confidentially speaking
The Africa Confidential Blog
Trump takes on the UN
Blue Lines
Some African leaders in the United Nations General Assembly on 19
September listening to United States President Donald Trump's planned remedies for rogue states seemed to breathe a sigh of relief at
his lack of interest in their continent. The following day, during
discussions chaired by Ethiopia,
which presides over the UN Security Council this month, African
officials saw in more detail what planned US budget cuts are likely to
do to UN operations on their continent.
President Trump's enthusiasm for the military and US projection of
power doesn't extend to financing or participating in UN peacekeeping
operations. US Ambassador to the UN Nikki
Haley is pushing for swingeing cuts – of up to 10% – to UN
missions in
Congo-Kinshasa and Sudan. Trump wants to limit the US
share of the UN's
US$7.3 billion peacekeeping budget to 25%. It is currently 28.5% and
the US is easily the biggest contributor.
UN operations in Congo-K are to be cut by about $90
million by economising on staffing and travel. This comes at a time
when the country could be on the brink of political implosion as
opposition mounts to Joseph Kabila's
attempts to extend his presidency,
against the terms of the constitution. Other missions in the frame for
cuts are those in Central African
Republic, Mali and South Sudan.
Washington evidently wants France
to lead in the two francophone states, and for Britain to take on a stronger role in
Juba.