UN Secretary-General Warns of Financial Collapse Amid Record Unpaid Dues

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has issued a severe warning regarding the organization's liquidity, cautioning member states in a letter dated January 28, 2026, that the UN faces a significant financial crisis. The communication, made public on Friday, January 30, 2026, pointed to a deepening problem fueled by substantial arrears in mandatory contributions and inherent structural issues within the budgetary framework.

Guterres explicitly stated that the current financial path is unsustainable, projecting that without a substantial increase in the collection of dues, the UN may be unable to fully execute its 2026 program budget, with cash reserves potentially exhausting by July 2026. The immediate threat is rooted in a record accumulation of unpaid assessments, which totaled $1.568 billion by the close of 2025, with only 76.7 percent of required contributions collected by that time. This shortfall is compounded by a regulatory challenge where strict financial rules compel the organization to return unspent funds to member states, even if those contributions were never remitted.

As of January 29, 2026, only 36 of the 193 member states had fully settled their regular budget obligations, indicating widespread non-compliance. This financial pressure is significantly heightened by the actions of major contributors. The United States, which typically covers 22 percent of the regular budget, second to China's 20 percent assessment, has reportedly curtailed voluntary financing for various UN agencies and withheld mandatory payments for both the regular budget and peacekeeping operations. Washington's outstanding debt against the regular budget is cited at approximately $2.2 billion, with an additional $1.88 billion owed for active peacekeeping missions. In contrast, China has maintained full remittance of its financial commitments.

The Secretary-General presented member states with a clear choice: either all nations must honor their financial obligations completely and on schedule, or the foundational financial regulations governing the organization require fundamental revision to prevent systemic failure. The 2026 budget had already been reduced by 7 percent, amounting to $3.45 billion, following prior efficiency measures like the UN80 reform initiative, which included the elimination of 2,681 posts. Despite these reductions, the liquidity situation remains critically fragile.

Adding political complexity, reports note that President Donald Trump has expressed skepticism regarding the UN's effectiveness, suggesting it fails to realize its potential, while concurrently establishing an alternative body called the 'Council of Peace.' This political development coincides with frequent paralysis in the Security Council, the UN's main decision-making body, due to tensions among its permanent, veto-wielding members, including the US, Russia, and China. Russia is also listed among countries that had not paid their regular budget dues in full five weeks before the end of 2025, although it later contributed $71 million to the regular budget. The current situation is considered more severe than previous liquidity challenges due to the large segment of required regular budget funding being withheld based on officially announced decisions not to make payments.