United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres warned member states that the organization is running on fumes, with nearly $1.6 billion in unpaid dues threatening basic operations even as deep budget cuts move through approval, a UN statement said. Speaking to the General Assembly’s Fifth Committee on Monday, Guterres described the cash crunch as the worst in years. Only 145 of the UN’s 193 member countries have paid their 2025 dues in full, leaving the organization struggling to cover payroll and basic services.
The UN ended 2024 with $760 million in unpaid assessments still outstanding and is owed another $877 million for 2025. Major contributors including the United States and Russia have yet to pay what they owe, though China settled its full assessment in late October. Guterres told the committee that chronic late payments are forcing the organization to operate well below approved budget levels, adding that liquidity problems will persist no matter what budget gets approved.
The warnings come as diplomats weigh revised estimates for the UN’s 2026 regular budget, which already include massive cuts under the UN80 reform initiative. The proposed budget stands at $3.238 billion, a reduction of $577 million—or 15.1 percent—compared with 2025. The plan would eliminate 2,681 jobs, an 18.8 percent drop from current staffing, and cut funding for special political missions by more than 21 percent.
The UN plans to consolidate payroll processing and create shared administrative hubs in New York and Bangkok. Some delegations raised concerns that proposed cuts hit junior staff harder than senior posts and fall disproportionately on development programs. Guterres pushed back, insisting the development pillar faces the smallest proportional reduction and that Africa-focused programs are largely protected. He acknowledged that vacancies don’t reflect strategic priorities but simply stem from people leaving with no money to replace them.
To protect cash reserves, the UN has proposed temporarily suspending budget credit returns to countries. “It is difficult to give back money because we didn’t receive it,” Guterres told the committee, warning that financial strain will continue undermining operations no matter how lean the budget becomes. Final approval requires endorsement by the full General Assembly later this month.
