing to do so undermines the UN, shortchanges key allies and does not help advance America’s reputation in the world. 

The U.S. is already more than a billion dollars behind in its dues at the UN and this bill would add another $600 million to that debt. 

The legislation under funds 18 peacekeeping missions that are saving lives around the globe. The U.S. is affirmatively voting for these missions in New York; we ought to be willing to pay for them in Washington DC."

“This cumulative debt undermines respect for the United States and it undermines the ability of the UN to shoulder burdens in places like Darfur,” said Wirth. 

“The Administration and Congress will need to work together next year to pay off this mounting debt and restore America’s standing in the world. 

Americans want the U.S. government to work with the UN and other nations to share international security burdens so that Americans don’t have to pay all the bills or take all the risks. We simply cannot afford to go it alone.”

Labels: United Nations, U.N., 

~~~~~ MaximsNews.com, An Independent Voice from the U.N., provides commentary and analysis from leading world figures: King Abdullah II (Jordan), HRH Prince Zeid Ra'ad Zeid Al-Hussein (Jordan), Sir Brian Urquhart, Hans Blix, Amb. Richard Holbrooke, Anwar Ibrahim, Bianca Jagger, Dr. Nafis Sadik, Shashi Tharoor, Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, Noeleen Heyzer, Masood Haider, 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, Ashley Bommer, Rory O'Connor, Genevieve Stamper, Max Stamper and others.

REACH THE WORLD'S MOST INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE   FOR BANNER ADS, contact:  ElsieHillman@MaximsNews.com TO SUBMIT YOUR PRESS RELEASES, contact: TomHerkins@MaximsNews.com   Advertisement

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MaximsNews® LLC  
NEWS NETWORK FOR THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY 

MaximsNews Network® LLC is a Global News Network reaching over 30,000 in the International Community. It is associated with MediaChannel.org and Globalvision News Network, global news and media information services with more than 350 news affiliates in 135 countries. Established in 1999.  

The views expressed are the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of MaximsNews® LLC.

MaximsNews.com U.N. ® LLC  www.MaximsNews.com | MaximsNews@MaximsNews.com | Please contact us about Republishing: Syndication@MaximsNews.com ©Copyrights 1999 - 2007, MaximsNews® LLC. All rights reserved.