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UNITED NATIONS, April 29: Developing nations on Friday blocked proposals to give the UN secretary-general more powers over staff and finances, a move that could provoke a budget crisis and possibly shut down the world body if the United States refuses to pay dues as it has threatened to do unless the management reforms’ proposals are adopted.
The vote in the fifth committee was 108-50 on the resolution opposed by the US, the European Union and Japan, who collectively pay 80 per cent of the UN budget, and had argued that since they contribute the most they should have more say in how the world body is run. The resolution adopted by the committee will be presented to the full General Assembly for a vote as early as next week.
Some western diplomats and officials reflected that the vote could well spur Washington and others to insist a budget cap stay in place and withhold the $950 million needed to pay UN salaries after June 30. Separately, the United States could withhold its own dues, usually paid after September.
PAKISTAN: While regretting that the vote was pushed in the fifth committee, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the UN Munir Akram pointed out that the vote on the issue was also forced by the developed countries when the G-77 had agreement on an EU proposal.
He asserted that “the positive response by the developing countries to an EU proposal was not accepted by most developed countries” hence forcing a vote.”
Mr Akram said that “despite best efforts of Pakistan” to bring about a consensus “the developed countries remained inflexible”.
Similarly, South Africa’s Ambassador Dumisani Kumalo and chairman of a group of 132 developing nations said the people “don’t realise this time the vote was also called for by the developed world”.
He added that “the report of the secretary-general had an unfortunate underlying theme - that is to change the role of oversight by the member states of the General Assembly.”
French Ambassador to the UN Jean-Marc de la Sabliere said after the vote: “It is a sad day. This is also a victory for the radicals.”
“I hope that the serious episode of today will not lead to a crisis ... We want to reform the UN, because the UN is important for the world,” he said.
John R. Bolton, the US ambassador, said after the vote that the “absent top-to-bottom management reform, the UN will continue to be ill-equipped to meet the current demands that we as member states place upon the organisation”.
