According to internal planning documents revealed by the media, as a result of failures of operations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lebanon, and Mali, the White House budget by the Trump administration has suggested cutting off financing for UN peacekeeping deployments.
Washington is the UN’s largest contributor, providing 22 percent of the $3.7 billion core regular UN budget and 27 percent of the $5.6 billion peacekeeping budget, payments that are mandatory. China is the second-largest contributor.
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) responded to State Department funding proposals for the next fiscal year, starting October 1, with a “Passback,” which includes the proposed peacekeeping reduction.
The main goal of the strategy is to reduce the State Department’s budget by approximately 50%. Congress must approve the new budget, and they may decide to reinstate some or all of the suggested cutbacks.
Propositions By OMB
The OMB has proposed ending Contributions for International Peacekeeping Activities (CIPA), stating the decision is due to “the recent failures in peacekeeping, such as with MINUSMA, UNIFIL, and MONUSCO, and the disproportionately high level of assessments.” The United Nations peacekeeping budget supports nine missions in various regions, including Mali, Lebanon, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, Western Sahara, Cyprus, Kosovo, between Syria and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, and Abyei.
The OMB Passback also proposes creating a $2.1 billion America First Opportunities Fund (A1OF) to cover limited foreign economic and development assistance priorities. “Should the Administration seek to pay any assessments for the United Nations Regular Budget or peacekeeping assessments, we would look to provide that funding from the A1OF,” the OMB Passback stated.
US Owes Debt In UN Budget
The US owes nearly $1.5 billion for the regular UN budget and nearly $1.2 billion for the peacekeeping budget in arrears and for the current fiscal year. UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric declined to comment on “what appears to be a leaked memo that is part of an internal debate within the US government.” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated last month that he is seeking ways to improve efficiency and cut costs as the world body turns 80 this year amid a cash crisis.
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