The United Nations will begin slashing its peacekeeping force and operations, forcing thousands of soldiers in the next several months to evacuate far-flung global hotspots as a result of the latest US funding cuts. A senior UN official briefed reporters Wednesday on the 25% reduction in peacekeepers worldwide prompted by the US, the UN's largest UN donor, making changes to align with President Trump's "America First" policies, the AP reports. Around 13,000 to 14,000 military and police personnel out of more than 50,000 peacekeepers deployed across nine global missions will be sent back to their home countries.
The cutbacks will involve "troops and police, as well as their equipment, and a large number of civilian staff in missions will also be affected," the official said, per Reuters. The cuts amount to about 15% of the peacekeeping force's $5.4 billion budget for next year. The decision to institute a major overhaul of the peacekeeping force—known globally for their distinctive blue berets or helmets—followed a meeting Tuesday involving UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and major donors, including Mike Waltz, the new US ambassador to the United Nations, per the AP.
The US outlined that it would commit $680 million to peacekeeping efforts, a significant reduction to the $1 billion payment the US had made this time last year, the UN official said. That funding will be accessible for all active missions, especially those the US has taken special interest in, such as peacekeepers in Lebanon and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Contributions from the US and China make up half of the UN's peacekeeping budget. Another senior UN official said China has indicated it will be paying its full contribution by the end of the year.
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