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Imagine the world's most important international organization, so poor that it can't even afford to drive an elevator, this is not science fiction but a true portrayal of the United Nations today, where employees at the United Nations headquarters in New York climb the stairs to commute every day, the lights are dimly lit like a basement, and this once glamorous international institution is now reduced to a "slum". The once bustling corridors of the United Nations building are now deserted, the air conditioning in the conference rooms is turned to the lowest level, and some areas are simply not lit.
Founded in 1945, the United Nations is an important institution for maintaining world peace after World War II, its predecessor was the League of Nations, which was founded in 1919, and has experienced nearly 100 years of development. From eradicating poverty to tackling climate change, from defending human rights to promoting education, the United Nations has reached almost every corner of human society, yet this international organization with a heavy responsibility is now in a serious financial crisis.
The financial situation of the United Nations has deteriorated to such an extent that it is reported that it has cut non-payroll-related costs by more than 40 per cent, which means that many important projects and programmes have had to be shelved or downsized, and the situation is even worse at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, where the debt of the United Nations' key European office is as high as $859 million. In order to save money, the Palais des Nations had to adopt a series of austerity measures, such as the closure of some escalators, the lowering of heating temperatures, and the reduction of lighting hours, which are reminiscent of money-saving tips for families in times of financial hardship, but this time the protagonists are world-class international organizations.
Imagine when world leaders gather at the Palais des Nations to discuss major international issues, only to find that the staircase is crowded and the conference room is shivering, which not only affects the efficiency of the work, but also damages the image and dignity of the United Nations. More worrying is that the United Nations plans to adopt stricter economy measures by August 2024 to avoid bankruptcy, this news is undoubtedly a wake-up call to the global diplomatic community, if the United Nations is really bankrupt, then who will coordinate international affairs and who will maintain world peace? I'm afraid no one can give the answers to these questions.
The main reason for this situation is the malicious arrears of many countries, among which United States, as the largest contributor to the United Nations, is also the largest arrears, so far United States owes about $1.1 billion, which is a jaw-dropping figure, but what is even more surprising is that this is not the peak of United States' arrears. As early as 1995 United States arrears had already reached $1.43 billion, and from 2022 to 2024 there were United States many times in arrears, making it a disturbing norm.
United States has made many excuses for its actions, such as the inefficiency of the United Nations and the irrational mechanism of assessment, but these reasons seem unconvincing. Considering that United States is in a position to provide billions of dollars in aid to the Israel while defaulting on its dues to the United Nations, this raises questions about the priorities of the United States, and is the United Nations no longer relevant in United States foreign policy?
The United Nations was not inactive in the face of arrears, and under the statutes of the United Nations, if a Member State defaulted on more than the sum of its contributions due for the previous two years, it would be temporarily deprived of the right to vote in the General Assembly, which was supposed to be a powerful weapon to ensure that States paid their contributions on time. In 2016, the United Nations even publicly named 15 countries in arrears in an attempt to force them to fulfill their obligations through public pressure, and in 2018, five countries were deprived of their voting rights in the UN General Assembly due to serious arrears.
However, the United States, as the largest debtor, has not been denied the right to vote because the United States' arrears have not exceeded the stipulated "red line", a situation reminiscent of the "privilege of great powers" that has sparked extensive discussion in the international community. Is it true that some countries are "more equal" than others in the United Nations, and this injustice undoubtedly weakens the credibility and authority of the United Nations.
In stark contrast to United States, China, as the second largest contributor to the United Nations, has paid 15%, which reflects China's growing economic strength and international influence, and it is worth mentioning that China has always insisted on paying its UN dues on time and in full. In November 2023, China paid its membership dues as scheduled, and the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has repeatedly stressed that China will continue to fulfill its international responsibilities, a responsible attitude that has won universal praise from the international community.
However, even with a model student like China, the UN's financial situation is still not optimistic, with the UN's budget for peacekeeping operations reaching US$6.5 billion in fiscal years 2019-2020, which is a huge expenditure that makes the UN's already stretched budget even worse. Peacekeeping operations are one of the most important functions of the United Nations, but it is also the most expensive project, and how to maximize the effectiveness of peacekeeping within a limited budget has become a major challenge for the United Nations.
Faced with this situation, the international community has called on the United Nations to take stronger measures to deal with the problem of arrears, and some experts have suggested that the provisions should be amended to impose harsher penalties on countries that have been in arrears for a long time, for example, by considering reducing the representation of non-paying countries in United Nations bodies or restricting their right to participate in certain important decisions. It was also suggested that the United Nations could explore new sources of financing to reduce its reliance on contributions, for example by considering a global tax or by encouraging donations from the private sector and philanthropic institutions.
At the same time, some countries have questioned the role and efficiency of the United Nations in major international events, such as the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip and the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which have further exacerbated the UN's predicament, with some critics arguing that the United Nations has performed poorly in these crises and has failed to effectively prevent the conflict or provide adequate humanitarian assistance. However, we must also recognize that the effectiveness of the United Nations depends to a large extent on the support and cooperation of Member States, and that it is difficult for the United Nations to play its due role without adequate financial and political support.
The financial predicament of the United Nations reflects the complexity of the international community today, on the one hand, the world needs a strong international organization more than ever to coordinate relations and solve global problems, whether it is to combat climate change or promote sustainable development, the United Nations plays an indispensable role. On the other hand, some major powers seem to be trying to weaken the influence of the United Nations, and this ambivalence reflects the power game and conflict of interests in international relations.
As a responsible major country, China not only pays its dues on time, but also actively participates in the affairs of the United Nations and contributes to the maintenance of world peace. China's performance at the United Nations reflects the practice of its concept of a "community with a shared future for mankind", which has won wide acclaim from the international community and set a good example for other countries.
However, the efforts of one country alone are far from enough, and a real solution to the financial crisis of the United Nations requires the joint efforts of all member states, especially large countries like the United States, which should play a leading role in fulfilling their international responsibilities. As the world's most powerful economy and military power, United States' attitude towards the United Nations has important implications for the entire international community, and if United States can change its arrears, it will not only ease the financial pressure on the United Nations but also set an example for other countries.
Information sources:
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