Simply earlier than Christmas, the 193 Member States that make up the UN Common Meeting signed off a $3.59 billion funds to cowl the bills of the UN Secretariat in 2024. That’s some huge cash however, as UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq defined to UN Information, there’s loads of bang for every buck spent.
Farhan Haq: Once you add up the common UN Secretariat and peacekeeping budgets, the annual common value of the UN for every individual on the planet is about $1.25; that’s about the price of a bag of chips in New York.
Apart from the U.N. Secretariat, the United Nations additionally includes an unlimited vary of companies, funds, programmes and peacekeeping missions to take care of every kind of points, that are funded individually, and which aren’t included within the $3.59 billion funds.
On the excessive finish you’ve companies such because the World Food Programme, the refugee company (UNHCR) and the kids’s fund (UNICEF), which have budgets within the billions of {dollars}. Smaller companies take care of, for instance, maritime affairs, world tourism or civil aviation, and have budgets set accordingly. Member States be part of and pay dues for these companies on a voluntary foundation.
United Nations.
UN Information: How are Member States’ for the UN funds dues labored out?
Farhan Haq: The quantity paid is predicated on a posh components that features the dimensions of every nation’s financial system [other elements include the country’s external debut, income per capital, and level of development]. The quantities vary from a excessive of twenty-two per cent of the funds, paid by the US, to 0.001 per cent, paid by the least developed nations. [Find out how much your country paid in 2023 in UN dues here]
UN Information: What occurs if a rustic does not pay its UN dues?
Farhan Haq: If the quantity {that a} nation owes is the same as what they have been assessed to pay for the earlier two years, they lose their vote within the UN Common Meeting. They don’t get that vote again until the Common Meeting makes a particular choice, or they pay sufficient to get under the two-year threshold, in order that they attempt to keep away from owing that a lot.
UN Information: Does the funds preserve going up yearly?
Clearly, due to issues like inflation, the funds would possibly enhance in nominal phrases, however in actual phrases, there are a lot of instances when the United Nations cuts on bills in order that there isn’t any general actual progress. Alternatively, coping with crises such because the COVID-19 epidemic can add to bills, through which case you possibly can see an actual rise within the funds.
UN Information: With a lot cash altering arms, how does the UN deal with fraud and waste?
Farhan Haq: We have now inner and exterior auditors, such because the UN Workplace of Inside Oversight Providers, that investigates allegations of inner fraud or corruption.
However the principle methodology of oversight is in the end via the Member States of the United Nations, which approve the annual funds and be sure that the bills that the UN pays match up with its objectives.
The United Nations tries to make use of all of its cash in methods which are verifiable. We have now oversight at our peacekeeping operations, to make sure that all the nations that contribute troops and tools are reimbursed for the work that they do, and, when humanitarian assist goes out to nations, we attempt to put checks in place to be sure that all the assist goes to the place it’s wanted, and isn’t diverted.
© UNICEF/Ameen Haddad
UN Information: What’s the price of humanitarian operations?
Farhan Haq: In 2021 [on top of the regular budget], we appealed for an additional $3.77 billion to assist 174 million individuals in 60 nations.
That was essential life-saving assist, and but we acquired rather less than half of that; with some appeals solely between 20 or 30 per cent of our bills are met. It actually relies upon; with some crises, that get probably the most consideration worldwide, we get all the cash we’re asking for. However in others that aren’t as seen within the information get a lot, a lot much less.
Humanitarian aid falls into just a few fundamental classes, however the principle ones need to do with meals, drinkable water, shelter, and completely different property that may assist individuals survive. Whether or not it is mosquito nets in some nations or winter clothes in others, we attempt to get it to individuals as effectively as potential.
We do not see humanitarian assist as merely an expenditure. It is an funding in individuals, and an indication that we’re not giving up on those that have a vital position to play in constructing their very own nation.
We have to create a greater world the place individuals can deal with themselves. And that is what we attempt to do with the cash we spend; while you make investments a greenback within the training of a woman, you are investing in somebody who can create a greater future for herself and for her group.
