𝐔𝐍 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐎𝐧 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐓𝐨 𝐏𝐚𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬

In a letter sent to all 193 member states, Guterres urged governments to honour their financial obligations or agree to a fundamental overhaul of the UN’s financial system.

He said 2025 ended with a record 77% of assessed contributions unpaid, describing the situation as “categorically different” from previous funding crises.

The warning comes after the United States, the UN’s largest contributor, declined to fund the organisation’s regular and peacekeeping budgets and withdrew from several UN agencies, citing wasteful spending. Other countries are also in arrears or reducing foreign aid.

As a result, the UN has been forced to return hundreds of millions of dollars it never received, including $227 million this month alone, further worsening its cash shortage.

The financial strain is already affecting operations. Human rights investigations are being scaled back, maternal health clinics have closed in Afghanistan, and food rations have been cut for refugees fleeing the conflict in Sudan.

“The bottom line is clear,” Guterres wrote. “Either member states pay in full and on time -or the system faces collapse.”