Imagine a crucial global organization, responsible for everything from peacekeeping to addressing humanitarian crises, teetering on the brink of financial collapse. That’s the stark reality facing the United Nations, according to Secretary General António Guterres. In a recent, urgent letter to all 193 member states, Guterres warned that unless overdue payments are made, the UN’s cash reserves could run dry by July 2026, jeopardizing vital programs across the globe.
This isn’t just a typical budget crunch; Guterres describes it as a crisis “categorically different” from any past financial woes. A staggering 77% of the UN’s 2025 dues went unpaid, primarily because several major donors, including its largest contributor, the United States, have either withheld or significantly reduced their contributions. The US has, at times, cut payments to regular and peacekeeping budgets, and under former President Trump, even withdrew from numerous agencies it deemed wasteful. Many other nations also remain in arrears.
The impact is already hitting home. At the UN’s Geneva headquarters, desperate cost-cutting measures are visible: escalators are turned off, and heating is significantly dialed down. More critically, essential humanitarian efforts around the world are chronically underfunded. Guterres also highlighted a bizarre “double blow” rule, where the UN is forced to “refund” program funds it never actually received – amounting to a staggering $227 million in uncollected 2026 assessments just this month.
The message from the Secretary General is unambiguous: the UN Charter obliges member states to pay their assessed contributions. Guterres stressed, “Either all member states pay in full and on time or overhaul financial rules to avert imminent collapse.” Without immediate and decisive action, the integrity and the very ability of the entire UN system to respond to critical global challenges hang precariously in the balance.
Source: https://zeenews.india.com/world/un-risks-imminent-financial-collapse-guterres-warns-3012086.html
