Weak dollar raises cost of multilateralism
Capitol Hill at the moment is a tough environment for an administration seeking to keep current on its dues to major international organizations. Key Congressional Republicans have been scrutinizing every dollar, particularly those destined for the United Nations. For the most part, the administration has succeeded in fending off attempts to slash spending for the ...
Capitol Hill at the moment is a tough environment for an administration seeking to keep current on its dues to major international organizations. Key Congressional Republicans have been scrutinizing every dollar, particularly those destined for the United Nations. For the most part, the administration has succeeded in fending off attempts to slash spending for the UN, and the United States probably won't incur any new arrears.
Capitol Hill at the moment is a tough environment for an administration seeking to keep current on its dues to major international organizations. Key Congressional Republicans have been scrutinizing every dollar, particularly those destined for the United Nations. For the most part, the administration has succeeded in fending off attempts to slash spending for the UN, and the United States probably won’t incur any new arrears.
But now the international currency markets are conspiring against State Department attempts to keep America paid up in full. A weak U.S. dollar means that larger appropriations are required to pay non-dollar denominated dues to international organizations. Fortunately for the State Department, most UN dues are assessed in dollars. But several of the UN’s independent agencies and plenty of other international organizations assess dues at least partly in Euros. These include:
–Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD): US assessed about €65 million for 2011.
–Brussels-based NATO: U.S. assessed €45 million.
–Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency: U.S. assessed €68 million.
–Rome-based Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO): U.S. assessed €45 million.
–Paris-based UNESCO: US assessed €36 million.
In these cases, the amount the State Department budgeted to pay U.S. dues may no longer suffice. Understandably, the administration is not keen to ask Congress for supplemental funds to close the currency gap. Creative budgeting may be required to keep the U.S. in good standing.
David Bosco is a professor at Indiana University’s Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies. He is the author of The Poseidon Project: The Struggle to Govern the World’s Oceans. Twitter: @multilateralist
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