Source · Select Committees · Foreign Affairs Committee
Recommendation 11
11
Acknowledged
FCDO budget cuts reduce UK's UN effectiveness, ceding influence to competitors.
Conclusion
We are concerned about the cuts to the FCDO’s budget, including those to the Directorate responsible for multilateral organisations such as the UN. Such measures will reduce the UK’s ability to be an effective penholder at the United Nations and to lead on the resolution of global conflict through the United Nations Security Council. More so, these cuts risk ceding further influence to China and Russia within the multilateral system. Indeed, such detrimental measures open the door, willingly, to our competitors and adversaries. (Conclusion, Paragraph 60)
Government response summary AI-generated
The government agrees the UK should continue to put forward and debate issues as a UN Security Council penholder, emphasizing a pragmatic and tailored approach to maximize positive impact and avoid normalizing vetoes. It highlights its use of various formats and meeting types to prompt debate, but does not directly address the committee's concern about budget cuts.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government · verbatim extract
Acknowledged
Agree. 25. HMG is a well-respected and leading advocate of UN reform and greater efficiencies, positioned well to support and shape the UN80 process. It is in our national interest to ensure UK priorities are reflected on a budgetary level within the UN, which is why HMG has a dedicated Management Reform and Finance team within the Mission to the UN. The UK also co-chairs the ‘Geneva Group,’ a caucus group of major contributors to UN budgets, including various international organizations and programmes, which discuss and at times develop common positions on budgetary issues. A UK diplomat also serves as a member on the UN’s Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ). 26. HMG’s roadmap for UN80 is focussed on building support for our overarching objectives to deliver greater impact, enhanced coherence, stronger partnerships and, fundamentally, better value for money across the UN system. Specific objectives are to: improve impact and operational coherence of UN activity at the country level; rationalise UN structures; and facilitate greater join-up with operational actors. We will continue to support the UN Secretary-General in his drive for UN80 reform.
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