United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has declared that financial contributions owed by member states are non-negotiable.
The statement follows reports that the United States has attached strict conditions to the release of its outstanding funds.
A report by Devex alleged that Washington circulated diplomatic notes proposing quick-hit changes as a prerequisite for payments.
These include cost-cutting measures and steps intended to limit growing Chinese influence within the organization.
The United Nations operates on assessed contributions, which are the set payments required from each country.
Guterres told reporters that these payments are a binding obligation for all members.
“The money we are talking about is referred to as assessed contributions. Assessed contributions are an obligation of member states. They are non-negotiable,” Guterres said.
Washington Seeks Curb on Chinese Influence
The reported American proposals include overhauling the UN pension system and restricting business-class travel for staff.
Furthermore, the US wants to reduce senior leadership positions and cut funding for long-running peacekeeping operations.
Another reported condition seeks to block China from directing discretionary funding into the Secretary-General’s office.
This is a strategic intervention intended to curb the power of Beijing within the global body.
Meanwhile, the United States Mission to the United Nations has not publicly commented on the leaked notes. However, Washington has previously withdrawn from UN bodies to demand efficiency changes.
The United Nations continues to struggle with a liquidity crisis. Earlier this year, Guterres warned that the organization faced an imminent financial collapse due to these unpaid dues.
UN figures indicate that Washington owes more than $4 billion in arrears. Although the US has made partial payments recently, it has only settled a small fraction of the total debt.
Operational Costs and Internal Systems
While Guterres stood firm on the legality of the payments, he stated that the UN remains committed to improving efficiency.
He made a clear distinction between internal efficiency and member state responsibilities.
The Secretary-General has overseen various internal system changes during his tenure.
These include a new global human resources strategy and a shift toward decentralised decision-making in field missions.
Nevertheless, the UN Charter stipulates that members who fall behind in payments can eventually lose their voting rights in the General Assembly under Article 19.
The United States remains the largest contributor to the UN budget, assessed at 22%. Consequently, any withholding of its funds creates an immediate and severe deficit in global operations.
China has recently increased its financial footprint at the UN, now serving as the second-largest contributor. This has prompted the current tension regarding the direction of discretionary funding.
The dispute persists as the world body manages multiple humanitarian crises simultaneously. Moreover, the lack of predictable funding threatens the delivery of aid to millions of people in conflict zones.
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