The United Nations General Assembly has approved a $5.4 billion budget for its peacekeeping operations for the 2025-2026 period. This decision was based on the recommendation of its budget committee, the fifth committee. The funds will support 12 peacekeeping missions, logistic centers in Entebbe (Uganda) and Brindisi (Italy), and the UN's peacekeeping support devices. All parts of the budget were approved without any objections, except for the funding of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). That part was passed with 147 countries in favor, 3 against (Argentina, Israel, and the United States), and 1 abstention (Paraguay).
An amendment to the UNIFIL budget, proposed by Israel, was rejected.
"The adoption of UNIFIL's budget followed an Israeli-proposed oral amendment, which was rejected by 5 votes in favour (Argentina, Canada, Israel, Paraguay, and US) to 83 against, with 57 abstentions.”
This year’s peacekeeping budget is slightly less than last year’s $5.59 billion, as missions in Côte d’Ivoire and Liberia have ended.
Although the budget was agreed on, UN Controller Chandramouli Ramanathan warned about ongoing financial difficulties affecting the UN's overall cash flow.
“You manage somehow to find common ground three times a year. But I only wish you had gone a little bit further to solve one of the underlying problems of the UN, which has been plaguing us for 80 years,” he told delegates last week as they concluded negotiations in the Fifth Committee.
He explained that even when budgets are approved, cash shortages force the UN to cut back on spending significantly.
“No money, no implementation. There is not enough cash. I cannot emphasize enough a massive effort needed on your side to somehow take us over that line and deal with a problem that's plagued the UN for the last so many years,” he said.
UN peacekeeping remains a key part of its work, involving nearly 70,000 military, police, and civilian staff across Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. Missions include well-known operations like MONUSCO in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, UNFICYP in Cyprus, and MINUSCA in the Central African Republic. These missions aim to reduce conflict, support peace efforts, protect civilians, and promote law and order.
It’s important to note that the UN peacekeeping budget is different from its regular budget, which covers areas like human rights, development, politics, and communications. Also, the peacekeeping budget follows a July, June cycle, while the regular budget follows the calendar year.
