The annual budget cycle has already improved the Organizations agility during the pandemic, he pointed out. This conference will help support these countries and increase their resiliency. I. For many agencies, especially those that depend on voluntary funding, cuts in U.S. contributions can be painful. Though the US share of the peacekeeping budget is 27.89%, Congress capped the portion at 25% in 1994. In order to achieve our mandate, UNDP relies entirely on voluntary contributions from UN Member States, multilateral organizations, private sector and other sources, in the form of unrestricted regular resources (core), and contributions earmarked for a specific theme, programme or project. You are also agreeing to our. A strong regular budget remedies the fundamental issues of great importance to developing countries, he explained, adding that fair representation of countries of the Global South will enable the Organization to better address the challenges of the future. Likewise, the speaker for the United States said his delegation is deeply concerned about several ACABQ recommendations that subvert the Assemblys will, including ACABQ rejecting the inclusion of predictable Human Rights Council mandates in the programme budget. The Qatar Government has always paid its contribution to the United Nations annual budget on time and will continue to provide predictable funding to the Organization. He then stressed the importance of efficiently and responsibly utilizing resources in a fully transparent and accountable manner. Most of this humanitarian and development assistance happens in developing countries. Funding still urgently required to complete the operation. Continuous engagement and consultations with Member States not only guarantees ownership and accountability but ensures that mandated priorities reflect Member States aspirations and the Organizations legitimacy, she underscored. On productivity in the areas of services, documentation and translation, he welcomed the Advisory Committees recommendations. While welcoming the shift to an annual budget cycle and its contributions to a more results-oriented and responsive United Nations, he underscored the need to go further. Contributions received for 2023 for the UN Regular Budget - Committee SULEIMAN HAJI SULEIMAN (United Republic of Tanzania), associating himself with the Group of 77 and China and the African Group, called for adequate funding for the United Nations, saying: We cannot expect it to do more, while giving it less. Despite domestic challenges and priorities, the United Republic of Tanzania will continue to fulfil its commitments to the regular budget in full and on time. A high-level U.N. conference has raised less than $1 billion of the more than $5 billion organizers were hoping for to help over 30 million people in the Horn of Africa cope with a major climate crisis and mass displacement after years of conflict. The Secretariat must improve the management of extrabudgetary resources and ensure their transparent, regulated and appropriate use. Meet Ron DeSantis, Republican Presidential Candidate, Global Governance to Combat Illicit Financial Flows, slash its health, education, and food assistance. In welcoming the move to an annual budget cycle and its contributions to a more results-oriented and responsive United Nations, he underscored the need to go further. At the beginning of the year, refugees were receiving a ration from the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) of USD 12 per person per month, just enough to meet their daily needs, however on 1 March due to lack of funding, the ration was reduced to USD 10. With the current global economic situation and lingering pandemic, it is critical to ensure the accountability of the budget to fiscal authorities and taxpayers of the Member States. Therefore, we have to keep a watchful eye on the liquidity situation, he said. Moreover, the Assembly should request the Secretary-General ensure the consistent application of a vacancy rate of 50percent for new posts and positions, including for redeployment between two duty stations; conversions, including from extrabudgetary resources; and reclassification and reassignment with a change in job description and network. Applying for an UNDEF project grant and selection process UNFPA Headquarters: New York City, USA The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, and every. It must also conjugate the processes of the Committee for Programme and Coordination and ACABQ while preserving their intergovernmental nature and establishing any necessary links to function properly. This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) License. That was despite President Donald Trumps efforts to cut funding as his administration prioritized sovereignty over globalism. RICCARDA CHRISTIANA CHANDA (Switzerland), speaking also on behalf of Liechtenstein, expressed continued support for proposals to deliver on a more effective and efficient United Nations that includes initiatives to modernize and reform the budget structure. As no savings from efficiencies have been identified or transferred to the Development Account, the Assembly should ask the Secretary-General to present options for funding modalities for future budget submissions that aim to reach a resource level not less than 0.5percent of the overall budget proposal, account for the Accounts evolving resources and ensure delivery on Member States goals and needs. This provides sustainability. Michael Bricknell and Will Merrow created the graphics. Secretary-General Antnio Guterres introduced the reports detailing the proposed 2023 figures, which make up the fourth annual budget since delegates in 2019 approved a shift to an annual cycle. On special political missions, he reiterated the African Groups stance that they are the most effective tool for sustaining international peace and expressed regret over the Fifth Committees failure to provide adequate financial and human resources during the seventysixth session. May 26, 2023, Podcast Equipping it with adequate and sustainable financial resources will better respond to the practical concerns of developing countries and promote the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, he emphasized. The European Unions representative noted the bloc will seek to adopt the 2023 programme plan and the 2023 programme budget in a timely manner. It includes an additional $2million, including 16 posts, to strengthen the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), secure sustainable funding for continuing functions, and address critical funding gaps. China and Japan, the next two largest economies by gross domestic product (GDP), have the second- and third-highest assessed contributions, respectively. The equations take into consideration a nations gross national income, population, and debt burden. He also called for the strengthening of the Committee for Programme and Coordination to enable it to effectively accommodate management reforms and preserve the sequencing of the United Nations budgetary considerations. PETRONELLAR NYUAGURA (Zimbabwe), aligning herself with the Group of 77 and China and the African Group, emphasized the necessity of adequate resources to address the development priorities of developing countries, which includes the quest for peace, for which special political missions are an important pillar in conflict areas. DENNIS FRANCIS (Trinidad and Tobago), in urging a timely and substantive budget that provides a robust resource base for the United Nations to deliver on its mandates, spotlighted the follow-up and review of the SAMOA Pathway as well as the Fourth International Conference for Small Island Developing States in 2024. A proposed programme budget should provide adequate resources for the implementation of programmes under the development pillar, especially those that put the 2030 Agenda back on track, he noted. In contrast, President Joe Biden has affirmed the United Nations importance to U.S. foreign policy and increased funding to the organization. With Prospect of Peace Remote, Palestine Refugee Agency 'One of the Few Rays of Hope', Needs Full Funding, Secretary-General Tells Pledging Conference. As the annual budgets trial period runs out and its format and timeframes are evaluated for the future, he underscored the enormous importance of preserving programme planning as the cornerstone of the whole programme budget process of the Organization. This includes the Organizations continued support for the implementation of the African Unions Agenda 2063. He then highlighted four specific elements. The UN system includes scores of entities dedicated to a range of areas including health and humanitarian needs and economic and cultural development. ACABQ recommends a $50.7million overall reduction of the 2023 proposed programme budget, including a technical adjustment of $35million concerning the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) front-loading proposal. The programme budget is one of the most important agenda items under consideration during the current session. Turning to the concern over the annual budget, he said: It would be a big mistake to say that either we have an annual budget that disrespects the intergovernmental process, or we have a biennial budget that respects the intergovernmental process. The essence of intergovernmental processes, he stressed, are mandates. Hence, when the country threatens to pull financing for an agency, the UN listens. This years document includes measurable planned results for 2022 and 2023, and measurable actual results in 2019, 2020 and 2021 for each of the 350 result frameworks. He then called for support to the most vulnerable countries, especially least developed countries, landlocked developed countries and small islanding developing States; funding under the Development Account, the effective utilization of the Regular Programme of Technical Cooperation, increased coordination and collaboration with regional and subregional organizations, improved focus on Member States priorities, accountability for delivering results, better synchronisation between organizational frameworks and increased involvement by Member States and all relevant intergovernmental bodies in the budget process in a clear, sequential manner. UNDEF funds projects that empower civil society, promote human rights, and encourage the participation of all groups in democratic processes. While largely supporting the budget proposal, he was concerned by several provisions that would move voluntarily funded activities onto the regular budget. Funding the United Nations: How Much Does the U.S. Pay? January 31, 2022, How New Tobacco Control Laws Could Help Close the Racial Gap on U.S. Cancer, Interactive Many UN agencies, programs, and missions receive crucial funding from the United States. by Noah Berman United Nations Federal Credit Union As development is a main priority, he will be discussing issues of relevance for developing countries and their financial survival with the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund (IMF) on 14October. The proposed budget also proposes continuing strategic action to address racism in the United Nations Secretariat. To that end, the Secretary-General should explore the Offices consolidation with the Office of the Victims Rights Advocate to ensure a comprehensive response to sexual exploitation and abuse. While working to make even greater progress in this area, he hoped the improved liquidity situation would allow the Organization to avoid new hiring restrictions. Shared service centres, such as those in Kuwait and Entebbe, are also an important component of working conditions and other cost-efficient ways to support field offices around the world. May 25, 2023 For example, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, relied on the United States for about one-third of its budget until the Trump administration halted contributions in 2018. Payments to the general budget are capped at 22%, and the US is the only country to reach that ceiling. Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 calls for transformative, collaborative action, and the United Nations must be at the heart of that effort by delivering cohesive and high-quality support, at scale, to Member States. Adequate and quality funding is essential for the UN development system to work as one and effectively support the 2030 Agenda. The annual budget has shortened budgetary procedures, is more responsive to global challenges and leads to a more resultsoriented culture where programme managers are more engaged, and continuous learning and improvement lead to more effective mandate implementation. Member States expect ACABQ to provide clear, technical and evidence-based advice to inform the Committees decision-making, he emphasized. He applauded the Secretariats efforts to front-load resource requirements for 2023 to maximize efficiency and transparency. Sixty-Seventh Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, Highlights of General Assembly 77th Session. He then expressed his countrys reservations on financing the United Nations Monitoring Mechanism and spotlighted its failure to verify the delivery of cross-border humanitarian assistance. On the programmatic side, the Fifth Committee will be able to rely on the outstanding work of the Committee for Programme and Coordination during its sixtysecond session, he said, noting that the modalities of the latter Committee session and the willingness of its full membership to actively engage and find consensus were instrumental to adopting recommendations on a greater number of programmes. The proposal also strengthens human rights and humanitarian affairs by building on actions proposed by the Assembly last year. While it is necessary to remain vigilant and responsive in an ever-changing environment, the annual budget cycle should be used to minimize the use of addons. It also frontloads a more comprehensive programme budget for human rights, which will facilitate more predictable resource planning for the Office of the0 High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and proposes continuing strategic action to address racism in the United Nations Secretariat. He then commended the significant increase in resources for international and regional development. There must be adequate resources to ensure a stronger and more effective United Nations. The representative of the United Kingdom called for programmes to use their resources efficiently and effectively to deliver results that make a real difference for those in greatest need, adding that his delegation will hold the Organization to account in that regard. Turning to the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), he expressed serious concerns over its recommendations that seek to expand its remit to extrabudgetary funded activities, reopen long-standing Assembly resolutions and could result in the defunding of Human Rights Council mandates. The funding marked a return to the core-funding levels[PDF] of the Barack Obama administration. However, once elected, women faced significant challenges in garnering support for laws to advance gender equality, thus underlining the need for wider changes in the social, cultural and security spheres.. The United States nearly lost its vote at the General Assembly as millions of dollars in unpaid assessments accrued. At the same time, the 2023-2024 budget would be based on performance information from 2019-2020. As several strategy reviews are either under way or intended to be taken, ACABQ recommends the Secretary-General conduct further reviews and assessments within existing resources under the regular programme of technical cooperation, the Department of Global Communications, United Nations Office to the African Union and United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women), he said. The Group looks forward to continuing Committee discussions on the appropriate sequence to be followed in the formulation, review and adoption process of the programme plan and budget. That should be the exception and not the norm, he stressed, adding that the role of the Programme and Coordination Committee should be upheld, not diluted, and called again for that Committee to reach consensus on all 28 programme plans in the future. Who funds the United Nations? - Quartz Assessed contributions are mandatory. The first in-depth account of the sudden growth of Chinas sovereign wealth funds and their transformative impact on global markets, domestic and multinational businesses, and international politics. This interactive examines how nationwide bans on menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars, as proposed by the Biden administration on April 28, 2022, could help shrink the racial gap on U.S. lung cancer death rates. Following are UN Secretary-General Antnio Guterres' remarks, as delivered by Courtenay Rattray, Chef de Cabinet, at the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in . Past U.S. presidents and lawmakers have sought to decrease payments to the United Nations. This represents about a quarter of the roughly $50 billion the United States spends annually on foreign aid. Secretary-General Unveils $3.12 Billion Budget - United Nations The Fifth Committee then makes its recommendations which the Assembly approves. It is a major step towards more realistic planning and budgeting and reflects a greater focus on results, he said, adding that the shift improves the accuracy of resource estimates, enables quicker adaption to mandate changes and enhances mandate delivery and accountability for results. While the use of virtual and hybrid meetings enabled business continuity, it should not be considered as an example of best practice, he cautioned. In the late 1990s, for example, Senator Jesse Helms (R-NC) led an effort to force reforms at the United Nations by withholding U.S. contributions. Turning to the ACABQ, he expressed serious concerns over its recommendations that seek to expand the Advisory Committees remit to extrabudgetary funded activities, reopen long-standing Assembly resolutions and could result in the defunding of Human Rights Council mandates. As the Assembly will determine the modalities for the conferences preparatory process in 2023, he called for the Committee to provide full support. Of the $56.9 billion received by the UN in 2019, 81% went to just 10 agencies. We use cookies on our website to enhance your online experience and to analyze visitors' navigation patterns. In 2023, the United Nations assessed the United States share of the regular budget at 22 percent and its share of the peacekeeping budget at 27 percent; however, the U.S. Congress caps contributions to the peacekeeping budget at 25 percent, leaving the United States in arrears. He said the proposal also achieves more equitable geographical representation in the Secretariat, despite the slower pace of recruitment over the last few years due to hiring restrictions forced by the precarious liquidity situation. Noting the Secretary-Generals efforts to deliver an ambitious, results-based programme budget proposal for 2023, he said the Organization should have a regular and consistent budget to fully fulfil its mandates, and it should stick to its principles with effective and responsible spending. Most voluntary contributions are earmarked by the country for use toward a particular program or location. ALYA AHMED SAIF AL-THANI (Qatar), aligning herself with the Group of 77, said her delegation has always had a strong partnership with the United Nations and its specialized agencies and believes it has a common responsibility as a partner of the international community. The Advisory Committee has rejected the inclusion of predictable Human Rights Council mandates in the programme budget. With that kind of money floating around, it pays to understand at least the basics of how the UN is financed. The coastal zones of the Pacific are among the most vulnerable in the world. Regarding the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism to investigate human rights violations in Syria, she supported its funding from the regular budget in 2023. UN agency for Palestine refugees on verge of financial collapse Weekly. Open programmes should be reviewed by the relevant Main Committees as soon as possible to enable the Fifth Committee to approve the related budget in a timely manner, he stressed. ABDULAZIZ M. ALWASIL (Saudi Arabia), aligning himself with the Group of 77 and China, called for a solid, regular budget which meets mandates, global challenges and practical needs such as information and communications technology (ICT) systems and the modernization of old buildings. On implementing the oversight bodies recommendations, he noted some entities have not had a stand-alone audit for several years. Since 2017, however, it has declined to provide funds for more than the 25%, meaning the US hasnt paid its bill in full to the UN. The trial period of the annual budget has positive aspects and areas needing adjustments, especially those that negatively affected the Fifth Committees work. The Assembly should request an analysis of the systems full budget for possible consideration through the established budgetary procedures under a unified mechanism for intergovernmental oversight that includes the cost-sharing arrangement. It is important that resources are delivered on mandates on time and fully. The Secretary-General should be asked to develop criteria and modalities for future reviews with the involvement of independent entities to avoid conflicts of interest and ensure impartiality and credibility. The following year, it reduced funding for the UN Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the WHO by about 30 percent and 20 percent, respectively. About UNDEF | Democracy Fund - How is the UN funded? A simple explanation of a complex system - Quartz The Secretariat will continue to improve its relationship with that Committee, he pledged. While it began as a strategic reserve, the guard has grown into a pivotal partner in military operations. The proposal strengthens human rights and humanitarian affairs by building on actions proposed by the Assembly last year. In-person meetings allow for equal and fair representation of Member States and enable them to interact effectively. Any changes in budgeting modalities should not weaken or sever links, he stressed. NEW YORK (September 21, 2022) - During United Nations General Assembly week, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundationalongside governments, philanthropies, the private sector, NGOs, and global and community leadersannounced commitments totaling $1.27B to improve and save millions of lives. Beyond peacekeeping, Chinas contributions to the United Nations have been largely concentrated in development agencies, specifically WFP, the UN Development Program, and the UN Peace and Development Trust Fund. She then called for ECAs appropriate funding to enable it to foster regional integration and promote international cooperation on Africas development. The U.S. government contributed about $12.5 billion to the United Nations in 2021, the most recent fiscal year with full data available. In 2021, China paid 15 percent of the peacekeeping budget, making it the second-largest contributor behind the United States. Members may also make voluntary contributions. Click here to access the UN Funding Compact, Click there to access the Indicator Framework for the Funding Compact. He appreciated the Organizations continued prioritization of Africas development, supported the Secretary-Generals proposal for the Peacebuilding Fund and called for more predictable, sustainable and flexible financing. GEORGE EDOKPA (Nigeria), speaking on behalf of the African Group and aligning himself with the Group of 77 and China, noted the increase of $102.4million due to adjustments including the conversion of posts and methodological changes for the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL). Noting that several programmes have been left without recommendations from the Committee for Programme and Coordination due to a lack of consensus, he recalled the mandates reflected in paragraph16 of Assembly resolution 76/236 and paragraph9 of resolution 75/243 that if that Committee is not able to provide conclusions and recommendations on a given programme or subprogramme, then the Assembly Plenary or its relevant Main Committee will consider the said subprogramme or programme at the earliest opportunity and provide recommendations to the Fifth Committee no later than four weeks after the start of the session. The United Nations should continue to expand its technological capabilities in all construction projects and renovations. As the U.S. government grapples with another deadline to increase its debt ceiling in 2023, economists warn that a possible default could have disastrous economic consequences. As countries rely on the United Nations for leadership, technical support, research and analysis in formulating evidence-based national policies, the budget must reflect the actual and expanding needs on the ground, he urged. It is critical to continue coordination between the Joint Inspection Unit, Board of Auditors and Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) to allow for the sharing of experiences, knowledge, best practices and lessons learned among them as well as with the Independent Audit Advisory Committee to enhance synergy and effectiveness. He welcomed the 2023-2025 budget plan outline, which reaffirms the Organizations eight priority areas and said it is important that resources are delivered on mandates on time and fully. Salvage vessel arrived today at site of decaying supertanker off Yemen's Ras Issa peninsula to prepare for removal of more than 1 million barrels of oil. Many UN organizations, such as the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF), the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and the World Food Program (WFP), rely mainly on discretionary funding. Egypt will keep pushing for the legitimate cause of financing for conflict prevention and peacebuilding, especially in Africa, he said. Echoing the ACABQs recommendations, he called for clarity on the criteria, scope and rationale for including anticipated resource requirements. Other elements that will affect the overall level of resources, such as ongoing construction projects, will be presented later in the seventy-seventh session. As the budget document lacks sufficient information and justifications for all proposed positions, including replacement and continuing positions to be funded under general temporary assistance, the Assembly should ask the Secretary-General to include all general temporary assistance positions as a subcategory under post resources and provide, with full justification, detailed information by grade, level, function, date of incumbency and duration. In noting the ACABQs observation that some proposals appear similar to those for 2022 and might not reflect the real needs for 2023, he encouraged the Secretariat to ensure that resources are clearly linked to a results-based budget framework and reflect existing mandates. Article The Committee for Programme and Coordination examines the compatibility between programme plans and mandates and ACABQ conducts analyses on efficiency among other aspects. To adequately implement its efforts, the United Nations requires a programme budget with resources commensurate to the mandate at hand. The Biden administration sees the United Nations as an important forum for realizing U.S. foreign policy goals and demonstrating U.S. leadership in the world. Increasing the Working Capital Fund by an additional $100million, by using a part of the credits returnable to Member States in 2023, will permanently increase the liquidity reserves. He then noted the Secretary-Generals efforts and plans for Africas development at both the regional and subregional levels and expressed interest in understanding how the reforms are contributing to the better delivery of the 2030Agenda and the African Unions Agenda2063. With the improvement in the financial situation and relaxation of the hiring freeze, the Group reiterates that vacant posts should be filled as expeditiously as possible, taking into consideration equitable geographical representation, he said.