UN official calls on member states to pay debt

UN Undersecretary-General for Management Yukio Takasu has called on member states with outstanding debt to pay up.

Speaking during a news conference at UN Headquarters, the official said that "the financial position of the United Nations, as a whole, is sound," but "quite tight for the regular budget", which was for $2.6 billion split among 193 member states this year, Xinhua reported.

According to him, peacekeeping operations cost $9.7 billion, but has $3.4 billion in outstanding assessments while the international tribunals cost $248 million and has $60 million in unpaid assessments.

The number of member states which have paid in full their contribution to the regular budget increased to 134 by the Oct 5 cut-off date, compared with 129 at this time in 2012.

"This demonstrates the very strong commitment and support of Member States to the United Nations," Takasu said.

The US, Brazil and Venezuela are the top three member states with unpaid assessments of $795 million, $75 million and $22 million respectively, Takasu said.

Fifty-six other member states owed the organisation $53 million for the regular budget.

The amount unpaid is 36 percent of the regular budget, or $945 million, 35 percent of peacekeeping operations, or $3.4 billion, and $60 million unpaid for the tribunals, or 24 percent, he added.