|
|
|
|
  |
 |
 |
 |
|  | Liaison Newsletter > LIAISON Vol. 3, No. 5, September 1999
UN Day: What is the Word on the Street for this Year? Money shortages have slowly but surely had an impact on the future of the UN since its creation in 1945. Its present financial crisis is nothing new. In debt in excess of 2.6 billion, the UN remains in crisis. In addition to the tardy delivery of the USA in paying their dues to the United Nations, a number of other states, including Germany, Denmark and Japan, have recently cut their contributions to the UN Develoment Programme, while others have decided to invest less in humanitarian emergencies taking place in African countries and elsewhere. The most powerful country in the world still owes a total of 1.6 billion to the UN. In late June, the US Senate voted with a strong majority to pay back $916 million of the US debt to the United Nations, on condition of the reduction of 5% of the US share of the Regular Budget as well as a reduction of 6% of the peacekeeping assessments. Will this be acceptable to the Member States? Unfortunately, it seems at this point that too many members in the US House of Representatives are not willing to pay the back-dues because of what they see as a wasteful and expensive bureaucracy that is crippling the UN system. Beside the fact that this International Organization presents an important instrument for the US foreign policy, this delay proves in a sense that there is a loss of interest and credibility of our neighbour in what the United Nations can accomplish. What else can be done to solve the problem of the UN financial crisis? Will a small global tax that the international community could agree on receive the support of the world population, and make a difference? This year, the events on the eve of UN Day are happening under the auspices of the NGO Millennium Forum. Their “Millennium Mobilization”, formulated as a worldwide day of education and action, calls for the full, timely, and unconditional payment of all UN assessments, in accordance with the UN Charter, and encourages countries around the world to raise their voices to alleviate the UN financial crisis. Some will continue to hold a candlelight vigil. Others might well organize public meetings, deliver messages to public officials, write letters of concern to the press, hold animation activities in schools, or arrange any other events to gather people locally and raise awareness for supporting the United Nations. For the third year a candlelight vigil, organized jointly by the World Federalists of Canada and UNA-Canada, will be held on the eve of the UN Day, October 23, in Ottawa. Other activities will be organized across the country to highlight the main issues of that day. Gathering more people every year, we strongly encourage you to join us to demonstrate your support for this most important International Organization. Help make the hopes for a better world become concrete. Contact either UNA-Canada [(613) 232-5751, x227] or the World Federalists [(613) 232-0647] to make local connections in Canada. For further information on the global activities organized by the Millennium Mobilization, and questions related to those events, you may contact the Global Policy Forum and visit their website at: Phone: (212) 557-3161 You may also report your activities to mark UN Day at these email addresses: gpf3@globalpolicy.org ; info@unac.org |
