United Nations adds 5 percent to budget

UNITED NATIONS - The Associated Press

Afghan displaced families receive winter goods distributed by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Kabul.

The U.N. General Assembly has approved an increase of about 5 percent to cover the United Nations’ regular operations in 2012-2013, raising the two-year budget to about $5.4 billion but delaying action on a key proposal that would allow greater mobility of U.N. staff.

It took the U.N.’s budget committee until Monday afternoon to reach agreement on a host of budget-related issues after meeting all weekend. The 193-member world body finally voted by consensus on Christmas Eve to increase the budget by about $243.3 million from the $5.15 billion agreed on last December.

More than half the increase is due to additional costs for some of the 33 special U.N. political missions. The assembly also approved new rates that all U.N. members pay for the regular budget.