Editor's note: this post refers to an earlier post by Kul in which he provides links to a PassBlue article and the C-Span video of Stefanik's hearing. Click here.
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I found it deeply depressing to hear very myopic and monolithic view of Senators and the US Ambassador-designate on the UN and multilateralism. The obsession with unquestioning support for Israel and demonic portrayal of China dominated the whole proceedings. With the exception of Senator Chris Van Hollen, none of the Senators expressed even an iota of sympathy for the plight of the Palestinians, as if they have not seen any of the TV/media coverage of what is happening in Gaza that the rest of the world is so revolted by.
Elise Stefanik is obviously smart and intelligent (although she occasionally sounded robotic in her deference to Trump's "peace through strength" agenda). I fear she will be quite isolated among UN ambassadors, unless she musters a little bit of humility and sheds her self-righteous hubris. With her Israel-first and China-hating approach, I suspect that she will have a hard time winning the hearts and minds of most UN delegates.
We all know, the UN needs all kinds of reforms, especially of its outdated and fossilized veto provision in the Security Council. But equally importantly, over the long haul, I really believe that for the UN to survive and thrive, the UN's funding system must be changed and excessive reliance on US-funding must be drastically reduced.
Kul
We have to go back to some variation of the Olof Palme proposal of 1985 in which he advocated that the UN should not expect or accept more than 10 percent of its total budget from any one country.
Herewith two articles I wrote a few years ago on the subject that elaborate some of my suggestions:
 | Kul Chandra Gautam, a former Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF and Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations, is the author of: Global Citizen from Gulmi: My Journey from the Hills of Nepal to the Halls of the United Nations.. KATHMANDU, Nepal, Oct 11 2019 (IPS) – The United Nations is faced with a financial crisis once again.Leaders of as many as 64 countries who paraded and ... |
| | Responding to US Budget Cuts for United Nations KATHMANDU, Nepal, Mar 20 2017 (IPS) – It is in UN's long-term interest to gradually reduce its dependence on US funding and undue influence, as… |
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Kul Chandra Gautam
From: Kul Chandra Gautam <kulgautam@hotmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, January 22, 2025 7:06 AM
Subject: Testimony of the New US Ambassador to UN
Sent: Wednesday, January 22, 2025 7:06 AM
Subject: Testimony of the New US Ambassador to UN
In a hearing laced with the no-holds-barred pro-Israel and anti-China hyperbole, and sweeping criticism of the UN's "dysfunction", it was reassuring to hear strong support for UNICEF and WFP as Elise Stefanik testified at the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The UN and multilateralism will face tough times ahead under the Trump administration.
 | US funding to the agency of approximately $330 million was frozen by Congress in March 2024, pending Israeli allegations that a dozen or so UNRWA staffers took part in the Oct. 7 massacre by Hamas. Some of the accused were fired by the UN agency immediately, a few were already dead and many of the other accusations could not be investigated for lack of underlying evidence provided by Israel ... |
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Kul Chandra Gautam
Kul, your obsession with Israel is unhealthy. There are currently more than 45 armed conflicts taking place throughout the Middle East and North Africa, and more than 35 in Africa, including Sudan, where more people are dying than in Ukraine and Gaza combined. Some attention there may be worth your while…
ReplyDeleteI find it disturbing that selective UN agencies are being targeted. We should all be united and not breathe a sigh of relief that UNICEF and WFP were spared. It is a matter of time when our tides could change. I agree that we should be reducing our dependence on individual countries. I also heard the rhetoric of Elsie Stefanik and hope that good sense prevails otherwise she will lose all credibility.
ReplyDeleteI do not believe that Kul Gautam's comments and analysis of the conflict/war in the Middle East is obsessive just because they provide for attention on the role of Israel. The world community, represented by the General Assembly, and the Security Council of the UN, including the ICC have provided plenty of evidence, expressed as binding resolutions, that underlines the criminal behaviour of Israel towards the Palestinian people. In that context it seems quite understandable and legitimate when Kul gives priority to the wars of Israel over, say the Libyan Civil War.
ReplyDelete(We should not be afraid or ashamed of providing comments, but ought to present them under one's name!)