better world campaign u.s. and u.n

8/9/2019 Better World Campaign U.S. and U.N.

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Dear Colleague:

Last year, the Better World Campaign developed a brieng book providing inormation about the UnitedNations and concrete ways in which the UN serves American interests. This year, we are providing an

update to alert you to notable achievements in 2009 and key issues the U.S. and UN are currently workingtogether to address.

There were important successes in 2009: the United States ully unded the UN regular and peacekeepingbudgets, addressed outstanding arrears, rejoined the Human Rights Council, and pledged support or astrengthened nuclear non-prolieration and disarmament regime. Furthermore, President Obama rea-rmed U.S. commitment to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by declaring them AmericasGoals and became the rst U.S. President to chair a Security Council meeting.

In 2010, U.S.-UN cooperation will be even more critical as there are many global challenges which willrequire urther engagement. In the immediate atermath o the devastating earthquake in Haiti, the U.Sand UN worked in partnership to support our Haitian neighbors and provide lie saving relie eorts. Thiscontinued cooperation will be essential in the coming months and years to ensure we build back better inHaiti. In Iraq, as troops begin to draw down and a new governing coalition emerges rom the March par-liamentary elections, the U.S. and UN must partner to promote urther dialogue and reconciliation betweenpolitical/regional actions. And with just ve years remaining until the deadline or the Millennium Devel-opment Goals, the U.S. and UN must work with world leaders to accelerate achievement o the MDGs.

The enclosed update touches on the aorementioned issues along with other critical issues which entail U.S.-UN engagement. We hope you nd this inormation useul and invite you to call us at 202-462-4900 or visitour website at BetterWorldCampaign.org or more inormation. We look orward to working with you in

the months and years ahead to advance international cooperation and Americas interests around the world.

Sincerely,

Peter YeoExecutive Director, Better World Campaign

P.S. In case you have not heard, given the growth in UN peacekeeping in the last ten years, weve launched anew website www.unitedinpeacekeeping.org. We hope it serves as a useul resource about the missions andhow each o these operations serves American interests.


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the better world campaign 2010 briefing book update

About the Better World Campaign

U.S. Dues and Contributions

Peace and Security Issues

Economic and Social Issues

United Nations on the Ground

International Agreements

UN Strengthening and Reorm

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The United States and the United Nations during the 111th Congress


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About the Better World Campaign

Our Mission

The Better World Campaign (BWC) works to oster a strong, eective relationship between the United States andthe United Nations (UN) through outreach, communications, and advocacy. We encourage U.S. leadership to workconstructively with the UN to strengthen the UNs ability to carry out its invaluable operations around the world. Inaddition, we engage policy makers, the media, and the American public to increase awareness o and support or theUnited Nations.

2010 Agenda

2009 brought on many changes that enhanced the relationship between the U.S. and the UN thereby strengtheningboth o their capacities and global roles. During the year, the U.S. ully unded the UN regular and peacekeepingbudgets, addressed outstanding arrears, joined the Human Rights Council, and pledged support or a strengthenednuclear non-prolieration and disarmament regime.

In 2010, BWC will continue to build support or U.S. policies that reinorce and renew U.S. engagement in the UN.We will work with the Administration and Congress to ensure U.S. dues are paid on time and in ull so that theU.S. does not all back into arrears. We will encourage greater support or UN peacekeeping operations and theUNs work in places such as Haiti and Sudan, active engagement in the Human Rights Council, commitment toachieving the Millennium Development Goals, ratication o key UN agreements, and the adoption o reorms sothe UN can better address the global challenges o the 21st century.

2010 Briefng Book Update

This 2010 brieng book update supplements BWCs 2009 brieng book with up-to-date background on U.S.-UNunding and other issues the UN has tackled since the release o last years book.

Sections:

U.S. Dues and Contributions


Economic and Social Issues United Nations on the Ground


UN Strengthening and Reform

The United States and the United Nations during the 111 th Congress


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bers o the Security Council, the U.S., the United Kingdom, France, Russia, and China. Each o these ve hasunique voting and veto rights at the Security Council to authorize or suspend any peacekeeping operation. Whilethe permanent members o the Security Council pay a slightly higher rate, the vast majority o UN peacekeeperscome rom developing countries such as: Pakistan; Bangladesh; Nepal; and Ghana.

The U.S. assessed contributions to the UNs peacekeeping operations are unded through the State DepartmentsContributions to International Peacekeeping Activities (CIPA) account. For any mission, which must be approvedby the U.S. in the Security Council, other countries pay almost 75% o the costs.

Current Funding Levels or UN Regular & Peacekeeping Budget

Last year, Congress returned the U.S. to good nancial standing at the UN and honored its obligations by ullyunding the regular and peacekeeping budgets. In addition, the U.S. paid its arrears to the UN.

In the coming year, we ask that Congress maintain its support. Full unding or the UN ensures it can carry outits vital humanitarian, peacekeeping, democracy-building, and development work, all o which serves U.S oreignpolicy interests. As the U.S. is the UNs largest contributor, Congressional unding shortalls signicantly impact theUNs ability to carry out its operations. It is critical that Congress ully meet its commitments to the UN regular andpeacekeeping budgets.

Below is a chart detailing FY 2010 unding levels, along with the proposed FY 2011 budget request. We ask thatCongress ully support the Presidents request throughout the budgeting and appropriations processes.

Voluntary Contributions

Voluntary contributions are, as the name implies, voluntary rather than assessed payments let to the discretion oeach individual Member State. U.S. contributions, as a Member State, nance most o the UNs humanitarian relie

and development agencies including the UN Childrens Fund (UNICEF), the World Food Programme (WFP), andthe UN Development Programme (UNDP).

These UN agencies undertake activities critical to U.S. national security interests that would be dicult, i not im-possible, or the U.S. to undertake alone. U.S. voluntary contributions are nanced through the State DepartmentsInternational Organizations and Programs account.

Account

CIPA

CIO

CIO UN Regular Budget

FY10 Request

2,260,000,000

1,797,000,000

597,472,000

FY10 Enacted

2,125,000,000

1,682,500,000

597,472,000

FY11 Request

2,182,300,000

1,595,430,000

516,314,000



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Peacekeeping

The UN Department o Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) oversees 17 operations and has more than 100,000 troopsand personnel deployed, making it the second largest orce deployed in the world. These missions promote peaceand security by stabilizing regional conficts, training police ocers, and protecting civilians during humanitariancrises.

In the last ten years, the number o peacekeeping missions has tripled as the Security Council has increasinglylooked to the UN to serve as a stabilizing presence in volatile regions. Last September, President Obama hosted ameeting with the UNs top troop-contributing countries to underscore the U.S. commitment to UN peacekeep-

ing and to stress the message, that the operations are a cost-eective means or the United States and all nations toshare the burden o promoting peace and security.

Enhancing American Interests

UN peacekeeping continues to serve key U.S. interests by:

Sharing the burden. The U.S. cannot, nor should it be asked to, promote international security alone. UNpeacekeeping draws upon the nancial and human resources o UN member states to eectively share theburden o collective security and reduce the need or unilateral intervention. As a trade-o or providing asignicant portion o the unding or UN peacekeeping, the U.S. provides very ew troops or these mis-

sions.

Being cost eective. The UN continues to be one o the most cost-eective solutions or preventing con-fict, keeping peace, and rebuilding societies emerging rom confict. According to the Government Ac-countability Oce, UN peacekeeping is 8 times less expensivejust 12 cents on the dollarthan elding acomparative U.S. orce.

Maintaining stability abroad. The Human Security Report, a major international study on peace and war,declared the global security climate improved dramatically since the 1980s, with genocides in particularplummeting by 80 percent. The study attributed that decline to better confict prevention and peacemaking

eort, as well as the increase in the number and complexity o UN peacekeeping missions.

Preventing ailed states. With U.S. assistance, UN peacekeeping continues to help prevent the collapse oweak states by implementing peace agreements, monitoring ceaseres, demobilizing combatants, acilitatinghumanitarian eorts, training police, and creating conditions or political reconciliation and elections to takeplace. Preventing a rise in ailed states eectively limits sae havens or terrorists which is an important U.S.counterterrorism objective.


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Promoting democratic governance. UN peacekeeping operations provide the security necessary to supportree and air elections and assists nascent democracies emerging rom confict to implement governance re-orms. The promotion o democracy and stable government institutions is a key U.S. oreign policy priority.

Leveraging international legitimacy. By harnessing the agreement o its member states and the strength oits Charter, UN peace operations enjoy a level o international legitimacy that unilateral and coalition eortsdo not. As a permanent Security Council member, the U.S. is able to leverage this legitimacy in pursuit oAmericas strategic national security interests.

Counterterrorism

The UN combats international terrorism by coordinating counterterrorism activities among member states, sup-porting victims o terrorism, and creating rameworks to assist those nations that are most critical to the disruptionand weakening o global terrorism. By uniting nations under the Global Counterterrorism Strategya common

strategic and operational approach to ghting terrorism adopted by all 192 member statesthe UN has provided acomprehensive system or preventing terrorist nancing, enorcing travel bans, launching joint law enorcementand intelligence missions against terrorist attacks, and harmonizing criminal justice standards. Recent counterter-rorism actions include:

In December 2009, the Security Council passed U.S.-sponsored Resolution 1904, strengthening UN Reso-lution 1267s sanctions against Al Qaeda and the Taliban by:

1. Rearming the global consensus condemning Al Qaeda and Taliban operations;2. Strengthening implementation o sanctions through the creation o an Ombudsperson; and3. Improving the airness and transparency o the sanctions regime.

In December 2009, the General Assembly voted to enhance the institutionalization of the UNs Counter-terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF) created by the Secretary General in 2005 to ensure overallcoordination o the UNs counterterrorism eorts. The vote or institutionalization means that the UNregular budget can now be used to support the adequate stang and unding o CTITF.

At a January 2010, UN-backed meeting, members of the international community agreed to boost supportor Yemen in its eorts to combat Al Qaeda and other terrorist and radical elements operating within itsborders.

Nuclear Non-Prolieration

With its unique ability to bring nations together to share resources and inormation, the UN provides an interna-tional platorm or stemming nuclear prolieration, crating key international non-prolieration agreements, andestablishing rameworks to address breaches o these agreements.



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In September 2009, President Obama chaired a historic Summit-level meeting o the Security Council tostrengthen the nuclear non-prolieration and disarmament regime. The meeting resulted in the unanimous adoption o Resolution 1887, which endorsed stricter export controls and saeguards while establishing stronger provi-sions to deter withdrawal rom the Nuclear Non-Prolieration Treaty (NPT). Further, in February 2010, theObama Administration also began to engage Congress in seeking the ratication o the Comprehensive Test-BanTreaty (CTBT) ahead o a UN summit in May to strengthen the NPT. In addition, in April 2010, the U.S. hosteda Nuclear Security Summit with world leaders which ocused on preventing terrorists rom acquiring nuclearweapons/materials and included the signing o a pact to replace the outdated Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty.These eorts are expected to signicantly boost prospects or a successul Nuclear Non-Prolieration Treaty Re-view Conerence this May at the UN.


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Economic and Social Issues

Millennium Development Goals

In 2000, world leaders made a historic commitment to improving the conditions o the worlds poor by adoptingeight goals aimed at ghting the root causes o poverty, hunger, disease, and inequality by 2015. That commitmentestablished the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The MDGs are the rst and only rame-work that all nations, including donor and recipient countries, have adopted to tackle these problems on a dailybasis. In the past ten years, signicant progress has been made and evidence has shown that the MDGs are achiev-able. However, the eect o the recent global economic recession has slowed progress towards achieving some o thegoals. In September 2010, world leaders will once again gather at the UN to renew their commitment and accelerateachievement o the MDGs.

At last years UN General Assembly, President Obama rearmed the U.S. commitment to the MDGs by declaringthem Americas Goals and promising to support a global plan to achieve them. During the 2010 summit and overthe next ve years, the U.S. has an opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to improving the lives o people indeveloping countries. The U.S. has already made the ollowing important contributions:

To address the food crisis and ght global hunger, Congress passed legislation in support of the Adminis-trations plans toward long term sustainable agricultural development and ood security (MDG 1).

The Obama Administration has made womens empowerment a signature issue (MDG 3) by establishingthe rst ever Ambassador-at-Large or Global Womens issues within the State Department and reinstitut-

ing unding or the UN Population Fund (UNFPA). In the FY 2010 budget, the Senate appropriated $2million or the Oce o Global Womens Issues to support gender integration eorts across all sectors thatreceive US oreign assistance. In addition, Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) was appointed the head o therst Senate subcommittee on global womens issues.

In February 2010, President Obama requested an increase in the FY 2011 International Affairs Budgetto address investments in global agriculture (MDG 1) and a more comprehensive approach to improvingglobal health (MDGs 4 and 5), including eorts to ght neglected tropical diseases and improvements tomaternal and child health.

Human Rights

In 2009, the United States joined the Human Rights Council (HRC) based on the Administrations belie that work-ing rom within would promote a more eective orum or advancing human rights. This approach has alreadyyielded positive results with the U.S. playing an instrumental role in thwarting eorts to eliminate the mandate othe independent expert on human rights in Sudan and co-sponsoring a resolution with Egypt in September 2009 tolay the groundwork or more cooperation within the Council.



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The U.S. has successully promoted three human rights resolutions on Iran, Sudan, and North Korea. In addition,in February 2010, the U.S. was actively engaged in Irans Universal Periodic Review (UPR), a process that allowsmembers o the Council to review, comment, and make recommendations regarding the human rights records o all192 UN Member States.

In 2011 the Council will have its ve-year review and by being a member, the U.S. has a unique opportunity to im-prove the body and its work on human rights.


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United Nations on the Ground

Haiti

A 7.0 magnitude earthquake devastated Haiti on January 12, 2010, killing over 230,000 Haitians and destroying thecapital citys inrastructure including key government institutions, and the UN peacekeeping mission headquartersWithin hours, the U.S. and the UN began a search and rescue mission and provided critical humanitarian aid. De-spite its own tragic losses, including the deaths o the head o the mission and his deputy, the UN Stabilization Mis-sion in Haiti (MINUSTAH), immediately began clearing roads to provide humanitarian access to people in needand providing security to the city and the airport. The UN continues to coordinate and operate in many aspects othe relie and rebuilding eorts in Haiti.

Shortly after the earthquake, the Security Council voted to deploy an additional 2,000 military and 1,500police personnel to reinorce the UN mission and support the U.S. orces.

The Haitian government designated the UN as the lead coordinator for the relief and recovery effort withsupport rom the U.S., NGOs, and the international community.

Former President Bill Clinton, the UN Special Envoy to Haiti, is working to galvanize support for thelong-term relie and rebuilding eort.

The UN Development Programme (UNDP) initiated a Cash for Work program that has employed85,000 Haitians, 40 percent o whom are women, to remove debris, deliver aid to homeless, and support the

reconstruction eort.

The UN continues to support shelter and sanitation needs by providing over 500,000 people with emer-gency shelter materials. The UN and other partners have built almost 3,000 latrines and washrooms to sup-port 138,000 people and plan to construct over 21,000 latrines by the end o June. Despite these eorts by theUnited Nations, the upcoming rainy and hurricane seasons will cause additional hardship or the hundredso thousands without adequate shelter.

Iraq

The UN Assistance Mission or Iraq (UNAMI) is a mission that has contributed to the peace, recovery, reconcili-ation and long-term development o a sustainable and stable Iraq. Sixteen UN agencies and unds are workingtogether on the ground to provide essential humanitarian assistance; promote dialogue and reconciliation betweenpolitical and regional actions; acilitate ree and air elections; and help reugees and internally displaced persons. Inthe past year, the UN has strengthened Iraq in the ollowing ways:

UNAMI facilitated dialogue between representatives of the Iraqi government and the Kurdistan regionalgovernment over disputed internal boundaries, in order to promote reconciliation;



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The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) assisted 40,000 refugees in camps, settlements, and urban settingswhile durable solutions, including resettlement, were pursued;

The UN Ofce of Electoral Assistance provided technical advice and capacity building to the Independent

High Electoral Commission (IHEC), which administers the elections;

UNAMI assisted the IHEC in updating voter registration rolls and providing accurate information onpolling sites during the March 2010 parliamentarian election;

The UN helped facilitate the passage of laws that led to successful Iraqi provincial elections, includingthose in Kurdistan.

Ater the March elections, President Obama saluted the invaluable assistance provided by UNAMI and noted thatthe important work o the IHEC will continue in the days to come as it counts ballots, tabulates results, and investi-

gates complaints.

UNAMI remains committed to supporting eorts to build a peaceul and prosperous Iraq, paving the way or even-tual withdrawal o U.S. military orces.

Aghanistan

The UN Assistance Mission in Aghanistan (UNAMA) is a mission that coordinates the UNs humanitarian andreconstruction assistance, as well as its work to improve the democratic institutions o the Aghan government.UNAMA also promotes human rights, osters political reconciliation, and coordinates international and civilian aidin the country.

Despite the tense security situation in the country, particularly around the 2009 elections, during which six UN stawere killed, the UN has remained committed to urthering Aghanistans development and strengthening its demo-cratic institutions. In addition, UNAMA has:

Supporting rural and urban infrastructure projects by providing training and short-term job opportuni-ties to the local populations to rebuild clinics, schools, government buildings, roads, and mobile and internetcapabilities in hundreds o villages;

Provided technical and logistical guidance to the Afghan Independent Election Commission as it prepared

or the rst Aghan-led presidential and provincial council elections since the 1970s, registering over 4.5million new voters (38 percent o whom were women) and putting more women on the ballot or provincialcouncil elections than ever beore;

Monitored human rights, particularly those newly won by Afghan women, by sponsoring awareness cam-paigns on gender-based violence against women and girls and recommending legislation that criminalizesrape; and


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Cleared 80,000 landmines and 2.5 million explosive remnants of war during the past 12 months, as well aseducating 750,000 people on the risks o mines, reducing the number killed by these devices to less than 50per month, the lowest level in over 10 years.

Sudan

There are two UN peacekeeping missions supporting the peace processes in Darur (UNAMID) and South Sudan(UNMIS).

Darur

Since 2007, the Arican Union-UN Hybrid Operation in Darur (UNAMID) mission has promoted human rightsand rule o law, protected civilians, and acilitated access or humanitarian assistance within Darur.

In February 2010, the Sudanese government signed a ceasere agreement and ramework or peace with the Justiceand Equality Movement (JEM), one o the largest rebel groups in Darur, paving the way or an end to seven yearso war. The agreement will be monitored by UNAMID and includes a power-sharing agreement that will allowJEM to participate in the Khartoum government. It remains to be seen whether both sides will uphold their com-mitments. In March 2010, UNAMID veried reports o continued violence in western Darur between rebel groupswho remain outside the political process and the government o Sudan.

South Sudan

The United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) is tasked primarily with implementing the Comprehensive PeaceAgreement (CPA) between the Sudanese government based in Khartoum and the Sudan Peoples Liberation Move-

ment, a ormer rebel group in southern Sudan. Upholding the CPA will include successul 2010 national elections, aresolution o the disputed border areas o the oil-rich Abyei region, a permanent agreement on sharing oil revenue,and a 2011 reerendum on sel-determination or the South.

In south Sudan, the UNMIS Electoral Task Force continues to assist the Sudanese National Election Commission(NEC) in preparing or the general elections in April 2010 and the 2011 reerendum. UNMIS is improving civiceducation by registering voters, providing voter educations workshops, and training poll monitors. UNMIS has alsotrained more than 1,500 police ocersincluding 118 emale ocersin orensics, computer skills, trac control,airport security, and community policing.



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The ollowing is a list o actions taken by the U.S. government on key international agreements:

For the rst time in a decade, the U.S. has endorsed the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty(CTBT), indicating its support by participating in the CTBT Article XIV Conerence in September 2009 atthe Secretary o State level and pledging to move orward with its ratication in Congress.

In September 2009, President Obama became the rst U.S. president to chair a Summit-level meetingo the Security Council. Focusing on nuclear non-prolieration and disarmament, the meeting resulted inthe unanimous adoption o Resolution 1887, strengthening the non-prolieration regime with provisions todeter withdrawal rom the Nuclear Non-Prolieration Treaty (NPT) and the endorsement o stricter exportcontrols and saeguards.

The U.S. has demonstrated support for a legally-binding agreement by backing an October resolution toconvene a UN Conerence in 2012 on an arms trade treaty.

President Obama reafrmed his commitment to pursuing negotiations on a Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty(FMCT) to end the production o ssile material at the Conerence on Disarmament in 2010.

The Administration formally signed the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in July2009 and co-sponsored a resolution on the Convention in the General Assembly in all 2009.

The U.S. joined consensus resolutions in the General Assembly on the Right to Food, the Rights of theChild, and the Convention on the Elimination o All Forms o Discrimination Against Women.

The Administration re-engaged with the International Criminal Court for the rst time in nearly eightyears, sending an observer delegation to the Assembly o States Parties meeting in November 2009 and indi-cating that the U.S. will attend a treaty review conerence in spring 2010.

The U.S. attended the Second Review Conference of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stock-piling, Production and Transer o Antipersonnel Mines and their Destruction or the rst time and indi-cated that the U.S. will end the use o all persistent mines by the end o 2010.


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UN Strengthening and Reorm

Accomplishments

Strengthening Oversight and Accountability

Former U.S. Comptroller and head of the GAO, David Walker, now heads the Independent Audit Advi-sory Committee (IAAC) o the United Nations, which acts as an expert advisory board to assist the GeneralAssembly in ullling its oversight responsibilities.

The Ofce of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) which performs internal audits, inspections, evalua-tions and investigations within the UN System has increased its capacity to handle investigations, pro-

vide internal auditing, and evaluate peacekeeping missions.

Recruiting and Maintaining Quality Sta

As of July 2009, streamlined contractual arrangements have been implemented so that there are now onlythree types o appointments under a single set o sta rules. This replaces a complex system o multiplecontracts and will reduce ineciencies.

Conditions of service have been harmonized among staff at Headquarters and in the eld, which helps topromote sta mobility and airness. It also ensures the UN recruits and maintains high-quality sta.

The UN has stopped the practice of issuing permanent contracts, in order to ensure that only the mostqualied people remain on sta.

The recruitment process has been streamlined and the time to bring staff onboard has been shortened.

Proessionalizing Internal Justice

A new independent and more expedient internal justice system became operational on July 1, 2009. Thetwo-tiered system uses the UN Dispute Tribunal and UN Appeals Tribunal to address disputes among staand managers.

Strengthening the UNs work

In 2009 the General Assembly agreed to give the Secretary General limited budgetary discretion of $30million to respond to crises and emerging situations, such as the H1N1 fu.

In September 2009, UN member countries voted to consolidate the four UN ofces confronting womensissues into a single, more robust entity. This entity will give womens issues a stronger voice within the UNsystem while reducing overlap and enhancing policy coherence and nancial eciency.



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In 2007, the UN launched Delivering as One to streamline the work of all UN funds and programs ineight pilot countries. This program will allow agencies like UNDP, UNICEF, and WFP to better coordinateUN development assistance in the eld, as well as reducing administration costs and improving eciency.

Reorming Budgetary Process and Accountability

The Secretary General is developing an framework that would make staff and managers more account-able or their perormance.

The Secretary General will also suggest ways to streamline and strengthen the budgetary process to ad-dress ineciencies and reduce unnecessary UN reports.

Improving business practices and internal controls

The UN is replacing its outdated information management system with Enterprise Resource Planning(ERP). ERP will streamline the management o operations, resources, and sta; reduce business process-es by over 70 percent; and save the UN hundreds o millions o dollars. Once implemented, ERP will alsoenhance internal controls and ensure the UN meets International Public Sector Accounting Standards(IPSAS).


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The Better World Campaign

1800 Massachusetts Avenue, NWSuite 400Washington, D.C. 20036

Phone: (202) 462-4900Fax: (202) 462-2686Web: www.betterworldcampaign.org

better world campaign u.s. and u.n

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