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Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The United Nations has reacted to last week’s report that the Chinese government will be funding the office of the President of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Prof. Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, for the next one year.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, had last week made the disclosure after President Muhammadu Buhari’s meeting with Yang Jiechi, the special envoy from the President of the People’s Republic of China, Xi Jinping.
“On the global level, the Chinese have agreed to support with the United Nations reform for Africa to be presented in the security council.
“We have as you know, had a Nigerian representative at the United Nations, Prof. Muhammad-Bande, elected as the next president of the General Assembly. The Chinese have provided a funding for that office so that he can function effectively over the next one year,” he said
But a source at the UN cleared the air, saying: “First, it is wrong to say China will fund the office. The President of General Assembly (PGA) office gets money in two ways – one from the UN regular budget. This has not changed since 1998, but for inflation adjustment. It is currently about $326,000.
“Secondly, Trust Fund. This is set up for the office and UN member states contribute to it. This is where China as a member state comes in, last year China contributed $300,000. This year, they have pledged the same amount and one staff. It may interest you to know that they are not the largest contributor to the Trust Fund as one country contributed more than them last year and another matched it.”
Muhammad-Bande, Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, was elected as President of the 74th UN General Assembly in June.
