The United Nations is seeking vast new powers and stronger "global governance" tools to deal with international emergencies such as pandemics and economic crises, a new U.N. policy brief has revealed, and the Biden administration appears to support the proposal.
The plan to create an "Emergency Platform," which would involve a set of protocols activated during crises that could affect billions of people, has already drawn strong concern and criticism from U.S. policymakers and analysts.Among those expressing concern is House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Tex), whose committee oversees U.S. foreign policy and involvement in international organizations.
"We must be sure that any global protocol or platform operated by the U.N. respects U.S. national sovereignty and U.S. taxpayer dollars," McCaul told The Epoch Times. He also noted his concern that the proposed platform expands the authority and funding of the U.N. and the definitions of "emergency" and "crisis" to include, for instance, climate change.
A spokesman for the U.S. State Department suggested that the Biden administration backs the plan. "The administration has made clear its firm belief that U.S. national security is best served by engaging actively and comprehensively with the UN and other international organizations," the spokesman told The Epoch Times in an e-mailed statement about the proposal.
"The U.N. is only as effective, transparent, and accountable as its membership demands, and the U.S. works tirelessly to ensure the U.N. meets those demands."