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The right to vote is suspended from any country which has not paid its subscription for two years. REUTERS / Brendan McDermid

Ten countries lost their right to vote at the United Nations General Assembly, the UN spokesman said on Friday. A decision made, because these countries have accumulated too many arrears in their compulsory contributions to the budget of this institution. Among the targeted countries are notably Lebanon, Venezuela and the Central African Republic.

The UN has decided to activate article 19 of the United Nations charter. An article which suspends from its right to vote any country whose amount of arrears is equal to or greater than the contribution due for the last two years.

If Somalia, the Comoros and Sao Tome and Principe had been spared last year, because circumstances beyond their control had prevented them from paying their contribution, this year, these three countries will not escape punishment.

They join the Central African Republic, The Gambia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Tonga, Venezuela and Yemen which were also suspended this Friday for the 74th General Assembly.

A decision deplored in particular by the Lebanese authorities, who are calling for a rapid solution, believing that this suspension could " harm Lebanon's interests, its prestige and its reputation ".

According to the Lebanese Foreign Ministry, Beirut has fulfilled all " its obligations and started all procedures within the time limits ", but it does not specify why the funds were not transferred to the United Nations.

The UN has faced a funding crisis for many months, if not years. The institution has difficulties each year to balance its budgets. Three billion dollars for the functioning of the United Nations and 6 billion for peacekeeping operations.

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