United Nations Reform at Impasse
May 2, 2006
United Nations- According to a Washington Post article, some of the reforms, which were proposed by Secretary-General Kofi Annan, have been delayed by the Group of 77. On Friday, the main budgetary committee of the General Assembly voted on the delay with 108 voting for it, 50 against, and three abstentions. This is the latest setback to the reformation process at the United Nations, which may lead to a funding cut from the United States government to the organization. The Group of 77, which is made up of 132 relatively poorer nations, was joined by China in this quest to delay the major reforms that Annan has proposed. These major reforms would act to streamline the United Nations budgetary process and lead to less corruption. The nations against this plan feel that it will restrict their power within the UN, especially their power of helping to figure out and settle the budget for the intergovernmental organization. If the reform had gone through, much of the budgetary process would be conducted through the office of the Secretary-General, rather than through the committees of the General Assembly. This worries the poorer nations, because they believe that what little power within the organization they do wield will be stripped away because of this plan.
According to the article:
“’We should always remember that we are all equal partners in this organization, regardless of our level of development and regardless of how much we contribute to the budget of the organization,’ said Egypt's ambassador, Maged A. Abdelaziz.”
“Republicans in Congress have recently pressured the administration to withhold financing for the United Nations if it does not overhaul its management.”
To read the entire article, click here.
United Nations- According to a Washington Post article, some of the reforms, which were proposed by Secretary-General Kofi Annan, have been delayed by the Group of 77. On Friday, the main budgetary committee of the General Assembly voted on the delay with 108 voting for it, 50 against, and three abstentions. This is the latest setback to the reformation process at the United Nations, which may lead to a funding cut from the United States government to the organization. The Group of 77, which is made up of 132 relatively poorer nations, was joined by China in this quest to delay the major reforms that Annan has proposed. These major reforms would act to streamline the United Nations budgetary process and lead to less corruption. The nations against this plan feel that it will restrict their power within the UN, especially their power of helping to figure out and settle the budget for the intergovernmental organization. If the reform had gone through, much of the budgetary process would be conducted through the office of the Secretary-General, rather than through the committees of the General Assembly. This worries the poorer nations, because they believe that what little power within the organization they do wield will be stripped away because of this plan.
According to the article:
“’We should always remember that we are all equal partners in this organization, regardless of our level of development and regardless of how much we contribute to the budget of the organization,’ said Egypt's ambassador, Maged A. Abdelaziz.”
“Republicans in Congress have recently pressured the administration to withhold financing for the United Nations if it does not overhaul its management.”
To read the entire article, click here.
posted by Evan @ 5/02/2006 03:29:00 PM
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