The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a private meeting, briefed reporters on Wednesday on cutting peacekeeping forces around the world by 25% as the United States, the largest UN donor, makes changes in line with President Donald Trump’s “America First” vision, according to the Associated Press.
Of the more than 50,000 peacekeepers deployed on nine global missions, approximately 13,000 to 14,000 military and police personnel will be repatriated to their home countries. The UN support office in Somalia will also be affected. The United Nations plans to cut its peacekeeping force budget by about 15% this year.
Countries where the United Nations has peacekeeping operations include Congo, Central African Republic, South Sudan, Lebanon, Cyprus and Kosovo.
Each of the United Nations’ 193 member states has a legal obligation to pay its share for peacekeeping. UN Secretary-General António Guterres argued that although the budget represents “a small fraction of global military spending, about half of 1 percent, UN peacekeeping operations remain one of the most effective and cost-effective tools for building international peace and security.”
The decision to overhaul the peacekeeping force, known worldwide for its distinctive blue berets and helmets, followed talks on Tuesday between Guterres and representatives of major donor countries, including the new U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Walz.
Walz and other Trump administration officials have argued that the U.N.’s budget and agencies are bloated and redundant, and pledged no further funding until the State Department evaluates the effectiveness of all U.N. agencies and programs. When he began his second term in January, President Trump ordered a review of the United Nations and other multilateral institutions, which has already resulted in cutting U.S. ties with UNESCO, the World Health Organization, and the United Nations’ highest human rights body, while reevaluating funding for others.
At the United Nations, more than 60 offices, agencies and operations are facing 20% layoffs, part of Guterres’ reform efforts and a response to Trump’s previously announced funding cuts.
Master’s degree/PR