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How the UN funding crisis will worsen in 2026

Only 51 UN member states have paid on time, 142 have not

By Bodo Ellmers

In late January, United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres sent a dramatic letter to UN Member States warning about the “imminent financial collapse” of the United Nations Organization. The letter followed earlier warnings that the UN Secretariat might have to reduce expenditure from the regular budget by 15 percent in 2026. This would mean reducing the workforce by about 2,600 staff.