Caribbean L BQ ife, Oct. 11-17, 2019 11
By Stéphane Dujarric
Stéphane Dujarric is spokesman for
the Secretary-General
UNITED NATIONS, Oct 9 2019
(IPS) — The Secretary-General António
Guterres wrote to member states about
the worst cash crisis facing the United
Nations in nearly a decade. The organization
runs the risk of depleting its liquidity
reserves by the end of the month
and defaulting on payments to staff and
vendors.
Stressing the Charter obligation of
Member States, the secretary-general
thanked the member states who have
paid their regular budget assessments,
which is now 129, and urged those who
have not paid to do so urgently and in
full.T
his is the only way to avoid a default
that could risk disrupting operations
globally. The secretary-general further
asked governments to address the underlying
reasons for the crisis and agree on
measures to put the United Nations on a
sound financial footing.
By the end of September, member
states had paid only 70 percent of the
total assessment for the regular budget,
compared with 78 percent at the same
time last year. The Secretariat had put in
place multiple measures since the beginning
of the year to align expenditures
with cash inflows.
These included adjusting hiring and
other non-post expenses based on expected
cash availability. Had it not contained
expenditures globally from the beginning
of the year, the cash shortfall in October
could have reached $600 million and the
Organisation would not have had the
liquidity to support the opening of the
General Assembly debate and the highlevel
meetings last month.
To date, we have averted major disruptions
to operations.
These measures are no longer enough.
The Secretariat could face a default on
salaries and payments for goods and
services by the end of November unless
more member states pay their budget
dues in full.
The secretary-general has therefore
requested additional steps be taken
immediately, including further reductions
in official travel; postponing spending
on goods and services; and discontinuing
events scheduled outside official
meeting hours at headquarters duty stations.
In addition, conferences and meetings
may have to be postponed or services
be adjusted. He is reviewing further
options.
The secretary-general noted that this
is a recurrent problem that severely hampers
the Secretariat’s ability to fulfil its
obligations to the people we serve.
We are now driven to prioritize our
work on the basis of the availability of
cash, thus undermining the implementation
of mandates decided by inter-governmental
bodies.
The secretary-general therefore looks
to Member States to resolve the structural
issues that underlie this annual
crisis without further delay.
The secretary-general has also kept the
staff informed of these developments.
Footnote:
As of Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2019, 129 member
states have paid their regular budget
dues in full. For a list of those countries,
see http://www.un.org/en/ga/contributions/
honourroll.shtml.
At this time, member states have paid
US$1.99 billion towards the 2019 regular
budget assessment. The outstanding
amount for 2019 for regular budget is
US$1.386 billion.
The 64 states that have yet to pay
regular budget dues in full for 2019
are: Afghanistan, Angola, Antigua and
Barbuda, Argentina, Bangladesh, Belize,
Benin, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burundi,
Central African Republic, Comoros,
Congo, Costa Rica, Democratic People’s
Republic of Korea, Democratic Republic
of the Congo, Djibouti, Ecuador, Eritrea,
Gambia, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea-
Bissau, Honduras, Iran (Islamic Republic
of), Israel, Kiribati, Lebanon, Lesotho,
Liberia, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania,
Mexico, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria,
Oman, Panama, Papua New Guinea,
Peru, Philippines, Republic of Korea,
Romania, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Sao
Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal,
Seychelles, Somalia, South Sudan,
Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Tajikistan,
Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia,
Turkmenistan, United States of
America, Uruguay, Venezuela (Bolivarian
Republic of) and Yemen.
Meanwhile in a letter dated Oct. 7
addressed to all UN staffers, Secretary-
General Antonio Guterres says: I am
writing to update you again on the troubling
financial situation facing the United
Nations. As you know, I have been
working closely with Member States and
managers over the past few months to
solve the liquidity crisis facing our regular
budget.
OP-EDS
UN faces its worst cash crisis in nearly a decade
PATIENTS’
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RATED & AWARDED BY PATIENTS
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