The United Nations is waiting for clear details from the United States on when it will pay its huge overdue bills and how much money it will send, U.N. officials said this week. The delay is stirring concern at the world body, which relies on member nations’ fees to operate.
The U.N. is owed billions of dollars in unpaid dues, and more than 95 % of that debt comes from the U.S. alone, U.N. officials say. By early February, the U.S. owed about $2.19 billion for the regular U.N. budget, plus $2.4 billion for peacekeeping missions and tens of millions for other U.N. bodies.
The regular budget helps pay for the basic work of the United Nations, including staff salaries, meetings, and programs on development and human rights. U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres has warned that failure to collect these fees could put the United Nations at risk of a cash shortage or even financial collapse. In a recent letter to member states, he urged them to pay on time or agree to reforms to save the organization from running out of money by mid-year.
Last week, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said Washington plans to make an initial payment “within weeks” toward its overdue dues. However, the U.N. says it still needs specifics on the timing and exact amounts. The payment could cover both past arrears and part of the current year’s dues, Waltz suggested, but full details have not been provided yet.
Only about 55 countries had paid their full 2026 budget shares by the February deadline, according to U.N. data. That leaves many nations waiting and the U.N.’s financial situation in a fragile state.
The U.S. has a long history of owing money to the U.N., partly because of domestic limits on payments and changes in policy under recent administrations. Still, the size of the U.S. arrears, especially to the regular budget, is unusual and a source of tension in global diplomacy.
The United Nations now needs a firm schedule and amount from Washington to plan its work through the rest of the year and avoid cuts or disruptions to key programs.
