United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres delivered a stern message Thursday regarding America’s outstanding debt to the international organization, declaring the multi-billion dollar obligation cannot be subject to conditions following reports that Washington was demanding reforms in exchange for payment.
According to development news outlet Devex, the United States circulated two diplomatic communications outlining nine specific “quick-hit” changes required before additional funding would be released, encompassing further budget reductions and initiatives to diminish China’s role within the UN.
When reporters questioned Guterres about these developments, he emphasized the nature of the payments. “The money we are talking about is referred to as assessed contributions,” Guterres stated. “Assessed contributions are an obligation of member states. They are non-negotiable.”
While Guterres acknowledged ongoing reform initiatives driven by member state pressure, particularly from the United States, he stressed the UN’s commitment to improvement. The organization would continue working “to make sure that we make this organization as effective and as cost-effective and as able to deliver for the people we care for,” he explained.
“But these are two separate things,” Guterres emphasized.
The reported American demands for budget reductions encompassed significant changes to UN operations, including restructuring the organization’s pension system, eliminating business-class air travel for certain senior staff and all mid-level employees, reducing senior leadership positions, and implementing a 10% decrease in prolonged, underperforming peacekeeping operations.
Additionally, the conditions reportedly sought to prevent China from directing tens of millions of dollars annually into a discretionary account managed by the secretary-general’s office, representing an effort to curtail Chinese influence within the organization.
The U.S. mission to the United Nations declined to address the reports. American officials have consistently stated their intention to maintain pressure on the UN for organizational changes, following this year’s withdrawal from numerous UN agencies and last year’s funding reductions totaling millions of dollars.
Earlier this year in January, Guterres cautioned that the UN was approaching “imminent financial collapse” due to outstanding member contributions, with the majority owed by the United States. February reports indicated America had remitted approximately $160 million toward its total debt of more than $4 billion to the international body.
