If widespread fraud and waste at the United Nations is not stopped, Japan says it may cut its funding for the scandal-ridden international organization.Responding to a U.N. officialÂ’s argument that his organizationÂ’s peacekeeping operations need more money to avoid future lapses, Japanese U.N. mbassador, Kenzo Oshima, said his government, which kicks in 20 percent of the peacekeeping budget, will "find it very difficult" to keep underwriting such operations unless corruption, waste and sexual abuse by troops are halted, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The threat arose during a special Security Council session called to discuss an internal investigation that unearthed the fact that nearly $300 million was lost in waste and fraud in peacekeeping procurement. According to the Times, the session was held as part of a U.S.-led effort to spur reform of U.N. management after another investigation revealed that a lack of oversight and rules had allowed corruption and subversion of the U.N.Â’s $64 billion oil-for-food program for Iraq.
The internal investigation report says the procurement department had a grievous lack of internal controls, and that rules were often flouted from 2000 to 2004. The report noted that it costs about $5 billion to support the U.N.'s 18 peacekeeping missions around the world. It said the scale, diversity and immediacy of needs allows opportunity for waste, fraud and corruption.