UNITED NATIONS, Oct 25, 2007 (AFP) - UN chief Ban Ki-moon on Thursday outlined a 4.2 billion dollars (three billion euros), two-year budget vowing to pursue reforms to make the world body leaner, nimbler and more efficient.
The secretary general told the General Assembly's budgetary panel that the proposed budget for 2008-2009, up 23 millions dollars or 0.5 percent from the previous one, "is not much, considering the demands upon us."
Among the major challenges facing the UN, he cited financing for the proposed UN-African Union peacekeeping operation in Sudan's Darfur region, other UN missions in Democratic Republic of Congo or Somalia as well as the fight against global poverty, HIV/AIDS or climate change.
"Never has the world so needed a strong United Nations. Yet never have resources been stretched so thin," he noted, underscoring the need for "careful fiscal management" and internal changes to make the UN "faster, more flexible and more efficient in delivering better results with the limited assets at our disposal."
The UN budget is funded with contributions from the organization's 192 member states based on their respective ability to pay, taking into account factors such as national income, population and level of debt.
071025
AF071044
Copyright ©AFP 2007. All Rights Reserved. AFP articles contained on the AEGiS web site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without AFP's prior written permission. You may make one copy of each article for your personal, non-commercial use only; more copies would require AFP's prior written permission obtained from the owners of any trademarks or copyrighted materials whose marks and materials are included in AFP photos or materials. Therefore you will be solely responsible for obtaining any and all necessary releases from whatever individuals and/or entities necessary for any uses of AFP stories, photos or graphics. http://www.afp.com/
AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted grants from Boehringer Ingelheim, Bridgestone/Firestone Charitable Trust, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Elton John AIDS Foundation, John M. Lloyd Foundation, the National Library of Medicine, Roche and Trimeris, and donations from users like you. Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2007. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.
Copyright ©1980, 2007. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content.