Ban proposes $5.4 billion U.N. budget for 2014-15

UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 28 (UPI) -- U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Monday proposed a $5.4 billion budget for the next biennium.

The U.N. leader noted the proposed spending would be a 2.9 percent cut from the world body's current budget and 0.2 percent under the 2010-2011 level.

"My budget proposal reflects a conscientious effort to gauge the needs of the organization for the next two years," Ban said when presenting his proposal to a General Assembly budget committee in New York. "But our work does not stop here. We will continue to search for ways to adapt and equip the United Nations to better implement its mandates."

Including a preliminary "re-costing" amount of $158 million, the total budget would be $5.5 billion, the United Nations said in a release.

Ban said his proposed budget balances the work the organization does with the reality of current economic constraints.

"Many countries continue to suffer crippling effects of the financial crisis," Ban said. "Governments -- and especially people -- are struggling. At the same time, the world is turning more and more to the United Nations for answers and help across a broad spectrum of issues and needs.

"We must live up to the expectations of the world's people. And we must uphold our responsibility to you, the member states, to make the most prudent use of the precious resources that you provide."

Under his proposed budget, there would be a net decrease of 261 posts, with 396 posts eliminated, 52 posts created and 83 conversions, a U.N. release said.