Fifth Committee told unpaid assessments reached $1.46 billion for regular budget and approximately $4.1 billion for peacekeeping

Delegates in the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) warned that a liquidity crisis is impeding the United Nations in carrying out its mandates, and said Member States must pay their assessed contributions to the regular and peacekeeping budgets on time.

Uruguay’s representative, speaking for the Group of 77 and China, said that as of 30 September unpaid assessments totaled $1.46 billion for the regular budget and approximately $4.1 billion for peacekeeping operations. A further $87 million was unpaid for the International Criminal Tribunals for Rwanda and for the Former Yugoslavia and for the International Residual Mechanism that finishes their work. “These outstanding contributions continue to undermine financial predictability and the full and effective implementation of mandates”, he said. He added that the Organization entered 2026 with record unpaid regular-budget assessments of $1.568 billion, and that it drew on reserves in the Working Capital Fund and Special Account earlier than in 2025, despite spending restrictions.

Singapore’s delegate, speaking for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, acknowledged the “breathing space” created by the General Assembly’s decision to revise the credit-return methodology on a trial basis. She said it is not permanent, and that it “helped to stave off the Organization’s financial collapse for now”. Cuba’s representative also said the new methodology brings relief but does not address root causes. She said “the major global economic Power is keeping the UN in a chronic financial crisis”. The summary of her remarks does not name the country she meant.

Peacekeeping operations ended the 2025/26 financial period with more than $2.8 billion in arrears, delegates said. They welcomed the settlement, as of 30 September, of outstanding troop, police and contingent-owned equipment claims for active missions. They warned of renewed delays unless collections improve. Uruguay’s representative said the Group’s members collectively make up the largest contributors of troops and police. Indonesia’s speaker said cross-borrowing of funds cannot replace adequate funding. India’s delegate, representing a major troop-contributing country, said the UN Charter requires Member States to pay in full and on time.

The European Union’s representative called payment “not a political choice” but a collective responsibility. He said: “It is necessary to break the cycle of arrears and reject conditionality”.

Some delegates turned to how the Secretariat uses its money. The Maldives delegate described the UN80 Initiative as an opportunity to examine institutional practices and working cultures. China, which its delegate described as the Organization’s second-largest financial contributor, urged the Secretariat to take more robust measures to implement UN80 and carry out cost-saving reforms. Haiti’s delegate urged a review of more predictable and flexible financing mechanisms, and said voluntary contributions that respect the Organization’s independence could be one option.

Catherine Pollard, Under-Secretary-General for Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance, opened the meeting with an update on developments since her 7 October briefing. She said 145 Member States have now paid the regular budget in full, with Jordan and Nigeria added. For the International Tribunals, Azerbaijan and Nigeria have paid in full, bringing that total to 127. The Secretary-General’s report on the financial situation pays special tribute to the 59 Member States that have paid all assessments due.

The Committee also heard presentations on two Joint Inspection Unit reports, one on programme support cost rates and one on health services in the United Nations system. The Unit’s report on support costs found no common definition of them across the system.