By EDITH M. LEDERER and FARNOUSH AMIRI, Related Press
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — America has paid about $160 million of the practically $4 billion it owes the United Nations, the U.N. stated Thursday, and President Donald Trump promised extra money to the financially strapped world group.
The Trump administration’s cost final week is earmarked for the U.N.’s common working price range, U.N. spokesman Stéphane Dujarric advised The Related Press.
The U.N. has stated the USA owes $2.196 billion to its common price range, together with $767 million for this 12 months, in addition to $1.8 billion to a separate price range for the far-flung U.N. peacekeeping operations.
U.N. Secretary-Normal Antonio Guterres warned late final month that the world physique faces “imminent monetary collapse” until its monetary guidelines are overhauled or all 193 member nations pay their dues, a message clearly directed at the USA.
He stated in a letter to all member nations that money for the common price range might run out by July, which might dramatically have an effect on U.N. operations.
U.N. officers have stated 95% of the overdue funds to the U.N.’s common price range is from the USA.
The disclosure of the U.S. cost got here as Trump convened the first assembly of the Board of Peace, a brand new initiative initially meant to supervise the Gaza ceasefire however whose wider ambitions beneath Trump many see as an try and rival the U.N. Safety Council’s function in stopping and ending battle around the globe.
Trump has stated the United Nations has not lived as much as its potential and has withdrawn the U.S. from U.N. organizations, together with the World Well being Group and the cultural company UNESCO, whereas pulling funding from dozens of others.
On the Board of Peace assembly Thursday in Washington, Trump was far more constructive than he has been prior to now about the way forward for the United Nations, which was established on the ashes of World Warfare II.
He stated his administration was going to be working “very intently” with the U.N., including, “Sometime, I received’t be right here — the United Nations shall be.”
Trump stated the Board of Peace “goes to virtually be wanting over the United Nations,” strengthening it and ensuring its amenities are good and it runs correctly.
“They need assistance, they usually need assistance moneywise,” the president stated, by no means mentioning that the U.S. failure to pay its dues is a key cause for the U.N.’s monetary disaster.
“We’re going to assist them moneywise, and we’re going to verify the United Nations is viable,” Trump stated. “And I feel it’s going to finally reside as much as its potential. That shall be an enormous day.”
He didn’t say when any future funds can be made.
Dujarric, the U.N. spokesman, stated final week that Guterres has been in contact with U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz “for fairly a while” and that the U.N.’s controller additionally has been in contact with U.S. officers in regards to the arrears.
The U.N. stated 55 international locations paid their annual dues for 2026 by the Feb. 8 due date.
