U.N. Aid Pledges Short Of Target

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29956, 18 October 1962, Page 17

U.N. Aid Pledges Short Of Target

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter— Copyright) NEW YORK, October 17. Eighty-seven countries have pledged voluntary contributions assuring at least 116 million dollars for the United Nations special fund and expanded programme of technical assistance, the United Nation’s chief economic aid programmes.

This is an increase of 11,000,000 dollars over the total for the current calendar year, but falls well short of the combined target of 150 million dollars. The main purpose of the four-year-old special fund is to help pre-investment and feasibility surveys and establish technical education and training institutes. The programme has provided about 12,000 experts in more than 100 countries since 1950, as well as 20,000 fellowships for study abroad. Australia told the annual United Nations pledging conference yesterday it would again contribute 750,000 dollars to the expanded programme of technical assistance in 1963. Senator G. P. McKellar who announced the pledge, said the expanded programme under which technical experts were sent to underdeveloped countries, was “one of the most important and practical activities of the United Nations.” He did not announce a contribution to the United Nations special fund one of the most popular United Nations aid programmes, which finances pilot industrial projects and training centres in Asia. Africa and Latin America. Thirty » five Governments announced increased pledges for one or other of the programmes at the conference in the General Assembly hall. Britain stepped up her contributions by 25 per cent- to the sterling equivalent of 10 million dollars, the second largest after the United States, which offered 60 million dollars provided the

contribution did not exceed 40 per cent of the total. West Germany pledged 7,500,000 dollars in convertible marks and France 2,924,555 dollars—-both the same as this year. Hefty increases came from the Netherlands, Norway. Belgium, and Israel, among others.

The Soviet bloc promised the equivalent of 2,970,000 dollars in roubles, at the same time complaining that its contributions were not being used fully.

United States officials said this was because the Soviet contributions were not convertible for use outside the donor countries.