APD | North Korea wants UN to cut int’l aid staff

By APD writer Alice

North Korea has told the United Nations to cut the number of international aid personnel it deploys in the country as the world body’s programmes have failed to bring the results as desired.

“UN-supported programmes failed to bring the results as desired due to the politicization of UN assistance by hostile forces,” according to a letter written by Kim Chang Min, secretary general for North Korea’s National Coordinating Committee for the United Nations, recently sent to the top UN official posted in the country.

In the letter, Kim said the number of international staff should be cut by the end of the year.

North Korea wants the number of international staff with the UN Development Programme to be cut to one or two from six, the World Health Organization to four from six and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to cut its 13 staff by one or two.

He said the number of international staff with the World Food Programme should be reduced “according to the amount of food aid to be provided” once the agency and North Korean agree how to implement a plan for 2019 to 2021.

There was also no need for a humanitarian aid coordination officer, Kim wrote, adding that UN aid officials could instead “visit as and when required.”

The move comes amid stalled talks between the United States and North Korea aimed at dismantling Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile programmes. The UN Security Council has unanimously ratcheted up sanctions on North Korea since 2006 in a bid to choke funding for those programmes.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)