UN Faces severe Funding Crisis as Arrears Mount

antónio Guterres told the Fifth committee the UN is facing its most fragile cash position in years despite sharp reductions already built into next year’s budget plans.

“Liquidity remains fragile, adn this challenge will persist regardless of the final budget approved,” he said, pointing to the “unacceptable volume of arrears” owed by Member States.

The UN ended 2024 with $760 million in unpaid assessments, most of it still outstanding, and has yet to recieve $877 million in contributions due for 2025 – bringing total arrears to around $1.586 billion.

with less than five weeks remaining in the year, only 145 of UN’s 193 Member States had paid their 2025 dues in full.

Key contributors such as the United States and Russia have yet to pay what they owe, even though China paid its full assessment on 29 October.

“I have repeatedly appealed to Member States to pay their assessed contributions in full and on time,” the Secretary-General said, warning that cash shortfalls are forcing the organization to operate well below approved budget levels.

Deep spending cuts already built in

The warning comes as delegations consider revised estimates for the UN’s 2026 regular budget, which already reflect deep structural cuts under the UN80 reform initiative – a system-wide efficiency drive aimed at modernizing operations and lowering costs.

under the revised proposal,the UN’s regular budget