International Issues

Perplexing Dues System at U.N.

The United Nations General Assembly agreed last week on the percentage of its budget for the next three years that it will charge each of its 185 member countries. China -- one of the world's fastest growing economies -- managed to keep its assessment below 1 percent of the organization's projected $2.5 billion-plus budget for the next two years. That's lower than such comparatively small economies as those of Belgium and Sweden. The U.S. will again be assessed 25 percent of the total.

The U.S. Congress had wanted our share reduced to 20 percent by 2000 -- a target experts say is unlikely to be hit until Congress releases the $1.3 billion the U.N. says the U.S. owes.

Here's how dues were apportioned among other permanent members of the Security Council for the next three years:

  • At 0.9 percent, China will pay slightly more than the 0.74 percent share it paid in 1997, while Russia's share will drop to 2.87 percent from 4.27 percent of the total.

  • France's portion of the budget rose slightly -- from 6.42 percent to 6.49.

  • Britain's share fell to 5.07 percent from 5.32 percent.

  • Germany -- which does not have a permanent Council seat but is campaigning for one -- will pay even more than Britain or France, for 9.63 percent of the total.

Japan's dues rose from 15.65 percent last year to 17.98 percent next year, and 20.57 percent in 2000.

Some 25 of the world's poorest nations saw their assessments drop to 0.001 percent from 0.01 percent -- or to $13,000 from $130,000 annually.

Rates are calculated on a country's share of the world economy and per capita income.

Source: Barbara Crossette, "Some Winners in the Lottery for U.N. Dues," New York Times, December 29, 1997.

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