The Trump (R) Administration has Started the Process to Transfer $725 Million to the United Nations. A move Aid Experts said was a Welcome Step towards Paying Billions in Dues Owed. There was No immediate Response from Washington, to Questions about the Reasons for the Payment from an Administration which has Slashed Funding to many U.N. Agencies and Blasted the Global Body for Not Living Up to its Potential.
The Money, mentioned in an 8/4/2026 State Department Notification Letter to Congress that has Not been Reported, is set to go through before an Expected Speech by Trump to the U.N. General Assembly in New York in 9/2026. 'IT KEEPS THE SHIP AFLOAT A LITTLE LONGER'
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in 2026, that the U.N. faced "imminent financial collapse" due to Unpaid Contributions from Member States, and the Global body has brought in Large Budget Cuts. The $725 million would be less than 20% of the more than $4 Billion that the U.N. said in 5/2026, it was Owed by the U.S, though Washington has said that Total Figure is much Lower,and that it has made some Payments.
Eugene Chen, a Former U.N. Official, told Reuters such a Transfer would Help Pay U.N. Salaries for a Period, but might Not Cover them All. "It keeps the ship afloat a little longer", He said. "If the U.S. does not make further payments it will likely lose its voting rights in January" He added.
Under Article 19 of the U.N. Charter, a Member State Loses its Voting Rights in the General Assembly, if its Arrears Exceed Two years in Annual Fees, although Grace Periods are possible. A Significant Transfer now could Avert the Need for immediate Spending Cuts, Ronny Patz, an Expert in U.N. Finance with German Think Tank IDOS, said. "If they pay a big chunk, the U.N. still runs on zero reserves but it gets through the year," Patz added. “If they don’t pay, the U.N. might really be in trouble for the last two or three months of the year in terms of paying salaries and keeping the doors open.”
The U.S. is the Biggest Contributor to the U.N. Budget, but Under the Trump Administration, it has Refused to make Mandatory Payments to Regular and Peacekeeping Budgets, and has Slashed Voluntary Funding to U.N. Agencies with their own Budgets. Washington has also Withdrawn from Dozens of U.N. and other International Agencies.
The U.N. had been Counting on Collecting around 90% of Dues from its 193 Members for 2026 Budget, its Controller Chandramouli Ramanathan said 7/2026. As of8/18/2026, some 129 Members had Paid in Full, a U.N. Document showed. China, the Number 2 Contributor after Washington, was also Absent from the List.
The State Department said in its 8/4/2026 Letter it was Obligating a Total of $725 Million for the U.N.'s Regular Budget. The U.S. State Department, and the U.S. Diplomatic Mission to the United Nations did Not immediately Respond to Requests for Comment by email on 8/21/2026.
In 5/2026, the U.N. said the mmore than $4 Billion Owed to it by Washington included $2.04 Billion for the Regular Budget, $2.2 Billion for Current and Past Peacekeeping Missions, and $44 Million for U.N. Tribunals. Washington has Not Transferred around $153.4 Million, in what it calls "Policy-Based-Withholdings". That included $10.6 Million meant for the Human Rights Council, which Washington Disengaged from 2025 alleging an Anti-Israel Bias, and Funds for the U.N. Palestinian Refugee Agency.
The 80-year-old Institution has been Undergoing a Decisive Reform and Cost-Cutting Exercise known as "UN80" amid its Financial Crisis. It has already Cut its 2026 Budget by 9.2% and Transferred over 2,000 Jobs Out of Expensive Cities like Geneva and New York, to Lower-Cost Hubs.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
No comments:
Post a Comment