US Makes First Payment Toward UN Debt, Calls for Reforms

The United States is set to send an early payment toward the huge amount it owes the United Nations. This step comes after U. N. leaders warned that the organization could face a serious financial crisis if member countries keep falling behind on their dues. Washington has accumulated more than $2. 1 billion in unpaid regular budget fees, plus another $2. 4 billion for past and current peace‑keeping missions, and nearly $44 million for U. N. tribunals. Most of these debts are held by the United States, which has struggled to keep up with payments for decades. Last month, the U. N. General Assembly approved a 2026 budget of $3. 45 billion, enough to cover salaries, office costs and global programs. The new budget is slightly higher than the Secretary‑General’s proposal but still lower than last year’s plan. President Trump’s administration has pulled back from many international commitments, cutting voluntary funding and even withdrawing from the World Health Organization. The new spending bill signed into law includes $3. 1 billion for U. N. dues, but it remains unclear whether this will cover last year’s arrears or next year’s budget.The U. N. chief, António Guterres, has launched a reform effort called UN80 to trim costs and streamline operations. He warned that the organization could run out of money by July if it does not receive the funds it has been asked to collect from member states. U. S. Ambassador Mike Waltz said the first payment will help reduce the debt and that the U. N. needs more reforms to become efficient and focused. He highlighted the problem of duplicate agencies, noting that seven separate U. N. bodies address climate change and that this should be consolidated. Waltz also pointed out legal gaps in U. S. law that prevent the country from paying all its assessments on time, a problem he expects to resolve in future negotiations. He called for changes to the rule that requires the U. N. to credit back unspent dues each year, even when it never receives the money. The United States is hoping that these actions will bring the U. N. back to its core mission of peace and security, while making it a more effective tool for global cooperation.