India pledges to contribute $10.95 million for the UN
For the year 2017, Indian government pledged to contribute around $10.95 million for the development activities of United Nations carried on by several of its bodies. This includes a "$4.5 million for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), $1.92 million for the World Food Programme, $1.25 million for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Near East and a million dollars towards UN Women."
How is the UN funded?
The United Nations is funded through: Assessed dues and voluntary contributions. Assessed dues are obligatory payments made by the member states by virtue of their membership in the UN. The quantum of contribution is estimated by the Committee on Contributions. US is the highest contributor of UN's regular budget. Voluntary contributions as the term implies are left to the discretion of member states.
India's contribution for FY 2014-15
While US contributes 22% of the UN's total regular budget, 17 countries contribute more than 1% and 136 countries contribute less than 0.1% each. Out of 193 countries, top 20 nation contribute 84.5% of the budget. Between 2013-15, India contributed 0.666% to the UN regular budget. Our contribution for 2015 was $18.07 million. India stood at 25th place in the list of highest contributors.
Pledging Conference
Annual Pledging Conference is a process for raising finance which allows member nations to decide on a year-by-year basis which programmes they wish to finance and which funds they will continue to support.
More UN bodies that stand to receive the contribution
India's $10.95 miilion pledge for development activities also includes its contributions towards UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), UN Population Fund, UN's Central Emergency Response Fund, Commission on Human Settlements Programme, UN Environment Programme, amongst others.
Over $1 billion pledged by 24 countries
At the UN Pledging Conference, 24 countries committed to contribute approximately $1.09 billion towards the world body's development activities. The amount is more than 14-fold increase over the commitments made in 2015. The event comprised of: UN Pledging Conference for Development Activities and the UN/Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Pledging Conference for the World Food Programme (WFP).
