Originally published on the CGS blog on July 27, 2011.
Today in The Hill, Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) wrote about the importance of fully funding our dues to the United Nations and peacekeeping missions and paying them on time. He astutely writes that our yearly contributions to the U.N. totaling around $2.7 billion, pays for immunizing children from diseases, 15 peacekeeping missions around the world, and protecting the world from pandemics, a great value especially when icompared to the $100 billion spent this year in Afghanstian.
Connolly points out,
“Our contributions to the U.N. enhance our national security and our foreign policy priorities, save dollars while growing jobs and our economy and strengthen our leadership in the international community.”
Not only do we get a great value for our dollars, but we get great returns for our investment. In our slowly recovering economy, our good standing with the U.N. has gotten all but two contracts awarded to the United States to renovate U.N. headquarters and the second-most contracts for goods and services for peacekeeping operations.
Citizens for Global Solutions applauds Rep. Connolly’s courage to take a stand for U.N. funding in a difficult poltiical climate that is promoting deep cuts to vital programs for the sake of fiscal austerity and is oftentimes unfriendly to the U.N.
To read the full editorial: click here.
