Congress urged to fully fund UN peacekeeping

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April 2007

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Congress urged to fully fund UN peacekeeping
Significant shortfalls in the United States’ payments to the United Nations and other international organizations may jeopardize key U.S. foreign policy objectives, a group of 40 non-governmental organizations warned in a letter sent to members of Congress today. The letter coincided with the beginning of work to determine U.S. government spending for the 2008 fiscal year (FY08).

“The U.S. is increasingly reliant on international partnerships and allies to help us fight terrorism, prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, stabilize war-torn societies, and promote democracy around the world,” the groups wrote. “U.S. leadership in these partnerships requires meeting our international obligations and providing sufficient resources to meet these challenges.”

“Not only are we are endangering our reputation, we are compromising the hard work of the tens of thousands of individuals involved in humanitarian and peacekeeping missions worldwide,” said Deborah Derrick, executive director of the Better World Campaign. “It is imperative that we fulfill our commitments to the United Nations and the broader international community – simply put, we can’t afford not to pay our bills.”

The letter highlighted the current budget shortfalls for UN peacekeeping operations. Although the United States has pressed for an increase in these missions – using its vote on the UN Security Council to send peacekeepers to conflict zones like Lebanon, Haiti and Sudan – the Bush Administration’s budget request for FY08 insufficiently funds the Contributions to International Peacekeeping Activities (CIPA) account by $500 million. Unless Congress takes action, past arrears and current shortfalls could leave the United States close to $1.3 billion short of meeting its obligations to UN peacekeeping.

The letter also called attention to funding problems in U.S. appropriations to the Contributions to International Organizations (CIO) account, which provides financial support to 44 treaty-based organizations including the UN, NATO, and the IAEA, among others. Most of these agencies are already paid a year late by the United States. Unless the Fiscal Year 2007 shortfall of $130 million is corrected, the U.S. is in danger of falling into arrears with one or more of these organizations.

Among the organizations that have signed the letter are: Americans for Democratic Action (ADA); Americans for Informed Democracy; Americans for UNFPA; Arms Control Associates; Better World Campaign; CARE–USA; Center for American Progress; Church Women United; Church World Service; Citizens for Global Solutions; Coalition for American Leadership Abroad (COLEAD); Council for a Livable World; EarthAction; ENOUGH! The Project to Abolish Genocide + Mass Atrocities; Friends Committee on National Legislation (Quakers); Genocide Intervention Network; Global Action to Prevent War; Global Associates for Health Development, Inc.; International Crisis Group; International Rescue Committee; MercyCorps; National Association of Social Workers; National Council of Churches USA; Nuclear Age Peace Foundation; Open Society Policy Center; Oxfam America; Peace Action and Peace Action Education Fund; Physicians for Human Rights; Population Action International; Presbyterian Church (USA), Washington Office; Refugees International; Save Darfur Coalition; The Fund for Peace; U.S. Committee for UNIFEM (UNIFEM/USA); United Methodist Church, General Board of Church and Society; United Nations Association of the National Capital Area (UNA-NCA); United Nations Associations of the United States of America; Universal Human Rights Network; and Women of Reform Judaism.

Note to the editor: A full text of the letter and the supporting organizations can be found on the website of the Better World Campaign (www.betterworldcampaign.org ).

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