The United Nations expects the United States to deliver a long-overdue budget payment of $725 million in the coming weeks, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said on Thursday.
Guterres told reporters that U.N. officials have been informed the payment will arrive "very soon," though he did not specify a date. The amount represents less than 15% of the total $5.1 billion the U.N. says Washington owes for regular budget contributions. The U.S. has argued the actual outstanding balance is significantly lower, but no funds have been transferred as of Friday, according to a U.S. official.
The Trump administration notified Congress in August of its intent to pay $725 million, a figure confirmed in a State Department letter dated August 4. The U.N. had previously stated in May that Washington owed $2.04 billion for the regular budget alone. The U.S. has tied any payment to ongoing reforms within the U.N., a condition reiterated by a State Department official last week.
Guterres warned earlier this year that unpaid dues risked pushing the U.N. toward "imminent financial collapse," prompting deep budget cuts across the organization. The shortfall stems largely from Washington’s withheld contributions, which have strained the U.N.’s financial stability. The U.S. has also reduced funding to multiple U.N. agencies, citing concerns over efficiency and alignment with national priorities.
