Debt to International Peacekeeping

U.S. funding for U.N. peacekeeping still faces challenges due to outstanding short falls, an outdated cap on U.S. contributions to U.N. peacekeeping, and a shortfall in the Administration’s existing budget for U.N. peacekeeping in FY 2010.   Although President Obama has expanded the proposals relating to foreign assistance, he must continue to fund UN peacekeeping efforts.  Without the full financial support of the United States, U.N. missions will be constrained.  

CIPA Funding:  With the State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill of 2010, $2.125 billion was allocated toward Contributions for International Peacekeeping Activities (CIPA).  The funds were designated for missions specifically in Darfur, Congo, Liberia, Haiti, and Lebanon.  However, it is $135 million below the amount requested by President Obama.  Additionally, $332 million under Voluntary Peacekeeping Operations.  The operations are primarily missions that may not be supported by the UN, but facilitate multilateral cooperation and “stabilization efforts.”  Efforts in countries such as Somalia are included within this section.  

Peacekeeping Cap: In 1994, President Clinton signed a bill that capped the US from contributing more than 25% of the total U.N. peacekeeping funds. The cap produces over $100 million per year in new U.S. arrears when not specifically addressed in appropriation bills. In the Foreign Operations Bill, the statutory cap was amended from 25 percent to 27.3 percent [UNA-USA].  Without an adjustment in this practice, the United States will continue to accrue debt concerning UN peacekeeping missions.  To read about our recommendation, please click here.

Existing Debt: The total amount owed by the U.S. for U.N. peacekeeping is just over $1.3 billion (total U.N. debt is $1.56 billion), so this allocation represents a huge step in the right direction. Though this amount was less than 1% of the total funds requested in the supplemental, it was a vital amount for the maintenance and expansion of U.N. peacekeeping missions.