The two African countries Gabon and South Sudan will no longer be sitting on the sidelines in the UN.
Gabon, South Sudan reclaim voting rights
Recently, the President of the UN General Assembly announced that Gabon and South Sudan have made sufficient payments to restore their voting rights in the 193-member world body. President Csaba Kőrösi informed the plenary meeting of the assembly that three countries, namely Gabon, South Sudan, and Lebanon, have reduced their arrears to the U.N. regular budget below the amount specified in the U.N. Charter to cut off voting rights.
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The UN Charter states that countries will be barred from voting if their arrears equal or exceed their assessed contribution to the UN budget for the previous two years. South Sudan and Gabon lost their voting rights over dues to the UN in January this year.
According to the secretary-general’s letter, the minimum payments needed to restore voting rights are $196,130 for South Sudan and $61,686 for Gabon.
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Losing voting rights at the UN for not paying dues is considered a major embarrassment for any country. It can adversely affect a country’s international standing and be seen as a loss of status in the UN. By not being able to vote on important issues in the UN, a country risks losing its voice in the international community. Additionally, not paying dues can also damage a country’s reputation and be seen as a sign of financial instability, which can, in turn, block its access to UN resources.
Not having voting rights is, therefore, detrimental to a country’s national interest, as it is left out of the decision-making process of the UN, limiting its ability to advance its interests and priorities. Gabon and South Sudan have done well to pay their dues and earn voting rights in the UN. This will enable them to participate in important matters at the UN with confidence.
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