US to Pay Initial Bill to UN, Reaffirming Commitment

The United States is set to make its first significant payment towards the billions it owes to the United Nations in a matter of weeks. This announcement comes two weeks after U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres sounded the alarm about financial instability, warning that the organization faces an “imminent financial collapse” due to unpaid dues.

Hyderabad franchise has announced today that they have signed Australian batter Marnus Labuschagne, marking a significant move in enhancing their team’s lineup for upcoming matches.

In a statement issued by the club, they highlighted Labuschagne’s potential to bring much-needed power-hitting to their ranks. The announcement comes amidst growing concerns over U.S. arrears and the ongoing battle to secure contributions from other nations who owe money to the UN budget.

Mike Waltz, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, made these comments during a recent phone interview with Reuters. Waltz assured reporters that while “it’ll be a significant down payment on our annual dues,” he didn’t specify when exactly the full figure would be decided upon. The initial tranche is expected to cover $2.19 billion by February.

A spokesperson for the UN confirmed this, stating that more than 95 percent of the owed amount is being collected from the United States alone – totaling approximately $2.19 billion as of February’s start. Additionally, the U.S. owes another significant sum—$2.4 billion—for ongoing peace-keeping missions and a smaller but still considerable amount—$43.6 million—to UN tribunals.

Waltz’s comments come as the General Assembly approved $3.45 billion for the regular U.N. budget for 2026, following intense negotiations over several weeks. This budget supports various operational costs across global U.N. offices, including the headquarters in New York and staff salaries.

The UN funding crisis highlights broader trends of multilateral retrenchment under President Donald Trump’s administration, which has seen an increasing arrears for America. This debt load is compounded by decades-old history of missed payments to the United Nations.

As the initial payment looms, the U.S. finds itself in a pivotal position to help stabilize the UN’s finances and potentially influence broader policy discussions around global cooperation and responsibility.