U.S. Congress' 2005 Appropriations Bill Underfunds UN Peacekeeping By Hundreds of Millions of Dollars

Last week, Congress completed the appropriations process for 2005. There were some big losers and a few winners. U.S. contributions to UN peacekeeping missions was one of the largest losers.  UN peacekeeping received only $490 million, despite a request of $650 million by the Bush administration - a shortfall of $160 million.  However, even if Congress had approved the entire amount requested by President Bush, UN peacekeeping for 2005 would still have been underfunded because the U.S. has approved three new peacekeeping missions (Haiti, Burundi, and Cote d'Ivoire) since the initial request for $650 million was drafted.  In addition, planning is currently underway for a UN peace support mission to Sudan that would begin shortly after the parties agree to a Comprehensive Peace Agreement.

The 2005 appropriations bill contains nothing for these new missions. Instead, the House and Senate “expect” that the administration will submit a supplemental appropriation request to provide for the “full UN peacekeeping assessments.”  Congress also registered its “concern” that President Bush approved new peacekeeping missions “without presenting the Committees on Appropriations with a viable plan to meet the current and future costs” of the missions.

By most estimates, Congress will have to approve more than $500 million more in supplemental appropriations during 2005 to cover the peacekeeping missions the U.S. has already approved.

Updated November 30, 2004