UN has been left with “no choice” but to cut down on requirements, flights, AC and no water in water coolers
Geneva| The fund crisis has hit the United Nations and it is so severe that it has left the world association with no choice but to cut down on expenses over basic requirements. According to AFP, the United Nations which is headquartered in Geneva has stopped water supply to the water cooler, stopping of escalators, no flights or AC for the members as measures to survive the financial crisis.
However, that’s not all. The UN has also expressed concern that it may not be able to pay staff salaries next month due to the fund crunch. Reportedly, this has happened because many country members are not paying their dues.
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UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that the UN has to pay the salary of 37,000 employees for next month. “We are suffering the worst cash crunch facing the UN in a decade,” he said. Guterres added, “This cut back will mean limited flights and reception, No hiring, fewer documents, reports and translations and even an end to water coolers and no AC.” He said that the organizations’ liquidity reserves may run dry by the end of this month.
Countries who failed to pay dues:
According to the United Nations, 129 out of 193 member states have paid so far their share of the core budget. The UN spokesperson said the rest needs to pay “Urgently and fully” the dues.
Over seven countries have failed to pay their dues including the United States-the permanent member of UN which owes over a billion dollars followed by Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Iran, Israel, and Venezuela. There is a $1.4 billion shortfall in the UN operation budget this year.
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Guterres had said on October 7 that the world body is running a deficit of $230 million (Rs 1,630 crore) and may not be left with back-up reserves by the end of this month. Guterres told employees in a letter that the ultimate responsibility for the United Nations’ financial health lies with member states. “Member states have paid only 70% of the total amount needed for our regular budget operations in 2019″, He said.
The top contributors are Bangladesh, India, Ethiopia, Nepal, and Rwanda. They pay their troops according to their national salary scales and are reimbursed by the United Nations.
The US Owes the maximum:
The United States is the largest contributor responsible for 22 per cent of the $2.85 billion regular budget for 2019, which pays for political intervention, humanitarian aid, disarmament, economic and social affairs, and communications.
Washington owes some $381 million for prior regular budgets and $674 million for the 2019 regular budget. The US President Doland Trump has always complained about the budget provided by the United States to the United Nations.
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