The United Nations has affirmed its commitment to working constructively with Elise Stefanik, who has been named by President-elect Donald Trump as the next U.S. ambassador to the UN. Speaking on Monday, UN Secretary General spokesperson Stephane Dujarric stated, “We will work constructively with the next UN ambassador, just like we do with any other country.”
As the international body prepares for Stefanik’s anticipated appointment, one of its agencies, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), is bracing for potential financial fallout. The UNFPA, which focuses on sexual and reproductive health, has faced funding withdrawals by past Republican administrations, including during Trump’s first term. The agency has consistently denied allegations that it engages in coercive abortion or involuntary sterilization in China, calling such claims a baseless “ongoing myth.”
The anticipated cut in U.S. funding would have significant consequences for women in some of the world’s most crisis-ridden regions. According to the UNFPA, it would no longer be able to operate 13 mother and child health centers in Afghanistan, where nearly 80,000 women and girls rely on these services. In Sudan, more than half a million people could see reduced access to reproductive health care.
Sarah Craven, chief of UNFPA’s Washington office, expressed concern over the broader impact that a funding freeze would have. “I worry that it’s not just our sector, but overall, a real entrenchment is possible in funding for global health and overall engagement,” Craven stated, emphasizing that the potential loss goes beyond financial aid and affects crucial political backing as well.
