Vanuatu’s right to vote in the 193-member United Nations (UN) General Assembly has been suspended over unpaid dues.
It still owes VT90,000 to the UN.
This was confirmed by the Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Yvon Basil to the Vanuatu Daily Post.
Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea are among eight nations losing their voting rights. The other countries are Venezuela, Sudan, Antigua, Barbuda, Republic of Congo and Guinea. Venezuela and Sudan are in arrears.
The suspension was relayed by UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, in a letter to the President of the UN General Assembly, Abdulla Shahid, on Wednesday this week.
The suspension is deemed to be effective immediately.
This is not the first time for Vanuatu and PNG to lose their right to vote in the UN General Assembly.
In 2017, both countries lost their right to vote after failing to make the required compulsory to the organisation.
SOURCE: VANUATU DAILY POST/ PACNEWS
