In his letter, Guterres emphasized that the liquidity situation has significantly worsened, threatening the organization's ability to carry out its core programs and obligations.
He also noted that by the end of 2025, the UN will face a record level of debt in mandatory contributions. The current budgetary rule, which requires the organization to return unspent funds to member states, has created a "paradoxical situation" in which the UN is forced to give back money it has not received.
The Secretary-General warned that if countries do not start fully and timely meeting their financial obligations or if there is no reform of the UN's financial rules, the organization could run out of cash as early as July 2026.
Guterres also pointed out that the United States, the largest contributor, has reduced both mandatory and voluntary payments, significantly worsening the financial situation. The text did not specify which countries are in debt.
He called on member states to fulfill their financial obligations or agree on a reform of the budgetary rules to avoid devastating consequences for key areas of UN work, such as peacekeeping, humanitarian aid, and development.
