From the Netherlands to the UN Peacebuilding Fund

Looking at the UN's budget does not give a complete picture of its finances. A great deal of the work of the UN is carried out by and through its numerous agencies and funds, each of which is devoted to a particular aspect of development. As with all the activities of the UN, their performance is largely dependent on the financial resources at their disposal.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, Bert Koenders, and the Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, Lilianne Ploumen, have announced in a joint letter to Parliament that the Netherlands is going to donate 10 million euros to the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund. This action is part of the goals of the Netherlands for the 71st session of the UN General Assembly in New York. The funding will cover two years, from 2016 to 2018. During this time, it is hoped that a lot can be achieved.

During the next few weeks, Mr Koenders and Ms Ploumen will take part in different meetings and discussions about important international topics such as the tense situation in Syria, terrorism and the refugee crisis.

To help to improve international cooperation, the UN will hold a summit for refugees on 19 September. The latest statistics show that worldwide, more than 65 million people have been forced to leave their homes.

The main goal of the Netherlands during the summit is to focus on protecting vulnerable people such as women and children. Moreover, respecting human rights will be also a key element of the Dutch efforts.