By Jerry Fisayo-Bambi
Tuesday January 19, 2021
TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP
U.N. chief Antonio Guterres has said nine African nations and Iran should lose their voting rights as required under the U.N. Charter after defaulting on payment of their dues to the United Nations’ operating budget.
On Monday, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres listed the minimum amount that the 10 countries need to pay to have their voting rights restored in a letter to General Assembly President Volkan Bozkir.
Iran topped the list and needs to pay $16,251,298 followed by Somalia, which must pay $1,443,640. Comoros $871,632, Sao Tome and Principe $829,888, Libya $705,391, Congo $90,844, Zimbabwe $81,770, Central African Republic $29,395, South Sudan $22,804, and Niger $6,733 are the remaining countries.The U.N. Charter gives the 193-member General Assembly the authority to decide “that the failure to pay is due to conditions beyond the control of the member,” and in that case a country can continue to vote.
The Republic of Congo was also sanctioned. Brazzaville must pay 90,844 dollars to recover its right to vote. South Sudan (22,804 dollars) and Zimbabwe (81,770 dollars).
While Comoros, Sao Tome and Principe and Somalia are on probation.
The annual operating budget of the UN is about 3.2 billion dollars. The separate budget for peace operations is about 6.5 billion dollars.