Ceist:
34 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the outstanding contributions owed by member states to the United Nations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29262/01]
Written Answers. - UN Contributions.
The United States, the largest single contributor to the UN budget, has recently agreed to pay a portion of the substantial arrears which it owes to the UN. It has this month paid $582 million towards peacekeeping arrears. The United Nations expects that US payments for the last quarter of this year should total $1.459 billion. This would reduce US arrears to $862 million.
Total payments to the UN from member states during 2001 are projected to reach $4.716 billion by the end of this year. If these projections are correct, resources available to the organisation will be greatly increased, debt to member states, for example to troop contributing countries, will be reduced and the UN's financial position will be more stable.
The Government welcomes the progress which has been made on this issue to date and hopes that it will continue. The Government recognises the major difficulties that non-payment of contributions causes the UN and we have consistently called on all member states to pay their contributions and arrears.