UN Secretary-General António Guterres has warned that the United Nations could run out of funds by July as unpaid membership dues continue to accumulate, pushing the global organization toward an "imminent financial collapse." It is reported that the total amount of overdue contributions currently owed to the UN has reached US$1.56 billion (approximately HK$12.14 billion).
In a letter addressed to permanent representatives of all member states, Guterres wrote: "This crisis is deepening, threatening program delivery and posing a risk of financial collapse, with conditions set to worsen further in the near future." He emphasized in the letter that unless all member states fully and timely meet their financial obligations, fundamental reforms to the UN's financial rules must be undertaken to prevent an impending fiscal breakdown.
U.S. Still Owes Outstanding 2024 Dues
Although Guterres did not specify which countries are in arrears, UN officials earlier indicated that the United States is currently the largest debtor among member states. They noted that since U.S. President Donald Trump returned to office in January last year, the United States has nearly halted its payments and still has outstanding dues from 2024.
UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq pointed out that Guterres has repeatedly highlighted the problems caused by member states' unpaid contributions and the UN's obligation to return unspent budget allocations to member states as per regulations. The combination of these two factors has rendered the UN's financial situation unsustainable. Haq stated that although more than 150 member states paid their dues last year, the total amount of unpaid contributions still stands at US$1.56 billion, doubling from the previous year. He warned that as long as these two issues persist, the UN faces the risk of exhausting its funds.
(Source: Wen Wei Po)
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