Washington, D.C. (March 11, 2019) — Better World Campaign President Peter Yeo issued the following statement today on the Administration’s Fiscal Year 2020 budget request:
“The steep cuts to foreign affairs spending and the United Nations outlined in the Administration’s budget request – A Budget for a Better America – do not align with the document’s stated goals of advancing America’s interests, protecting national security objectives, or making programs more effective.
“The proposed budget cuts will make it more difficult for the UN to help those who need it most around the world. It will undermine ongoing efforts to implement the ambitious reform agenda that the U.S. has championed. And it will also exacerbate the financial crisis at the UN.
“As it stands, U.S. arrears to the UN are about $750 million. Passage of this budget, which greatly underfunds the UN regular budget and peacekeeping operations, would ensure our arrears top $1 billion next year. Congress has explicitly stated that such arrears damage U.S. credibility and negatively impact UN peacekeeping missions.
“The Administration’s budget request once again puts U.S. global leadership at risk and Congress should reject it.”
About the Better World Campaign
The Better World Campaign works to foster a strong relationship between the U.S. and the UN to promote core American interests and build a more secure, prosperous, and healthy world. The Better World Campaign engages policymakers, the media, and the American public alike to increase awareness of the critical role played by the UN in world affairs and the importance of constructive U.S.-UN relations.
Media Contact:
info_bwc@unfoundation.org
