The United States should finance the United Nations, the former envoy Hugh Dugan says

While world leaders meet at the United Nations next week, former American diplomat Hugh Dugan urges Washington to demand responsibility.

“We have to see an effective and efficient organization, or we have to move on,” said Fox News Digital Dugital, Dugan, who advised 11 US ambassadors to the UN and was sent by President Donald Trump for hostage affairs in the first administration.

The United States provides between 20 and 30 percent of the UN budget, and in the future, the dollars of American taxpayers for the international body should be “conditional” on progress, said Dugan.

“We are the host country. We were architects of the UN, yes, I believe that the president will come with a conditional state of mind,” he added.

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Kim Song, president of the Delegation of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, speaks during the United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 26, 2023. (Images Jeenah Moon / Getty)

The greatest hope of change, according to Dugan, is the election of the secretary general next year.

“Members must develop correct expectations and communicate to the candidates in the coming months, so that we can understand where the organization could go in the future,” he said.

The most immediate diplomatic value in this year’s assembly, noted Dugan, will be the conversations on the sidelines.

“It is the power of the UN, where they allow people to talk to each other without expectations of the public.”

That said, he does not think that the rally will resolve the most urgent conflicts in the world – from the war in Ukraine to the Israel offensive in Gaza.

“It had a lot of opportunities. It did not increase on occasion,” said Dugan.

The UN must start to offer a “shareholder report” – an annual ventilation of the place where the money took place and the change it produced, according to Dugan.

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While Trump is preparing to address the General Assembly, Dugan said that the issues are clear: the United States must demand that the UN prove its value or risk to give in to rivals. (Jose Luis Magana / AP)

Beyond the reform, Dugan warned that the United States could not afford to ignore the growing influence of China within the United Nations system. He said Beijing has constantly strengthened his diplomatic “bench” and mastering the rules of multilateral diplomacy.

“China is investing in its diplomatic talent from zero, and they will master the multilateral game relatively soon,” he said. “We have to invest in our own skills – a thicker bench that includes this place – and beat China on fair field.”

Dugan warned that, while the United States debates the quantity to spend, Beijing is positioning itself to shape the agenda in the manner that could set up human rights and tilt the institution to authoritarian priorities.

A view of the United Nations in New York on July 16, 2024. (Jakub Porzycki / Nurphoto via Getty Images)

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While Trump is preparing to address the General Assembly, Dugan said that the issues are clear: the United States must demand that the UN prove its value or risk to give in to rivals.

“The most important message,” said Dugan, “is that the UN must play if he wants continuous American support. Otherwise, we will look elsewhere – and China will be too ready to fill the void.”