UN Secretary-General António Guterres has warned of an imminent financial collapse of the United Nations. The organization’s financial situation is continuing to deteriorate rapidly, according to a letter from the UN chief to the 193 member states, which is available to the news agencies dpa and AFP. If no solution is found, the money for the regular budget could run out in July.
“Either all member states fulfill their obligation to Contributions must be paid in full and on time – or the Member States will have to fundamentally revise our financial rules“to avert an impending financial collapse,” Guterres said in the letter.
One of the causes of the financial crisis are missing payments from what was once the largest lender in the USA. Washington alone currently owes the United Nations several billion dollars. Under President Donald Trump, the USA has had its share in recent months Funds for certain UN organizations cut. They also refused or delayed certain mandatory contributions.
“Decisions not to make the mandatory contributions that finance a significant portion of the approved regular budget have now been officially announced,” Guterres wrote.
The United Nations has been struggling with chronic liquidity problems for yearsbecause some Member States do not pay their compulsory contributions in full and others do not pay them on time. This regularly forces the organization to freeze hiring and cut its missions. Guterres criticized the current course as unsustainable. “It exposes the organization to structural financial risk.” (Tsp/dpa/AFP)
