Paris, France – Gabon became the first country to make a financial donation to the Emergency Multi-Donor Fund, launched Thursday by the UNESCO Director General, Irina Bokova, a press statement from the UN agency here indicated. It said that Bokova launched the Emergency Multi-Donor Fund at the closing session of the organization's General Conference to help fill a shortfall resulting from dues withheld by the US.

The US withheld its contributions following the admission of Palestine to UNESCO on 31 October, citing national laws that dated back to the 1990s.

This leaves UNESCO with an immediate shortfall of US$ 65 million to the end of 2011, and a further gap of 22 percent in its US$ 653 million budget for 2012-2013. Israel has now followed suit and withheld its contribution of US$ 1.5m (0.3 percent of UNESCO’s budget) for 2012-2013. The US announcement stimulated an unprecedented outpouring of support for UNESCO from individuals, associations and private corporations from all corners of the globe.

“I see these expressions of support as clear recognition of the good that UNESCO does in the world. These are very concrete indicators of success,” noted the Director-General.

The Fund will be open to all donors -- from Member States to public institutions, foundations and individuals.

The statement said the general public can now make donations online at www.unesco.org/donate. It is one of four emergency measures proposed by Bokova to address the shortfall. The Director-General also urged member States to support an immediate increase in the Organization’s Working Capital Fund for 2012-2013 from US$ 30 million to US$ 65 million.

She appealed to all governments to provide their assessed contributions as early as possible in 2012 and proposed to defer the system by which those Member States that pay their dues on time benefit from a reduction. Other highlights from the General Conference included the admission of South Sudan and Palestine as Member States and Curacao and Sint Maarten as Associate Members. This brings the total number of Member States to 195, with eight Associate Members.

Pana 12/11/2011