UN to cut $577 million from 2026 budget amid mounting unpaid dues
The United Nations plans to reduce its 2026 budget by 15.1% and cut nearly one in five staff positions as unpaid contributions from member states reach $1.59 trillion, Qazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
Antonio Guterres said the proposed budget for 2026 is set at $3.24 billion, down $577 million from the previous year. The shortfall is largely linked to overdue payments by several major contributors, including the United States, China, Russia, and Mexico.
To address the funding gap, the UN plans to eliminate 2,681 positions across multiple agencies, corresponding to an 18.8% reduction in its workforce. At the same time, about 18% of posts are already vacant due to ongoing liquidity constraints, reflecting staffing gaps caused by limited funds rather than policy decisions.
Budgets for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees and for the Development Account and advocacy for Africa’s development will be maintained at 2025 levels. In contrast, funding for special political missions is to be lowered to $543.6 million in 2026, a decline of $149.5 million or 21.6% from the previous year, with some missions set to close or scale back operations.
Cost-saving efforts will also continue in New York, where the UN plans to terminate two property leases by late 2027, generating estimated annual savings of $24.5 million from 2029. Since 2017, the organization has already saved $126 million by shutting down several offices in the city.
Earlier, Qazinform discussed why the United Nations should be reformed and outlined the political and historical premises behind these calls following President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s remarks on the need for reform during his speech at the UN General Assembly.
