From his influential corner, Refugees International president Ken Bacon breaks down the two presidential candidates’ differing outlooks toward the UN. He also offers a compelling case of why the United States — under either a Republican or Democratic administration — should revamp its support for the UN, which has too often flagged in the past eight years.
Not only is the U.S. sometimes slow to pay its dues to the UN, but it is also hundreds of billions of dollars short of meetings its obligation to pay its share of UN peacekeeping operations that have been so important in helping to restore order in places like Liberia.
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There are many things to criticize and to change at the UN, but for all of its frustrations and foibles, it remains the best-positioned organization to craft multi-lateral solutions to trans-national problems, such as climate change and nuclear proliferation, as well as difficult regional issues involving conflict, refugee flows and disaster response.
Well said.
You can see why the UN is so important to Ken when you check out the top three priorities that he thinks the next president needs to focus on, starting On Day One of the next administration.