NOTE TO STUDENTS:  This article is important because we (the U.S. taxpayers) pay almost 23% of the entire annual U.N. budget.  191 countries are members of the U.N., but our "dues" equal almost one-quarter of the overall budget.  The remaining 190 countries contribute approximately 77%. (See explanation here.) 
In addition, U.S. taxes are used to fund many humanitarian projects run by the U.N.  If our money is not helping the people it is supposed to help, we should require the U.N. to end the corruption, or the U.S. should find a new way to help the poor of this world.

1.  a) How is the U.S. Mission to the U.N. trying to get U.N. humanitarian agencies to provide transparency and accountability, showing how U.S. contributions are being used?
b)  What specifically does the U.S. want the agencies to do?

2.  Name the independent U.N. agencies mentioned in the article that are funded with voluntary contributions from the U.S. and other U.N. member states.

3.  a) How much does the U.S. pay to the U.N. each year?
b)  What is the money used for?

4.  a) What is the UNDP? 
b)  Why is the U.S. government concerned with the UNDP's expenditures? Be specific.

5.  Due to corruption and the Oil for Food scandal, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has spoken often about restoring trust between the U.N. and its member states.  What has he chosen not to do that would help to restore trust in the U.N.?

6.  To bring transparency and accountability to the U.N.'s independent humanitarian agencies, Secretary General Ban might expand the reach of the U.N. Ethics Office.  The agencies, however, say that they are independent of the Secretariat (Secretary General Ban) and intend to remain that way.  
Do you think these agencies should be held accountable to the Secretariat? Explain your answer.