Chefen for FNs Organisation for Uddannelse, Videnskab og Kultur (UNESCO) appellerer til alle lande om at gå ind med ekstra penge til det betrængte FN-organ
PARIS, 10th November 2011: The Director-General of UNESCO Irina Bokova Thursday launched an Emergency Multi-Donor Fund to help fill a shortfall resulting from dues withheld by the United States.
The Director-General made the announcement at the closing session of the General Conference in Paris, lasting three weeks.
The US withheld its contributions following the admission of Palestine to UNESCO on 31 October. Washington was required to do so by US laws dating from the 1990s.
This leaves UNESCO with an immediate shortfall of 65 million US dollar to the end of 2011, and a further gap of 22 percent in its 653 million dollar budget for 2012-2013. Israel has now followed suit and withheld its contribution of 1,5 million dollar (0,3 percent of UNESCO’s budget) for 2012-2013.
The US announcement stimulated an unprecedented outpouring of support for UNESCO from individuals, associations and private corporations from all corners of the globe.
– I see these expressions of support as clear recognition of the good that UNESCO does in the world. These are very concrete indicators of success, noted the Director-General.
The Fund will be open to all donors, from Member States to public institutions, foundations and individuals. The Government of Gabon (i Vestafrika, red.) immediately announced a donation of 2 million dollar.
The general public can now make donations online at www.unesco.org/donate
– This is not simply another extra budgetary fund; it will be directed to supporting our core activities, so that they are not affected by a difficult financial situation, Irina Bokova said.
It is one of four emergency measures proposed by Mrs. Bokova to address the shortfall. The Director-General also:
* Urged member States to support an immediate increase in the Organization’s Working Capital Fund for 2012-2013 from 30 milllion to 65 million dollar.
* Appealed to all Governments to provide their assessed contributions as early as possible in 2012.
* Proposed to defer (udsætte/midlertidigt suspendere) the system by which those Member States that pay their dues on time benefit from a reduction.
Further reform
To cover the funding gap to the end of 2011, the Director-General told the General Conference that UNESCO had already begun a thorough review of all of the Organization’s activities planned for November and December.
– I have temporarily interrupted certain activities to revise their costs, Irina Bokova said.
– I am well aware that this situation is also an opportunity to accelerate reform. I am absolutely ready to completely revise our action, working methods and structures within the Secretariat, she continued.
The Director-General’s address was made during the final plenary of the 36th session of the General Conference, which closed Thursday.
World Radio Day and a Jazz Day
South Sudan and Palestine were admitted to UNESCO as Member States and Curacao and Sint Maarten as Associate Members. This brings the total number of Member States to 195, with eight Associate Members.
The General Conference declared two new international days; World Radio Day on 13 February and International Jazz Day on 30 April.
Other notable events included the presentation of a Blueprint for Ocean and Coastal Sustainability on 1 November
In closing, the Director-General drew three conclusions for UNESCO from the General Conference:
1) to assume greater leadership across its entire mandate,
2) to focus on innovation by tackling new issues in new ways with new partners, and
3) to keep up the pace of change and build on the first results of reform.
Kilde: UNESCOPRESS
