Why UN financing matters for effective multilateralism

Baumann, Max-Otto / Sebastian Haug
External Publications (2024)

published on theglobalobservatory.org, 18.06.2024

The United Nations (UN) had a record income of USD 74 billion in 2022 (the last year for which complete numbers are available). That is almost double what it was a decade earlier. Yet, instead of celebrations, the current UN financing year began with a letter by the UN Secretary-General warning member states of an “accelerating liquidity crisis” in the UN Secretariat. As of mid-June 2024, the two largest contributors—the United States and China—together with 51 other member states have still not paid their annual mandatory contributions that were due by February 8.