The US being billions of dollars behind on its UN commitments is hurting Washington’s ability to influence the world organization, Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday. While the American delegation has resisted attempts at shaming over the issue, it has created an opening for China, she told lawmakers.
Thomas-Greenfield and USAID administrator Samantha Power testified before the committee on Wednesday morning, with “global food security” the principal topic and most of the questions dealing with grain exports from Russia and Ukraine halted by the conflict. About halfway through the hearing, however, Senator Chris Murphy (D-Connecticut) brought up the issue of the US debt.
“That is really the crux of the challenge that I face in New York every single day, as we are put in a position of having to compete with our adversaries on being able to influence the UN actions,” Thomas-Greenfield replied.
“We’re reminded publicly – and attempted to shame, but we don’t feel shame – that we have such a large debt, such large arrears, in the UN. So we really do have to address that issue if we’re going to be able to compete…” she added.