Trump to host Sept. 18 meeting of world leaders on U.N. reform

U.S. President Donald Trump, a frequent critic of the United Nations, will seek to gather global support for reforming the world body when he hosts an event at U.N. headquarters in New York on Sept. 18, a day before he formally addresses the 193-member organization.

Countries will be invited to attend Trump’s function if they sign on to a U.S.-drafted 10-point political declaration backing efforts by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres “to initiate effective, meaningful reform,” according to a draft of the political declaration seen by Reuters on Friday.

Trump has complained that the U.S. share of the world body’s budget is unfair, pushed to slash funding and described it as a “club for people to get together, talk and have a good time.”

Trump, who took office in January, has since described U.S. funding as “peanuts” compared to the important work of the organization.

The United States is the biggest U.N. contributor, providing 22 percent of its $5.4 billion biennial core budget and 28.5 percent of its $7.3 billion peacekeeping budget. The contributions are agreed on by the 193-member General Assembly.

 

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