By Enyichukwu Enemanna
The General Assembly has approved the sum of US$3.59 billion budget for the United Nations for the 2024 fiscal year.
It also approved the establishment of a special account to finance the Organisation’s peace-building fund, Office of the President of the General Assembly disclosed in a statement on Sunday.
The budget was approved on Friday, the statement noted.
The 193-member bloc also adopted nearly US$50 million in additional funding for decisions taken by the Human Rights Council, the UN’s primary forum on human rights matters.
According to the statement, the General Assembly decided to establish the Peace-building Account, a dedicated multi-year special account, as a modality to finance the Peace-building Fund.
It also approved US$50 million of assessed contributions per annum to fund the Account, starting 1 January 2025.
The Peace-building Fund is the UN’s leading instrument to invest in prevention and peace-building efforts and support joint responses to address critical peace-building opportunities, connecting development, humanitarian, human rights and peace-building pillars, NAN quoted the statement as stating further.
In October, the Secretary-General presented a US$3.3 billion budget proposal to the General Assembly, stating to delegates at the Assembly’s main budget committee that “the role of the United Nations has never been more vital.”
In his presentation, António Guterres also voiced concern over the deteriorating liquidity situation of the Organisation, urging countries to ensure timely and full payments.
The Assembly further adopted a resolution that includes provisions to expand the coverage of UN official intergovernmental meetings in Arabic, Chinese, Russian and Spanish languages.
The 20 positions, classified as general temporary assistance (GTA), include editors, press officers and assistants working in the four languages.
