Guterres warns of inevitable UN financial collapse

(Patria) - United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned yesterday that the world organization is on the verge of financial collapse and could run out of money by July, calling on countries to pay their membership fees, AFP reported.

The UN is facing chronic budget problems because some member states do not pay their mandatory contributions in full, while others do not pay on time, forcing them to freeze hiring and reduce staff numbers.

"Either all member states fulfill their obligations to pay in full and on time, or member states must fundamentally rethink our financial rules to prevent an inevitable financial collapse," wrote Secretary-General Guterres in a letter.

The administration of US President Donald Trump has reduced funding for some UN agencies in recent months and has refused or delayed some mandatory contributions.

Trump has often questioned the relevance of the UN and attacked its priorities.

The organization's top decision-making body, the Security Council, is paralyzed by tensions between the United States and Russia and China, all three permanent members with veto power.

Trump also launched his "Peace Committee" this month, which critics say is intended to rival the UN.

Although more than 150 member states have paid their membership fees, the UN ended 2025 with $1.6 billion in unpaid contributions - more than double the amount for 2024.

"The current trajectory is unsustainable. It exposes the Organization to structural financial risk," wrote Guterres.

"The UN also faces a related problem: it has to reimburse member states for unspent funds," said Farhan Haq, one of Guterres's spokespersons, during a media briefing.

The Secretary-General also highlighted this problem, writing in the letter: "We are trapped in a Kafkaesque cycle; we are expected to return money that does not exist."

"The practical reality is harsh: unless collections improve drastically, we cannot fully implement the 2026 program budget approved in December," Guterres wrote, adding: "Worse, based on historical trends, regular budget funds could disappear by July."

Guterres, who will step down at the end of 2026, delivered his last annual speech this month, outlining his priorities for the coming year and saying the world is torn by "self-defeating geopolitical divisions (and) blatant violations of international law".

He also sharply criticized "major cuts in development and humanitarian aid" - an apparent reference to the significant budget cuts to UN agencies made by the United States under the "America First" policy of the Trump administration.