Guterres said the cash crunch was caused primarily by the failure of UN member states to pay their dues on time, adding that he had asked countries to quickly pay their share of the UN budget. The General Assembly in December approved a $5.4 billion two-year budget for the United Nations, which is separate from the UN peacekeeping budget. The United States pays 22 percent of the UN budget, but the payment occurs later in the year, in line with its national budget cycle. During last year’s gathering of world leaders at the United Nations, President Donald Trump complained that the United States was shouldering too much of the cost of the world body. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said “no one is withholding dues” from the United Nations but that the shortfall was bigger this year because of late payments.

Source: The Guardian July 26, 2018 21:33 UTC