Identifying Marginal Activities Could Help Control Growing U.N. Costs

GAO reported on the efforts of the Secretary General of the United Nations (U.N.) to reduce U.N. costs by identifying marginal and ineffective activities. The review was undertaken because Congress is concerned about the growing U.N. budget and the corresponding U.S. contribution. Member countries believe that the real growth of the U.N. budget can be lowered by shifting resources from obsolete, marginal, and ineffective activities to new activities. Every year, the Secretary General identifies more marginal activities to be terminated; however, he still has not identified enough to have much effect on the budget.