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UN Approves Funds for War Crimes Inquiries

The United Nations General Assembly adopted on Friday an operating budget of $3.07 billion, including, for the first time, funding for the investigation of war crimes in Syria and Myanmar, despite Russia’s objection.
The budget increase from 2019’s figure of $2.9 billion is the result of additional missions assigned to the UN Secretariat, inflation and exchange rate adjustments.
In a statement released on Friday, the UN said it is the first time since 1973 that the UN is adopting an annual budget instead of a two-year one.
It said the 2020 budget constitutes an increase of approximately $8 million on what was initially requested by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
The budgets for the Syria and Myanmar investigations, which were previously financed by voluntary contributions, will in 2020 be transferred to the UN secretariat’s budget and will receive compulsory contributions from the 193 member states.
Russia had proposed multiple amendments during negotiations in the Committee on Budgetary Questions meeting and in the General Assembly plenary session.
Moscow argued Friday the investigative mechanism related to Syria was illegitimate, while Damascus stressed that it had no mandate from the Security Council.
The budget was discussed during the General Assembly’s fifth committee, which covers administrative and budgetary matters.
The committee had voted against a Russian draft resolution concerning the international investigation mechanism in crimes committed in Syria since 2011.
At the committee, only 18 states approved Moscow’s draft resolution, including Iran, China and Venezuela, while 88 states opposed it, including the UK, France and the US, and 47 states abstained from voting, including Egypt, the UAE, India and Serbia.
The UN’s operating budget is separate from the annual budget for peacekeeping operations of some $6 billion that is adopted in June.
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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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