The United Nation's 50th
anniversary celebrations
in New York (October 2224) were a time of reckoning. Member nations
faced the stark reality of
a financially straitened UN - a total of
US $3.3 billion is owed by all countries
but one, America being the biggest defaulter. Washington's arrears amount to
US $11.4bllllon, or nearly a third of the UN's
combined budget of US $4.5 billion. In an
oblique but hard hitting attack on the US's
failure to cough up its dues, British prime
Minister John Major suggested that there
should be no "representation without
taxation."
Another point of concern was the
unrepresentative nature of the Security
Council. Heads ofthe smaller nations
demanded a stronger voice in UN deliberations and a reduction in the veto rights of
the five permanent members of the
Security Council. Though US, Britain and
France have given a call for the inclusion of
Germany and Japan in the Council, poorer
nations are far from happy. But this still
excludes the South from what Zambia's
President Frederick ChIluba termed the
"sanctuary of the holy of holies."
We are a voice to you; you have been a support to us. Together we build journalism that is independent, credible and fearless. You can further help us by making a donation. This will mean a lot for our ability to bring you news, perspectives and analysis from the ground so that we can make change together.
.png)
Comments are moderated and will be published only after the site moderator’s approval. Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name. Selected comments may also be used in the ‘Letters’ section of the Down To Earth print edition.