News / Local
Zimbabwe loses UN voting rights
17 Jan 2021 at 09:37hrs | Views
ZIMBABWE has been barred from voting at the United Nations (UN) General Assembly as it is in arrears in the payment of financial contributions totalling US$81 770.
According to a letter from the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres to UN President Volkan Bozkir, dated 13 January 2021, Zimbabwe is one of the 10 countries that have also lost their voting rights due to the arrears.
"At present, 10 Member States are in arrears under the terms of Article 19 of the Charter of the United Nations, which states: A Member of the United Nations is arrears in the payment of its financial contributions to the Organisation shall have no vote in the General Assembly if the amount of its arrears or exceeds the amount of the contribution due from it for the preceding two full years," the letter reads.
It continues: "The General Assembly may, nevertheless, permit such a Member to vote if it is satisfied that the failure to pay is due to conditions beyond the control of the Member."
Other countries that are in arrears like Zimbabwe are mainly nations facing civil strife like; Libya, Somalia, Congo, the Central African Republic, and South Sudan.
According to a letter from the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres to UN President Volkan Bozkir, dated 13 January 2021, Zimbabwe is one of the 10 countries that have also lost their voting rights due to the arrears.
"At present, 10 Member States are in arrears under the terms of Article 19 of the Charter of the United Nations, which states: A Member of the United Nations is arrears in the payment of its financial contributions to the Organisation shall have no vote in the General Assembly if the amount of its arrears or exceeds the amount of the contribution due from it for the preceding two full years," the letter reads.
It continues: "The General Assembly may, nevertheless, permit such a Member to vote if it is satisfied that the failure to pay is due to conditions beyond the control of the Member."
Other countries that are in arrears like Zimbabwe are mainly nations facing civil strife like; Libya, Somalia, Congo, the Central African Republic, and South Sudan.
Source - newzimbabwe
