UN Trump cuts: IRIN says don't panic

IRIN, the humanitarian news agency that recently moved out of its U.N. shelter with Swiss and German support, says there's no need to panic about President Trumps announced cuts to U.N. funding.

Freelance contributer Samuel Oakford in New York points out that the peacekeeping budget is made every three years and renegotiation is not due till late 2018.

As for Trump's "skinny budget", it says only that the U.S. will not contribute more than 25% for U.N. peacekeeping. Congress already does that. To give more it has to waive the limit. It currently pays 28.57% of this budget, Oakford reports.

A drop to 25% would account for $280 million, and this is "almost precisely" what the U.N. Board of Auditors said in a 2014/2015 report has been funded but not spent.

The full U.S. budget from the President is due in May.

Source: IRIN 24 March 2017