U.N. Closes Staff Entrances

The entrance to the U.N. headquarters at intersection 1 and 42 of New York remained firmly closed at 9 a.m. on Wednesday. The gate was used as the main entrance for U.N. staff until last Friday. The door was marked as “Closing the door exclusively for employees” and “Use the door on 46th Street.” The reason why the U.N. suddenly closed the door is to tighten the belt. At least three security guards work at a single entrance. The U.N. plans to reduce the number of entrances and exits that can be used, thereby saving labor costs. A U.N. official said, “Although diplomatic entrances and exits have been closed occasionally due to budget issues, it is unusual to close them indefinitely.”

The U.N., dubbed the “global iron rice bowl,” has frequently used the word “efficiency” in recent years. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is said to have recently instructed the secretariat to find ways to operate efficiently. The U.N. is drawing a line that it has nothing to do with the Donald Trump administration’s move to cut federal government subsidies, but the U.N. seems to have started to save budget in line with the inauguration of President Trump.

Secretary-General Guterres recently set up a task force (TF) to promote an initiative called “UN 80” and informed the media. He said, “It is essential for a complex and important organization like the United Nations to undergo strict and regular investigations to efficiently carry out its goals.” However, if you look at the three goals that the TF aims to pursue, they are all related to efficient operation of the United Nations. The TF said it aims to “quickly grasp the efficiency and improvement of the way it works,” “thoroughly review the implementation of tasks assigned to member states over the years,” and “fundamental and structural changes in the U.N. system.” Asked whether the TF is the U.N. version of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in the U.S., Secretary-General Guterres denied that it had anything to do with that kind of initiative. Inside and outside the U.N., analysts say, “Wouldn’t Trump eventually take a preemptive action in preparation for the U.N.’s budget sharing cuts?” Trump made a de facto warning in February, saying, “The U.N. has great potential and we will continue to go together, but the U.N. has to do its job.” “The issue of efficiency has become urgent as Trump returns to the presidency,” multiple U.N. officials told Reuters.

In fact, some point out that the U.N. has no choice but to reduce the number of entrances and exits due to lack of budget. The U.N. regular budget for this year amounts to 3.72 billion U.S. dollars. According to the agreement reached at the U.N. General Assembly last year, the top two contributors to the regular budget are the U.S. (22 percent) and China (20 percent). As there is no explicit provision on how long the contribution must be paid, however, countries delay payment by one day. “As of early this month, only 75 of the 193 member states have paid the entire contribution,” a U.N. official said. “Last year, 41 countries failed to pay the contribution.”

SAM KIM

US ASIA JOURNAL