Financial shortages plunged the UN headquarters in Geneva into silence

– International News – Tasnim news, “SRF” of Switzerland wrote in a report: lack of money forced the United Nations to turn off the lights of its headquarters in Geneva has done. Many countries do not pay their aid to this international body – or do not pay on time, and now its financial situation is getting worse. He has not been able to be extravagant or wasteful. The estimated 3.6 billion dollars that will be used to finance the organization in 2024 is very small for a global organization with countless fields of activity and 193 member countries.

But the real problem is that many Countries don’t pay their aid to the institution – or don’t pay it on time. Antonio Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, has repeatedly complained about this issue.

In 2023, only 152 countries have paid their mandatory contributions to the organization in full. So far this year, only 98, including Switzerland, have done so.

So the UN is in a serious cash crisis, forcing Guterres to take extraordinary measures. The situation has progressed to the point where he sees the work as well as the reform of the United Nations in jeopardy. are affected by these conditions. Of course, the subsidiary organizations of the United Nations, which have their own separate budgets, are not affected by these conditions.

The forecast of the meaning of austerity measures was presented earlier in Geneva at Christmas and New Year. At that time, the palace and headquarters of the Mel organization in this city were completely closed. However, this was the situation during the three weeks when there were few events in the international scene anyway.

But from the second half of April onwards this year, these restrictions on the full operation of this institution. Affect. Kira Kruglikova, the administrative director of the United Nations in Geneva, explains that all the buildings are temporarily closed and the staff must gather in other buildings. will also be limited. Offices and meeting rooms will be open only from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm for an unspecified period.

In this situation, in order to reduce costs, the exterior lighting of the historic UN buildings in this city will be reduced to a minimum. , the escalators only work during important events and heating and cooling are reduced. Kruglikva recommends that UN staff bring coats on cold days.

This is expected to save 42 percent of infrastructure costs in the Geneva building – or 15 million francs. This affects the costs of energy, security, cleaning and procurement of materials.

Kroglikova, of course, to address the concerns of employees, announced that the minimum wage for employees is still “guaranteed at least for now.

This report continues: The United Nations does not have many levers to increase the discipline of member states. There is no plan to remove governments and countries from this world organization.

On the other hand, Article 19 of the United Nations Charter says that countries that do not pay their aid to this body for at least two years will lose the right to vote in the General Assembly.This is currently the case for Venezuela, Ecuador and Afghanistan However, what is much more serious is that some of the most important financial contributors, including the United States, are seriously behind in their aid under former Presidents George W. Bush and Donald Trump , these officials had basic criticisms of the United Nations. During the time of the current president of the United States, who supports the United Nations, the parliament blocked this budget. forces to adopt severe austerity measures. in Geneva