Published 16:02 IST, October 19th 2019
Cash-strapped United Nations headquarters to remain closed on weekends
UN Secretary General Antonia Guterres said that it is facing the worst cash crisis in nearly a decade and might not be able to pay salaries to its officials
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Due to “severe liquidity crisis”, the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York will remain closed during the weekends. As per a document shared by the UN, 131 member states have paid their regular budget assessments in full and only 34 members have paid their regular budget assessments in full within the 30-day period specified in the UN”s Financial Regulation.
The UNHQ buildings in NYC will be closed on weekends (Saturday-Sunday) due to the ongoing cash crisis.
— United Nations (@UN) October 18, 2019
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The deepest deficit of the decade
Reportedly, the UN is facing the worst cash crisis in nearly a decade. Such is the crisis that it might not be able to pay the salaries to its officials next month, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement. Reportedly, air conditioning was reduced and lifts were shut down at the UN headquarters last week to curb power consumption.
According to the reports, 64 countries owe around Rs 9,800 crores to the UN until October 4. Reportedly America alone has to pay $1 billion. Other countries to pay the due includes Canada, Singapore, Bhutan, Finland, New Zealand, and Norway.
India's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Syed Akbaruddin had said that India was one of the 35 countries to have paid all its dues to the UN on time. According to the reports, India has paid $23.35 million to the intergovernmental peacekeeping organization.
In a statement, the Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said, “About the worst crash crisis facing the United Nations in nearly a decade. The organization runs the risk of depleting its liquidity reserves by the end of the month and defaulting on payments to staff and vendors”.
He further added, “This month, we will reach the deepest deficit of the decade and the organizations risk exhausting the closed peacekeeping cash reserves and entering November without enough cash to cover payrolls.”
(With ANI inputs)
14:25 IST, October 19th 2019