United States hails $US285 million cut to United Nations budget
Updated
The United Nations' budget is set to shrink by more than $US285 million next year — a 5 per cent cut that the US government says it negotiated.
Key points:
- The 5 per cent cut will affect most departments
- But peacekeeping and humanitarian activities are not included
- Trump had threatened to cut aid to individual nations over the Jerusalem issue
The UN General Assembly voted on Sunday to approve the nearly $US5.4 billion regular operating budget for 2018-2019.
The Secretary-General's office said the new budget included cuts to most departments and offices.
The regular budget pays for many UN activities, but not peacekeeping or some humanitarian appeals, for example.
The US is the largest contributor, paying about 25 per cent of the regular budget.
President Donald Trump has pressed to cut US contributions to the world body.
In a statement on Sunday US Ambassador Nikki Haley faulted the UN for "inefficiency and overspending" and said Washington would not let "the generosity of the American people be taken advantage of."
Last week 120 countries voted in favour of a UN resolution calling on the US to drop its recoognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital..
Before that vote Mr Trump had threatened to cut financial aid to countries that supported the resolution.
AP
Topics: world-politics, unrest-conflict-and-war, united-states
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