U.S. negotiates significant cut in UN budget

The U.S. Mission to the United Nations announced on Sunday it had negotiated a cut of more than $285 million in the United Nations budget. The announcement follows U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley’s promise last week to remember nations that voted to condemn the United States for recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. “We will remember it when we are called upon to once again make the world’s largest contribution to the United Nations,” she said before the UN General Assembly on Thursday. Haley did not mention the General Assembly vote in response to the cut but pointed instead to the UN’s wasteful spending: “The inefficiency and overspending of the United Nations are well known. We will no longer let the generosity of the American people be taken advantage of or remain unchecked.” The announcement did not specify what effect the cut would have on the U.S contribution. The United States pays about 22 percent of the UN’s operating budget, which amounts to nearly $3.3 billion. The cut will take effect in the 2018-19 fiscal year beginning next October.