The United Nations:Bene!ting the U.S. Economy

For more than six decades, the United States’ engagement in the United Nations has clearly supported U.S. foreign policy goals. Less obvious is the fact that the U.S derives significant economic benefits from that engagement, through UN procurement of American goods and services and economic returns to local New York businesses. In fact, for every $1 invested by the United States in the United Nations Secretariat, our nation receives over $1.60 in return.

Breakdown of UN economic benefits to the U.S.:

While the U.S. contributes $2.478 billion to the UN Secretariat, we receive $4.12 billion in economic benefits from the UN. This means that for every dollar the U.S. pays, we receive more than $1.60 in return.

UN Secretariat economic benefits to the U.S. per year based on latest figures available:

UN Secretariat Procurement from U.S. in 2010: $832 million

Economic bene!t to NYC: $3.3 billion

Estimated benefit to the U.S. in one year: $4.13 billion

U.S. Contributions to the UN Secretariat:

U.S. to UN Regular Budget in 2010: $516 million

U.S. to UN Peacekeeping in 2010: $1.887 billion

U.S. to the Capital Master Plan (as pledged in 2010): $75 million

Estimated U.S. contribution to the UN Secretariat: $2.478 billion

4.13 ÷ 2.478 = $1.66

In 2010, the UN Secretariat bought $832 million in goods and services from American companies. In

fact, more than 3,500 U.S. headquartered companies – with locations as diverse as San Jose, CA;

South!eld, MI; Morrisville, NC; and Miami, FL – provide reliable goods and services that the UN utilizes

to advance its various missions.

The table below shows a sample of American companies – which include Ford, Caterpillar, and CISCO

– that contracted with the UN in 2010. These procurement contracts stem from the Capital Master Plan,

Secretariat operations, and !eld missions.

The UN Supports the U.S. Economy by Buying American Goods and Services

Skanska USA Building Inc.

Ford Motor Company (Global Fleet Sales Inc.)

Caterpillar

Terex Corporation

CISCO Systems Inc.

American Power Conversion

Helpern Architects

Fisher Asset Management LLC

Doosan Infracore America Corp.

Lenovo, Inc.

World Fuel Services Corporation

Whitestone, NY

South!eld, MI

Peoria, IL

Westport, CT

San Jose, CA

West Kensington, RI

New York, NY

Redwood City, CA

Suwanee, GA

Morrisville, NC

Miami, FL

$290,689,713

$115,989,202

$18,337,697

$13,975,768

$9,252,293

$9,196,344

$8,829,626

$7,500,000

$7,298,932

$4,937,058

$2,144,731

Construction management, infrastructure

Light trucks, vans, and buses, heavy duty utility vehicle

Engineering equipment

Mobile cranes

Equipment and accessories for connecting electronic data processing equipment in to networks

Un-interrupted power supply (UPS) equipment & high density cooling system

Construction administration phase, design development phase, construction documents

Investment management services

Industrial forklifts

Micro-computers, software packages, printing and plotting devices

Aviation fuel

The Better World Campaign (BWC), an initiative of the Better World Fund, works to strengthen the relationship between the United States and the United Nations through outreach, communications, and advocacy. It encourages U.S. leadership to enhance the UN’s ability to carry out its invaluable international work on behalf of peace, progress, freedom, and justice. In these efforts, BWC engages policy makers, the media, and the American public to increase awareness of and support for the United Nations.

1800 Massachusetts Avenue, NWSuite 400 Washington, D.C. 20036

Phone: (202) 462-4900Fax: (202) 462-2686

www.BetterWorldCampaign.org

The Capital Master Plan is a five-year project to renovate

UN headquarters in New York by updating building and fire

safety codes so that they comply with current standards

for security, energy efficiency, and accessibility. Con-

struction began in 2008 and U.S. companies have been

awarded 80 of the 82 contracts – a total investment of $1.7

billion in the U.S. economy over five years. As part of our

assessed dues, the U.S. will contribute $377 million to the

$1.95 billion total project budget. Consequently, for every

dollar the U.S. puts into the Capital Master Plan, it gets

back $4.50.

In 2010, the U.S. received $188 million in procurement for UN

peacekeeping operations. This went to support 15 UN peace-

keeping missions, which currently have more than 120,000

troops and personnel deployed around the globe, making

it the second largest deployed military force in the world.

American companies are on the ground in places like Haiti,

Lebanon, South Sudan, and Liberia supporting these critical

peacekeeping missions by offering telecommunications lines,

information technology services, earthmoving machines, and

building materials.

New York City bene!ts greatly from the daily business of UN

headquarters; the UN is an “enormous economic enterprise”

whose revenues come from national governments around the

world, but are spent largely in New York. A past estimate put

New York City’s annual economic gain from having the UN

headquartered there at $3.3 billion. In addition, visitors at-

tending UN conferences held in New York infuse millions into

the City’s economy; the annual opening of the General As-

sembly session alone is comparable to a major international

convention or sporting event. Moreover, this type of annual

conference is not affected by economic recessions, so these

large expenditures will be made each year, which can be

especially bene!cial in a down economy. Finally, New York

City bene!ts greatly from tourism - the UN hosts an average

of over 1 million visitors in New York every year, providing

business to local hotels and restaurants.

This UN agency

serves as the global focal point for nuclear cooperation, helping

its members use nuclear technology safely and securely. The

IAEA sets safety standards for nuclear energy and conducts in-

spections to ensure that Member States use nuclear technology

in accordance with non-proliferation agreements.

PAHO is the

regional branch of the World Health Organization which focuses

on improving the health and living standards of the people of the

Americas. PAHO strengthens national and local health systems

and improves the health of the peoples of the Americas, in col-

laboration with Ministries of Health, other government and inter-

national agencies, nongovernmental organizations, universities,

social security agencies, community groups, and others.

FAO works to

achieve food security for the world’s population, guarantee-

ing people have regular access to enough high-quality food to

lead active and healthy lives. FAO’s mandate is to raise levels of

nutrition, improve agricultural activities, better the lives of rural

populations, and contribute to the growth of the world economy.

The International

Labor Organization (ILO) is the only tripartite UN agency

with government, employer, and worker representatives. This

structure makes the ILO a unique forum in which governments,

businesses, and employees alike can freely and openly debate

and create international labor standards and policies.