UN at risk of ‘imminent financial collapse’ – secretary general

Unpaid dues and reduced funding could halt the world body’s core operations by mid-2026, Antonio Guterres has warned

The United Nations is at risk of running out of cash as unpaid dues and funding shortfalls by member states threaten to disrupt key operations, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned.

Guterres issued the warning in a letter to all 193 member states this week, as cited by multiple media outlets. He urged either honoring the mandatory payments or overhauling the organization’s financial rules to avoid an “imminent financial collapse.” The secretary-general said the UN faced a financial crisis that was “deepening, threatening program delivery,” with cash potentially running out by July.

The letter described a “double blow” created by a rule that forces the UN to return unspent funds on particular programs to member states, even when contributions were never paid, trapping the organization in what Guterres called a “Kafkaesque cycle.”

Outstanding dues reached a record $1.568 billion at the end of 2025, with collections covering only 76.7% of assessed contributions, leaving the organization dangerously exposed. Unless collections “drastically improve,” the UN will not be able to fully implement its 2026 budget, Guterres said.

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The warnings come as US, the world body’s largest contributor, cut voluntary funding to multiple UN programs and slashed aid spending in 2025. President Donald Trump said the move was intended to “end American taxpayer funding and involvement in entities that advance globalist agendas over US priorities.” Last week, the US officially withdrew from the UN's World Health Organization.

In late December, the US pledged $2 billion for UN humanitarian programs, warning the international organization must “adapt or die.” UN statistics show that total US humanitarian contributions fell to $3.38 billion last year, about 14.8% of the global sum, down sharply from $14.1 billion in 2024 and a peak of $17.2 billion in 2022. Other leading Western donors, including Germany and the UK, also reduced assistance as they shifted resources to military spending, creating a severe funding crunch.

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Trump has also been accused of seeking to replace some UN functions with his own Board of Peace to oversee Gaza rebuilding.