United Nations Member States, on Thursday, approved $3.231 billion to fund the global Organizationâs regular budget for 2021.
The General Assembly body dealing with UN administrative and budgetary matters (Fifth Committee) hadâŻdiscussed and approvedâŻthe budget this afternoon before the plenary voted on the financial plan, with 168 casting their ballots in favour, two against (Israel, United States) and no abstentions.
After more than four decades of biennium budgets in approving resources, 2021 marks the second time that the Organization is allocating funds in a one-year-fiscal cycle.
Back in October, the UN chief had proposed a programme budget of $2.99âŻbillion â a net reduction of 2.8âŻperâŻcent overâŻ2020.
Secretary-General AntĂłnioâŻGuterres had told the Fifth Committee that despite the pandemic and liquidity crunch, âour new processes and structures have proven instrumental in enabling us to remain open and function effectivelyâŠwe are running this Organization from thousands of dining tables and home officesâ.
A look back
âWe worked together to build consensus, exercise prudence and flexibility, at a critical time in historyâ, General Assembly President Volkan Bozkir told the final plenary of the year.
He reflected on some of the 75 plenary meetings that were convened in the Assembly Hall, including the General Debate, Biodiversity Summit, 31st Special Session in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and high-level meetings on the 25th Anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women.
Mr. Bozkir observed that the Assemblyâs performance throughout this difficult year was a testament to the high caliber of diplomacy practiced in the Hall, which also encompassed efforts to ensure a more gender-inclusive chamber.
âIn 2020, the General Assembly continued to lead on the world stage and fully function, in order to implement its mandatesâŠto meet the needs of the people we serveâ, he said.
New Yearâs resolutions
Discussing resolutions for the new year, the Assembly President urged the Member States to harness multilateralism to end the COVID-19 pandemic and âaddress the needs of those furthest behind firstâ.
He pushed for actions towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), while âgreening the blueâ and noted that despite the pandemic, âclimate change continues to destabilize the worldâ.
Because the Assembly Hall is one of the few rooms in UN Headquarters with the capacity to facilitate social distancing, Mr. Bozkir upheld that it would continue to open its doors to UN bodies âto live up to our promise, to create the UN we need for the future we wantâ.
And finally, he encouraged the Ambassadors to create a better future by joining him in re-committing to the UN Charter and strengthening multilateralism.
âOur work here in the General Assembly requires us to recognize the great responsibility placed upon us by the people we serveâ, he stated and called it âour solemn dutyâ to engage in constructive dialogue to pursue the UNâs noble goals of universal peace, human rights and sustainable development.
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