United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has sounded the alarm over the organisation’s finances, warning that the UN could run out of money by July unless member states urgently pay what they owe.
In a letter released Friday, Guterres said the UN is facing severe budget strain caused by countries that either fail to pay their mandatory contributions in full or delay payments, forcing the organisation into hiring freezes and spending cuts.
Unpaid Dues Put UN at Risk
Guterres said the situation has reached a critical point. By the end of 2025, unpaid contributions had climbed to about $1.6 billion, more than double the amount recorded a year earlier, despite more than 150 countries having settled their accounts.
“The current trajectory is untenable,” he wrote, warning that the UN is now exposed to serious structural financial risks. Without a sharp improvement in payments, he said the organisation will be unable to fully carry out the 2026 budget approved in December.
He also cautioned that, based on past patterns, the UN’s regular budget funds could be depleted by mid-year.
US Funding Cuts Add to Pressure
The warning comes as the Trump administration has reduced funding to several UN agencies and delayed or rejected some mandatory US contributions. President Donald Trump has repeatedly questioned the relevance of the UN and criticized its priorities, while unveiling his own “Board of Peace,” which critics argue is designed to rival the global body.
At the same time, deepening tensions between the United States, Russia and China—three permanent members of the Security Council—have left the council largely gridlocked, weakening the UN’s ability to respond to global crises.
A System Strained on All Sides
Compounding the problem, the UN is required to reimburse member states for unspent funds, even when it lacks the cash to do so. Guterres described this as a “Kafkaesque cycle,” saying the organisation is expected to return money that effectively does not exist.
In his final annual address before stepping down at the end of 2026, Guterres pointed to growing geopolitical divisions and widespread violations of international law. He also condemned sweeping cuts to development and humanitarian aid, a clear reference to reductions tied to the Trump administration’s “America First” policies.
Without urgent action from member states, Guterres warned, the UN’s ability to operate effectively could soon be in serious jeopardy.
