June 18, 2004: The General Assembly adopts a $2.8 billion UN Peacekeeping budget for 2004-2005, reflecting no significant growth compared with the approved appropriation for 2003-2004.
May 27, 2004: The "Group of 77" developing countries, along with China, introduce a draft resolution providing financing for the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) from July 1, 2004 to June 30, 2005. However, the US and Israel oppose the resolution, claiming that Israel should not pay $1.12 million resulting from the incident at Qana on April 18, 1996.
May 21, 2004: Under Secretary General for Management Catherine Bertini notes that "while the situation of the regular budget remained precarious, the news had been generally positive." Bertini reports that more Member States were paying their dues in the year in which they were owed. Some shortages in a few peacekeeping missions existed, meaning that debt to troop and service contributors would increase. She adds that the UN may have to borrow funds to meet the UN Regular Budget obligations for the current year.
April 28, 2004: The US appropriated $362.2 million in its budget for 2005 to pay the 2004 contributions owed to the UN Regular Budget.
March 9, 2004: Canada pledges $25 million towards the UN Secretary General's special projects. The contribution includes more than $4 million for the UN University for Peace, $2 million for a local community development program for the rural poor and $1 million for the Millennium Development program.
February 4, 2004: The US proposes loaning $1.2 billion to fund the UN Capital Master Plan for renovation of the New York Headquarters. Terms of the loan include a 30-year payback period at an interest rate of 5.54 percent, resulting in the loan totaling almost $2.5 billion.
January 27, 2004: The US appropriates $105 million for US dues to the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and the UN Population Fund (UNFPA). The Bush administration cut-off funding to UNFPA in 2001, citing "controversial charges that the organization provides indirect support for China's family-planning program, which anti-abortion activists claim uses forced abortions and sterilizations."
January 7, 2004: Japan, the second highest contributor to the UN's regular budget, "is both angry and frustrated" at its inability to gain prominent posts within the UN system, and threatens to cut voluntary funding for UN Agencies. Japan continues to lobby for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council.
