US proposes eliminating UN peacekeeping funding

[WORLD] According to internal planning documents obtained by Reuters, the White House budget office has suggested removing funding for UN peacekeeping missions, citing failures in operations in Mali, Lebanon, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Washington is the UN's top contributor, with China coming in second, providing for 22% of the $3.7 billion core regular UN budget and 27% of the $5.6 billion peacekeeping budget. These payments are mandatory.

The proposed cuts reflect a broader trend in the US administration's approach to international engagement, with a focus on reallocating resources to domestic priorities. The America First Opportunities Fund (A1OF), proposed in the OMB Passback, is a key part of this strategy. The fund, with a proposed budget of $2.1 billion, aims to address a limited set of foreign economic and development assistance priorities, which may include initiatives that align more closely with the administration's vision for US global leadership.

The proposed peacekeeping cuts are included in a so-called "Passback," which is the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) response to state department funding proposals for the fiscal year beginning October 1. The ultimate objective is to cut the state department budget by around half.

This move comes at a time when the UN is grappling with significant financial challenges. The organization is currently facing a liquidity crisis, with a shortfall in its regular budget and peacekeeping budget. The US, being the largest contributor, has a substantial impact on the UN's financial stability. The proposed cuts could exacerbate the UN's financial difficulties, potentially affecting the operations of peacekeeping missions.

The new budget must be approved by Congress, and lawmakers may choose to restore part or all of the funding that the administration has proposed reducing. The State Department was scheduled to reply to the OMB plan on Tuesday. During his first term, US President Donald Trump suggested eliminating around one-third of the diplomatic and aid budgets. But Congress, which determines the federal government's budget, objected to Trump's idea.

The UN has been making efforts to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of its peacekeeping missions. In response to the ongoing cash crisis, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has been seeking ways to cut costs and enhance mission performance. The UN is also reviewing its peacekeeping architecture and exploring new models for future missions, with a focus on adaptability and tailored responses to evolving global challenges.

"There is no final plan or budget," State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce told reporters on Tuesday when questioned about the OMB ideas. The OMB has suggested discontinuing Contributions for International Peacekeeping Activities (CIPA). "For example, Passback provides no funding for CIPA, ending contributions for international peacekeeping due to the recent failures in peacekeeping, such as with MINUSMA, UNIFIL, and MONUSCO, and the disproportionately high level of assessments," according to an excerpt from the document.The UN peacekeeping budget funds nine missions in Mali, Lebanon, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, Western Sahara, Cyprus, Kosovo, between Syria and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and Abyei, an administrative area that is jointly run by South Sudan and Sudan.

The OMB Passback also proposed establishing a US$2.1 billion America First Opportunities Fund (A1OF), which would be utilized to address a specific set of international economic and development assistance priorities. "Should the Administration seek to pay any assessments for the UN Regular Budget or peacekeeping assessments, we would look to provide that funding from the A1OF," reads the reply from the OMB.

On Tuesday, United Nations 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." The United States owes approximately US$1.5 billion for the normal UN budget and nearly US$1.2 billion for peacekeeping, both in arrears and for the current fiscal year. A country may consist of two or more

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres last month said he is seeking ways to improve efficiency and cut costs as the world body turns 80 this year amid a cash crisis.