Politics

The United Nations announced on Monday that it is awaiting information on when and how much the United States will pay for its overdue budget contributions. This follows a commitment made last week that the U.S. would provide an initial payment in the coming weeks. U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric mentioned during a briefing, “We’ve heard the statements, and the secretary-general has been in contact for some time regarding this matter with Ambassador Mike Waltz. Our budget controller has also communicated with the U.S.; we received some indications. We are waiting to learn the exact timing and amounts of the payments.” In a letter sent to member states on January 28, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres raised concerns about the U.N.'s financial situation, warning that the organization, which has 193 member countries, could face “imminent financial collapse” due to unpaid contributions. Most of these unpaid fees are owed by the United States. Under former President Donald Trump, the U.S. has taken steps back from multilateral cooperation and has called for reforms and budget cuts at the U.N. Ambassador Waltz told Reuters on Friday, “You will definitely see an initial payment very soon. It will be a significant down payment on our annual dues. I don’t think the final amount is determined yet, but it will be in a few weeks.” U.N. officials report that the U.S. is responsible for over 95% of the outstanding dues for the regular U.N. budget. The U.S. owes $2.19 billion by early February, in addition to $2.4 billion for ongoing and past peacekeeping operations and $43.6 million for U.N. tribunals. Last year, the U.S. did not contribute to the regular budget and owes $827 million for that period and $767 million for 2026. The rest of the debt consists of unpaid amounts from previous years. When asked whether the funds would be used for last year’s dues, for 2026, or for both, Waltz replied, “Generally, it will go towards the arrears and also acknowledges some of the reforms we have observed.”