The United Nations is at risk of imminent financial collapse due to member states not paying their fees, the body's head has warned. António Guterres said the UN faced a financial crisis which was deepening, threatening programme delivery, and that money could run out by July. He wrote in a letter to ambassadors that all 193 member states had to honour their mandatory payments or fundamentally overhaul the organisation's financial rules to avoid collapse.
This situation arises after the UN's largest contributor, the US, refused to contribute to its regular and peacekeeping budgets, citing concerns about wasted taxpayer dollars. Guterres emphasized that the current financial crisis is categorically different from past issues, pointing out that decisions not to fulfill these financial obligations have been formally announced, potentially jeopardizing the integrity of the entire system.
He expressed that the UN's capability to execute budgets is hindered by uncollected funds. In previous years, the US pledges to the UN exceeded $17 billion in humanitarian efforts, but recent commitments have dwindled to a mere $2 billion.
Guterres declared the urgency of the situation, highlighting that failure to pay dues or to amend financial protocols could precipitate the organization into financial disarray, fundamentally affecting its role on the international stage.
This situation arises after the UN's largest contributor, the US, refused to contribute to its regular and peacekeeping budgets, citing concerns about wasted taxpayer dollars. Guterres emphasized that the current financial crisis is categorically different from past issues, pointing out that decisions not to fulfill these financial obligations have been formally announced, potentially jeopardizing the integrity of the entire system.
He expressed that the UN's capability to execute budgets is hindered by uncollected funds. In previous years, the US pledges to the UN exceeded $17 billion in humanitarian efforts, but recent commitments have dwindled to a mere $2 billion.
Guterres declared the urgency of the situation, highlighting that failure to pay dues or to amend financial protocols could precipitate the organization into financial disarray, fundamentally affecting its role on the international stage.
