Letters of assist refers to a

contract A contract is a legally enforceable agreement between two or more parties that creates, defines, and governs mutual rights and obligations between them. A contract typically involves the transfer of goods, services, money, or a promise to tran ...

ual document issued by the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...

(UN) to a government authorizing it to provide goods or services to a

peacekeeping Peacekeeping comprises activities intended to create conditions that favour lasting peace. Research generally finds that peacekeeping reduces civilian and battlefield deaths, as well as reduces the risk of renewed warfare. Within the United N ...

or other UN operation.

Formal definition and usage

A contractual document issued by the United Nations (UN) to a government authorizing it to provide goods or services to a peacekeeping operation; the UN agrees either to purchase the goods or services or authorizes the government to supply them subject to reimbursement by the UN. A letter of assist typically details specifically what is to be provided by the contributing government and establishes a funding limit that cannot be exceeded. Also called LOA. See also peacekeeping.

Contingent Owned Equipment

LOAs are often used in conjunction with

Contingent Owned Equipment Contingent Owned Equipment (COE) is the equipment owned and brought by United Nations member states to peacekeeping missions. The UN financially reimburses member states for their contributions of COE, and also for the self sustainment services th ...

, an important aspect of many UN operations, peacekeeping or

police The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by a state, with the aim to enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers include arrest and t ...

. As the official UN website puts it: :''The United Nations is financially responsible for the costs of contingent deployment to the mission and arranges a commercial contract or Letter of Assist (LOA) with the contributing country to transport the equipment, either by Sea, Rail, Road, or in special circumstances by Air. LOA are like commercial contracts but are only arranged between the UN and contributing countries Governments. Troops are normally transported by air to the peacekeeping mission area, with a cargo limit of 45kg per person. Equipment is deployed for the duration of the service in the mission area by the contingent. Personnel rotations, whereby contingent members are replaced with new personnel occur on a periodic basis, usually every 6/12 months.''

Cost of LOAs to the UN Budget

As of 30 April 2013, the UN was liable for $64 million in relation to Letters of Assist, out of a total of $810 million then owed to Member States with regards as to outstanding payments for Peacekeeping and/or Policing operations.Review of the financial situation, section B. Peacekeeping Operations, paragraph 18
(''Improving the financial situation of the United Nations; Report of the Secretary-General - Addendum 4th May 2013' Accessed 6 July 2013.)

References

Contract law United Nations peacekeeping United Nations documents Emergency management {{UN-stub