UN Awaits Clarity on US Payment of Dues Arrears

The United Nations announced on Monday that it is awaiting details on when and how much the United States will pay its arrears to the UN budget.

Washington promised last week to make an initial payment in the coming weeks. Stéphane Dujarric, UN spokesperson, said during a news briefing: "We have seen these statements and to be frank, the Secretary-General has been in touch with Ambassador Mike Waltz on this for some time." He added: "Our budget controller has been in touch with the US and there have been some indications. We are waiting to see exactly when payments will be made and in what amounts."

Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary-General, warned in a January 28 letter to member states that the organization faces an "imminent financial collapse" due to unpaid dues from 193 countries, with most owed by the United States. Under President Donald Trump, the US has retreated from multilateralism and called for UN reforms and cost reductions.

Mike Waltz, US Ambassador to the UN, told Reuters on Friday: "Certainly very soon a first chunk of money will be paid. This will be a substantial prepayment of our annual dues... I don't think the final figure has been determined yet, but it will happen within a few weeks." When asked if it would cover last year's debts, 2026 dues or both, Waltz said: "In general, to settle arrears as well as in appreciation of some reforms we have seen."

UN officials state the US accounts for over 95% of regular budget arrears. As of early February, the US owes $2.19 billion for the regular budget, $2.4 billion for current and past peacekeeping missions, and $43.6 million for UN tribunals. The US made no payments to the regular budget last year, owing $827 million for that period, $767 million for 2026, with the rest from prior years.

According to UN data, 55 countries had paid their 2026 regular budget shares by last Friday, ahead of the February 8 deadline.