By David Brunnstrom
Feb 9 (Reuters) – The United Nations said on Monday it is waiting for details on when and how much the United States will pay toward its delayed budget dues, following a promise last week that Washington would make an initial payment within weeks.
“We’ve seen the statements, and frankly, the secretary-general has been in touch for quite some time on this issue with Ambassador (Mike) Waltz,” U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a briefing.
“Our (budget) controller has been in touch with the U.S.; indications were given. We’re waiting to see exactly when payments will be made and in what amounts,” he added.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres sounded the alarm on U.N. finances in a January 28 letter to member states and warned that the 193-country organization is at risk of “imminent financial collapse” due to unpaid fees.
The majority of the fees are owed by Washington, which under President Donald Trump has been retreating from multilateralism on numerous fronts and demanded that the U.N. reform and cut costs.
“You’ll certainly see an initial tranche of money very shortly,” Waltz, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, told Reuters on Friday. “It’ll be a significant … down payment on our annual dues … I don’t believe that the ultimate figure is decided, but it’ll be in a matter of weeks.”
U.N. officials say the U.S. is responsible for more than 95% of outstanding dues toward the regular U.N. budget. The nation owes $2.19 billion by the start of February, plus another $2.4 billion for current and past peacekeeping missions and $43.6 million for U.N. tribunals.
U.N. officials say the U.S. did not pay into the regular budget last year and owes $827 million for that, as well as $767 million for 2026, with the remainder of its debt made up of arrears from previous years.
Asked if the money would go toward last year’s dues or those for 2026, or both, Waltz said: “Just in general, towards the arrears, and also in recognition of some of the reforms that we’ve seen.”
As of last Friday, 55 countries had paid their contributions to the regular U.N. budget for this year before a February 8 due date, U.N. data showed.
(Reporting by David Brunnstrom; Editing by Ethan Smith)
